As we come close to holy week & Easter
-- I want us to begin to focus upon the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is an event in the life of Jesus --
recorded in Mark's Gospel -- that is worthy of our careful attention today. --
It is a snap short -- a picture -- with so
much meaning.
I've noticed that Holly -- or Laura -- like
to take pictures at various events at our church.
At various dinners -- at Homecoming -- or
other special occasions -- at all kinds of events -- there is Holly/Laura
taking pictures.
It is likely that you are in some of those
pictures.
You -- along with others.
Pictures are always interesting to look at
-- especially when you are in them! -- As we read today's Scripture -- look for
your picture!
You are very likely in this story --
somewhere! -- Can you see yourself?
While He was in
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 -- & 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 -- & 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 before-hand to prepare for my burial. -- I tell you
the truth -- wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world -- what she
has done will also be told, in memory of her."
Then Judas Iscariot -- one of the Twelve --
went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. -- They were delighted to
hear this & promised to give him money. -- So he watched for an opportunity
to hand Him over.
Can you see yourself -- some where there --
in this snap-shot picture?
An interesting set of circumstances occur in
our Scripture lesson.
The first two verses tell of the priest
& politicians plotting to destroy Jesus.
The last two verses tell of Judas plotting to
sell his Master.
There were enemies on the outside; -- there
was an enemy within.
Between these two events stands a beautiful
story of love & devotion. -- This story tells us of almost the last act of
kindness that Jesus experienced before His death.
The activity of both friend & foe seems
to quicken in this passage.
There are three persons -- three cameos --
in this picture that deserve a closer look. -- Which person are you? -- Watch
& see yourself in this story!
1. The
first cameo is that of Simon, the Leper -- who shows a Personal Gratitude for
Deliverance!
It is exceedingly interesting to read that
Jesus attended a supper in the home of Simon the leper!
Not much is know about Simon the leper; --
in fact what we read about him here is all we know.
We do know that under ordinary circumstances
-- it would have been unwise & even illegal for a leper to serve a meal to
anyone.
A leper was considered unclean -- unfit!
No "clean" person was ever
permitted to run the risk of contamination by fellowshipping with a leper!
Therefore -- it is apparent that the host --
Simon, in this case -- was no longer unclean!
At sometime in his life -- Simon must have
been cleansed by Jesus!
I wonder -- I wonder if he might have been
the one leper out of the ten -- who came back to thank Jesus? -- It's just
speculation on my part!
Whatever the case -- here was a man who
greatly desired to express his appreciation to the Lord!
Simon wanted to express his love &
gratitude to the One Who had changed his life completely!
What a difference Jesus had made in the life
of this leper!
There had been a day when a miracle was
performed; -- when the impossible had happened.
Somewhere -- somehow -- Simon had come in
contact with the Christ!
Divine grace had been manifested -- &
eternal love overflowed to reach a leper in his misery.
Where once Simon had been unclean -- now he
was made whole!
And now Simon was fervent in his love &
gratitude to Jesus for his deliverance. -- Gratitude filled his heart -- &
when the opportunity came to do something for his Savior -- he did what was
possible!
Now Simon desired fellowship with Jesus!
Formally Simon desired salvation; -- now he
yearns to sit with the Lord -- to listen to His voice; -- to rejoice in His
presence; -- to learn at His feet!
Simon the leper sets an example which all of
us should follow!
Dr. E.V. Hill preached a powerful message
asking the question: -- "When was God at His best?"
Was it at Creation -- when He spoke the Word
-- & all things came into existence? -- He said: "Let there be light" -- & there
was light!
Or was God at His best in the deliverance of
the Children of Israel from their bondage in
Oh how the power of God was displayed in the
Exodus!
What about Christmas? -- God incarnated
Himself -- coming into a small planet -- born in a manger.
The One Who carries the Universe is being
carried by human hands.
Perhaps God was at His best at the Cross! --
God suffering & dying for mankind; -- that's the greatest act of love
imaginable.
The whole of human history has been divided
by the Cross!
No! -- God was at His best when He enters my
life & dwells in my heart!
The moment I accept Jesus Christ -- God enters
my life!
He dwells here! -- My life is forever
changed!
He turns me right-side up -- & removes
my sins as far as the East is from the West!
(Ps. 103:12).
He can be on the Cross -- & nothing
happens to you.
You may still be in your sin -- with
unbelief in your heart -- & nothing changed.
Jesus has already died on the Cross -- &
rose again -- but we still walk down the street not changed -- & not saved.
Why? -- Because we did not receive Him by
faith!
