Mark 14:3-9
Have you heard of the touching story about a little girl from a poor family who loved attending Sunday School, but there were so many children and the church was so small that she sometimes couldn’t get in? The later died and the pastor of the church was called to handle her service. It was discovered that she had been saving money to help pay for a larger church. It amounted to 57 cents. That 57 cents became the spark for a series of fund-raising movements that resulted in the buildings of Temple Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Temple University, Good Samaritan Hospital, and a large Sunday School building. Her name Hattie May Wiatt and her church is Grace Baptist Church of Philly pastored by Rev. Conwell. The first sermon sermon he delivered was in 1912 for the child's gift. Resulted in one of the most remarkable stories about giving to God.
Our message for this morning is one of the most fascinating testimonies about a woman having a gift that was no ordinary. So her life turn extra ordinary for she learned to give and laid it in the Master's hands. She was not a judge like Deborah or queen like Esther or any book in the Bible was named after her like Ruth. She is Mary of Bethany. Her life testimony was immortalized for she learned and discovered that love is greater than life, cause is greater than the cost, communion is better than convenience and devotion is greater than dream. What Jesus did to her is beyond compare. Her life testimony became unending.
How can our life be immortalized? Let us see the pattern.
1. She was chosen to fulfill her purpose. 14:3
What is a gift if it did not touch the recepient? In this case, very rarely, Jesus was in the receiving end. Can we give something that can touch the heart of Christ?
2. She gave her best to fulfill her purpose. 14:4-6
Three hundred dinarii is equal to a year wages but she was not hesitant to offer to Him. In fact she insisted it. For a woman like her, this gesture is remarkable. As what the Bible said, for where your treasure is then your heart will be also. The Lord put these things in her heart. She was the one who sat at the foot of Jesus to receive what cannot be taken away from her. When the time came to anticipate what Jesus will do, she was there to anoint Him. She was able to understand Christ next move. She must be listening to the heart beat of the one who saved her.
3. She brake the vessel. 14:8-9
What is the meaning of breaking the vessel? She could just pour it on Jesus' head for the flask is as expensive as the imported perfume from India. Mary has something to convey in her action. She meant that if her gift will not be received she will not use it for anything else.
She just wanted to say, "Lord if you will not use me then I will not be used by anyone." Let God break your box as what Savior did to this woman. Let the Lord softened your heart!
Have you ever experience breaking your vessel? Did Christ receive it fully?
