What Makes A Person Clean or Unclean? - Mark 7:1-23

A Wonderful Witness - Mark 14:3-9

By Pastor Lee Hemen

February 8, 2026 AM

What kind of impact does our Christianity have on others? If we were suddenly taken, would those we come into contact daily miss us because of our witness? We believe that faith in Jesus changes people, correct? Yet, has our faith changed us to the point whereby we make any kind of spiritual impact on those around us? I am not talking about being a good worker, showing up on time, being kind or studious because even very ungodly people can do these things quite well. Do people actually see and hear Jesus in our attitude and our actions? Paul wrote that “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” (2 Corinthians 9:13 NIV) Would others say we are a wonderful witness for our Lord?

There are some stories in the Bible that grab a hold of your heart and just won’t let go. The widow and her mite, the death o Lazarus, when Jesus washes his disciple’s feet, Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, and, in Mark, the simple story of a young woman who anoints Jesus. Every time I read it, I am moved because of the unselfish act of this woman, especially compared to those reclining at the table with Jesus. There is no denying that her act is a wonderful witness. Mark’s gospel gives us insight into the last few days Jesus had remaining with his disciples. We find them at a dinner hosted for Jesus and his friends. During the meal this woman does something so beautiful that her witness has been remembered for all time. Let’s find out this morning what she did.

READ: Mark 14:3-9

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Jesus would soon sacrifice himself for our sins. He would become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And here in a captured moment of time, we discover someone who is so gracious and so lovely in her witness that it makes us pause. Would others that day see her actions as a wonderful witness? Sadly, no, because…

I. We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness! (Vv. 3-5)

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.

  1. One’s perfume can either turn heads or stomachs! We learn in John’s account of this incident that it was impetuous Mary, Lazarus and Martha’s sister. They evidently had been invited to Simon the Leper’s house as well. Perhaps they knew him and had introduced him to Jesus. More than likely he had been cured by Jesus because even though Jesus was adept at ignoring social norms in favor of witnessing to folks, we do not find him going here to heal Simon, but rather to eat with him. This, none of the disciples, Mary, Martha or Lazarus would have done if he had still been infected with leprosy. We find them in a perfect setting with friends sharing a meal together. And we find that impulsive woman Mary doing what she always did best – being with her Master. While others were reclining at the table, we find that she comes in “with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard.” Nard was made from a plant found in the East Indies, with a small, slender stalk, and a heavy, thick root. The best perfume was obtained from the root. Today’s La Prairie, which can cost upwards of $1,700 is a good example. “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” While others were feeding themselves, Mary was getting ready to anoint her Master, while others sat and enjoyed each other’s company, Mary thought only of giving the one she loved a beautiful gift. Yet not everyone shared her enthusiasm and became annoyed. Notice their comments: “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.” Where Mary succeeded others failed. They actually rebuke her "harshly" for her wonderful witness! Why is it we often fail to see or be a wonderful witness? Perhaps, is it because we often fill our lives up with what does not matter and we miss that which truly does! Mary focused on glorifying God; their only concern was the cost involved. I am reminded of what Paul told the elders at Ephesus, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” (Acts 20:24) Paul did not want them to fail in their witness for the Lord. And right here is the problem that we face: We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness!

  EXAMPLE: Now let me ask you, “Do you turn heads or stomachs?” Are you a spiritual glutton at God’s banquet table? We can get so caught up in satisfying our own selfish selves, gaining pride in our own accomplishments, and focusing on feeding ourselves, that we do not think about what would truly please Jesus. We feast while others starve right before our eyes. Why? We often believe that if it pleases us or goes along with what we desire in life, then it must certainly please God. Nothing could be further from the truth! We may have sold ourselves an empty plate for a life of dirty dishes. Few Christians today sacrifice anything in order to glorify the Lord. We have gorged ourselves with too many things thinking that by giving God a few scraps once in a while, if it does not interfere with anything we want to do, that we have somehow glorified him in some way! Our job, our school, our families, our friends, our time, our talent, or our treasure are not ours to do with as we please. We forget that God has graciously given each of them to us. Are we too content at God’s table, too willing to rebuke another’s wonderful witness instead? Oh, I hope not! Paul wrote, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7 NIV) What have you lost for the Lord? Have you failed to see or be a wonderful witness for the Lord?

Without a word or without any announcement, this young woman begins to minister to Jesus. All the others that day were only interested in the food and drink provided, the witty conversation, or a moment to relax. She was motivated by her gracious heart to do something special for one she loved. And because of what she does and how she does it, we learn of…

II. A wonderful witness that will always be remembered! (Vv. 6-9)

"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

  1. Smelly Christians really stink for the Lord! Let me explain: Jesus reminds his fellow countrymen what truly mattered here. He bluntly tells them, “Leave her alone!” and then asks them, “Why are you bothering her?” I do not believe her detractors were really interested in the poor at all. She had “done a beautiful thing to” Jesus, but had they? No. Jesus immediately reveals their selfishness. He tells them, “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.” Jesus was not giving his disciples or future believers an excuse to ignore the poor around them; rather he was putting their arrogant argument into proper perspective. If they had truly wanted to help the poor they could have done so at any time and they could still do so at any time. Kind of like politicians and the homeless in our day. “But you will not always have me,” he tells them. What Mary did that day was show her faith, her devotion, her love and honor for Jesus. They all should have applauded her selflessness and her witness of servanthood. Her act sprung from a real and sincere love for Jesus, and was designed for his honor and glory; and so, had the aroma of something quite wonderful. John relates to us that it was Judas, Jesus’ betrayer, who voiced his concern for the cost of her gift. In hindsight, John relates that Judas “did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6) However, the other gospel writers do not mention it was just Judas who voiced their false concern, but that it was all of them. And John curiously leaves out what the other writers include, namely that Jesus tells them, “She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” His meaning is clear; they had done nothing. She may not have understood what she did at the time, but Jesus did. He faced betrayal by one of his own, while one would betray him, one would deny him, and the rest run away! Only one sweet woman, ahead of time, had the sensitivity of the Spirit to perform something so wonderful that it deeply touched Jesus. Sunday reminds of Jesus, but when Mary “poured [the nard] on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair,” her wonderful witness would always be remembered. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus solemnly tells them, that “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Today, we discover the smell of a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!

  EXAMPLE: Now let me ask, “How do we stink for the Lord?” What wonderful witness for the Lord of ours will be remembered by others? Sadly, there are far too few Christians who are remembered in this way when in fact it should be the majority of believers. I fear we have bought into the lie that anything we do as a believer, including getting up in the morning, is a witness. It is not. Little of what we do in life actually witnesses. How can I say such a bold thing? I am not talking about spiritual neutrality here. Whereby, as long as we think good thoughts, are pleasant, or treat others decently we are being a witness for the Lord. Do we actually “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse [us] of doing wrong, they may see [our] good deeds and glorify God [because of our selfless and Christ-like actions and attitudes] on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12 NIV) Being a witness allows others to smell the aroma of Christ in our lives. It is a life of sacrifice as Paul related, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NIV) Is our life lived this way? If not, our witness will not be remembered as honoring to the Lord. Paul would write, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV) Let's not stink in our witness, but rather become a fragrant offering. A perfume of sacrifice, the fragrant nard poured out on the lives of others and we will be a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!

Conclusion:

1) We often fail to see or be a wonderful witness and we need to become 2) a wonderful witness that will always be remembered!

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