Jesus Anointed to Die for Us - Be a Fool for Christ
Jesus anointed to Die for Us - Be a Fool for Christ
We transition to the road to the cross after hearing Jesus tell us what will happen at the end and the signs and timing of his coming.
Before any of these will come to pass, Jesus has to die because that is why He came into the world. Jesus reminds his disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Matthew 26:2.
“You know”. What do the disciples know? They knew from Scriptures that the Messiah, the Christ is destined to die for the sins of all. It was not a secret though the authorities wanted to secretly kill Jesus.
Mary, takes a bold step of faith to anoint Jesus at the home of Simon the leper. She honored Jesus and became a fool for Christ and was criticized even by the disciples. Let's be fools for Christ in doing what the Holy Spirit inspires us to do.
Please let’s read the account:
Matthew 26:1-13: The Plot to Kill Jesus
26 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.”
3 Then the chief priests, [a]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 [b]trickery and kill Him.5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
The Anointing at Bethany
6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 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.”
We know from John 12 that the woman who anointed Jesus is Mary, the sister of Lazarus who was raised from the dead.
What a waste? “Why this waste?” Nothing done for Jesus is wasted. We should always follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit into obedience. Mary heard the voice of God in a form of an idea. “I am going to pour this perfume on Jesus.” I am sure if Mary had sought people’s opinions, she would not have done it as can be seen by the responses of the disciples. What are you hearing from God? Do it.
Some of the things God will tell us to do will sound ridiculous to us and to people. But if we obey and are willing to be fools for Christ, we will be pleasing to God. Mary stepped out on faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God – Hebrews 11:6.
Notice that Jesus was in the house of “Simon the leper”. Simon was identified as a leper meaning he was healed of leprosy by Jesus. What an honor. A leper? The rejected and despised? It is out of our brokenness, our rejections and our greatest pains that Jesus is honored. We must make our past or present shames to be a platform for the honor of Jesus. Our suffering and pains is not about us but for the glory of God.
Therefore, “2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.” James 1:2-5. We need wisdom to use our pains for the glory of God. Let us ask Him and He will give us wisdom in the midst of our pain so we don’t become bitter in pain. What are you going through right now? Ask for God’s wisdom.
Let the world and the authorities crucify and mock Jesus. It should not stop us from obeying, honoring and worshiping God.
Lord, we thank you for willingly coming and dying on the cross. Lord, help us to know you, honor you in our lifetime and make you known to all people. Amen.
PRAISE REPORT: This Friday is the two-year anniversary of my stroke attack and survival. I thank God so much to be alive to worship and honor His name. Please rejoice with me and thank God on my behalf. I have made great recovery and healing by God’s grace. I still go to therapy. In honor of His name, I will join other believers to proclaim the gospel this evening in downtown Silver Spring. The devil stopped me from going two years ago, but Christ won the victory and I will go to shame the devil. Please pray for the gospel outreach this evening. Amen.
We transition to the road to the cross after hearing Jesus tell us what will happen at the end and the signs and timing of his coming.
Before any of these will come to pass, Jesus has to die because that is why He came into the world. Jesus reminds his disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Matthew 26:2.
“You know”. What do the disciples know? They knew from Scriptures that the Messiah, the Christ is destined to die for the sins of all. It was not a secret though the authorities wanted to secretly kill Jesus.
Mary, takes a bold step of faith to anoint Jesus at the home of Simon the leper. She honored Jesus and became a fool for Christ and was criticized even by the disciples. Let's be fools for Christ in doing what the Holy Spirit inspires us to do.
Please let’s read the account:
Matthew 26:1-13: The Plot to Kill Jesus
26 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.”
3 Then the chief priests, [a]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 [b]trickery and kill Him.5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
The Anointing at Bethany
6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 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.”
We know from John 12 that the woman who anointed Jesus is Mary, the sister of Lazarus who was raised from the dead.
What a waste? “Why this waste?” Nothing done for Jesus is wasted. We should always follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit into obedience. Mary heard the voice of God in a form of an idea. “I am going to pour this perfume on Jesus.” I am sure if Mary had sought people’s opinions, she would not have done it as can be seen by the responses of the disciples. What are you hearing from God? Do it.
Some of the things God will tell us to do will sound ridiculous to us and to people. But if we obey and are willing to be fools for Christ, we will be pleasing to God. Mary stepped out on faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God – Hebrews 11:6.
Notice that Jesus was in the house of “Simon the leper”. Simon was identified as a leper meaning he was healed of leprosy by Jesus. What an honor. A leper? The rejected and despised? It is out of our brokenness, our rejections and our greatest pains that Jesus is honored. We must make our past or present shames to be a platform for the honor of Jesus. Our suffering and pains is not about us but for the glory of God.
Therefore, “2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.” James 1:2-5. We need wisdom to use our pains for the glory of God. Let us ask Him and He will give us wisdom in the midst of our pain so we don’t become bitter in pain. What are you going through right now? Ask for God’s wisdom.
Let the world and the authorities crucify and mock Jesus. It should not stop us from obeying, honoring and worshiping God.
Lord, we thank you for willingly coming and dying on the cross. Lord, help us to know you, honor you in our lifetime and make you known to all people. Amen.
PRAISE REPORT: This Friday is the two-year anniversary of my stroke attack and survival. I thank God so much to be alive to worship and honor His name. Please rejoice with me and thank God on my behalf. I have made great recovery and healing by God’s grace. I still go to therapy. In honor of His name, I will join other believers to proclaim the gospel this evening in downtown Silver Spring. The devil stopped me from going two years ago, but Christ won the victory and I will go to shame the devil. Please pray for the gospel outreach this evening. Amen.
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