Reading: Matthew chapter 26 verses 6 to 16
Ill:
Two brothers were getting ready to boil some eggs and then to colour for Easter.
• "I'll give you £1 if you let me break three of these eggs on your head," said the older one.
• "Do you promise?" asked the younger brother.
• "I promise with all my heart!" said the older brother.
• With the agreement made he then broke two eggs over his brother's head.
• Standing stiff for fear the gooey mess would get all over him, the little boy asked,
• "When is the third egg coming?"
• "It's not," replied the brother.
• "If I do that then it would cost me a £1!"
Sometimes things do not work out the way you have them planned:
• That was certainly true for the People we reads about in;
• Matthew chapter 26 verses 6 to 16
I want to divide the story under five headings:
(1). the Place (vs 6a).
• Verse 6:
• “Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper”
• The village of Bethany is only 3km from Jerusalem;
• That is two miles in old money.
• It was a favorite place of Jesus and he visited it on many occasions;
• Three of his closest friends shared a house there.
• Bethany was home to Mary, Martha & Lazarus.
• And for Jesus Bethany was an oasis, a hideaway, somewhere to go and relax!
• For Jesus these friends did not just own a house but a home,
• A home where he can switch off and relax, ‘recharge his batteries’.
• He was accepted for who he was;
• Rather than a miracle working showman.
• The crowds were after miracles;
• Mary, Martha & Lazarus wanted him! These were his close friends!
• For Jesus this was a real home,
• A place where he can switch off and relax, ‘recharge his batteries’.
• Have you ever been so tired that you are just not sure you can go on?
• If the answer is yes, you might appreciate this story.
ILL:
• A woman who had recently moved into a small village in Wiltshire,
• Was in the backyard hanging out the washing on the line.
• When an old, tired-looking dog wandered into the yard.
• She could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home.
• As she walked into the house, the dog followed her in,
• Sat down under the kitchen table and fell sound asleep.
• An hour later, he woke up;
• Went over to the door and she let him out.
• The next day he was back.
• He took up the same position under the kitchen table and slept for an hour.
• This continued for several weeks. Curious, she pinned a note to his collar:
• "Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap."
• The next day the dog arrived with a different note pinned to his collar:
• "He lives in a home with 6 children - he’s trying to catch up on his sleep."
As I have mentioned, Bethany for Jesus usually was:
• A place where he is loved and accepted,
• A place people wanted to enjoy him and his company.
• But on this occasion Jesus was not visiting Mary, Martha & Lazarus;
• Verse 6: “Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper”
(1). the Host (vs 6b).
• Verse 6: “Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper”
• We are told two key things regarding Simon.
(a). He was a leper.
• Almost every age has had its social outcasts,
• People barred from normal society whether through physical illness or national origin.
• At the time of Jesus leprosy was the most feared disease you could get!
• You became an instant outcast as soon as exhibited any of the symptoms.
Ill:
• The norm in Bible times was that if you had leprosy;
• Then you were waiting to die! There was no cure and there was no hope!
• Leprosy was a highly contagious and deadly disease;
• It would attack the extremities of the body, the ears, the toes, the nose, the fingers.
• If contaminated you would have been forced to live in local caves or woodland;
• And under NO circumstances could you mix with anyone who was not a fellow leper.
• Ill: Seen going any where near healthy people;
• They would pick up stones and start stoning you!
Ill:
• In the late 1800’s as in Bible times, there was no cure;
• In order to keep leprosy from spreading and creating an epidemic,
• The government would send lepers to a leper colony;
• On the island of Molaka in the state of Hawaii.
• In 1873, there was a young, brave Catholic priest named Father Damien;
• Who volunteered to spend his life serving the lepers of Molokai.
• When he arrived, he was startled to see people who were not only suffering physically,
• But socially, and emotionally, and spiritually.
• In the leper colony he saw extreme drunkenness, immorality, abuse,
• And an overall sense of hopelessness (there was no point in living!)
• Know that the people needed Jesus Christ;
• Father Damien lived among the 700 highly contagious lepers.
• Father Damien built hospitals, clinics, and churches & he also built some 600 coffins.
