August 26-27, 2006, Mark 14:3-9, Selected

GET IN THE GAME!
IT’S YOUR SERVE!

*** Mark 14:3a "While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper..." [New International Version}
*** Mark 1:40-45 "A leper came to him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: "Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people." As soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town." [Message Bible]
*** Mark 14:3b "... 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." [NIV]
*** John 12:1-3 "Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." [NIV]
*** Mark 14:4-5 "Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly." [NIV]
*** John 12:4-6 "But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it." [NIV]
*** Mark 14:6-9 "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. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." [NIV]

A SIMPLE ACT OF SERVICE!

1. SHE GAVE WHAT SHE HAD!
Mark 14:8 "She did what she could..."

Literally, "WHAT SHE HAD SHE DID!"

*** 1 Peter 4:10 "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." [LB]
*** 1 Cor. 12:1, 4-7 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, I will write about the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives to each of us, for I must correct your misunderstandings about them. Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church." [New Living Translation]

GOD CAN USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE IT!
WILL YOU? _______

2. SHE GAVE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE COST!
*** Mark 14:3, "She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head"
*** Col. 3:23 "Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master..." [God’s Word to the Nations]
*** Eph. 6:7 "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men..." [NIV]

____ Eye Dropper ____Teaspoon ____Cup _____Broken and poured out!

3. SHE IGNORED OTHER'S OPINIONS!
*** Mk. 14:4-6 "Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly."

IT DIDN’T MATTER WHAT OTHER'S THOUGHT IT ONLY MATTERED WHAT THE LORD THOUGHT!

*** Mark 14:6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me." [NIV]
*** 1 Peter 4:19 "So if you are suffering according to God's will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you." [NLT]

DO I EVALUATE MY SERVICE BY WHAT
____ I THINK, _____WHAT OTHERS THINK, OR ____WHAT JESUS THINKS?

4. SHE GAVE WITH NO THOUGHT OF RETURN!
*** Mark 14:3 "She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head." [NIV]
*** Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." [NIV]

- INVESTING: EXPECTING EQUAL OR GREATER RETURN!
- GIVING: BREAKING OPEN YOUR LIFE AND POURING IT OUT FOR JESUS!

5. SHE GAVE OUT OF LOVE FOR CHRIST!
*** John 12:1-2 "Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor...Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him." [NIV]
*** John 12:3 "Mary brought in a pint of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She poured the perfume on Jesus' feet, and then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house." [New Century Version]

"Oh Lord, may the sweet perfume of my service fill this whole house!"