But the moment you accept Jesus Christ --
you're completely changed!
A new creation! -- Not merely a remaking of
the old -- but entirely new!
That is when God is at His best! -- The moment He enters my life -- your life
-- & makes us a new person all together -- God is at His best!
It took
a miracle to put the stars in place.
It took
a miracle to hang the world in space.
But
when He saved my soul, -- cleansed & made my whole,
It took
a miracle of love & grace! (-- John
W. Peterson)
Like Simon the leper -- do you show a
personal gratitude to the Lord for deliverance?
2. The next cameo in this story is that of Mary
-- who demonstrates a Precious Gift of Devotion!
There came a woman having an alabaster jar
full of a very precious perfume -- a very beautiful fragrance. -- We are told
she broke the jar open -- & poured that perfume over the head of Jesus!
This anointing of Jesus' must have been an
important one to the life of the
Mark chooses not to name the woman in the
story -- but we learn from John's Gospel that this was Mary of Bethany -- the
sister of Martha & Lazarus.
Mary is found three times in the Gospels --
& each time she is seen at the feet of Jesus! (cf.
Mary enjoyed a close fellowship with the
Lord -- as she sat at His feet & listened to His every Word.
She too -- is a good model for all of us to
follow!
Here -- Mary is expressing her tribute --
her love -- her devotion -- to her Lord & Savior. -- She gave lavishly
& lovingly!
She was not ashamed to show her love for
Jesus Christ openly!
The perfume she used was a very expensive
offering -- likely a perfume that had been imported from
It was not uncommon to drop a couple of
drops of such an ointment on the head of a distinguished guest -- but Mary
poured out the whole jar all at once!
She not only opens the jar -- but breaks it;
-- the fact that it was broken means she intends it to be used entirely for
Jesus!
She did not pour out a few drops of perfume!
Rather -- in an act of spontaneous love --
& uncalculating devotion -- she poured all its contents on the Lord's head.
It is truly one of the most beautiful
examples of love & consecration to be found in the Scriptures!
The whole room was filled with its beautiful
aroma!
And again -- John's account also tells us
that she does not stop at Jesus'
head --
but Mary pours the perfume on Jesus' feet -- & wipes those feet with her
hair. -- Nothing was too good for her Lord!
Mary had had an encounter with the living
Christ.
Jesus was the best thing that had ever
happened to her!
His love & acceptance had changed her
life!
Mary wanted the Lord to know she adored Him
-- & the best way to make that confession was in surrendering the best of
her possessions.
This act revealed the overflowing love of
Mary's heart!
The escaping fragrance not only filled the
house -- it entered the street -- filled the town -- & in ever widening
circles of blessedness -- proceeded to fill the world!
I don't know if Mary realized the full
impact & significance of her act of devotion -- but Jesus did!
In
this act Mary prepared the body of our Lord for burial!
It was the custom in the East to anoint the
bodies of the dead.
Although she may not have meant it as such
-- that was the very thing that Mary was doing -- & Jesus knew it.
Nothing is too good for Jesus! -- That is
how Mary felt.
Do you feel that way? -- Can Jesus have your
dearest treasures?
Do you
love Him enough to invest whatever you have & are for His sake?
If you don't feel that way -- it's because
you don't know Who He really is -- & what He has actually done for you!
Have you done for the Lord Jesus all that
you are able to do?
May we somehow break through all the
accumulated trappings that act as weights on our faith -- & give ourselves
-- our all -- to the Savior!
Oh yes -- some people will rebuke us &
tell us how much better it might have been to channel our love & enthusiasm
into more worthwhile ventures.
However -- to love Him with all our heart --
& to receive His approval is what really matters!
Do you remember the words of that great old
hymn? --
Give of
your best to the Master; -- Naught else is worthy His love.
He gave
Himself for your ransom, -- Gave up His glory above.
Laid
down His life without murmur, -- You from sin's ruin to save.
Give
Him your heart's adoration; -- Give Him the best that you have.
Oh -- may that song be lived out in your
life & mine!
3. The
third portrait in this story is that of Judas -- one of a Persistent Growl of
Displeasure!
Upon seeing what Mary had done -- we read
that "some of those at the table were indignant” (14:4) -- & they
began to complain about the "waste" -- as they called it.
The Greek word translated
"indignation" -- is very expressive!
It means to feel pain; -- to grieve. -- It
is therefore understandable why some translations say: -- "they growled
with displeasure."
We read that a "whisper" -- or
"grumbling" began to stir.
I'm pretty sure that Judas was leading the
pack in this grumbling.
