"She Has Done What She Could" - Mark 14:3-9

Because Jesus is worthy, faithful disciples do what they can for Christ and His Kingdom

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I don't get that good of introduction at home. I'm just going to tell you, thank you so much, Pastor Bowe. And thank you so much, Cedar Street. I greatly appreciate you and your church and just having getting to know so many of you, I just thank you so much. I love your pastor. I appreciate him. I did want him to know this morning that the only reason I'm wearing this monkey suit today is because of him. So but if you have your Bible this morning, I want you to turn with us to the Gospel of Mark this morning. Mark chapter 14. Mark chapter 14. We're going to begin reading this morning in verse 3. And I want to share a message that I've entitled, She Has Done What She Could. She has Done What She Could. The Gospel of Mark is found in the New Testament. The New Testament is roughly two-thirds of the way through your Bible. If you get to Matthew, keep going to the right. You get somewhere Luke or John, come back to the left. Find chapter 14, and we're going to begin reading in verse 3 this morning. And I'm going to read through verse 9. She has done what she could. Let's look at God's word together. I'm reading from the CSB translation, whatever translation you have, you'll be able to follow along with us this morning. While he, and the he there is Jesus, was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. He was reclining at the table. A woman came with an alabaster jar, a very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head. But some were expressing indignation to one another. Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they began to scold her. And Jesus replied, Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing for me. You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body in advance for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you so much today. I thank you today for your goodness and your grace. I thank you, Father, that you love us with an everlasting love. Father, I thank you today that you are a God who forgives and restores. And Father, I thank you today that you are a God that is worthy of our worship. Father, I pray this morning by the power of your word, by the power of your spirit, that God, that you would speak into our hearts and into our lives. That Father, that you would open our eyes that we might see, you would open our ears that we might hear. God, you would open our minds that we might understand. God, you would open our hearts that we might be changed. Father, we ask that you would bless this time for your glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Because Jesus is worthy, faithful disciples do what they can for Christ and His kingdom. Because Jesus is worthy. Faithful disciples do what they can for Christ in His kingdom. I have heard over many years, now I'm into, I have finished my third decade in ministry before coming to this role. I pastored for almost 30 years. I've been serving as your missionary now for almost two. I've heard a lot of definitions about what does it mean to be a faithful, devoted follower of Jesus Christ. And nearly all of those have come to form some type of quantifiable or an identifiable set of boxes to check. If you are of a certain age, and I'm gonna age myself here for just a moment, you may remember that when I grew up, I've been a Baptist nine months longer than I've been alive. Is that you always we used to get a set of tithing envelopes? Do y'all still do tithing envelopes here? Everybody got a box of tithing envelopes. Y'all remember, y'all got those? How many of y'all remember the tithing envelopes that had the check boxes on them? Y'all rose that right? Y'all remember those, right? Right? I learned how to lie in church because of that. Because, right, on those boxes, it was present. Read your Bible daily, Sunday school lesson, tithe, all those six or seven. And you know what? You didn't want to not check the boxes because that was there. It was implied that this is what it meant if you were going to be a faithful follower of Jesus. I've heard people say in my life, I had a church member one time tell me that if it was the people that showed up on Wednesday night, they were the faithful followers of Christ. You see, what we do and what we are accustomed to doing is we like to create a list. And a list that is quantifiable that we can check off the boxes. Now, here's what we do. I do it, you do it, we all do it. Is that we create a set of quantifiable boxes to check where we turn out to be the winner. See, I'm not gonna make a set, I'm not gonna identify where I'm gonna be the loser, where I'm gonna be in second place. No, I'm gonna create something that I always come out on top. But you know, when we look into God's word, what God teaches us, and I believe what this passage is gonna teach us today, is that as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, it's not about the boxes we check, it is about the Savior we serve. And it is found here in this text, it is doing what we can. You see, Jesus