Well, it was my intention to move our study in Revelation, which we started last Sunday night, to this morning's service and the morning service. But next week we have planned the Lord's Supper. And looking at, in God's providence, where we are in our particular study of Mark, that's where we land at the institution of the Supper. And I thought this is such a wonderful sermon to prepare our hearts and to consider what the Lord desires as we come next week. Please be reminded that when we come to the Lord's Supper, we should examine our lives and consider. Notice the examination that's emphasized as we often read, to examine our hearts. That's so important in light of what we're considering this morning, that we're trusting in Christ. Notice we say that in the examination. Trusting in Christ alone for salvation that we believe. We really believe our sins are wholly forgiven by grace. What a wonderful thing to believe, but do we really believe that? For the sake of His sacrifice. He didn't go through that for nothing. Notice here we're considering our sin and how serious that is. That God's going to judge sin eternally. we take that very seriously that the Lord says these things and that we should live in repentance before the Lord. We should examine our conscience to resolve that we live in faith and obedience and in love and peace with our neighbor as we prayed this morning. The Lord desires to receive all those who are trusting in Christ and not to discourage any of those whose hearts are broken and contrite that the table is for them, but all who live willful in unbelief and disobedience. Yes, there is a very serious reminder that the wrath of God abides on everyone who does not believe the gospel. This morning, Mark chapter 14 helps us to see the kind of response that the Lord desires of us. So we're going to consider Mark chapter 14, continuing our study in this book. Last time we had concluded with the Olivet Discourse in this particular book, And now we begin a new section here moving to the crucifixion, the death, and the burial and resurrection of Jesus. Beginning at verse 1. 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. For they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people. And when he was in Bethany at 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. She broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, why was this ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor. And they scolded her. But Jesus said, let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She's done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you. And whenever you want, you can do good for them. You will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 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 then judas iscariot who was one of the twelve went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them and when they heard it they were glad and promised to give him money and he sought an opportunity to betray him there is the reading of god's word this morning sometimes uh the greatest encouragement to help us understand what the lord desires of us what the lord requires of us is simply to um to show us examples we um as pastors often try to think up and provide them ourselves and we tell stories and we do all these things but none of them are as powerful as what the lord inspired none of them are as helpful as what the Lord inspired. None of them will ever measure up to the examples that the Lord inspired. That's why we want to tell the Bible's stories, don't we? The Spirit loves when we do that and apply these faithfully as He intended. Now, we have such a one this morning for us in scriptures. There's something I'm sure we've read this account before, and it's one of those challenging accounts only in this sense that we've heard it so much that now it's easy to lose its real importance. Well, we think we've known this, we've heard this. How many times have you heard this passage preached in the course of your lives? Probably a lot. But we can't get away from the very beautiful statement at the end of this with Jesus saying to us something very powerful and something that really should stand out like no other passage in reference to somebody who demonstrates what he's after wherever this gospel is preached what she has done wherever will be told as a memorial to her wow that is quite a statement wherever all throughout history How many times has the gospel been preached? Jesus wanted us to look at her. Jesus wanted us to study her. Jesus wanted us to look carefully at her actions and the responses around this action and consider it. Think about it. Something absolutely essential to understanding salvation is set right in front of you like no other place. Like no other place when he gives this kind of commendation at the end. My goal is then to answer this important question by the end of the sermon. What does it mean? What did she do that has so much importance that this would become a memorial to her wherever the gospel is preached? That means today, right now. Mark chapter 14 is somewhat of a turning point now in our study of the book as we come toward the end. We now have the end in view. And he has just given his elaborate teaching on this section called the All of It Discourse on the events that would precede the destruction of Jerusalem and the second coming. And he answered the disciples' concerns, didn't he? He gave great attention to their questions. He answered their concerns. They heard that this temple was coming down, and they panicked. what would this catastrophic event mean for israel what will be uh the uh remember what they said what will be the sign of the fulfillment of all of these things when will this take place what will be the sign of fulfillment what will it be when was when is it all going to happen what a distress wasn't it the temple is going to be thrown down we all stand back and say what that i mean that's horrible the events that josephus records are horrible all the horrors of that they're hard even to read the horrors that took place at that time the source of light the source of life the source of the presence of god on earth was that temple knocking it over romans bulldozed it awful to think about i've come to realize that maybe what confuses us about the all of it discourse is that we really don't see that what jesus is doing in the midst of all of it as he answers their questions and then instructs them in his concerns for them is a simple message of what jesus was saying you're worried about all the wrong things you're worried about all the wrong things your eyes should be somewhere else what has jesus been saying the entire time in mark's gospel look at the big picture i am going to be handed over to the chief priests the elders the scribes the son of man is going to be betrayed into the hand of sinners and he will die and rise on the third day well that didn't get the alarm did it huh earthly kingdom earthly temple gets them all riled up not that when he said the temple is coming down boy he had them right there but you see he had been saying the entire time in the gospels that's not the true temple is it shouldn't they have been asking when he's announcing that his body is going down and then will rise when when will that occur what will be the sign of that when's that going to happen not a question no interest as a matter of fact we know how they responded didn't they flat out refusal from peter uh-uh i'm not letting that happen um no concern uh for uh when he was saying to them uh why and no concern of when And because of this, and this is such an important point, because of this, what we find when this event happened is they were what? Sleeping. They weren't watching a thing. Remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane dropping big drops of blood because of the wrath of God falling on his soul? Stay and pray. The Spirit is willing, but remember he said that? The Spirit is willing, but the flesh indeed is weak, and they're asleep. they're not watching a thing in the garden pray the time of distress of his body going down nothing peter actually remember tried to stop the whole thing by fighting see how the all that discourse is coming in view here you're not going to fight to stop the falling of this temple they hadn't listened to a thing jesus had been saying the entire time this is going to happen just like he says to you today i'm coming again watch we left off kind of there last week didn't we with watch watch watch and we have now come to this great moment that chapter 14 is all signaling what the disciples should have been concerned about what the disciples should have had their eyes on what the disciples should have been thinking a lot about. But they weren't. The time had come. The greatest hour in history was upon them. The day was at hand. It was really for them the greatest judgment day of history. Their judgment day was about to take place. They don't see a thing. And in this regard, they hadn't taken seriously the call to watch. Well, Jesus now gives them a great help, and Jesus gives us a great help, a great help that he says, this is where this memorial, wherever the gospels preach, is going to be the greatest aid to you. This is what I want you to think about. This is going to help you watch. You're going to now learn what it looks like. Let me give you an, it's as if Jesus is saying, let me show you what I meant when I said watch. You want to see it? From the end of the book, the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord is the main focus now mark is there and that's where we pick up in verse 1 where we read 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 for they said not during the feast lest there be an uproar from the people what we have here in this particular scene that's in front of us is is a group of disciples and remember this is one of the other again prophecies of the lord at this moment in the other gospels where he announced this we have disciples unmoved by what is unfolding before them it seems that with all of these predictions that jesus had kept giving to them over and over and over it's going to happen going to happen this this this prediction had just simply worn off nobody took it seriously unconcerned unresponsive are his own disciples it's a marvel isn't it unconcerned and unresponsive and you start to say hmm sounds a little like us at times doesn't it unconcerned and unresponsive unresponsive to the fact that jesus had come into this world to lay down his life for his friends unconcerned for the fact that it was their sins that were going to make him face the awful crucifixion and punishment in his body and soul unconcerned unresponsive that he would be delivered up by the hands of sinners because of them and they not they're not even appreciating or asking the questions why when what do we look for how do we get through this in light of this in light of the fact that the Savior is now going to lay down His life for them, we should expect, as a proper response, both of His entire people of God there, and all the people who understood and knew the Lord, solemn regard and affection for their Savior. You should expect that. I do. I'd expect it by now. Look what He's been doing for them. A kind of treasuring of Him. for His work on their behalf that He's about ready to undergo for them. And yet, when we open up Mark 14, what do we have but rejection by all the religious leaders of the day? And you stop and you say, who is plotting to kill Him? The pastors of Israel. Unresponsiveness follows on the part of His own. There's such a danger to an unresponsive heart to all