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Mark 14: 10-11: Covert activity.

^“10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. ” NIV UK

As we come to the end of our brief sojourn in this passage, two quotes from Warren Wiersbe seem pertinent:

‘The importance of what you do isn’t measured by media interviews or press releases. As far as we know, only fifteen people in Bethany saw Mary’s act of worship when she anointed the feet of Jesus – and twelve of them criticised her for it! – but Jesus said that the message of what Mary did would travel around the world!’                                           ‘How do you ‘’conveniently’’ betray the Son of God? Is it not a costly endeavour in every way?’

I remember a pastor pointing out that Judas helped Jesus fulfil His mission more than any other earthly follower. He wasn’t advocating treachery. No one in their right mind would want to go through that. But he was emphasising that in the worst of times for a leader, God will be mightily at work. Even if we have to go through a crucifixion type of experience, it is the pathway to Easter Day.

Mark 14:6-9: ‘She did what she could.’

^“6 ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[a] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’ ” NIV UK

The Lord doesn’t look at what we can’t do but what we can.  I heard this morning about a church in Los Angeles, where they recently held a baptismal service. I think around 9 people were scheduled to be baptised. But after the gospel was preached, more than a hundred were spontaneously baptised, because they indicated they wanted to place their faith in Jesus that very day. I confess that alongside the sense of gladness for such kingdom advance, I was also tempted to feel inferior. I have pastored a village church for 27 years, and we don’t get that number to a single service!

But the question I need to face is, ‘Am I doing what I can?’ That’s the issue. I may not have the gifts, or the context that would make such results more likely. God is in charge, after all, of who gets what in terms of spiritual gifts. But am I using to the full whatever has been entrusted to me?

Mary ‘’did what she could.’’ She may not have fully understood the significance of what she was doing (8), but Jesus did. What He prophesied about her has come true (9). This is why she is in our thoughts today.

PRAYER: Lord, when I hear about other Christians having big success in your work, I don’t always feel about it as I should. Please forgive me for wrong attitudes. Help me please to faithfully go about the business you have given me, doing what I can.

Mark 14:5 – 9: Blessing the poor

⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly. ⁶ ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’

It is right that the church should get on with the ministry of serving the poor. Our Lord, who was rich beyond compare, deliberately impoverished Himself in order to enrich us (2 Corinthians 8:9). Probably the disciples in the room that day did care about the poor. But Judas didn’t. He just pretended to. For him, it was a rod with which to beat Mary (see John 12:6). Jesus wasn’t having any of that, and He told all of them that they would always have opportunities to help the poor. Sadly, poverty will be an issue until the end of time. Jesus didn’t decry the importance of such giving. But whereas we should love our neighbour as ourselves, the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with everything we’ve got. Mary showed such a heart, and Jesus esteemed her worship as ‘’beautiful’’.