is now coming, and he is literally in the shadow of the cross. He is his ministry, his earthly ministry is coming to an end. He is in Bethany, he's visited this town many times throughout his ministry. And here in the house of Simon the leper, a woman comes, and we know that she is Mary. And Jesus, and in fact, you'll find this text also found in Matthew 26 and John chapter 12. And she takes this very expensive perfume and she anoints Jesus. And Jesus identifies that this is for his burial. I want us today, as we look to this text, identify four major principles, four major truths that we're going to encounter at acting as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Look, if you will, in verse 3 with me this morning. So as your Bibles stay open, look again. And Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, and as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar, a very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head. As a faithful disciple, she did what she could with the resources entrusted to her. As a faithful disciple, she did what she could with the resources entrusted to her. Now, this perfume, this nard, is believed to have come from the Himalayas. It was very expensive. In fact, we read a little bit later in the text that it was worth some 300 denarii. Well, my guess is that no one here has a denarii in your pocket this morning. So you might not know what that means, we might not have a basis for what that means. So let's put it in 21st century understanding. It is approximately a year's worth of wages. So whatever you make in a year, think of it in those terms. It's worth a year's of whatever you do. And she comes and she brings it and she opens it up and she begins to pour it out upon Jesus. Now, something I want you to notice here in the text, something that we sometimes will look over. Notice it says that it is an alabaster jar of pure nard. The contents were valuable, but so was the container. Both the container and the contents are of extreme value. That's going to be important in just a moment. But she has this resource. Mary understood what she held. She understood the cost, and yet she was still willing to pour it out upon Christ. When we look at this text, I want us, and sometimes we'll go to this thing and say, Well, I don't have anything that expensive. Please understand this morning, it's not necessarily about the value as it is about Christ. Because there is another text, and we don't have time to go there, but I'll just point it to you. If you were to go back a couple of chapters into Mark chapter 12, there's a story of another woman, a widow, who was standing in line in the temple to offer her tithe. And she's the last one in line. And when she comes up to the boxes, there are several boxes that would be lined up. They had trumpet-shaped openings. And she was the last one to come. And when she comes, she drops in two very thin coins. They're called lepta in the Greek. They're worth almost nothing. And Jesus says to his disciples that she put in more than anyone else. In both of these cases, Jesus acknowledges that these two women offered what they had. I want you to think for a moment today. Now, I understand that you've probably heard pastors or preachers say in this text or something about it. They talk about time, talent, and tithe. I got that. I want to broaden that for us just a moment, okay? So I want to give you several categories to think about how God, what God has entrusted into your life and into mine. So I do it like this: gifts, talents, abilities, resources, experiences, and opportunities. Gifts, talents, abilities, resources, experiences, and opportunities. You see, what God has entrusted to you, entrusted to me is not ownership. What God has entrusted to us is stewardship. Now, in Baptist life, stewardship means what? Money. When they weren't talking about money. Steward, that listen, that is not incorrect, it is just incomplete. Stewardship is everything. Stewardship is everything. Even the very experiences of our lives are a stewardship. Whatever you have gone through, whatever you're going through, is not just ultimately for you. Is God going to use it for you? Certainly. Is God going to use it for his glory? Absolutely. But God, you are now a steward of that experience. In the opportunity that God will give you to use so that he will be glorified. In this moment and in this time, Mary gave sacrificially. So I wanted to ask us a question. And we got to be out of here by one o'clock, okay? You're laughing. I don't know why. Okay. So may I ask us a couple of questions before we move on? What has God entrusted to you today? What do you find yourself holding on to too tightly? Is there something in your life that you have told God this is off limits? Faithful disciples do what they can with the resources entrusted to them. Notice, if you will, secondly, look in verse 3 again, verse 6. I'm going to read it for us very quickly. Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing for me. Secondly, as a faithful disciple, she responds when the opportunity is present. As a faithful disciple, she responds when the opportunity is present. A few months ago, my wife and I began kind of organically to clean out our refrigerator and our spice cabinet. I was embarrassed. Because we began to, and some of you are laughing right now, I know what you're thinking, right? Yeah. We began to pull it out and we began to look at the expiration dates. Go home and do it, okay? Because there's something that some of you got stuff in your cabinets that's been there since Reagan was president. You need to get rid of it. And we went through it. We went through everything. We went through all, and I mean, there was stuff that there was no reason, okay? I mean, we have carried it probably, I think we carried some of that stuff through three different moves. It was time to get rid of it. Spiritual opportunities often have an expiration date. Jesus was there. That is what made the opportunity, the moment urgent. Mary did not bring a gift in an order or an attempt to impress man or God. She did not bring a gift to interfere with someone else's worship, to indict others for their lack of giving, to influence others to match her gift, or to make others feel insecure, or even to irritate someone else in the room. She brought her gift to identify the one she loved who was deserving of her devotion, loyalty, and love. There is an expiration date. There is a time that will come. And you will be asked, I will be asked, will I release this resource? Will I release what's been entrusted to me, or will I try to hold on to it? There are always times in life where there is coming an expiration date. I can think back on my own life. I can think back on times and opportunities. And I look back and I realize today that those opportunities came. There is a moment and it's past. I missed the opportunity. What is it today? Where is it today in your life where God is saying, hey, there's an opportunity present to use what God has entrusted into your care? Is it a conversation that you need to have? I pass, like I said, Pastor, for almost 30 years, I want to share something with you right now. There is not a church, regardless of size, location, or any other factor that can say, oh, we got enough servants, we got enough volunteers, we just don't need anybody else to step up. It does not exist. You see, your presence in this church, in this time, in this moment, is not by fate or chance. It is by sovereign design of God. You are here, you are gifted, you have an opportunity. Let me encourage you today to step up because the time is coming where the opportunity will pass. As a faithful disciple, will you respond when the opportunity is present? Look again, if you will, into your text, beginning in verse 4 and down to verse 6. A faithful disciple uses when what's God's is entrusted to them. A faithful disciple will move when the opportunity is present. Thirdly, look into your text. Notice that a faithful disciple will sometimes be misunderstood. So Mary comes in. She's not drawing attention to herself. She doesn't announce what she is about to do. She simply breaks the seal, and in an act of love and devotion and loyalty to her Savior, she begins to anoint the head of Christ. In John's Gospel, it tells us almost immediately it was Judas who began the condemnation, who began the criticism. But there's something about criticism. It's a lot like fear in churches. It never stays with one person. It is viral. It spreads. And when Judas began, the others picked up on it. Now notice the text. The criticism sounds surprisingly spiritual. If we'd have sold it, we could have done something good. But she just wasted it. You know, Jesus could have sat there and let the criticism go on. But he knew the difference between religious language and true worship. In fact, in this very moment, Jesus is doing something by his actions that proves that he is God. Because he accepted something that only Jews knew could go to God, which was worship. In that very act of allowing this to take place, he was acknowledging, I am God. And in the moment, as she pours it out, and then the criticism begins to become unloaded upon this woman. And it begins to flow. Jesus does not sit still. He steps up and he commends her worship. I want you to notice something here about the criticism. In fact, I want you to notice three things. First, the criticism was personal. You know, sometimes we like in churches we like to criticize by saying it like this. Well, I'm not talking about anybody in particular, and then we fill it in talking about somebody in particular. I love y'all. There was not that. She was the only one acting, so they knew exactly who they were talking about. Criticism was painful. Not only was it personal, it was painful. All Mary was wanting to do was honor her Savior, and somebody had something negative to say. And the criticism was purposeful. Its purpose was to shame and to embarrass Mary, to show her and everyone else how foolish she had been. Sometimes the strongest criticism comes from people who can speak the language of religion and miss the heart of worship. But a faithful disciple understands that at times they will be misunderstood. Let us be careful. Let us be cautious. Let