Again -- it is John's Gospel that informs us
that Judas was the actual spokesman -- but he was not alone in his displeasure.
After all -- this perfume would have cost a
full year's wages to purchase.
Just think how much good this amount would
do in ministry to the poor!
Those who saw what appeared to be a
regrettable waste of much needed money -- questioned the wisdom of Mary's act.
It sounded so pious for Judas to talk about
the poor -- when in reality he wanted the money for himself!
Judas was treasurer of the group -- &
was all the time dipping into the funds!
Poor Judas. -- Judas criticized Mary for
"wasting money" -- but he wasted his entire life!
The real point here is that Judas -- who
walked with Jesus -- who was one of the chosen twelve -- had reached a point in
his own spiritual life where he had become critical & fault-finding in his
spirit!
Usually people with glaring faults of their
own are the quickest to criticize others! -- In fact, the greater the guilt in
a man's heart -- the more he points his finger at others!
My friends -- God's Spirit is grieved when
the finger of fault-finding is pointed at people.
Remember my friends -- when you point your
finger at someone else -- there are three fingers pointing back at you!
Jesus rebuked these self-appointed
When the indignant diners reproached Mary --
Jesus hushed their complaints by saying -- "Leave her alone. -- She has
done a beautiful thing to me” (14:6
For Judas -- it was not a personal gratitude
for deliverance; -- it was not a precious gift of devotion; -- rather, it was a
persistent growl of displeasure.
Judas had become bitter & critical &
hateful & harsh & brutal & hard.
And that persistent growl of displeasure --
led him further down the path of sin & betrayal.
As soon as Judas got out of Simon the
leper's home -- he went at once to the chief priests -- to betray Jesus.
The chief priests are delighted -- for now
their problem is solved.
They wanted to arrest Jesus somewhere quiet
-- away from the crowd.
Now Judas can inform them of the right time
-- at the right place.
The Scripture simply states those incredible
words -- 'one of the twelve.'
Such betrayal breaks the heart -- as when
Julius Caesar gasped to see his friend among the assassins -- & said: --
"You too, Brutus?"
What a sad, tragic figure is Judas.
Judas took all he could; -- Mary gave all
she could!
The
heart & mind of Judas had become corrupted!
It is difficult to understand how one so
near could be so far away.
Yet we have seen this sad truth occur over
& over!
The Bible clearly warns us -- "If you
think you are standing firm -- be careful that you don't fall!" (I
Corinthians 10:12 NIV).
Unfortunately -- this is the picture of many
people -- who have followed Christ -- but their spirit is no longer that of
Jesus!
The example of Judas speaks strongly to us
-- that we are all exceedingly vulnerable.
Judas had enjoyed the fellowship of Christ;
-- he had witnessed the miracles; -- he even had the Master's hand laid on his
head in blessing & commission.
Judas was loved by Jesus -- taught by Jesus
-- & travel with Jesus for three years. -- But now, Judas sells the most
precious Friend in the world for the price of a slave.
We would all like to think that such a fall
would not be possible for us -- that we would be loyal to the end!
But Jesus indicated that one of the
characteristics of the day in which we live -- would be that "because of
the increase of wickedness -- the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:12).
It is tremendously easy for us to
unintentionally permit the deep, tender ties of our relationship with Jesus --
to become frayed to the breaking point.
As James says to the Church -- "Do not
err, my beloved brethren" (1:16).
Conclusion:
-- In conclusion -- notice with me -- the contrast between Simon the leper
& Judas; -- & the contrast between Mary & Judas.
For Simon -- it was an expression of
personal gratitude for deliverance.
And for Mary -- it was a precious gift of
selfless devotion.
While for Judas -- it was envy & hatred!
Simon & Mary gave their best in faith
& love.
Judas gave his worst in unbelief &
hatred.
As I thought upon this event in the life of
our Lord -- I asked myself -- "Where am I in this passage?"
I ask you this morning: -- "Where are
you in this passage?"
Am I -- or are you -- someone like Simon --
who desires fellowship with the Lord in gratitude for the deliverance He has
brought in our lives?
Am I -- or are you -- someone like Mary --
who is willing to give the very best we have to the Lord as a precious gift of
devotion & love?
Or, am I -- or you -- someone like Judas --
who has followed the Lord -- but has allowed bitterness & envy to take hold
of the heart -- until it discolors everything we see around us?
This is a passage that can allow us to
examine our hearts!
Where are you in this snap-shot? -- in this
soul-searching picture?
Pastor
Lyle W. Pettit
Wynne
Chapel -- Cochise, AZ
www.wynnechapel.org