What Are You Doing for Jesus?

During the last week of Jesus’ life as described in Mark’s Gospel there are three people, in addition to Jesus, who figure prominently: Judas, who betrays Christ, Peter who denies him and an unnamed woman who anoints him before the failures of Judas and Peter. It’s interesting that the stories of Judas’s betrayal and Peter’s denial are well-known, but the story of the woman is virtually forgotten in comparison to the other two. Even though Jesus says, “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,” the woman’s generous and prophetic action hasn’t become common knowledge to Christians like Judas’s betrayal and Peter’s denial. Even her name is unknown to us probably because she was a woman. The name of the person who betrayed Jesus is known to virtually everyone as is the name of the one who denied him. The name of the generous disciple who served and honored Christ is forgotten and that’s too bad. Listen to the story:

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August 23, 2015
Mark 14.3-9, What Are You Doing for Jesus?
Pastor Doug Scalise, Brewster Baptist Church

“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. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 7 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. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9 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.”

The first thing to notice about incident is where Mark says it takes place – at Bethany which is just east of Jerusalem– in the home of Simon the leper. We don’t know anything else about this Simon; however, it still reveals something of Jesus’ character that he would go to the house of a leper, presumably, one he had healed, since Simon couldn’t have been home and hosting people if he was still afflicted with the disease. This is yet another example of how Jesus wasn’t afraid of what people thought of him because of the people he hung out with, ate with and treated with kindness and respect.

Mark says, “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.” Nard was imported from India which is why it was so expensive and notice the woman doesn’t clean and anoint Jesus’ feet with the ointment, she poured it on his head which is what was done for priests and kings and for burials; it was her way of recognizing that he was the Messiah who would suffer and die for God’s people. The anonymous woman in Simon’s house gave generously, lavishly, out of love for Jesus. Jesus was giving himself, all of himself as a gift to God’s people and the woman recognized that and in return she gave as much as she could to Jesus.

Last week I talked about the Sadducees and the type of religious person that asks questions not because they’re truly open to learning, but only to embarrass or trap another person or to make themselves feel good by asserting their own beliefs. In today’s scripture we see another kind of unpleasant religious person who gives spirituality and faith a bad name. In this case, people who get angry at someone else who is actually doing something while they are sitting on their….while they’re doing nothing. Not only are they doing nothing, they are angry and scolding a woman who is making a very generous gift while they’re giving nothing. Maybe they’re ashamed and embarrassed by the woman’s generosity and perhaps how it makes them look in comparison. They cover their lack of generosity and compassion by cloaking it in the well-worn garment of self-righteousness as if they were supremely concerned for the poor. “4But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.”

Jesus rebukes them making it clear their objections didn’t come from pure hearts or genuine compassion for the poor. Jesus says, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me.” There are religious people who can’t seem to resist the temptation to scold or trouble other people, rather than working on themselves and living out their own relationship with God. This type of attitude or behavior is usually justified in the name of holiness, purity, truth, or orthodoxy, but so often it feels annoying, petty, and irritating and it’s a turn off. Why can people be so quick to trouble, scold, or criticize others rather than proactively doing things out of love ourselves to bless Jesus and help other people? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I believe very strongly Jesus would prefer we trouble and scold others less for their acts of kindness and love and engage in more ourselves.

When Jesus says “you always have the poor with you,” that is not an excuse to ignore the poor or to justify poverty. Jesus makes that clear by saying, “You can show kindness to them whenever you wish.” The question that leads to is – do we show kindness to them? What do we do with the “alabaster jar” in our possession because we all have one although they’re all of different sizes?

In Mark 14:8 Jesus says of the unnamed woman, “She has done what she could.” I find that statement inspiring and almost haunting. Have I done what I could for Jesus? Have I done all that I could for Jesus? Have you? Have you done what you could for Jesus? This verse reminds me of the man who had a dream that he was standing in a line of people before St. Peter at the gates of heaven and St. Peter was either admitting people to heaven or denying them entrance. The man found he was in line right behind Mother Teresa. She stepped in front of St. Peter and he said, “Well, you could’ve done more.” And the man woke up in a cold sweat.

I couldn’t touch on the subject of giving today without mentioning John Oliver. I’m sure a number of you heard that John Oliver on his program on HBO launched a well-deserved and scathing attack on televangelists and he even formed his own so-called church Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption to mock those who use religion to get wealthy. It’s embarrassing that people go on TV in the name of God and just ask for money constantly. There’ve always been people who have used the name of God and religion to make themselves rich at the expense of others. It’s far wiser to give to support the church you attend where you find community and people who will actually share life with you and care for you and serve with you then to send money to someone to fund their mansion and private jet.

It is true though that Giving reveals our heart and Giving shapes our heart. It did for the woman and the people in the home of Simon the leper and it does for us. Giving generously like the woman in the Gospel requires stretching faith, faith like a rubber band that can extend farther than we think. Last Sunday I was touched by a kind act of giving when a BBC member gave a very generous gift to cover the expenses at the church for the Memorial Service this past Wednesday for 15-year-old Michael Donahue. What the woman did in breaking open her alabaster jar was to lavishly anoint Jesus before his burial and to acknowledge him as the Messiah who would give his life for everyone. What she did was unique to her, no one else did it. Her prophetic act revealed that Jesus’ death was an act of generous giving and lavish love which calls for generous giving and lavish love in return. The Lord has a unique role for each of us to play. We all have our own alabaster jar and we decide what we’ll do with it.

2 Corinthians 4:5-11 speaks to how God can uses us when we are broken open like an alabaster jar and are willingly poured out for Christ. Vance Havner wrote, “God uses broken things. Broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume.” A single page from the journal of John Wesley, the founder of what became the Methodist movement, reads:

Sunday a.m., May 5 – Preached in St. Ann’s; was asked not to come back any more.

Sunday p.m., May 5 – Preached at St. John’s; deacons said, “Get out and stay out.”

Sunday a.m., May 12 – Preached at St. Jude’s; can’t go back there either.

Sunday p.m., May 12 – Preached at St. George’s; kicked out again.

Sunday a.m., May 19 – Preached at St. Somebody Else’s; deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.

Sunday p.m., May 19 – Preached on the street; kicked off the street.

Sunday a.m., May 26 – Preached out in a meadow; chased out of meadow when a bull was turned loose during the service.

Sunday a.m., June 2 – Preached out at the edge of town; kicked off the highway.

Sunday p.m., June 2 – Afternoon service, preached in pasture; 10,000 people came.

Wesley poured himself out like the ointment in the woman’s jar in the Gospel. If we have committed ourselves to Christ, then like the unnamed woman in Mark’s Gospel, we will hold nothing back in our devotion to him no matter what the cost or what other people think. One of the strengths of BBC is the spirit of generosity and service that so many of you demonstrate. When I got home late on Wednesday evening, I posted the following on BBC’s Facebook page: Today at Brewster Baptist Church…this morning, 122 children attended Vacation Bible School thanks to 90 Adult volunteers from BBC, Northside United Methodist, and Cape Cod Covenant Church. Afterward many VBS volunteers and staff members helped transition the church to get ready for a memorial service at 5:00 pm for 15-year-old Michael Donahue. Michael’s service was attended by over 500 people and the Worship Team, AV Team, Deacons, BBC staff, Hole in One and Fairway staff all served with excellence. After the service was over and the reception was taking place, the Holiday Fair Steering Team and Celebrate Recovery Team met to plan and work on their respective projects. I’m very grateful and proud of our volunteers and staff who give so selflessly to try and share God’s love with our community. If you were a part of what happened at BBC today – please know I am very thankful and grateful for your spirit of service!

If you look in your Bible at the verses immediately before and after today’s passage you’ll see in Mark 14:1-2 the chief priests and scribes are plotting to kill Jesus. In verse 10 and following, Judas is looking to betray him. In the middle of those disturbing and sad actions against Jesus, there is this unforgettable story of loving and generous giving. The woman in Mark 14:3-9 encourages us to stop worrying about other people and focus on what we’re doing for Jesus. I hope you will do that as Jill and I get set to begin our sabbatical. Today is my final day before my sabbatical begins tomorrow. I’m very grateful to have the gift of time to get off the treadmill of ministry after 12 full and active years at BBC. When my last sabbatical began, Nathan was 9-years-old and Greg was seven! Jill is also on sabbatical from her work with the Cape Cod Council of Churches. We’re looking forward to having time to rest, pray, read, think, travel over the bridge and spend time with family and friends. We’re not entering the Federal Government’s Witness Protection Program. If you see us in the grocery store or on a walk or at the beach, you don’t have to pretend you don’t see us. You can even talk to us.

I confess I feel a little like the man in Matthew 25 in the story of the talents who leaves his servants in charge and goes away on a journey – I look forward to hearing about what God has done in and through you all when we return.

 

Questions for Discussion or Reflection

1. How familiar are you with the story of the woman in Mark 14:3-9 compared to the story of Judas’s betrayal and Peter’s denial? Why do you think her story is less well known?
2. Jesus says about her, “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.” Why was what she did so important to Jesus and why is it still important today?
3. Do you think the people described in verses 4-5 were truly angry that the ointment wasn’t sold and the money given to the poor? What else might be behind their emotional response to what the woman did in anointing Jesus?
4. When was the last time you gave to Jesus out of love in a way that was lavish and generous like the woman in Mark 14?
5. Verse 7, “For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish;” does not exempt us from helping the poor rather it is an invitation to us from Jesus to “show kindness to them” whenever we’re able. In what ways are you and can you show kindness to those who have less materially than you do?
6. Jesus defends the woman and says, “She has done what she could,” how special do you think that made her feel? If Jesus were to evaluate your generosity and giving to him, would he say you have done all that you could? What do you think he might say? How can you pour yourself out extravagantly and without reservation in giving to Jesus?