us be led by the Spirit. When we start thinking that we need to criticize someone because of their devotion to Jesus. Verse nine. And truly I tell you, whenever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Fourth principle. As a faithful disciple, we do not know where the blessing will end. As a faithful disciple, we do not know where the blessing will end. John tells us a little specific detail, and it's one that we might overlook from Mark, but John gives it to us, and it's very important. It says that the whole house was filled with the fragrance. When I look at this, and I want us to move very quickly, but I want us to address the direction of the blessing. First, notice the blessing goes upward. You mean how does it go upward? Because the blessing was on Christ. It was on God Himself. Christ Himself was blessed. The blessing not only goes upwardly, but the blessing goes inwardly. Mary was blessed. The fragrance touched her as well. Those who pour themselves out for Christ are never left empty. The people in and near the house were blessed. The blessing moves outwardly. Everyone experienced the fragrance. Faithful worship strengthens the church, even those who weren't in the house. Listen, they didn't live in houses like we do with closed windows and closed doors. It would have been open. If somebody had just been walking by that day at that moment, they would have gotten a whiff. They would have experienced the blessing. When the blessing is poured out, even those who know nothing of Christ are blessed. Then notice lastly, the blessing is continual. It is upward, it is upwardly, internally, outwardly, and continually. Years later, the blessing continues to be known and experienced. Mary's devotion still speaks today. Wherever the gospel is preached, Jesus said, What she has done will be told as a memorial or in memory of her. Faithful disciples do what they can for Christ in his kingdom. So let me close. What is God asking you today to pour out? What is God today asking for you for me to pour out? Is it time? You know, one of that, that that's a that's a unique resource, right? Because once you spend it, it doesn't come back. You can use it on one thing in one thing only. Is it resources? Is it obedience? Is it repentance? Is it trust? Is it your life? What today would you say, Jesus, you are worthy. See, Christ has proven your worth. You ever want to know what you're really worth? Don't look at your bank account. Don't look at plaques on the wall. Don't look at how many people work for you. Don't look at how many positions you hold in the church. Don't look at how many kids you have, how many houses you own, how many cars you can drive. You see, all of those things, there's nothing wrong with nothing wrong with any of those things, but I want you to understand, none of those things can bear the weight of the question of self-worth. The only thing that can bear the weight of worth, your worth is the cross of Jesus Christ. It's the only thing that has ever been devised that can bear that weight. You are worthy. Christ has said, you are worthy of my own life. God said, you are worthy of my own son. I do not want you to die separated from God. But the God who said that you are worthy is wanting to know, will you look at him and say, you are worthy. Here is my life. Here's my open hands. Whatever I hold is yours. Would you bow as we pray? His heads are bowed and eyes are closed. I ask you this morning. Has there been a moment, has there been a time in your life where you have entrusted your soul unto God through faith in Jesus Christ? Have you repented of your sin and turn and trust him as Lord? If not, right now where you are. The Scripture says we are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not simply by reciting words, but it is by belief, by trusting in Christ. But right where you are, we express in our heart with our lips, you might say this, dear Jesus. I know that you love me. I believe today that you lived and you died and that you rose again. Jesus, I turn away from my sin and I turn to trust you as Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me and saving me today. As your heads are bowed just for a moment more. If that has been your prayer in a moment, your pastor will be up front. I invite you to come, make your way down one of these aisles, come, let him know that you trusted Jesus today. But maybe you're a faithful member of Cedar Street Baptist Church, but maybe God in this moment is say, hey, there's something in my life that I haven't been totally surrendered to God. Maybe today is the time you just come and you share with your pastor, you share on the altar. Say, God, here it is. It's yours. As a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, we do what we can with what God has entrusted for us for Christ and His kingdom. Will you do that today? Father, this is your invitation. As you speak to hearts and lives, may we respond in faith to you for your glory. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Pastor Bow. As we stand together this morning, will you come as God has spoken unto your heart today? As we stand together, Pastor.