Mark 14:1-11

1 The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were plotting to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him.

2 “But not during the feast,” they said. “The people may stir up trouble.”

3 Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the table in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came with a special sealed jar. It contained very expensive perfume made out of pure nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.

4 Some of the people there became angry. They said to one another, “Why waste this perfume?

5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s pay. The money could have been given to poor people.” So they found fault with the woman.

6 “Leave her alone,” Jesus said. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

7 You will always have poor people with you. You can help them any time you want to. But you will not always have me.

8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried.

9 What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere the good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.”

10 Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples. He went to the chief priests to hand Jesus over to them.

11 They were delighted to hear that he would do this. They promised to give Judas money. So he watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.

 

 

 

"Worship, the Turning Point of Life!"

 

(Mark 14:1-11)

 

1. Search for Conflict / What was the turning point in life?

 

The topic discussed in the recent gathering was 'significant decisions or moments in my life.' Each person had decisions that could be turning points in life, and there were unforgettable moments for everyone.

 

In Mark 14 today, three types of people are introduced. First is a woman who poured perfume on Jesus' head, second are religious leaders who conspired to kill Jesus, and third is Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders.

 

Each of them made significant decisions regarding Jesus and acted upon them. They had to accept the consequences of their decisions.

 

This story is not only recorded in Mark 14 but is also paralleled in Matthew 26 and John 12. We can identify that the woman is Mary.

 

What was the turning point in Mary's life?

 

1) Mary's life turning point was (worship).

 

Mary lived in Bethany, approximately 30 kilometers away from Jerusalem. Jesus visited her home, and they shared a meal together. It seems that Mary had a close connection with Jesus.

 

During the meal, Mary approached Jesus and broke an alabaster jar containing expensive perfume, pouring it on Jesus' head.

 

(Mark 14:3) "And while he was at Bethany in 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, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head."

 

This was not just a simple anointing event; Mary was worshiping Jesus with her whole heart, strength, and life. She offered the highest form of worship to Jesus, whom she loved.

 

Whether Mary considered the implications for her future destiny is unclear, but one thing is certain: this event became a tremendous turning point in her life.

 

Jesus blessed Mary with a promise: "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." And indeed, this promise has been fulfilled as we hear the "worship story" of Mary alongside the proclamation of the gospel today.

 

(Mark 14:9) "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."

 

The highest act of love a believer can perform is worship. Do not mistake it; it is not that we keep worship; rather, worship keeps us.

 

Are you facing significant concerns in life? Do you feel the need for a major turnaround? Worship. Offer worship not just casually but with a spirit and truth. The God who seeks worshipers will create turning points in our lives.

 

 

What decisions led to the lives of religious leaders and Judas Iscariot?

 

2) Religious leaders sought a way to (kill) Jesus.

 

Unlike Mary, the religious leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. As we know, they schemed a plan and executed it using Judas Iscariot. They crucified the innocent Jesus on the cross.

 

(Mark 14:1-2) "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."

 

And what were the consequences of their decision? The responsibility for Jesus' blood was laid upon them and their descendants.

 

(Matthew 27:24-25) "So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, 'I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.' And all the people answered, 'His blood be on us and on our children!'"

 

3) Judas Iscariot sought to (betray) Jesus.

 

Judas, like the religious leaders, was no different. He was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus to the religious leaders who wanted to kill him.

 

(Mark 14:11) "And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him."

 

So, he went to the religious leaders and discussed the plan to betray Jesus. When they offered him thirty pieces of silver, he carried out the betrayal. The consequence of Judas' decision was tragic—suicide.

 

(Matthew 27:3-5) "Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.' They said, 'What is that to us? See to it yourself.' And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself."

 

What decision will you make regarding Jesus? Worship. Worship will change our destiny!

 

 

Why did Mary decide to worship Jesus?

 

2. Conflict Analysis / The theme of Mary's worship was (gratitude).

 

 

Mary's worship to Jesus had the theme of gratitude.

 

1) Mary expressed gratitude for (being saved) by Him.

 

Mary first expressed gratitude to Jesus for saving her. This was the reason she wanted to offer the highest form of worship to Him.

 

The Bible records two events of anointing Jesus with oil. The first involves Mary Magdalene, who had been possessed by seven demons, and the second involves Mary, the sister of Lazarus.

 

In Luke 8, we learn that Mary Magdalene was a woman who had been possessed by seven demons. Jesus, the one who resolved her suffering, became the source of her salvation. In gratitude for Jesus' deliverance, Mary Magdalene anointed Jesus with oil.

 

(Luke 8:1-2) "Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out."

 

In a similar manner, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, expressed her gratitude to Jesus through worship by anointing Him with costly perfume.

 

 

These acts of worship by Mary were fueled by a deep sense of gratitude for the salvation and healing she received from Jesus. Therefore, her worship was a genuine expression of thanks for the transformative work of Jesus in her life.

 

2) Mary expressed gratitude for (saving her family).

 

Secondly, she expressed gratitude for Jesus saving her family, and that's why she anointed Jesus with perfume.

 

Jesus was at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany, having a meal. A woman, presumed to be Mary, approached and broke an alabaster jar. If we consider this woman to be the same Mary mentioned in John 12, the sister of Lazarus, it adds a more personal and familial dimension to the story.

 

(Mark 14:3) "And while he was at Bethany in 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, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head."

 

(John 12:1) "Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead."

