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Truly Loving Jesus
Mark 14:1-11
Mari Ikeda
A. What it means to truly love Jesus (3-9)
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, 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. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
1) Giving Jesus our treasure
2) Having the courage to go against societal norms
3) More important than “loving our neighbor”
4) Sharing in Jesus’ suffering
B. The people who plotted to kill Jesus
1) Biblical scholars (1-2)
1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
2) One of Jesus’ disciples (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.
C. The message Mark wanted to convey
Summary
Loving Jesus is more important than working for Jesus. Our love for Jesus causes us to lay down our treasures as well as our fears about how other people or society might judge us, encouraging us to live courageously. Truly loving Jesus means valuing him above anything or anyone else including ourselves. Jesus himself modeled this sacrificial love by giving his life for us. Biblical knowledge or experience as a believer are not prerequisites for cultivating a truly loving relationship with Jesus.
For Discussion
1. Why did Jesus say that he should be prioritized over the poor?
2. How can we be like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet?