The Woman with the Alabaster Box

A Woman And Her Alabaster Box

PART 1 - ABRAHAM SACRIFICING ISAAC

Matthew 16:24 (AMP)

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me[believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

PART 2 - ELISHA SACRIFICING HIS 24 OXEN

Matthew 19:27-30 (MSG)

27 Then Peter chimed in, "We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?" 28-30 Jesus replied, "Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first."

Today's Message: A WOMAN AND HER ALABASTER BOX

• All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8).

• Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman's name;

• Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event,

• The woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2), sister to Martha and Lazarus.

OPENING STORY

When an airline pilot and a pastor arrive in heaven at the same time, St. Peter warmly thanks the pastor. He explains that he did a great service, devoting his life to God and the church, and that due to his efforts, he was able to get many congregants to pray and turn to God.

As a result, his efforts have been rewarded, and he will live in a luxuriously large house in heaven, complete with all the amenities he'd ever wanted on earth but had turned down for a life of faith — a swimming pool, a sprawling lawn, a beautiful garden and even the sports car he'd always dreamed of. After St. Peter finishes explaining all this, he tells the pilot that he will also receive an even larger house, complete with two swimming pools, a hot tub, a garden maze and even a rare supercar.

Confused, the pastor asks, "I don't understand. I'm grateful for everything I've received, and I'm happy that my brother is being rewarded, too, but why does he get so much more?"

St. Peter smiles. "Oh, that's simple. You were an excellent pastor, and you were able to get around 80% of your church's visitors to pray more and turn to God. But he was a terrible pilot, and he was able to get 100% of his plane's passengers to pray and turn to God."

We are going to see in this story a woman who makes an incredible sacrifice get criticized by the disciples, but get comforted by Christ. I want you to understand that whenever you decide to make a sacrifice for God people are going to talk. So, if they are going to talk anyway, give them something to talk about.

Someone once said that worship is the act of sacrificially giving to Jesus something that is precious to us.

What would that be for you? Your money? Your time? Your job? For the woman described in this scripture, it was a container of perfume. Let's look at her story.

THE 1ST ANOINTING

Luke 7:39-50 (MSG)

36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."40 Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Oh? Tell me." 41-42 "Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?" 43-47 Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most." "That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."48 Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."49 That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!" 50 He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

THE 2ND ANOINTING

John 12:1-13 (NLT)

1 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 "That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples' money, he often stole some for himself.7 Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."

THIRD ANOINTING - 2 DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH

Mark 14:3-11 (AMP)

3 While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head.

• He had suffered from leprosy, and Jesus had healed him.

• It was customary to wash the feet and anoint the head of a guest in your house,

4 But there were some who were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?

• There will always be critics but Jesus gave her comfort

5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer's wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her.

• Immediately, the disciples begin to criticize her

6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why are you bothering her and causing trouble? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me.

• Notice Jesus has a total different response to her sacrifice

• The disciples criticized her and Jesus comforted her

7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me.8 She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.

• She used what she had

• What she had of value she gave

9 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever the good news [regarding salvation] is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

• Jesus says, the gospel cannot be told without mentioning what she has done for me

MEMORIAL OFFERING AN OFFERING OF REMEMBRANCE

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve [disciples], went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.

• Judas saw who could not get a piece of the alabaster box and makes a decision to sell out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver

• The question then becomes what is Jesus worth to you?

• Is He worth serving? Is He worth giving? Is He worth your time? Is He worth your talent? Is He worth your treasure?

Jesus Christ is God's anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means "anointed one" and derives directly from the Hebrew word for "anointed." Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning "anointed one." Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is "anointed" by God in preparation for His life's work (Luke 3:22; Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18). On three separate occasions, Jesus is anointed with fragrant ointment in His work as the Savior, the King of heaven who was in preparation to die to save His people.

CLOSING STORY

A wealthy man is preparing his final affairs. He's confident he will go to heaven; he's worked hard all his life, been kind to others, donated most of his fortune faithfully to the church and spent most of his free time performing volunteer activities for charities and his church. Still, he's worried that all his earthly wealth and the fortune he built and donated will be meaningless in heaven. Sadly, he wonders if he won't be recognized for his accomplishments.

He asks his loved ones if they will bury him with a suitcase, and in that suitcase, he packs two gold bars — to remind him of all he accomplished in his time on earth. When he gets to heaven, he's distraught to realize that at the pearly gates, he no longer has his suitcase. St. Peter apologizes and explains: "We don't really let you take things with you here. But, hey, don't feel bad! We'll get you some brand-new paving bricks at any time! They're everywhere!"

Discussion Questions

1. The Cost of Worship: The woman's perfume was worth a year's wages. What's the most valuable thing you could sacrificially give to Jesus right now—your time, talent, or treasure?
2. Critics vs. Comfort: The disciples criticized the woman's sacrifice, but Jesus comforted her. When have you faced criticism for your devotion to God, and how did you handle it?
3. Gratitude and Forgiveness: Jesus said "If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal." How does the depth of your understanding of God's forgiveness affect your level of sacrifice and worship?
4. Breaking the Alabaster Box: The woman broke her vial, meaning she couldn't take it back. What in your life needs to be "broken" and completely poured out for Jesus with no possibility of taking it back?
5. Judas vs. Mary: Judas complained about the "waste" while stealing from the money bag, then sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Mary gave a year's wages in worship. Which attitude do you find creeping into your heart when it comes to giving?
6. Preparation for Burial: Jesus said the woman anointed Him "beforehand for the burial." Sometimes our sacrifices have purposes we don't fully understand. What might God be preparing through your current sacrifices?
7. Memorial Offering: Jesus said wherever the gospel is preached, this woman's story would be told. What legacy of sacrifice and worship are you creating that will outlive you?
8. "She Has Done What She Could": Jesus praised the woman saying "She has done what she could." Are you doing what you can with what you have, or are you waiting for "more" before you sacrifice?
9. The Question of Worth: The sermon asks, "What is Jesus worth to you?" Based on your current giving, serving, and sacrifice, what would an outsider say Jesus is worth to you?
10. Give Them Something to Talk About: The sermon says if people are going to talk anyway when you sacrifice for God, "give them something to talk about." What bold act of worship or sacrifice is God calling you to that might make others uncomfortable but would please Jesus?

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