SELFLESS VERSUS SELFISH
November 23, 2008 PM
Sermon Outline
MK 14:1-11
INTRO: With this chapter Mark turns his attention to the last few days of Jesus' life on this earth. In the gospel of Mark there is an economy of words and events. Matthew, Luke and John give us a much fuller look at these last days. In the passage which I have chosen for our study this evening there is much which could be considered. However, what I see almost immediately is the contrast between two people and the apparent emphasis of their lives. And the contrast seen in these two people is not just one of historical and emotional interest. It is one which is evident in people of our own time. Perhaps it is even evident in us. Let's look at the two people mentioned in our text.
- THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED JESUS
- This was obviously Mary of Bethany
- Jno 12:1-3
- we do not know much of the Simon, who is the host for this meal - that he is called "the leper" might suggest he is one whom Jesus had healed
- What Mary did?
- Mk 14:3
- some necessary observations about this act
- from John's account we discover this was "a pound" (the text refers to a pound - a Roman measure said to be about 12 ounces)
- the alabaster box was a very delicate and precious in its own right
- the ointment was "of spikenard very precious"
- the value was 300 pence (v. 5) - about 300 days' wages!
- Mark refers to Jesus' head - John to Jesus' feet ... it is apparent that this quantity of ointment was poured over Jesus body
- Mary gave to Jesus the most precious thing she possessed! that's love
- Jno 3:16 - here is love's great gift
- There was the complaint of "this waste of the ointment" (v. 4)
- and guess who it was who made this complaint
- Jno 12:4-6 - it was Judas!
- and John tells us something about Judas - he did not really care about the poor - he was apparently the keeper of the apostles' little treasury, and he was a thief - I infer that he was only thinking about how much he could have stolen
- But Jesus commends Mary's act of love (vv. 6-8)
- re: the poor? Deut 15:11
- He said she had done this to anoint His body for burying! (custom in the east - bath a dead body in perfume, break the container, leave it with the body)
- I doubt that Mary realized that this was what she was doing - hers was a simple act of love and devotion
- Her simple, extravagant, loving act would be remembered (v. 9)
- I think of the "give roses now" idea - a corpse cannot smell the roses!
- true, there would be those who would have anointed Jesus' dead body for burial (as is noted in Lk 24:1) - and that, too, was a loving act
- here was a memorial to selfless love
- This was obviously Mary of Bethany
- THE MAN WHO BETRAYED JESUS
- This was Judas Iscariot
- Mk 14:10
- the words "one of the twelve" stand out so profoundly here
- this makes what is about to be said so tragic
- Judas made a selfish decision to betray Jesus
- note Mk 14:1,2 - they wanted Jesus dead - but they knew that to do something openly at this season could result in "an uproar of the people"
- Judas was just what they needed - a traitor
- he could "conveniently betray him"
- "...they..promised to give him money..."
- from what John wrote we know the character of Judas - a thief
- and he sold his friend and Savior for the price of a slave!
- here was the epitome of selfishness - "I'll do anything for the right price"
- This was Judas Iscariot
CLOSE: So, we have this wonderful contrast which is a microcosm of all of life - selfless, or selfish. But we cannot be both. So, look into your heart. Which are you?
Cecil A. Hutson
23 November 2008