Extravagant Devotion To Jesus | Mark 14:1-11

INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND OF THE PASSAGE:

ILLUSTRATION: I remember my college days when I was studying Masters in Computer Science.

In 2001, the Lord touched my life and I was on fire for God!

I would be very vocal about my faith and share the gospel with my non-Christian friends.

However, some of my ‘Christian’ friends would criticize me for my passion and devotion to Christ.

They asked me to calm down and be normal.

Listen, if you show extravagant devotion to God, fellow Christians will often criticize you.

This happens in a Bible college too.

They’ll say things like, “You don’t have to be so holy. You don’t have to act so godly. I know how you were earlier. You don’t have to be so sacrificial.”

Even in today’s text, a woman is rebuked for demonstrating extravagant devotion to Christ.

Would you take God’s Word and turn your Bibles with me to MARK 14:1-11 (READ)?

I have entitled today’s sermon as: “EXTRAVAGANT DEVOTION TO JESUS.”

Due to time limitations, I’m going to condense what I want to say.

The theme of chapter 14, which is the longest chapter in Mark, is the abandonment of Jesus.

In Mark 3:6; 11:18; 12:12, we see that the religious vehemently opposed Jesus.

But in Mark 14, we read that they begin to execute their plans to kill Jesus.

In the passage that we read today, we see that:

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE TEXT: A woman demonstrates her devotion to Jesus, though the chief priests and the scribes seek to destroy him and Judas seeks to betray him.

When we read Mark 14:1-11, we understand that Mark has deliberately sandwiched the story of this woman’s devotion in between the conspiracy of the religious leaders in 14:1-2 and Judas’ plan to betray Jesus in 14:10-11.

In Mark’s sandwiching method, the middle story provides the main point of the story.

Mark contrasts the devotion of this woman with the betrayal of Judas.

The woman was willing to spend all her money on showing her devotion to the Lord, while Judas was willing to betray Jesus to gain some money.

FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS: Already dealt with.

THE PURPOSE BRIDGE: To exhort the CGLD community to be completely devoted to Jesus.

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: I have used inductive proposition for this sermon.

I. THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE SCRIBES SEEK TO ARREST AND KILL JESUS.

Refer Mark 14:1-2.

A. The Setting: two days before the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.

Read Mark 14:1a: It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.

The Passover commemorated the deliverance of Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 12:1-51).

The Passover was a major festival and it was one of the compulsory feasts, the others being the feast of Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles.

Every male adult Jew who lived within 24 kilometers of Jerusalem was to go to Jerusalem without fail.

However, the feast of the unleavened bread was a minor festival.

Now many people were keen to go to Jerusalem to participate in the Passover feast at least once in their lifetime, just like many Christians long to go to Israel once in their lifetime.

So, the diaspora Jews from different parts of the world went to Jerusalem to participate in the Passover feast.

There were huge crowds in and around Jerusalem during the Passover.

For instance, it is estimated that about 30 lakh pilgrims came to Jerusalem in AD 65.

B. The Chief Priests and the Scribes were seeking to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Read Mark 14:1b: And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him.

Since there were huge crowds in Jerusalem during the Passover, the chief priests and the scribes sought to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.

But why did they plan to arrest him secretly?

C. The reason they wanted to arrest him by stealth: to avoid uproar from the people.

Read Mark 14:2: for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

Many Jews believed that the Messiah would come and deliver them from Rome rule during the Passover.

So, the Romans were on guard during the Passover.

They were on the edge of their seat as they expected trouble at any time.

The chief priests and the scribes knew that arresting Jesus during this time can cause a riot in Jerusalem.

So, they sought to arrest him secretly and kill him.

Instead of fearing God, they were fearing people.

As the Jews came to Jerusalem to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt, God was preparing his Son to die on the cross to deliver us from our sins.

Though the religious leaders didn’t plan to kill Jesus during the Passover, they eventually ended up killing him during the Passover.

They probably changed their minds when Judas offered to betray Jesus.

So, the chief priests and the scribes sought to arrest and kill Jesus.

I want to focus on the woman who demonstrated her devotion to Jesus.

II. A WOMAN DEMONSTRATES EXTRAVAGANT DEVOTION TO JESUS.

Refer to Mark 14:3-9.

In this section, we see that a woman demonstrates her devotion to Jesus.

A. A Woman anoints Jesus’ head with pure nard.

Read Mark 14:3: And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper.

Simon was probably healed by Jesus himself.

Bethany is more than 3 kilometers from Jerusalem.

Jesus had been staying at Bethany ever since he arrived at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

And a woman anoints Jesus at Simon’s house.

This woman’s tenderness stands in striking contrast to the treachery of the Jewish leaders and Judas.

John 12:1-8 tells us that this woman is Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.

We can’t be sure as to why Mark and Matthew didn’t name her.

Simon is probably the father of all these three.

We should not confuse this incident with the event of a sinful woman, who went to Simon, the Pharisee’s house, took the alabaster box with ointment, broke it, and anointed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:36-50.

Now in those days, people reclined at the tables and ate their food.

During Jesus’ time, women were not allowed to interrupt the fellowship of Jewish males, except for serving food.

However, Mary was keen to demonstrate her devotion to Jesus!

Mark tells us that this woman brought an “alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard” which was “very costly.”

Nard was an expensive aromatic oil extracted from the root of an Indian herb named “nard.”

In Jesus’ time, such spices and ointments were used as investments (just as we invest in gold) as it was portable and could be easily sold.

Mary broke the flask and poured the nard over Jesus’ head.

John adds, “[she] anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).

B. Some became indignant at the woman’s act.

Refer Mark 14:4-5.

1. They became indignant because they felt the woman was ‘wasting’ the ointment.

Read Mark 14:4: There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?

Mark tells that “some” became indignant.

Matthew 26:8 tells us that it was the disciples who were indignant, while John 12:4-5 mentions that Judas became indignant.

Probably, Judas was more vocal than the rest of them.

They felt that Mary wasted the ointment.

Wiersbe: “It is interesting that the word translated ‘waste’ (apoleia) in Mark 14:4 is translated ‘destruction’ in John 17:12 and applied to Judas! Judas criticized Mary for ‘wasting money,’ but he wasted his entire life!”

Earlier the disciples became indignant (Greek: aganaktein) when James and John requested special seating in the kingdom of God (Mark 10:41).

The same Greek word is used to describe their anger here.

The disciples felt that this woman’s costly devotion was a waste.

In one sense, they do not regard Jesus as worthy of such extravagant devotion.

They failed to comprehend how worthy Jesus is.

Listen to what the writer to Hebrews says:

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:2-3

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Revelation 1:17-18

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus is worthy!

2. They said that the ointment could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor.

Read Mark 14:5: For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

The disciples, especially the treasurer, Judas quickly took a calculator and estimated the cost ointment and said it could have been sold for more than 300 denarii.

A denarius was a day’s wage in Israel.

So, 300 denarii were a year’s wages!

I heard of some Christians giving away a month’s salary to the Lord, but I didn’t hear anyone giving a year’s salary.

“And they scolder her.” The Greek word for this phrase is enebrimonto, which means “to flare the nostrils [in anger].”

In those days, very few women had a career which would help them earn so much money.

Some scholars think that this nard was probably an heirloom or an inheritance (Something that has been in a family for generations), which was passed on from a mother to her daughter.

In that case, this nard had sentimental value along with its monetary value.

The best ointments were preserved in alabaster, which resembled white marble.

The flask was a small bottle which was sealed at the opening to prevent the ointment from evaporating.

Breaking the opening would open the bottle.

During Jesus’ time, when guests arrived at a house, the hosts would anoint the head of the guests with a little bit of oil.

But this woman poured out all the ointment from the alabaster flask which was very expensive.

Mary didn’t just pour out the ointment, but she also broke the alabaster flask which meant that the flask couldn’t be used again.

This symbolizes the completeness of the gift offered to Christ.

The woman’s pouring out of costly oil prefigures Christ pouring out his precious blood for our sins.

