Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Mark 14:1-9

Theme: Mary knew how to truly worship the Lord.

May we learn how to worship Him too.

Date: 09/29/19 File name: GospelOfMark40.wpd

ID Number:

Our passage of Scripture for this tonight tells the story of an extravagant love.

Although Mark does not mention the name of the woman in this story, we learn from John's gospel that it is Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Next to his Apostles, these are some of Jesus’ closet friends and supporters.

John’s gospel tells us that Lazarus was also there at the banquet, seated with Jesus.

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.”

(John 12:9, NIV84).

Wouldn’t you have loved to been privy to that conversation?

As the scene unfolds Mark tells us that it’s just two days before the Passover.

It would be Jesus' last.

Mark indicates that plans to have Jesus arrested and killed are seriously being discussed by the chief priests and the scribes.

It’s gonna happen, but it can’t be done on the actual Day of Passover lest Jesus’ arrest cause a riot.

It’s got to be done carefully, and stealthily.

To quote the Wicked Witch of the West, “These things must be done delicately.”

Oh, and be the way, they want to “wack” poor Lazarus, too.

According to John’s gospel the “ ... chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing on him,” (John 12:10).

But God the Father is in control, and not the chief priests.

God had already decreed that this Passover was exactly the right time, and in His providential workings, He used Judas’ betrayal as the event that would set all things in motion.

But while plots are being hatched, Jesus is having dinner with friends in Bethany.

Some time during the evening, Mary enters the room and, and in an act of utter devotion, anoints Jesus from head to foot with a costly perfume.

In this passage I want you to see 1) Love’s Extravagance, 2) Logic’s Exasperation, and 3) our Lord’s Exhortation ... and then some application.

I. LOVE'S EXTRAVAGANCE

1. those who are in love with Jesus, and are overflowing with gratitude to Him sometimes do some strange things

a. at least outwardly they appear strange

ILLUS.

Do you understand how strange it is to much of our culture that you are here this evening, worshiping God in spirit and in truth?

The typical Ivy-league university professor would look at our little band this evening and just scratch his head in incredulity.

Sunday morning worship may be fine, but Sunday evening, too?

That’s just stretching this church stuff, isn’t it?

2. Mary loved the Lord

a. Jesus had been a real friend to her and her family

1) he had filled her life with hope

b. he was there during some of the most difficult times of her life

1) one of those times was when her brother Lazarus died

2) but Jesus had come, and her brother Lazarus was miraculously raised from the dead and given back to her

3. Mary had tasted of the wonderful love of Jesus

a.

He was not like any rabbi she had ever known

b. how could she ever thank Him?

A. EXTRAVAGANT LOVE DISMISSES THE COST

1. we learn from our text tonight that the Passover is just two days away

a. Jesus has been staying in the village of Bethany during the week and making the 2½ mile walk into Jerusalem each day to teach in the Temple

b. on Wednesday evening, Jesus is in Bethany where he is having dinner with Simon the leper

2. Mary knows Jesus is there and so she seized the opportunity and took an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, broke it, and anointed Him with it

a.

Mark and Matthew’s gospels tell us she poured it on his head, and John’s gospel tells us that she also anointed his feet

1) in just a few days sorrow and love [will] flowed mingled down from his head and his feet, and thorns will compose a crown for his head

2) the implication is that Mary anoints Jesus from his head to his feet, and the fragrance filled the house

3) Jesus alone understands what nobody else at the dinner understands

“When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.”

(Matthew 26:12, NIV84)

a) and I’m pretty sure everyone around the dinner table scratched their head at that one

ILLUS.

But somewhere, the Holy Spirit is jotting down notes, “Remind me to reveal this event to Matthew, Mark and John when they are writing their gospels!

Because Jesus said, ‘wherever this gospel is preached ... what she has done will also be told ... ‘ “

b. we learn from the text that this perfume was worth over three hundred denarii

1) a denarii was considered a day's wage in that day

2) in other words, this was almost worth a common laborer’s yearly wage

ILLUS.

The reason Nard was so expensive is because it was made from the root of the Spikenard flower the grows in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains.

It was imported from India, where it was traded along the Silk Road through Persia, around the edge of the Fertile Crescent, and finally into Syria and Israel.

It was considered one of the most exquisite perfumes of the day.

In the Song of Solomon it is a symbol of the bride’s intimate love for her groom.

3. Mary’s act is an act of extravagant love

a. why would she do such a thing?

1) vs. 12 gives us a hint

b. Mary expresses an extravagant love toward Jesus because, in just two days, Jesus will express an extravagant love her, but not for her alone

1) she poured out a costly perfume, but Jesus will pour out his precious blood

4. Mary’s devotion to Jesus knew no cost

a.

Jesus was the most important person in the world to her

b.

He commends her for her action

II.

LOGIC'S EXASPERATION

1. love's extravagance will always produce logic's exasperation

a. what Mary did didn't make a lot of sense, especially to the cold and calculating among the dinner guests

2. immediately, the nit-pickers and complainers began to talk

“Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?” (Mark 14:4, NIV84)

a. from John's gospel we discover that Judas is the most vocal critic

“But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.”

(John 12:4-6, NASB95)

1) Judas, you recall, was the treasurer of the group

2) all he saw was that a costly ointment worth over a year's wages wasted

3) immediately, his mind began to calculate just how much money that ointment could have been sold for

4) when his computer-like mind had figured up the exact total, he offered his logical conclusion

3. he complained that what Mary had done was a waste, and apparently there are some others to back him up

ILLUS.

I did some digging this week, and discovered that the most expensive perfume in the world is called “Clive Christian No. 1" and sells for $2,150 an ounce.

It’s a men’s cologne.

In John’s gospel we’re told that Mary uses a pint — about sixteen fluid ounces — to anoint Jesus.

If she would have used Clive Christian No. 1 the cost would have been over $34,000!

a. no wonder Judas is so bent out of shape at what Mary does — in his mind, why didn’t Jesus stop her, tell her to sell it, and then give the proceeds to Judas so that he might distributed the money to the poor?

b. it sounds like a very logical argument, and a very benevolent and worthwhile one

c.

Jesus didn't buy that argument