Planned Giving Conference

Devotional Message: ARH

Self-Denial: For the Sake of Jesus

John 12:1-8

Introduction

“He is no fool” said Nate Saint, the American evangelical missionary martyred in South America half a century ago, “to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Love prompts that type of spirit. Mary’s was an impulsive act of devotion, in which she threw away her most prized possession. This contrasts with the calculated mind which shrinks from such spontaneity and generosity. Mary’s gift represented her “dearest and best”. It was

AN EXTRAVAGANT GIFT

“a pound of costly ointment made of pure nard” (v.3. NRSV)

This was equal in value to a full year’s pay for a working man (one denarii per day).

A few hours later the crowd greeted him with palm branches. But these cost nothing. It cost Mary everything to break the vessel of nard.

Ill. A lady said to Commissioner Brengle: “I’d give everything to have an experience like yours”. Reply: “That’s what it cost”.

It’s one thing to wave the palm branches of public worship (this is pleasing to the Lord), but quite another to offer that “true spiritual worship” which involves our making “a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).

The gift was criticised by Judas. “Why this waste?”

Worldly-minded people ask the same question when a gifted young person decides to enter full-time service for God.

Judas talked of selling the nard for 300 denarii – but later sold his Lord for 30 pieces of silver.

AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT

Later (v.9) a crowd gathered around the Lord – but they came “not for Jesus’ sake only….” They had their own agenda.

Mary, by contrast, gave her gift only for Jesus. Once offered it could not be used elsewhere. It was gone.

Total commitment means this sort of unselfish devotion to Jesus.

Of Judas, we read “not that he cared” (v.6) His was a sham piety.

But Mary was different. We meet her three times in the gospels – each time at the feet of Jesus. Familiarity with Christ breeds reverence.

In parallel accounts (Matt.26:10; Mark 14:6) Jesus says: “She has done something beautiful for me” “she has done what she could”.

Jesus only asks of us what we can do – and this is beautiful in his sight.

AN ENDURING GIFT

“Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done shall be spoken of in memory of her” (Matt.26:13; Mark 14:9).

In the course of history the people remembered with affection are not those

who ‘made it to the top’ in terms of fame and fortune but those who poured out their lives in service to God and people.

“the house was filled with the fragrance” (v.3) – and the fragrance lingers yet. The effects of true devotion to Jesus remain. They beautify ‘the place’ – perhaps the place where we live, or serve, or work.

Our Stewardship can be like this – an outward and physical sign of an inward and spiritual grace – a beautiful and sacramental expression of “our lives, our all this very day” poured out as an extravagant, exclusive and enduring gift to Jesus.

Thus we pray:

Take my love, my Lord I pour at they feet its treasuree;

Take myself, and I will be ever (that’s enduring) only (that’s exclusive) all (that’s extravagant) for Thee.