What a Waste. (Mark 14:1- 11)

What would you consider a waste, what would you consider it means to be wasteful? Now you may think about some things that you would consider to be a waste of money, or a waste of time. But what is the first thing that springs to mind when you come to consider what it means to be wasteful. What I want to do today is talk about wastefulness. But, in doing so I want to talk to you about a right and wrong view of what it means to be wasteful. Sometimes we can waste things of extreme value, things of much more importance than time or money. The text this week began with Jesus announcing His coming death. Then we are told about a lady who anoints Him with some very expensive oil. (We know from other passages she was called Mary). Then finally, we were told what Judas did and how he begins the process of betraying the Lord. So, let’s begin in Ch 14  at Verse 1.

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’

(Mark 14:1-2)

We have already been told previously that the religious leaders have said they plan to kill him and now we see the scribes and the chief priest gather together again to decide how exactly they are going to bring this about. Bear in mind these are the religious leaders and they have not only decided to kill him, but to do so by trickery and deceit. Think about it, religious leaders actually planning together to commit murder. But they also recognise that they dare not do it during the festival because there would be uproar. So, the religious leadership have a real problem. Just for the moment let’s leave them with their little dilemma and move to the next part of the story. But, before we do, I just want to say one thing. Jesus is going to die, God prophesied it, He has announced it, they are plotting it, it’s going to happen. 

There are a number of ways Christians look at the death of Christ. Some talk about the fact He was a substitute for us who died in our place, for our sins, and that is true. But it is the aspect of Jesus dying as a sacrifice I want to look at this morning. Jesus sacrificed himself for us, so, what do I mean when I say that? God loved us so much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son for us.

So, let’s return to the story and consider how it illustrates that and pick up the text in verse 3.

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

(Mark 14: 3)

Let me explain it was customary for a host to take something like this an expensive oil or perfume and put a single drop on each of their guests as they arrive. What she did was she took the whole Jar (which by the way would also have been valuable) and she broke it (thus rendering the jar worthless) and poured all of it on Jesus’s head. She took something that was very expensive, very costly and she used it all to anoint the Lord. I think I can confidently say she really sacrificed something for Him. She took the most valuable thing she would have owned and sacrificed it for the Lord. Now, let me tell you what reward she got from the disciples and others for her sacrifice. 

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume?

(Mark 14:4)

It’s worth noting at this point that one of the other Gospel writers identifies which disciple says this.

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 

(John 12: 4-6)

But then we see as a general group they all also say, “why was this oil wasted”. Back to Marks account.

 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (300 Denarii) and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly.

(Mark 14:5)

If you ever do anything worthwhile for Jesus Christ, you-will-be criticised, it’s going to happen. You may be criticised by your family, or your friends, and sadly often even by people within the church. Criticism is never an act of love, on occasion someone may come to you with a correction and that can be out of love, but criticism is not loving and rarely comes up front to your face. Usually, it is done behind your back and to another third party. Godly concern and coaching or even correction come and gently speaks to you face to face but criticism is different and the moment it leaves the mouth of the critic and lands in the mouth of a third party it then is nothing more than gossip and you just have to read James Ch 3 to see what the bible says about gossip.  The question we have to ask ourselves as Christians is not just why am I being criticised, but also how can I survive it? The real question is how can we do the work of the Lord, serve Him without reward and experience unjust criticism, and not be worn down by it? Let me tell you, this stuff hurts, look at the passage and the way it is written where is says they criticised and rebuked her harshly. On this occasion, Mary is the one person in the room who recognises the sacrifice Jesus is going to make for her, and thinks this perfumed oil is nothing compared to what he is going to give up for me. She sacrifices the most valuable thing she owns….and she is criticised for it. Jesus understood that, and this is why He said.

 ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.

(Mark 14: 6-8)

She’s done something beautiful, she has come before him and don’t miss the big point that in making her sacrifice she has also anointed His body for burial. Jesus responds and says, “you will always have the opportunity to help the poor, and you should, but I am not always going to be here, if you had listened and taken in what I said about being sacrificed and dying for your sin, you would realize there is a limited opportunity here to do something sacrificial for me”.

And Mary took that opportunity.I believe she understood the whole big picture, more than even the disciples. Jesus on many occasions had said, “I am going to die”. Maybe she was the one follower who sat at His feet and realized completely what He meant, while the others missed it. That’s my personal opinion on this anyway. She may not have had much reward from the others seated around but look at what she gets from the Lord. 

Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’

(Mark 14: 9)

She honoured Him, and He honoured her. Maybe one of the lessons we can learn from this passage is, you may get criticised today, but you will be honoured later. If you understand that, then the criticism you might get from detractors and gossips doesn’t matter as much because look who is going to give you honour and reward later. Do all you can to honour the Lord today and accept the criticism, because He will honour you later.

A Northern Irish farmer was known for his generous giving and his friend couldn’t understand how he could give so much away yet remain so well off. One day a friend said to him we don’t understand to give away far more than the rest of us, yet you always seem to have more to give. Oh’ he said that’s easy to explain. I keep shovelling my stuff into God’s bin and he keeps shovelling back into mine at exactly the same rate. How does that work said the friend if you are both shovelling at the same rate. Well, he said, God has a much bigger shovel.

I said, at the beginning of this chapter that this passage starts with Jesus announcing His death. Then there is this incident when Jesus is anointed for burial by Mary. Then Judas having witnessed all this is seen to go and begin the process of doing something despicable.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So, he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

(Mark 14: 10-11)

She was devoted, he was disloyal. Remember earlier I said the chief priest and scribes had a problem; they had a dilemma. Well, Judas here solves their problem, and the problem was solved with just a little bit of money. In the opening verse we looked at tonight the “chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him”. And here is verse 11 Judas solves their problem.

One other final observation, it was Judas who called what Mary did a waste. That’s ironic because what was Judas about to waste, his entire life. What he wasted was his very soul which he sold as we shall see later, for just 30 pieces of silver. That is the greatest waste of all. More than a waste of money, a wasted life, a wasted opportunity to give over your life in service of the Son of God. What a waste. When Jesus announced His death. Mary responded by sacrificing for planning for His burial. Judas responded by making arrangements for his betrayal. What are we to make of all this.

Let me make just a couple of final suggestions.

One of the things I would say is this. If God sent did indeed send Jesus to be a sacrifice in the way that Mary understood. If God indeed sacrificed His son for us, then how should we respond. Well, don’t waste the opportunity, don’t waste your whole life. If I can be very blunt, don’t be that stupid. Don’t miss your opportunity to recognise that truth and trust in Him for your eternity. God sacrifices His son, and in this story, Mary responded by sacrificing an incredibly value bottle of perfumed oil. Maybe we too should sacrifice something of value for the Lord. If Christ really sacrificed himself for us, then no sacrifice is too great for Him. And remember these friends, you cannot out give God. Have you ever sacrificed money for the Lord. Ever planned to spend something on yourself and then decided to give the Lord. Ever planned to spend time doing something for yourself and then gave that time over to the Lord instead. She sacrificed for the Lord that day, but here is the big point.

God sacrificed His son, His most valuable precious possession, and anything we sacrifice for Him will always be worthwhile and appropriate.  Then add to that the fact that we are told that whenever and wherever this story is told it will stand as a memorial to her. So, if you to make a sacrifice, a sacrifice of time, of money, of talent, or of anything. Then God is going to honour you. Don’t waste your life, living for yourself when you could be investing yourself and your resources in sacrificing for the Lord.

I heard of a story told in India during my father travels there as a missionary in the 1960’s. A modern-day Christian parable if you will used to connect with the people of that culture, at that time. The story is told of a beggar in India, who sat by the roadside begging for alms. As he held out His bowl with a few rice grains in the bottom and people passing by would drop in a handful of rice. One day he saw that a grand possession was passing by and he though. Oh, this is good, maybe the prince is coming my way, surely, he will have gold coin or something more precious than rice today. It was indeed the prince stopped by the beggar who held out his bowl and waited eagerly to see what the prince would put in it but too his surprise the prince asked, “how much of you rice will you give me today”. The beggar answered, “I cannot do that, this is all I have”. Again, the prince said, “I want your rice”,  Again, the beggar said,  “no, if I give you my rice I will starve”. Again, the Price asked and said, “give me some of your rice please”. The beggar finally reached into his bowel and took out three grains of rice and put them in the hands of the prince. The price then reached into his bag and took out three gold coins and dropped them in the beggar’s bowl. The beggar looked at them regretfully and said, “why didn’t I just give over to you everything that I had in my bowl”.