God Loves Uniquely (Mark 14:3-9)
Gary McManus, 08/27/2023Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Mark 14:3-9 August 27, 2023 God Loves Uniquely
Last week’s sermon was very practical. . .
Sheep need a shepherd. And we are all sheep.
But many sheep today do not have a shepherd.
Even any number of Christians are not following
Jesus. [ Jesus never wanted fans, only followers.]
Many with no shepherd don’t know that our God
provided one in Jesus.
That was the other message of last week’s sermon.
WE, the church, have been given the task of going
to the lost sheep. . .and working to bring them back
to safety. . .Life following Jesus is better than anyone
being left to their own devices.
This week’s sermon is more theoretical. . . .no
“steps to take” but the Jesus WAY to follow Jesus
is indicated.
In Mark’s gospel book, the disciples/others SPEAK.
They were indignant. . .angry, upset, irritated. . .Why?
The answer is the same—waste. . .a waste of money.
(Good perfume is and was expensive.))
Give them credit; the disciples were thinking about
Jesus’ mission!
Typical Pastor Gary: notice the obvious.
And they presumed that Jesus would agree with that.
OOPS!
Jesus said, “you will help the poor anytime you want to.”
Should we give up trying to help?
Helping the poor is like mowing the grass?
You just have to do it again next week?
NO.
There is much TO BE LEARNED from this report
—not just one thing.
The Bible knows: sheep can be bad money managers.
See Leviticus 25:39, Exodus 22:2 and Exodus 20.
Anyone else remember “the war on poverty”?
Oddly, Christians can’t come to much agreement about
what to do about the poor.
1. Ignore them/give up on them?
2. Become a Christian socialist?
3. Become a Christian communist?
4. Become a Christian behaviorist?
One MUST reap what they sow:
(2 Thessalonians 3:10, several of the Proverbs and
Galatians 6:7-9)
First, notice something else in Jesus’ words.
The woman’s actions were a spontaneous act of devotion,
kindness and maybe even love.
She was rebuked by others.
(And they thought they had “Christian” reasons to
do so.)
Jesus’ view is closer to rural Hoosier wisdom:
“don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Do not judge a gift and do not judge a person’s generosity.”
Would that all of Jesus’ followers were impulsively loving
and giving!
It remains a shame of the rich Christians who are neither
loving or generous in doing something for others.
(screen preachers? Are you listening?)
Jesus does want to encourage kindness and love and
generosity that this woman demonstrated that day so long ago.
Also notice Jesus compassion is rarely a “blanket”.
Only Jesus’ forgiveness was a blanket covering many
(Luke 23:34).
Historical note: religious (including Christian) communes.
They usually fall apart after the first generation.
Jesus healed all WHO CAME IN FAITH (Matthew 15:21-28)
It makes it difficult if not impossible to come up with a policy of
any kind and then claim Jesus would approve.
Can love be the same for all? Is that love even?
Jesus would NOT have this gift giver shamed in any way.
Would that all of Jesus’ followers were impulsively loving,
kind generous and giving! Amen.
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