Sacrificial Love Part I

Mark 14:3. “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious, and she brake the box and poured it on His head.”

John tells us that the woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who anointed Jesus. Multitudes were flowing into the city and the excitement of the Passover was filling the air. There was a sense that something significant was about to happen. Of course, Mary had no idea of the events that were to take place in the last week of Jesus’ life, events which were to begin the very next morning with the triumphal entry. But Mary, along with everyone else, sensed that the time for the kingdom to be established was at hand. Mary who was always sitting at Jesus’ feet, sat there again gazing into His eyes. As she gazed she sensed two things. She sensed the need to repent of her recent criticism of Jesus (John 12:3), and she sensed a foreboding of trouble surrounding Him. She saw within His eyes a weight so heavy that she was drawn to express the most profound faith and appreciation in Him possible. She took the most precious thing she had, a valuable bottle of perfume, and anointed Him as the Messiah, the anointed one of her life.

Mary’s act was one of the most loving and precious acts ever shown to Jesus.It was an act of supreme love and adoration. With all the commotions going on in the city of Bethany, and with Jesus’ disciples present. Yet there sat Mary at Jesus’ feet, once again soaking up all He said, loving and adoring Him. He had done so much for her family. Simon the leper was apparently her brother-in-law (husband to Martha). He had probably been healed by her Lord. Her brother Lazarus, had been raised from the dead. They had been saved by Him. How she loved Him! How she wished to express her love and faith in Him!

He seemed so tired, so weary, there was something in His eyes that was foreboding as she gazed into them. She wanted to help Him, to encourage Him, to show Him that she cared for Him and loved Him. So she arose and went to get the most precious thing she had to give Him. And she gave it in the most precious way she knew, she anointed the Lord, even as David and all the Kings of Israel had been anointed in the past. She anointed Him not from any official position but from her heart. It is for this reason that her memory lives on in scripture. On behalf of all, she anointed the Lord to be the One to experience death for all. On behalf of everyone, she anointed Him as Lord and Savior, the true Messiah of all hearts and lives who worship and serve Him as the anointed on of God. What sacrificial Love! How much do you love Him?