this gospel that's preached to us. isn't it true such a danger just like them after all these years still not even understanding why he had to go through all this yawning through it all unconcerned more worried about things of this life and it's as if at this moment jesus says come here i've got somebody to show you someone watching somebody who i want you always to think about someone concerned about what's most important someone who understands the value of what's being done here this is a this is my way of helping you wake up doesn't it function that way she's so important what i'm about to show you with this woman is so important wherever in history the gospel is proclaimed what she's done this is going to be a memorial to her whoa makes me really want to understand this i hope and you too in what follows he records two kinds of responses to the fact that jesus is now going to die that this temple, this body will be destroyed and raised. Remember he said that, destroy this temple and I'll raise it up in three days. And we know he was talking about the temple of his body, John 2. And so as we look at this this morning, the story is really very simple. It's not a complex story. It's a very simple story. In verse 3, we read that when he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman with an alabaster flask of ointment a pure nard very costly she came and she broke the flask and poured it over his head this very expensive jar of ointment and jesus praises her for doing something very beautiful very beautiful very meaningful the text uh emphasizes right away the great cost of this ointment did you catch that. The cost of this. It was an extravagant act. So much so that it would be like dumping 20,000. Somebody tried to calculate out the value of this and I think the going number is about $20,000 she dumped out over his head. 20,000. This was a little peasant lady. Probably all of her saving wrapped up right there in this little bottle of ointment. Things were in value in those days that way. Now, I'm going to come back to the meaning of this here in a moment, but what follows may seem like a reasonable response, I say. It's tragic, but it may seem at first glance like a reasonable response. Notice what they say, that they were indignant. The word means just furious, filled with anger at the act of of mary why was this ointment wasted like that why would you do that could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor that's an interesting comment isn't it somewhat legitimate concern isn't it concern for the poor of course we should always be concerned for the poor way more than we should than we are jesus had often spoke of the poor and had taught about taking care of the poor but to be honest uh when you look at this we really should see through it and say the poor had they had no real concern for the poor here whatsoever this was rooted in a certain hypocrisy we know this let me give you an example um and something that i've witnessed and that i've done So I'm the first one to say I've done this kind of thing. When you're going to spend money on something, take a congregation. A congregation is going to spend money on something, a project, a building, this or that. It's going to take some real sacrifice on a part of the congregation, isn't it? Of course it is. Oftentimes I hear this particular card played at that moment. You've all heard it. probably sincere, but the concern comes out, what a waste. We could take that money and give it to the poor. Ever heard it? I've done these things. I've said these things. And some of it may be very right and good and honest and sincere. But often it's an easy way out, isn't it? We could do so much better with our money and give that to the poor. It's interesting that that concern never happens until we're pressed with spending. We're not beating down the deacon's door, hitting hard for them to send more money to the poor. Only when we're ready to spend. Only when. What does that draw out? What does that expose? Often it exposes a real escape mechanism from the sacrifice that is required of us. What is the goal of spending? Well, it should be to advance the kingdom of God, a place for the gospel to be proclaimed. But if it's only about sending it over there, my commitment now is somewhat exposed, isn't it? Now I'm tested with the opportunity that's in front of me, and I don't like it because it presses me out of my own comfort zone. In this particular case, that spirit has overcome the disciples. They're committing that with Jesus. think about it for a minute think about the scenario and well we can't play the pious card like we never do this i've done it we've all done this the disciples are doing it but they're doing it with him what we see here and we know putting the gospels together there was a ringleader to this judas we know from john's gospel that we read judas is scary at one of his disciples who was about to betray him said why was this ointment this is judas why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor he said this not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to all that was in it this guy was skimming off the top the whole time with jesus they had a little money bag they walked around this is how they ate this is how they took care of themselves judas held the money bag judas was popping coins in the pocket the whole time so that's the emphasis you'll notice in verse 14 then judas iscariot who was one of the 12 went to the chief priest in order to betray him and when they heard it they were glad and promised to give him money and he sought an opportunity to betray him Judas has snapped at this point Judas has snapped this Christianity thing this following of Jesus thing has not paid out it's not paid off I thought he's riding on the coattails of this rising star in Israel it's not paying off we're going to go to a cross no way I don't want to deal with that that is not what I signed up for none none of this is glorious none of this looks glorious. None of this is turning out well. I'm done. That's Judas. He snaps. It's not paying out. And do you see the contrast? A big contrast is being drawn for you here. All of a sudden, this woman is put right in view. Outside of the intimate circle, offering him everything. In some way, she illustrates the gospel, doesn't she? Giving everything she had. And then Mark highlights in the next breath, here's one who betrays Jesus, one of his own. A woman who had just poured on his head a very costly fragrance oil, $20,000 worth. Judas skimming off the top, selling him for... Now here's why we study Exodus. In Exodus 21-25, what was the price of a slave? 30 pieces of silver. Fulfilling a certain prophecy in a sense. Judas sells Jesus for the price of a slave. It's his value of him. What we have here is a heart with no regard for Jesus. The ringleader of those at the beginning of the passage who were plotting his death, the chief priests, the leaders of the people by the hand of Judas were fulfilling Psalm 2, taking counsel against the Lord and against His anointed for a tiny sum of money. Even my close friend whom I trusted, Psalm 41, finds fulfillment. He shared my bread has lifted up his heel against me. These gospel writers are highlighting the value that Judas received for Jesus in contrast to the value that this woman had for Jesus. So that's what's in front of us now. And now we're ready for this woman. They respond to her, why this waste like that? Have they really come to understand the importance of Jesus? Have they really understood the disciples what He had come to do? Were they unconcerned about a cross? Would they not accept the message of a cross? Why was it so hard for them? Why would they not hold on to it? Why would they not listen to it? I'm not questioning their belief. These are His disciples. They clearly confessed Him in the previous chapters. I'm not calling them betrayers. That's Judas. But Peter did deny. We can live in denial, can't we? You see, they had missed the importance of this very special moment. What do I mean? They sharply criticize her. They're all in on this. They've all joined in on this. They are hard on her. They really go after her. He is about ready to go to death to redeem them. And He tenderly shepherds at this point. I love to think our shepherd doesn't come down hard on them. he's so um even just judas standing there he knows judas is stealing so tender so so willing to to help them through this and let them think about this to not come down and slam them but but but to have them think for a minute and shepherd them through it listen to the statement why do you trouble this woman defends her she's done such a good work for me here it is you always have the poor with you but me you do not always have you see it was a um it was a common custom of the day that after somebody died they would be anointed with oils for burial this is what they did this was the practice. They would anoint the body somewhat like we do. But common criminals never got this privilege. The text emphasizes that what was done was done purposely by Mary of Bethany. That's who we know this is. Mary of Bethany before the crucifixion and before the burial, realizing she wouldn't have the opportunity to do it afterward. Now stay with me on the importance of this jesus says i want you all to study it for a minute what she has done she has done an anointing my body beforehand for burial she did it beforehand don't miss that why is that so important it gets to the heart of the passage it helps you understand the passage did she do this as a robot a mindless soul just walking up under god's providence and sovereignty just dump some ointment on him didn't understand it no that's the amazing thing about it jesus had just announced and taught his own disciples this was going to happen four times now he's predicted it to them they don't respond with any gratitude none they fight against it they don't like it the spirit of judas is there this is not paying out There's no glory in this. This theology of a cross is for the birds. We want something more exciting in all this, run with Jesus. And here comes this woman pouring all her earthly wealth on Him. All that she has of value in this life, she uses to anoint Him. For the burial. A lot of people have been confused by this and assumed that it was just God's providence that this happened and she would not have known anything about this. I mean, if the own disciples couldn't pick it up, how in the world is she getting it? Grace, of course. But that misses the entire point. This account is telling us something about her. It's showing us something so that all generations would see it. It's the essence of what it means to be a believer. You see? Stay with me. It's the important point of the sermon. It's the essence of what it means to be a believer. Enough that Jesus says it's a memorial forever when the gospel is preached to her. So what is it? I'll tell you. Her act has so much meaning and importance to Jesus that it speaks to all gospel response that he's after. What was the issue? The temple is being destroyed in a few days, and I'm not talking about the earthly Jerusalem temple. The temple's being destroyed in a few days. All the shepherd would be struck and all the sheep would be scattered. What makes this story so remarkable is this woman, Mary, did not miss the importance of it at all. They could play the poor card, but she sees it. What does she see? When they criticized her for not giving to the poor, How wrong they were. He had become the most poor man on earth at this moment. Don't we celebrate this? That though he was rich, for your sakes, he