Week of November 9

We all make decisions. None of these choices, however, will be as significant as the one we make about Jesus. It shapes our entire worldview and determines our ultimate relationship with the Heavenly Father. This section of Mark’s gospel focuses on the judgment that people made for and against Jesus (14:1-15:47), and also the judgment God made for His Son (16:1-8). We dare not leave God’s judgment out of the picture or we will have no hope for this life or the life to come. However, I am getting ahead of myself here, so I will begin by inviting you to consider today your own judgment about the Savior.

Two central characters in chapter fourteen catch my eye—Judas and the woman who anointed Jesus with costly perfume. We know Judas as the betrayer of the Lord, and he would soon carry out his infamous act. We also know from John’s gospel that the woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 12:3). She and her family were closely associated with Jesus and the disciples (cf. John 11). These two people were intimately acquainted with Jesus, yet we see that physical proximity to the Savior does not guarantee eternal security. For example, we may say in contemporary terms that simply going to church does not secure eternal life.

A heart filled with loving gratitude. Eternity hangs in the balance in this story, and we see expressions of extravagant love as well as distant hatred. Mary takes an alabaster flask, filled with an expensive, aromatic oil, breaks it, and pours out its contents on the head of our Lord, thus anointing Him. The ointment was valued at 300 denarii, which was equivalent of about a year’s earnings for a common laborer (14:5). Her actions were recognized as “beautiful,” which can mean just that, beautiful, and also ethically good (14:6). Her decision and actions were both. Of course, the miserly church treasurer, Judas, was nearby and watching (John 12:4-5)!

A heart filled with ingratitude. Judas and others became indignant at the woman’s sacrificial display of love (cf. John 12:4). Their response was an angry, emotional outburst. It is also believed that the “some” (14:4) were the other disciples, and Mark was showing that they still lacked understanding (Matthew 26:8). All this drama sounds like many churches today, doesn’t it? Judas, however, had made his choice about the Savior, as we will soon see (14:10). Mary sacrifices 300 denarii-worth of anointing oil on the Messiah, while Judas chooses to sacrifice his Lord to earn 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). Both choices made all the difference in the world. His choice shows us that spiritual privilege is not enough to merit eternal life (cf. EBC). Judas missed the point that Mary had grasped. She chose to respond to Jesus in faith and with love.

The point of the accounts resides in Jesus’ prophetic statement that Mary had anointed Him for His death and burial. The time for such a poignant expression was running out, and Mary had seized the moment! Thank goodness for her spiritual sensitivity. Jesus was not discounting the poor; in fact, He was poverty personified. He was the Suffering Servant about whom Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 53:1-12). Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled when Mark and Matthew (26:13) record this event in their gospels. His interpretation of what the woman had done was important to Mark, for it was central to his understanding of messiah-ship. Jesus was anointed as king in connection with His death and burial. Was He the Messiah? Of course, you likely sense what I am going to write next. You make the choice! After all, this decision about Jesus is central to life itself.

Some of my most humorous moments are spent in restaurants, watching one of my family members trying to make a decision about a meal item. This dear soul will most often take a pass when it is time to order. Each person around the table makes his or her choice and then we return to our beginning point and hear, “I need more time.” The waiter/waitress will leave to get our teas and waters only to return to “I think . . .I’ll choose . . .”

Here is a spiritual reminder. I acknowledge that food choices can be difficult when there are so many appealing options, but they hold no eternal significance. Decisions about eternal life, however, are monumental in nature. Thankfully, God has simplified the menu. The choice is Jesus. Follow Him in faith or love or reject Him and go your own way. Both choices make all the difference in this life and the life to come. Again, choose well.

1. Write down ways today that your actions will reflect your life-changing decision to follow Christ.

2. For Families: If you have a wheelbarrow or a garden cart and are doing yard work in these Fall days, you can show your children what it means to make the decision fully to follow Jesus.

Write the name “Jesus” boldly on a piece of paper with a magic marker and tape it to your empty wheelbarrow. Explain to your children that when we make the most important decision of our lives, it is clear. Do we give Jesus all of us, or not? If we give Jesus all of us, it’s like climbing into the wheelbarrow and being in Jesus Christ. That’s the beginning step of salvation. We trust Him with our lives, and give all of ourselves to Him. Every day. For the rest of our lives.

Then ask each child to hop into the wheelbarrow to go for a spin around the driveway. When we are with Jesus, in Him, we are not the driver anymore. He wants all of us, and He will guide our journey. We will be altogether safe. We can trust Him.

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock