Southwest Community Church
March 24, 2024

      • Mark 11:1–10NIV2011

  • I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)
  • Hosanna

      • Mark 14:1–11NIV2011

  • Call to Worship: Following Jesus into Jerusalem and towards the cross

    This week, during what we call Holy Week, we join with Christians around the world as we trace the events of Jesus’ Passion. His arrival in Jerusalem, his death and resurrection…
    Today, we’ll begin our time of worship by reading the account from Mark 11 of Jesus arrival into Jerusalem. Would you join me by reading the parts of this that appear in white?
    Mark 11:1–3 NIV
    1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
    Mark 11:4–8 NIV
    4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.
    Mark 11:9–10 NIV
    9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
    ​
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    The final week

    Mark chapter 11,
    The Triumphal Entry
    The Temple
    His authority questioned
    Mark chapter 12,
    Teaching: The Parables of the Tenants, Pay Taxes, Marriage at the Resurrection, The Greatest Commandment, the Widow’s offering,
    Mark chapter 13,
    the destruction of the Temple, Day & Hour Unknown
    ​
    And now in Mark 14, we see Jesus in community …
    First at Simon the Leper’s house, then in the upper room where Jesus will have the Passover meal with his disciples and inaugurate a new meal for them to remember him. The Lord’s Supper. (Maundy Thursday)
    Then the prediction of Peter’s denial, Gethsemane, Jesus’ Arrest, Taken before the Sanhedrin, Peter’s denial
    Then in Mark 15, Jesus will go before Pilate, mocked by soliders, crucified (Good Friday), dead, and buried
    Mark 16, we’ll save for next Sunday. (Easter!)
    ​
    But today, we’re in Mark 14… just before the Upper room meal, Jesus is hanging out with his disciples - and some others.
    As Kevin & Jenny come to read, would you stand to prepare yourselves for the reading of God’s word?
    Mark 14:1–11 (NIV)
    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.”
    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.”
    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.
    ​

    Context of the encounter

    In our text today, we hear a brief account of one of the moment of community that happens in Jesus final week before His death. But that brief account is nestled in two quick comments before and after, like bookends.
    They set the timing, but also the tone of what’s happening outside of the house where the encounter takes place.
    ​
    Mark 14:1–2 NIV
    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.”
    Mark 14:10–11 NIV
    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.
    ​

    Two days before Passover…

    time (and Mark knows his readers know what’s coming… Passover is not just Passover)

    Scheming to arrest Jesus & kill him…

    tension mounting, this suffering Jesus has been predicting is nearing… and we see who the actors are to bring it about

    “But not during the festival…”

    strategy

    Enter Judas

    Judas goes to the chief priests who are delighted - because in v 1 they are scheming, but can’t quite figure out how to achieve their goals. And with Judas on board, their plan springs into action, tossing aside the idea of “not during the festival”
    ​

    The encounter

    We’re given some curious details…

    the name of Simon the leper in whose home the whole episode takes place
    Is he a leper or an ex-leper who Jesus has healed? We don’t know. But Jesus seems to be once again dining with folks who he “shouldn’t be” …
    the exact value of the jar of perfume
    300 days wages - average salary in 2024 for BC is $66,232 and based on that, 300 days wages would be $54,437
    Imagine now that someone walks in here, and somehow we come to realize that they have made a gesture of love for Jesus that is worth more than $50,000 … how would we respond?

    We’re NOT given other details…

    the woman’s name - this story appears in Matthew 26 and John 12 - and in John, the woman is identified as the sister of Martha & Lazarus. So, sometimes this woman is called Mary of Bethany. But since Mark doesn’t name her, I think we can leave her as unnamed.
    So we don’ t know for sure the identity of the woman.
    And we also don’t know whether she was aware of how her outpouring of love for Jesus was a preparation for his death and burial.
    What we do know is that “She broke the jar…”
    She took something of great value and lavished it on Jesus.

    The response

    Two main responses to the act of this woman…

    The disciples: “Why this waste…?”

    Can I be honest? I GET the disciples’ response.
    If you came in here and took your $50,000 item and dumped it out to show your love for Jesus, I would very likely be standing shoulder to shoulder with the disciples, suggesting that there were far more practical ways for you to demonstrate your love for Jesus. That there are no end of good causes and needy people to whom that money could have been redirected. That Jesus would have gotten the point with a simple gesture - nothing this grand was required.

    Jesus: “Leave her alone…”

    And so, Jesus’ response stings a little.
    Much like his chastising the disciples for sending the children away, now he rebukes them for despising this woman’s offering - and anointing. Jesus credits her with “getting” what the disciples have had a hard time grasping - I’m on my way to die, guys… and she’s helping me get ready.
    Now, Jesus’ comments about the poor are not an excuse for the disciples (or for us!) to forget about the poor - in fact, as Ched Myers puts it, “He affirms that those raising the concern indeed have an ongoing responsibility toward the poor.”
    It’s the timing of this act that Jesus indicates makes her act not only appropriate, but necessary.
    ​
    Where is your heart drawn in the story?
    The context of intrigue? The powers that be scheming on either end of this dinner party? About to join forces with Judas… and we know where this will lead.
    Or the encounter itself - maybe the idea of the gathering taking place at the home of Simon the Leper - perhaps Simon the man who had been healed of his leprosy and restored to his place in his family and in society. Or of the woman - a woman of some means, by the sounds of it, taking a very valuable possession and releasing its contents in an act of love and adoration.
    Or the response of the disciples. As I’ve already shared, I’m quite struck by how much their response makes sense to me. Be practical, woman! Have you seen the budget for this next fiscal year?
    Or maybe you’re struck by Jesus’ response. By his defending her (“Leave her alone!”) his willingness to see things from her perspective, and even to credit her with doing something important… as he heads towards the cross.
    ​
    And not to give away the plot of the story, but the preparation for burial that would usually take place will not be able to be done … which is how we’ll catch up with women next Sunday on their way to the tomb, ready to do what had not been done the night of his death when he was placed into the tomb. Anoint his body for burial. But Mark is letting us (and his readers) know that it’s been taken care of. Already done.
    ​
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      • Mark 14:1–2ESV

      • Mark 14:10–11ESV

  • How Great Is Our God
Southwest Community Church
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