• And each day he shared with them the good news of Jesus Christ, he gave them hope!
• Whenever a church service was held.
• He would stand up in front of the lepers and lovingly address them as "my dear brethren."
• But then one morning in 1885, at the age of 45, in a calm clear voice,
• Instead of "my dear brethren," he began with, "My fellow lepers, I am one of you now."
• It was out of love that a humble priest became one of the them.
• Out of love that he gave those lepers hope.
• He shared with them the answer to the ever present question "Where is God?"
• By showing them that God was present with them!
At one time Simon would have been an outcast;
• But somehow (not told how) he had been cured, healed of this devastating disease.
• We are not told how or when but it is evident that had been healed;
• Maybe Jesus had healed earlier on and this meal was a sign of his gratitude?
• Simon was probably something of a celebrity in his home town.
• People may have referred to him as the man who had cheated death.
(a). He was a Pharisee.
• The word ‘Pharisee’ means "separated",
• That is, one who is separated from the crowd (others) for a life of purity.
• At the time of Jesus there were about 6,000 Pharisees,
• The word "Pharisee" meant "separated one".
• A Pharisee was a member of a particular a sect or party among the Jews.
• They were known for a very strict and formal observance of the Jewish Law.
• Pharisees were ordinary Jews, not priests.
• Equivalent to a modem day politician.
• Alongside the religious leaders the scribes and the priests,
• They held power of all the people and no-one in their right minds argued with them!
• Pharisee’s always came from good families.
• You did not get to become a Pharisee without a lot of money;
• The Pharisee were well connected, they knew how to act in sophisticated circles.
• They had a sense of being on the top of society.
Ill:
• Jesus was never very impressed with the Pharisees;
• In fact they often came in for his fiercest criticism.
• Seven names that Jesus Called the Pharisees
• Blind guides (Matt. 23:16).
• Fools (Matt. 23:17).
• White washed tombs (Matt. 23:27).
• Snakes (Matt. 23:33).
• Brood of vipers (Matt. 23:33).
• Hypocrites! (Luke 11:44).
• Unmarked graves (Luke 11:44).
• Yet despite the hostility he faced from the Pharisees;
• Jesus accepted an invitation to a meal in Simon’s house.
(3). The Woman (vs 7)
“A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.”
Ill:
• Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip:
• As they lay down for the night, Holmes said,
• “Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you see.”
• Watson said, “I see millions and millions of stars “.
• Holmes asked, “And what does that tell you?”
• Watson replied,
• “Astronomically, it tells me;
• That there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
• Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant.
• Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.
• What does it tell you?” asked Watson.
• Holmes answered, “Somebody stole our tent.”
• Now if you do a bi of detective work and look into Mark chapter 14 and John chapter 12.
• You will discover that this woman is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
• During dinner, Mary enters the room;
• She has with her an alabaster jar containing a very costly ointment.
• Judas informs us that its value was in excess of 300 dinarii.
• In the economy of that day, 300 dinarii was a years salary of a common workman.
• The alabaster jar was very likely more expensive than the ointment in contained.
• It was a costly mineral which was hand carved.
• Inside of this jar sealed tight, was the exceedingly expensive ointment,
• So that it would not evaporate away or become contaminated.
Mary enters the room;
• Mark in his gospel tells us that first she breaks the jar.
• This detail tells us it was sealed tightly shut.
• Mary had been saving this ointment for a special occasion;
• That occasion had now arrived!
• Mark and Matthew tell us;
• That she pours the entire contents of the broken jar onto Jesus’ head.
• And, John adds in his account;
• That she then begins to massage this ointment into Jesus’ feet using her hair.
Notice:
• The context of this story:
• Notice how it is sandwiched between two important paragraphs.
• In verses 1-5, we find Jesus telling his disciples again that he is soon to be crucified.
• Matthew tells us in verse 2, that Passover is just two days away.
• In verses 14-16 we are told that Judas had decided to betray Jesus;
• To the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.
• Between these two notices,
• Matthew includes the anointing at Bethany.
Unlike the disciples, Mary understood & believed what Jesus had been telling his disciples:
• Jesus says so in verse 12:
• He tells us that the gift was broken for His burial.
