Breaking The Alabaster Box Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 1 Int. 1. Aim: To show that we should express our gratitude to others for what they have done. 2. Mark 14:3-9 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. 4. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5. For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 3. This is recorded also in Matthew 26:6-13 and John 12:1-8 4. What is an alabaster box? a. It is a container made from stone. Like white marble b. It is also called a vase, jar or flask. It was a perfume vase. 5. Time a. Six days before the Passover - It was the Saturday night before his death. b. A few weeks after the raising of Lazarus - caused the popularity of Jesus to rise. 6. Place a. Bethany - house of Simon the leper b. He could have offered his house to show his gratitude to Jesus for healing him.
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 2 7. The people a. Jesus and his closest friends - the 12 apostles b. Simon the leper was there - he was cured of leprosy c. Martha and Mary were there and Lazarus after his resurrection d. There were at least seventeen people at this dinner: Simon, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Jesus, and the 12 Apostles. e. The three key persons in this event are Mary, Judas, and Jesus. Discussion I. THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY A. 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. 1. Matthew and Mark do not give her name, but John tells us that it was Mary who was sister to Lazarus and Martha. John 12:3 2. The ointment of spikenard was highly esteemed in antiquity as a precious aromatic and a costly luxury. a. The alabaster box and its contents were very valuable, such as any woman of refinement would appreciate. b. This was a perfume, and used only to give a pleasant odor.
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 3 B. Mary anointed Jesus with the precious ointment 1. She broke the alabaster box of ointment and poured it on the head of Jesus. a. This ointment was valued at 300 pence. b. A pence was the daily wage of the average worker. Therefore, in modern terms, it was worth about $15,000.00. c. This spikenard was produced from a rare plant that grew in India. It was very expensive and many people saved for years to be able to provide this for their own funeral preparations. 1 2. John tells us that she also anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair John 12:3 a. Mary came behind Jesus, and poured out the greater part of this ointment on his head as he sat at meat, and anointed the feet of Jesus with the remainder; b. When she had done this, she, wiped his feet with the long flowing tresses of her hair. c. It was an act of love and devotion that brought fragrance to the whole house. C. Mary did something for Jesus that no one else had ever done 1. Mary was not a wealthy woman. This alabaster box containing such expensive perfume very possibly represented her life s savings. It was about a year s salary in those days. 2. Alabaster is a beautiful semi-transparent gemstone. It was used to make containers which would hold only the most expensive and precious contents. 1 From Sermons and Outlines - the Sermon Notebook on Mark 14:1-9
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 4 3. When the contents were extremely precious, the makers would work the stone in such a way that the only way to empty it would be to break the container. D. Jesus had been teaching his disciples that he was going to die. 1. They did not believe him. 2. Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 3. Mary was more in touch with Who Jesus was and is than were His own disciples. a. She believed that He was about to die. They did not! b. Apparently she knew that His body would not be available to anoint after death, so she did it ahead of time. c. No doubt her faith enabled her to see beyond the cross and the tomb to a day when Jesus would rise from the dead and occupy the throne of glory in Heaven. 4. Mark 14:8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. E. This one act is the foundation of Mary's influence 1. Mark 14:9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 2. We still talk about her all these years later - she still exercises influence on this world - because she did what she could
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 5 II. BREAKING THE ALABASTER BOX A. This event in the life of Jesus shows the attitude of Mary. 1. She showed her appreciation for her Lord while he lived. 2. She did not wait until he was dead to anoint him. 3. Her attitude was, nothing is too good for my Lord. 4. The phrase breaking the alabaster box B. We should in like manner break the alabaster box 1. Let us give our flowers while our friends live; that they may comfort, encourage and bless them. 2. Keep not the kisses for the dead cold brow Nor the touch of affection for the hands that are still, Hast thou an alabaster box? Break it now: Encourage someone, life's purpose to fill. 2 C. Where should we break the alabaster box? 1. In our home a. Children for the parents - Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. b. Parents for the children - Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 2 FHC Lectures 1965 Breaking of the Alabaster Box by Garland Elkins
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 6 c. Husbands and wives (1) Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (2) Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. 2. In the church - a. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. b. Sending a card to one who is sick or in grief c. Preparing a meal for someone who is sick d. Mowing grass of someone in the hospital e. Distributing a tract f. Praying for the erring D. Christians should be in the habit of breaking the alabaster box to everyone who helps and assists us in this life.
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 7 III. WE WILL BE CRITICIZED A. Mary did what she could, and was criticized for it 1. Mark 14:4-5 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. NKJV And they criticized her sharply. 2. They murmured- some versions say scolded 3. Judas thought he knew a better way to use the gift - John 12:4-6 4. The other disciples called what she did a waste - Matthew 26:8-9 B. When we do what we can, we will be criticized. Why? 1. Some may scold us for not doing it another way 2. Some may think they know a better way to do it 3. Some may call what we did a waste C. Judas was clearly motivated by money, he held the purse strings - others may be motivated by a number of other things. Why? 1. Jealousy 2. Pride 3. Personal differences 4. Ignorance D. David, Moses, and Elijah were all criticized -yet their works continued -and their works influence us today
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 8 IV. WE WILL BE COMMENDED A. Mark 14:6-8 1. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 2. Jesus commended and even defended her 3. They could help the poor at any time but he would be with them only a short time. 4. What the group considered a waste, Jesus considered it A beautiful thing R.S.V. 5. Mary had done all that she Could. Mark 14:8 She had anointed his body for burying. B. It's interesting that Jesus was given gifts on 3 occasions 1. Wise Men - Gold, frankincense, and myrrh - Matthew 2:11 = birth 2. Nicodemus - Myrrh and aloe - John 19:39 = death 3. This occasion with Mary a. The first 2 were practical b. This one was purely out of love and a huge sacrifice c. She may have withheld it at her brother's funeral d. Judas was quick to point out its worth -300 pence = a year's wage
Breaking the Alabaster Box P. 9 C. The sacrificial nature of our deeds will be commended by God 1. Romans 12:1 ASV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2. 2 Corinthians 8:5- they first gave their own selves to the Lord - And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. D. If I do what I can I will be Commended CONCLUSION 1. Let us break the alabaster box on behalf of Jesus. 2. What Mary did for his physical body we should do for his spiritual body, the Church 3. Like Mary, may we conduct ourselves that our lives will become memorials of good. Sources Consulted 1. FHC Lectures 1965 Breaking of the Alabaster Box by Garland Elkins 2. G.A. commentary on Mark 3. Sermons and Outlines - the Sermon Notebook on Mark 14:1-9 Nelson Chapel Church of Christ 5039 Six Mile Road Maryville, Tn. 37803 Sunday Evening - Nov. 27, 2016 www.nelsonchapelchurchofchrist.org Sermon by Arthur Pigman 2705 Druid Hill Dr. Maryville, Tn. 37804 art65ann@gmail.com