This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on June 23rd 2024 by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

Why Give?

When we meet someone for the first and introduce ourselves, but we don’t ask how much they earn. Even in church, nobody is comfortable in discussing money. Through the scriptures we see that Jesus spoke a lot about money and possessions. Scholars found out that 15% of what Jesus spoke was about money. So, money must be important.

Every year we take a special offering across RB churches in all nations and everyone participates in this. So blessed by the ones in Word of Grace church who have been giving like Macedonians.

Let us look at God’s Word and stir our hearts.

Mark 14:1 – 11

We see 4 anointings of Jesus with perfume. In Luke, it was early in His ministry. In Mark, it was towards the end of His life. Only in John, it tells us that it was Mary.

John 12:3 - Then Mary took about a pint^[a] 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.

It happened in the house of Simon the leper. Probably he was a leper but was healed by Jesus. He opened his house for Jesus and His disciples.

What happened before that was that Lazarus died and Jesus raised him to life after 4 days. The family was thrilled. People came from different places to see Lazarus. This is the setting – they were close to the Passover; Lazarus was raised to life in Bethany.

At this setting, Mary, sister of Lazarus comes with an alabaster jar filled with pure nard which is worth a year’s wages. This perfume is very precious and expensive. We use perfume using a spray. Just a little is enough for the fragrance. Nobody pours the whole perfume over someone. But Mary broke down the jar and poured it on Jesus.

Looking at this, the disciples used the word “indignantly”. It is a strong word to use. It can be used to describe the bull’s snorting during the bull fight in Spain. The disciples rebuked her harshly. The disciples were calculating with their minds, but Mary calculated with her heart. She didn’t count the cost. She loved Jesus. She was showing her gratitude towards Jesus who raised her brother to life.

Mark 14:6 - ⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

Jesus stood up for Mary when the disciples rebuked her. Jesus also said that what Mary had done was a beautiful thing.

Jesus was worth more than this because of what he was willing to do. If only the disciples knew that.

When we give, we give before the judge of the universe. What He thinks about our giving is important.

When Jesus died, there was no time for embalming him as Sabbath was approaching. There was only one opportunity for embalming and Mary took that opportunity.

John 12:7 - ⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

Mark 14: 10-11 - 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.

Later, Judas took the opportunity to betray Him but Mary took the opportunity to embalm him.

Matthew 26:48 - ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

Mary’s act of devotion was love and Judas’ act of devotion was betrayal.

God has blessed us abundantly.

The perfume that was offered was for Jesus’ body. The gift day offering is for the body of Christ – church. Worship is more than singing. It is a sacrifice.

As we prepare our hearts, let us think – Who would I want to be? Mary or Judas?

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.