• Mary realized that He was going to be betrayed to the religious leadership,
• That he was going to be arrested, tried, and crucified.
ill:
• Mary realised the death of Jesus was not an accident, not circumstances out of control;
• Part of a plan!
• Ill: Tale of two Cities.
• Sydney Carton & Charles Darney.
(4). The Critics (vs 8—9):
“When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked.
9"This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."”
Ill:
• Two taxidermists stopped before a window in which an owl was on display.
• They immediately began to criticize the way it was mounted.
• Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head;
• Its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could be improved.
• When they had finished with their criticism,
• The old owl turned his head ... and winked at them.
When you do things for the Lord:
• Expect flak!
• Expect criticism from those who should no better!
Note: Two things about this ridicule:
(a). They were Worried about Waste (vs 8)
"Why this waste?" they asked”
Ill:
• Charles Francis Adams, the 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary.
• One day he entered: “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted.”
• His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary,
• Which is still in existence.
• On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry:
• “Went fishing with my father—the most wonderful day of my life!”
• The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son,
• But his son saw it as an investment of time.
• The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing;
• Is to know one’s ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly.
The disciples said that pouring all of the perfume on Christ was a waste:
• All they were doing was showing their ignorance!
• They were showing their limited understanding!
• Ill: I think Mary was the only one who smiled at the cross!
• When she saw his head and his feet, she said to herself I am glad I done it!
(b). Worried about Wages
• The disciple Judas said that the perfume could have been sold for 300 pence,
• which was almost 1 years wages.
• He was the keeper of the bag & he was more concerned about getting money for himself;
• Than in collecting money that could be spent on the poor.
Note:
• Both Matthew and Mark note that it was THEN;
• That Judas went out to strike a deal with the chief priests.
• Question: Why THEN, do you suppose?
• Answer: The point seems to be this:
• Jesus’ acceptance of Mary’s extravagant worship was the last straw for Judas.
• If this rabbi was going to countenance such waste,
• Such a hideous waste,
• Then it would be better for him to die.
Ill:
• If you can take two ten pence pieces and place them in front of your eyes;
• You can shut out the most beautiful view in the world.
• Just go to a high mountains and just hold two coins closely in front of your eyes;
• The mountains are still there, but you cannot see them!
• All because there is a ten pence piece shutting off the vision in each eye.?
• It doesn't take large quantities of money to come between us and God;
• Just a little, placed in the wrong position, will effectively obscure our view.
• Sadly that was so true for Judas!
(5). The statement (vs 13):
“Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."”
I believe Jesus praised her act of devotion for two reasons:
(a). It was an act of great faith.
• Jesus praised Mary for taking a risk!
• Ill: Faith is spelt R.I.S.K!
• Quote: Playwright Neil Simon said,
• “If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.”
Ill:
“There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played;
He never risked, he never tried,
He never sang or prayed.
And when he one day passed away
His insurance was denied;
For since he never really lived,
They claimed he never died!”
• She was spiritually alive;
• The others in the room might as well been spiritually dead!
• True faith always leads to action;
• Even though it may result in misunderstanding and criticism.
(b). It was an act of great financial cost.
• Mary had saved along time to buy the ointment that she poured out on Christ.
• It was worth almost an entire years wages.
• That was probably the most precious thing she owned;
• Perhaps, this was a family inheritance.
• Some speculate that it might have been part of dowry saved for her wedding day.
• Others say it may well have been her life’s savings, her pension plan!
• We do not know, what we do know is:
• Mary was not thinking about herself she only had Jesus in mind!
The real point of the story is the contrast between extravagant love and cheap love.
• Cheap love finds excuses.
• It asks how much I have to give or how much do I have to do.
• Extravagant love looks for ways to voice its gratitude and express its devotion.
• Extravagant love cares little for what others say or do.
• Extravagant love sees only the blessing of the Lord;
• And an opportunity to honour him.
Ill:
David Shepherd
Note:
• Jesus said that the thing she done would be remembered in the years to come;
• You and I are a fulfilment of those words.
• We are remembering the faith of this lady right now;
• But are we prepared to follow her example?
