Mar 14:1-9 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, (2) for they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people." (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. (4) There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? (5) For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. (6) But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (7) For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. (8) She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. (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."
How was your week? Pastor Phua believed that there is something in everything - a lesson to learn.
Paul in the Bible was as terrorist who persecuted Christians. He then became a terrorist for Jesus. He was himself jailed, whipped, etc. Paul wrote letters to a church in Thessalonica advising them how to look at life. First, he said to rejoice (1 Thess 5:16). Secondly, he advised them to give thanks all the time. Paul, who should be the one complaining since he was in prison instead encouraged others to rejoice and be thankful. His secret - he prayed always. What a friend we have in Jesus, we take everything to the Lord in prayer. In all situations, we pray without ceasing.
Pastor Phua was given opportunities to visit the prison. He was given an assignment to visit 3 inmates. He had a lot of apprehension because the three persons were to be hanged. We don't ask how are you or something like that. One of them told Pastor Phua he got in there because he killed his friend. Pastor Phua then asked a stupid question - was he a Christian when he killed his friend. The inmate said if he was a Christian he would have just beaten up the friend and not killed him. He got to know Christ from people who visited him. He said since he knew Jesus he had hope and life!
Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
One inmate asked Pastor Phua to pray that he lived longer. Pastor Phua thought that was a selfish wish. The inmate explained that if he died sooner, he would not have a chance to live for Christ. There were 50+ in the death row.
There are four accounts of the same incident. Pastor Phua thought the accounts in Matthew and Mark are similar, even with John. Luke's account could be a separete incident.
It happened around the time of Passover.God told the people that they needed to remember Passover. It happend in Bethany, a small town which is a resting place. It happened in a place belonged to Simon the leper. Simon must have been cured of leprosy - otherwise, he could not associate with other and he could not have owned a house. The people gathered there and they were having a meal.
Why would Mary do something like that? In Mark 11, Lazarus died. Jesus came after Lazarus was placed in the tomb. Jesus raised him from the death. Mary, the sister of Lazarus must be very grateful to Jesus. Also, Simon, who is cured of leprosy must be also very thankful to Jesus. We also read that Mary paid attention to Jesus when he spoke. These are the possible reasons for Mary to have such devotions to Jesus.
Mary's encounter of Jesus was not on account of a miracle, of Jesus raising her brother from the death. Mary's encounter of Jesus was one with a Lord and savior who cares and loves so much.
There was an atheist who had cancer. He called his sister who migrated to US and requested to have himself cremated after he died and wanted his ashes to be blessed. This sister was a teacher who worked with Pastor Phua before. The sister asked another teacher who contacted Pastor Phua who shared the Gospel with with him. He then wanted to get up to accept Jesus. He didn't want to accept Jesus lying down. He had an encounter with Jesus and he went to be with the Lord after 2 weeks.
We imagine Mary's questions
1. How must do I love Jesus?
2. What can I do to express that love?
3. When can I have this opportunity?
Mary did not ask permission to be near Jesus. When we come to Jesus, there is no ceremony, no protocol. Just like the song, Just as I am without one plea.
Mary's offering to Jesus is intentional. We all have a choice. We choose to respond to Jesus. When Mary chose to offer the oil to anoint Jesus, it was out of devotion. Jesus acknowledge her offering. (She did what she could.) Nobody can force one person to respond to Jeuss.
When asked about the most important commandments, Jesus said to love God and to love one another. This is found in the Shema. But Mary did not because of the commandment.
In March, a man from Mindanao (a grandson of Abu Sayyaf) told Pastor Phua no one should be deprived of a relationship with Isa. At the age of 9, he could disasemble and assemble an M16. He started killing when he was 14. At 17, he was jailed. He describd it as the best thing that happened to him. He met Jesus in the jail. He has since be released and he has given his heart totally to Jesus. He now has a price on his head because he has led more than 1000 Abu Sayyaf members to Christ.
An alabaster jar is very precious and it's normally an heirloom. The nard contained is precious. Mary's sacrifice was a costly one. Yet she gave it willingly and freely. The jar had a very narrow neck and she had to break it to pour the nard oil out. The fragrance filled the whole place. What gift close to our heart are we willing to give to Jesus?
To Mary, it was the only gift befitting Jesus. It seemed like a foolish act to the others. It was supposed to be passed down to the next generation. It was also costly.
An observer condemned Mary's offering and commented she should have sold it and gave to the poor. Mary didn't see it that way. She see Jesus as deserving of her devotion. Only the Lord mattered to her. She didn't complain. She did not talk back.
Jesus mantioned a few times he would be arrested and he would die. No one said / did anything. Mary gave her gift.
“Nothing is costly to give for the person who gave his life for me.” Said a missionary Pastor Phua met when he was young.
The Korean pastor, when asked whether they would still go to Afghanistan after many were killed, "Nothing is too costly for Jesus."
Mary's understood Jesus was going to die. She broke her jar and poured everything on Jesus. She knew when Jesus died she would have no chance to anoint him. She did not save any for herself. It was a complete offering.
A young man wanted to serve the Lord but he did not get his answer / confirmation. Pastor Phua told him he was holding on to his job as a lawyer and that he had to let go first. He resigned and received confirmation to serve in an area one week later. That was Pastor Phua's son.
No one cared and loved Jesus like Mary among the audience. She gave completely what was the most precious to her. It seeems like a small incident to us. Yet it was an amzing picture of a complete devotion to Jesus. Jesus showed us the same thing when he went to the Cross.
Pastor Phua went to Northern Thailand and saw young children who were neither Thai nor Cambodian. They shelter people across the bridge and they get THB 5 per day. The teacher who taught them told Pastor Phua they slept in the temple at night since they had no place to go. They asked the teacher to ask Jesus for a house. The teacher asked them where to get the bricks to build the house. The children started giving their daily income to the teacher, i.e. forgoing their food for the day. They wanted a house when Jesus came to be with them. Today, the house is already built.
One of Pastor Phua's most treasured farewell gifts if a card from a student that said "Sir, I so very enjoy you."
Can we tell God that we so very enjoy him?
If we have been very far away from God, let's make a change and give our life to Jeuss as an offering.
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