What It Means to Lose Everything (Mark 14:1-11)
When I was twelve years old, one of my best friends died from cancer. It was one of the defining moments of my childhood.
Eliott had leukemia for most of our sixth-grade year, cycling through the ups and downs that came with treatment. When he had the energy for visitors, I'd go over to his home to play video games.
At the time, I was too young and immature to fully grasp the gravity of his situation and too often came home wondering why he had the latest and greatest toys.
The answer, of course, was that he was battling a life-threatening disease, and those who are facing death often receive special care and comforts.
This week at Grace, we're going to talk about the only special treatment Jesus received leading up to his death and the fools who missed the beauty of the moment.
As we talk about this memorable passage from Mark 14, I hope that we all will see the goodness of honoring Jesus in the face of his death for us. And as we do that, we will take our eyes off ourselves and see the gift that he offers us today.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
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. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 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. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 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.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
- Mark 14:1-11