Bethany

An Unforgettable Gift – Part Two

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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.” And they scolded her. 
Mark 14: 4-5 ESV

When people saw Mary pouring the oil on Jesus’ head, they hushed and waited to see how He would respond. Then, without a word, Mary fell to her knees and poured out the remaining perfumed oil on the feet of Jesus, and then she wiped them dry with her hair! There was a shocked silence, but it lasted only a moment. Then Judas, began to criticize. For him, Mary’s act of love was more than unexpected, it was unwelcome. Sadly, his complaining drew in the other disciples who were caught up in his reasoning, “Why this waste?” they said. “This perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor!” But Judas didn’t really care about the poor. He really only cared about the money that he skimmed from every offering. For Judas, and those like him, religion is all a business, meant to be smoothly run, so they can reap the side benefits of a prosperous life. Mary’s heart told her that she had met someone who was greater than religious traditions, and Jesus came to her defense. “Leave her alone! She has done a beautiful thing!” No one there realized that in just a few days, Jesus would be arrested, falsely accused, and nailed to a cross. But Jesus knew and said that her gift had prepared Him for all of what was to come. If we want to be like Mary this Easter, then we must give our all for Jesus, even if no one understands. Then just as He did for Mary, Jesus will defend us and pour out His love on us in a way we will never forget!

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Reading Selection from day 26 of One Unexpected Morning

Master There’s Still More

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This is Easter Sunday – the day that we Christians base our entire faith upon. Some of us are having some big dinners together with family and the scene in Bethany, where they were honoring Jesus with a feast is very much like that. John’s gospel tells us that his disciples and closest friends were all there. Everyone was talking and enjoying the great food when Mary quietly entered. At first no one noticed her, but then she took an alabaster jar filled with perfumed oil, broke it open and began to pour the oil on the head of Jesus. The Bible says that fragrance filled the air and one by one people fell silent and turned their heads to see what was going on. John tells us that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus while in Matthew says she poured it on His head. In this song which I wrote for an Easter play a few years ago I imagine that she did both, because after pouring some on the head of Jesus, she saw that she still had more. Do you still have more for the Master this Easter? It doesn’t matter what others say or think. he is quietly waiting for us to share all we have, even if it seems a waste to others. Not one drop of the fragrance of our worship will be too much for Him!

https://youtu.be/NK7C_5lT8mw

If you would like to use my song, please just let me know. I will be glad to send you song sheets and give permission to use it without charge. You can contact me at Revpete51@gmail.com – God bless and Happy Easter all!

Holy Week – Day 3

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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.  Mark 14:3 ESV

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.           John 12:3 NKJV

Though this is Holy Wednesday and the last day of Lent; I wanted to take a glance back to this banquet held in Jesus’ honor the week before. I had long been puzzled by the differences in the stories of the anointing of Jesus at Bethany; till I began to re-imagine the scene at the banquet. I saw Lazarus seated next to Jesus, with Martha serving the tables as the people slowly filled the room. Then Mary appeared in the doorway, holding her alabaster jar of perfumed oil. Silently she slipped through to where Jesus reclined and she breaks the seal on her jar pouring some on the head of Jesus. The power of the fragrance immediately filled the room. A momentary silence ensued as the guests stopped and turned to see what had happened. But then just as quickly, the air was filled with complaints about such a waste of resources being made. Mary kneels unashamed looking up to Jesus’ face and seeing His acceptance of her gift, she pours the rest of the perfumed oil on His feet and wipes them clean with her hair. No matter how she looked to others Mary was focused on only one thing. She still had more for Jesus! As we are traveling together towards the Passion of Christ this week, we should also ask; “Am I still all too worried about what everyone else will say?”, or can I say with Mary, “Master there’s still more!”