September 7, 2015

“While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Mark 14:3-9

“During the years that the Lord Jesus was on earth a large number of events took place. Among them there were only two that we are especially told to remember. First, we are to remember the Lord’s Table. And second, we are to remember the action of the woman in the home of Simon the leper…

Of all the events that have occurred throughout the world all through the centuries the vast majority are not worth remembering. Yet wherever the gospel is preached we shall remember this woman. …if we are to be remembered in a way that endures there is only one way to do it. We must for the Lord’s sake break the alabaster jar. And we must offer ourselves entirely to G*d.” A sermon “Mary Breaks An Alabaster Jar” John Sung (1902 – 1944) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 794)

If we want to pour something out entirely, there is no quicker way to do it than to break the item open entirely. If you have a bottle of anything, to pop open the top means you can pour it out, but in a controlled fashion. But, if you break it open, it will pour out, and there is no stopping the flow. In the same way, we want to give of ourselves to G*d, but usually only in a “controlled” fashion. We pour out a little here, and a little there, thinking we are giving in a manner that many will “see our good works that glorify our Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16)

This is not why Mary is remembered — at least according to John Sung — and I agree. Mary did not just pour out a small amount over Jesus’ head, she shattered it (not over Jesus’ head) but shattered it in a manner that she could then pour it all on Jesus. She held nothing back, and because the ointment was so expensive, her deed is doubly blessed — she gave an expensive gift — she held nothing back.

When we give ourselves to G*d, we are giving an expensive gift — because each person is priceless. Dare we give G*d only a little here, and a little there? Or, should be break ourselves open and pour ourselves out to G*d? It is our decision….

Pastor Dave