C. Jesus commends the woman’s act.

Refer Mark 14:6-9.

1. She had done a beautiful thing to Jesus.

Read Mark 14:6: But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

Jesus defends the woman and says, “Leave her alone.”

In the disciples’ evaluation, the woman had wasted the ointment.

But in Jesus’ assessment, “She has done a beautiful thing” to him.

Jesus commends her reckless devotion! (cf. reckless love)

2. They would always have the poor, but not Jesus.

Read Mark 14:7: For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

Jesus is not being indifferent to the poor as he quotes Deuteronomy 15:11 in Mark 14:7.

On other occasions, he expresses his concern for the poor (Mt 5:3; 6:2-4; 19:21; Lk 6:20, 36-38; 21:1-4; Jn 13:29).

Rather, Jesus alludes to his worth!

Jesus deserves our utmost love and devotion.

The value of a gift demonstrates the value of a person.

This woman’s gift demonstrates that Jesus is absolutely worthy!

The disciples fail to understand Jesus’ worth, but this woman understood that Jesus is worthy of costly devotion.

3. The woman did what she could.

Read Mark 14:8a: She has done what she could;

This woman did “what she could.”

2 Corinthians 8:3: For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord.

Even in Mark 12:44, Jesus affirms the poor widow who gave all she could: For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.

The poor widow gave very little compared to the woman in Mark 14, but Jesus commends both for their giving and devotion.

Our motives matter to Jesus more than the material value of our gift.

When we demonstrate our devotion to Jesus, even two small copper coins is not insignificant and even a year’s salary is not a waste.

4. She prepared Jesus’ body beforehand for burial.

Read Mark 14:8b: she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.

On several occasions, Jesus told his disciples about his impending death (8:31-33; 9:31-32; 10:32-34).

But they didn’t respond to the prophecy about his death and none of them took pains to honor Jesus before he would die.

But this woman honored Jesus by pouring out expensive oil over his head.

By anointing Jesus’ head, this woman unknowingly anointed his body beforehand for burial.

5. Her actions would be told wherever the gospel is proclaimed.

Read Mark 14:9: And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Since this woman demonstrated her devotion to Christ and prepared his body for burial without being fully aware that she was doing so, Jesus says that “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

That’s what we are doing today.

Our faithful and loving actions towards Jesus will never be forgotten; the Lord records them all.

III. JUDAS PLANS TO BETRAY JESUS.

Refer Mark 14:10-11.

A. Judas goes to the chief priests to betray him.

Read Mark 14:10: Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.

The phrase “one of the twelve” highlights the treachery of Judas.

There is a Judas within us.

We must be careful.

Just because you are intimate with Jesus today, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be faithful tomorrow.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands to take heed lest he falls. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

B. The chief priests were glad and promised to give him money.

Read Mark 14:11a: And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money.

It’s a sad commentary that the chief priests were glad that someone was ready to betray Jesus.

John 12:6 and 13:29 say that Judas was the treasurer and a thief.

This thief was ready to betray his Master for mere money.

C. Judas sought an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Read Mark 14:11b: And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Judas was eagerly looking for an opportunity to betray his Master.

The chief priests didn’t come to him, but he went to them.

However, God would use Judas’ evil intent to fulfill his saving purposes.

CONCLUSION (INCLUDING THE PROPOSITION, REVIEWING THE MAIN POINTS [OPTIONAL], AND ACTION STATEMENTS):

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: Be completely devoted to Jesus because he is infinitely worthy.

Is your devotion to Christ costing you anything?

When you have several assignments to do and your schedule is tight, do you take time to spend with Jesus?

Do you demonstrate extravagant devotion to Jesus as you study, as you do your work duties, as you do your assigned ministry or internship?

When people oppose you, do you stop yourself from demonstrating your devotion to Christ?

We can never repay Christ for pouring out his precious blood on the cross for our sins.

But we must do whatever best we can do for the Lord.

Jesus is infinitely worthy!

Read Philippians 3:7-8: 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

He is infinitely worthy; he is the greatest treasure!

Be completely devoted to Jesus!