 

Consider this: while it cannot be stated definitively, speculatively, if Simon the leper is considered to be Mary's father and Lazarus her brother, then having Jesus, who cured Simon's leprosy and resurrected Lazarus, at her house for a meal would make Mary's act of anointing less surprising.

 

It wouldn't have been a difficult gesture for her. Perhaps she felt it was insufficient, even in a dream, to express her gratitude. Mary worshiped Jesus with her whole being because He had saved her and her family.

 

Now, let's delve into a more specific question: What kind of worship did Mary offer? Was it just pouring perfume, or did her worship involve more profound elements?

 

3. Insights / What kind of worship was Mary's worship?

 

1) Mary focused on (Jesus).

 

The central figure of worship is exclusively Jesus, and Mary concentrated on Him. There might have been many people in the house at Bethany, including family members and disciples. Nevertheless, Mary focused her gaze solely on Jesus. She paid no attention to the opinions of others. Approaching Jesus, she unreservedly broke the alabaster jar and poured the perfume on His head.

 

(Mark 14:3) "And while he was at Bethany in 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, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head."

 

Furthermore, in John 12, Mary is mentioned as pouring perfume on Jesus' feet and wiping them with her hair.

 

(John 12:3) "Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."

 

Biblical scholars suggest that Mary didn't pour perfume on both Jesus' head and feet separately. Instead, as the poured perfume on Jesus' head flowed down to His feet, Mary, without concern for onlookers, unhesitatingly touched Jesus' feet with her hair, which had been soaked with the fragrant perfume.

 

Mary offered worship focused solely on Jesus, paying attention to every detail from His head to His feet.

 

2) Mary offered (everything).

 

Furthermore, Mary worshiped by giving Jesus her all. The value of the perfume was known by Judas Iscariot to be worth more than 300 denarii, a considerable sum.

 

(Mark 14:4-5) "There were some who said to themselves indignantly, 'Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.'"

 

(John 12:4-5) "But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?'"

 

The denarius was a day's wage for a laborer. 300 denarii would roughly equate to a year's salary. To put it more simply, when Philip mentioned that 200 denarii wouldn't be enough to feed 5,000 men in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, it gives an idea of the significant amount Mary spent. It was a substantial amount, enough to feed at least 7,500 people. Nevertheless, Mary offered her all in worship to Jesus.

 

3) What kind of worshiper was Judas?

 

Judas focused on (people) and (money). Instead of being a worshiper who concentrated on Jesus, Judas concentrated on people. Even though Mary's act of anointing Jesus would have drawn attention and discussion, Judas was more concerned with his money box, eventually betraying Jesus for the sake of his own financial interests.

 

(John 12:6) "He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it."

 

In Mark's Gospel, Judas is introduced as seeking an opportunity to betray Jesus amidst the discussion about money with religious leaders. In Matthew 26, the explanation is different. Judas was primarily interested in the money he would receive for betraying Jesus. Therefore, he went to the religious leaders to strike a deal.

 

(Matthew 26:14-16) "Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?' And they paid him thirty pieces of silver."

 

Why do we come to worship? Is it to see Jesus? Is it to see people? Is it to learn some secret to making money through worship?

 

Worship is meant to be a place where we come to see Jesus, where we give our all to Him, and where we express gratitude for His salvation. When we truly come to worship in this way, we will experience turning points in our lives.

 

Worship is not just a place to offer our "hearts"; it should be a place to offer our "bodies." Beyond giving offerings, it should become a time of dedication. It is then that God receives us as a pleasing and holy sacrifice.

 

(Romans 12:1) "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

 

 

4. Who is Jesus indeed?

 

1) Jesus is the one who fulfills the (Scriptures).

 

Jesus fulfills the promises and prophecies of the Scriptures. Do you remember? Religious leaders had planned to kill Jesus during the Passover but decided not to do so during the festival to avoid a riot. Yet, Jesus died precisely on Passover, being introduced as the "Lamb of God."

 

(1 Corinthians 5:7) "Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."

 

Why did Jesus die on Passover? To fulfill the Scriptures. Passover commemorates the day when the Israelites were liberated from slavery in Egypt. On that day, they were instructed to sacrifice a lamb, put its blood on their doorposts, and were saved from the angel of death. The significance of Jesus' death on Passover is revealed in Him being the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

 

(Exodus 12:13-14) "The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land."

 

Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the Scriptures. He came into this world, died on Passover as prophesied, and rose again to become our Savior.

 

2) Jesus (voluntarily) laid down His life.

 

Jesus did not die at the hands of Judas Iscariot. He willingly gave up His life. He, the Good Shepherd who came to save us, laid down His life on the cross.

 

(John 10:17-18) "For this reason, the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

 

Jesus' death was not orchestrated by Judas for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus had already determined to die and come into the world as a human. Unfortunately, Judas interfered in His sacrificial death for our sake.

 

Jesus cannot be sold or killed by any human. He is a being beyond human control. The decision to die was solely His own.

 

3) Jesus seeks true (worshipers).

 

Jesus seeks true worshipers. In John 4, He speaks of the time when true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth.

 

(John 4:23-24) "But the hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

 

Observing Mary's worship, Jesus recognized her as a true worshiper.

 

Even now, Jesus seeks true worshipers. May we become worshipers who focus on Jesus, offer our all, and worship Him with gratitude for His salvation.

 

Conclusion

Worship should be a turning point in our lives. Do not only seek worship when facing difficulties; instead, seek it even when everything seems fine. Do not assume that you are in control and planning your life. God is the one who directs our steps!

 

(Proverbs 16:9) "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."