became poor. She saw it. Here's the true poor man. Though he was rich, he became poor for me. So that I'll become rich. Jesus gives her a memorial because she's a prime example of faith. She was pouring out her heart in gratitude for her Savior, fully believing, fully trusting, fully treasuring Jesus so as to anoint Him with everything that she had. And in doing that, demonstrates that she's truly rich. Her heart was on Him. It deeply concerned her. that this temple was being knocked down. But it overjoyed her that this temple would be raised. There was no promise of the raising of the earthly temple. Isn't it sad Christians are all looking for that today? Come on. But you were promised the resurrection of another temple, and it happened. She saw it. This woman had so much joy because she understood Jesus had come to die for her and to live for her and to be raised for her. She consciously knew what she was doing. She consciously saw it and believed the promise of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting and that's where she found hope and fulfillment and joy. You know, it's interesting when Mary and Martha, this is the same Mary who Mary and Martha are having an argument and Martha is mad at Mary because Mary's not out serving. Get her up. Get her up. What was she doing? Sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to his word. And Jesus stops and says, Martha, Martha, you're worried about all the wrong things. Listen, what she has done will not be taken from her. And here you see it. She sat at Jesus' feet, listening to that word, worshiping him, treasuring that word, And at the hour of this time, that's a watching, by the way, when the hour had come for him to go, nothing was taken from her. And I say, you see how important it is to listen to Jesus now. We didn't make all this up. I, as a pastor, am not trying to put pressure on you to burden you to be here. That's never the desire. I want you here because this is how, sitting at Jesus' feet, you are kept and you're watching. This woman had fallen to His feet, worshipped Him, and then in the hour of His coming death, it wasn't taken from her so much so that Jesus could say that what she did in anointing me, she poured this fragrant oil on my body for my own burial. She knew she wouldn't have the opportunity after. She believed. She trusted. Your attitude now, I really want this to set in. Your attitude now, right now, to listening, sitting, hearing, receiving at the feet of Jesus is a display of how you're watching for his return. Your attitude now, attitude is important. To how you're listening, receiving, worshiping at his feet is a direct display of how you are watching for His return. And next week, He institutes the supper. This is how He's keeping them. Are your eyes on Him? I said with the Eric Finema story last week, when Eric Finema said in that sermon, watch, and I said, what, watch? And he said, watch your life. When you watch your life, it makes you turn and look a lot to Jesus, doesn't it? this is Jesus saying what true faith looks like. This is what I'm after. Belief. Belief in my Word. God gave His only begotten Son to redeem you from all of your sins. The temple of that body had to fall and rise again for you to live. The kind of joyful confidence that changes, that kind of joyful confidence changes the way we look at life and what's of most value? Do you believe that when you trust in Christ, you pass? You pass from out of darkness into this light and you have a promise when you die of going to be with him. Jesus wanted this woman to be remembered because she shows us gospel in simple form. She shows us gospel faith in simple form. It's not complex. Maybe we've tried to make this too complex it's not complex it's actually overly simple believe in the lord jesus christ and you will be saved what three things must i know to live and die in the joy of discomfort how great my sin and misery are how i'm set free and how i'm to be thankful jesus says study this and all of this in contrast to judas who had no value for him at all take it and leave the whole thing followed along right up to the end but never believed this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased hear him if the father is well pleased shouldn't we be with him doesn't the woman teach us that and somebody like this who hears the words of christ sits at his feet loves christ with their heart in response of all that they know he has come to do for them to redeem them and justify them by his blood will show forth in a life of thanksgiving in this kind of response she valued her savior so much that she fell at his feet and the other one could sell him for the price of a slave contrasts are sometimes very helpful aren't they i guess this makes all the sense uh this morning uh that jesus would say to us and i'll close with this thought doesn't this make all the sense now? Where your heart is, there your treasure will be. I think so. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this word to us of encouragement. And we also know that it's all by grace that this kind of response is given. May it be in all of us. Be merciful to us and help us. May we treasure our Savior. Treasure what is most important. responding in belief, childlike faith in Your promises and value what is most important. What a wonderful statement. Where our heart is there, our treasure will be. May You be the treasure of our hearts. And thank You for the grace You give, O Lord, for us to be able to see, to sit at Your feet, to receive the grace and strength that we need in a word and sacrament ministry to help us and keep us watching for the coming day of the Lord, believing that that too will happen. Receive our thanksgiving for your marvelous blessings and benefits in Christ. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.