Extravagent Love or Selfish Greed

Extravagant Love or Selfish Greed
Mark 14:1-11
Jesus knew his hour had come – he had 48 hours left to live
Mark 8:31 suffer many things, be rejected, killed, and after 3 days rise again.
Mark 9:31 "betrayed into the hands of men, they will kill Him. He will rise the third day.”
Mark 10:33-34 "they will condemn Him to death, deliver Him to the Gentiles; they will mock Him, scourge Him, spit on Him, kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen
He knew he was about to die – vs. 8
He knew he would be betrayed – vs. 18
He knew the 12 would desert him – v.27
He knew his blood would be shed – v.24
He knew he would live again – v.28
Jesus Prepares Himself for the Hardest Night of His Life
He prepared his heart, his mind, and his resolve
He didn’t run or back down from what he came to do
He prepared for his death and for his disciples to carry on in his absence
The Religious Leaders Prepare their Plan to Kill Jesus vs 1-2
1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.
Plotting Jesus’ Death vs 1-2
Matthew 26:3-5 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

Plotting Jesus’ Death vs 1-2
2 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.“

Multitudes in Jerusalem for the feast, who had known of his miracles
Jesus had recently raised Lazarus

Plotting Jesus’ Death – John 11
47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said,"What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."
Plotting Jesus’ Death – John 11
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."
Their Plan: Wait till after the feast
But God had a different plan
Matthew 26:1-2 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples,2 "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."


Mary Prepares to Show Her Love
Jesus was preparing himself and his disciples
The religious leaders were preparing their plan how to arrest and kill him
Mary was preparing how she could show her love for Jesus
Mary’s Growing Love for Jesus
Luke 10:39-42 – Jesus a guest in their home, she sat and listened to his words
John 11:1-45 – Her brother Lazarus died and Jesus came to their home, went to the grave and raised him from the dead
John 12:1-8 – Jesus was again in town, in the home of Simon the leper
Mary’s Act of Love
3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
John 12:1-8
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Mary’s Act of Love
3 … as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
Oil of Spikenard
John 12:1-8
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
The Criticism of the Disciples
4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.

The Criticism of Judas Iscariot
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Jesus Defends Mary
Mark 14:6-9 But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
Jesus Defends Mary
Mark 14:8-9 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

Judas Prepares to Betray Jesus
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
Matthew 26:14-16
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests15 and said,"What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

Luke 22:3-5
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
Zechariah 11:12-13
12 Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter" -- that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter.
We have a choice how we prepare for Christ
Betray him with our own selfish motives
Like Judas, pretend to be one of his disciples, while inwardly seeking only what is in our own best interest
Crucify him again
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
We have a choice how we prepare for Christ
Love him fully, with extravagant love
Mary’s example is spoken of today
A desire to learn from Jesus
Great faith in Jesus ability to save
A beautiful and costly sacrifice to show her love


Matthew 26:14-16
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests15 and said,"What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.