what pleases the Lord exceedingly

she did what she could. (Mark 14:8)

the passage today is about the woman who anoints Jesus by pouring very expensive perfume on His head.

i can't think of many times in the gospels that Jesus commends someone as highly as He commends this woman.

i suppose it was because her action was such a pure, unabashed, extravagant expression of love and gratitude toward Him.

in luke's account of this incident, we are told a few more details about this woman. she "had lived a sinful life" (luke 7:37) . . ."and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears." (luke 7:38).

this kind of honest outpouring of love and devotion is always deeply offensive and embarrassing to hypocrites or to those who are nominally in the faith.

this is evidenced by the comments of some of those who witnessed the scene: "'why this waste of perfume? it could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor. ' and they rebuked her harshly."

in other words, they try to demean this poor woman's humility and adoration towards Jesus by their supposed concern for the poor. after all, don't they know best what this woman should do with her money?

i suppose profound and deeply felt displays of love can only really be understood by those who have profoundly and deeply loved themselves. who can fully put into words what it is like to be truly forgiven, to be so completely loved and accepted; the wonders of redeeming love and grace?

well, this woman knew, and "she did what she could" about it. Jesus ardently defends her because He was so moved and, in a sense, ministered to, by the outpouring of this woman's love.

i can't help thinking of all the times in the scriptures that Jesus tried to tell His disciples that He would be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law to be crucified, "but they did not understand what He meant and were afraid to ask Him about it." (mark 9:32).

Jesus must have felt very alone and friendless even among His disciples as He faced imminent death in jerusalem. who can know the extent to which Jesus dreaded "the baptism He was about to undertake"?

and yet this woman somehow understood.

she was, maybe, the only one who did, and in Jesus's words "poured perfume on [His] body beforehand to prepare for [His] burial".

somehow she knew and "she did what she could". her act of extravagant love prepared Jesus for what was coming and must have comforted Him beyond measure.

and Jesus commends her, not for the gesture that she made, but because she loved Him with her whole heart, which was, to Him, "a beautiful thing".

there is a time to do the ministry of the Lord (giving to the poor) which is very important, but most essential of all, is genuine, heartfelt love for the Lord. this is, in the end, the thing that really counts and the true measure of our faith.

i suppose on that last day, that all our acts of service on behalf of the Lord will be measured not by the service itself, but by the love for Jesus that prompted it.

"wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her". this woman is the standard-bearer of "what pleases the Lord exceedingly".

"more love to Thee, O Christ".

The Little Apocalypse

I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Mark 13:30

It certainly seems like the end is near when we are constantly surrounded by news of "the rise of false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, and famines." One by one, things written in the bible are coming true. As time progresses the world is running out of excuses to deny the truthfulness of the bible. It merely has to accept that the end is coming and with everything that's written in the bible. That's scary.
Today, it's getting harder and harder to believe the gospel and have faith in Jesus Christ in this world and believers are being challenged more than ever with everything that the world has. If anything, we are lead into accepting the mediocrity and post-modernism of thinking even when it comes to our faith and dedication to God.
I know I'm not in any position to challenge any of you guys, but I'm definitely experiencing the challenge day by day and it's gotta be time for the believers to re-proclaim the victory that Jesus has already won. When do you think it's your time?

Error of the Sadducees

Jesus replied, " You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God." Matthew 22:29

The Sadducees attempt to ask Jesus a trick question of the seven brothers and one wife scenario to try to affirm their position that there was no resurrection or the afterlife. Christ quickly points out the error of their assumption that the Kingdom of heaven would equate to things of the present age.

Upon initial reading I equated the Sadducees with today's aetheists. The ones that argue against the resurrection or the afterlife today. I found myself shaking my head as I read the passage thinking..."Wow...the NERVE!" But upon reflection, I realize the Sadducees do not just represent those "other people" but that I may have more in common with them than I thought...

• My faith is easily stumped when things don't go my way.
  
• I justify things in an earthly "practical" way when one of God's commands is just too hard to follow.
• I tend to see things through earthly lenses instead of relying on scripture and believing in God's power in many facets of my own life.

I was challenged from today's passage. If I am so different from the Sadducees and believe without a shadow of a doubt in the resurrection and the afterlife, then I should be living my life very differently. I should be living for eternity and not for the things of this world.

The Parable of the Tenant

The parable of the tenant is a reminder to us all that God expects us to live fruitful lives and that he'll be looking for that when our time on this earth is over. (vv. 34, 41). I take this to mean that God has blessed us and given each of us certain previleges and responsibilities while we are on earth and that we are to utilize our gifts and resources to helping others and to bring glory to God. God has invested in us and expects to see results. The religious leaders failed to produce fruits and Jesus promised that they will meet a wretched end (v. 41). This danger still remains today, as we in the church are given our previleges and responsibities. What have we done, with the lives we've been given? What have we done with the resources God has given us? What can we show to Jesus that our lives are more fruitful than that of the Pharisees? Are we faithful and fruitful?

Posted by Pastor James

The Cleansing of the Temple

He [Jesus] said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?' But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Mark 11:17

Apparently the above verse and those pertaining to "The Cleansing of the Temple" have been a popular subject for many biblical studies and heated debates resulting from their contrasting views. After reading some of those, I feel less certain about the true meaning/purpose of this passage, as is often the case when one does not have the command of the full context.

So I will keep to the more obvious reflections.

Our passage in Mark chapter 11 features dramatic, action packed events. Christ, the gentle and compassionate One, shows his other side at last! Using the Mr. Stott's words, "the commercialism of the sanctuary of God" and "the gross exploitation of poor pilgrims" precipitate his anger and we have the glimpse of "the wrath of the lamb."

I applaud at Jesus' reaction at the temple court because I am quick to judge the villains and jump on the bandwagon of the righteous. It's 시원해!
Until... I revisit the wrath of the lamb.
I too have desecrated the house of prayer both literally and symbolically. I too deserve and fear that judgement sure to come my way.

Now I come to Mr. Stott's last remark: "It is only after we have seen the tears in his eyes that we are ready to see the whip in his hand."

Mr. Stott's remark refers to Luke's account of The Good News and not Mark's. Luke 19:39, 40 describes the Jesus' confrontation with pharisees during the "Triumphal Entry"and Luke 19:41-44 draws Jesus, overcome with emotion just prior to the events at the Temple court.

At the top of the hill overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus looked over the city.
And he wept.

Was it the profound disappointment at the blindness of pharisees? Was it the eventual outcome of his people who did not recognize "the time of God's coming?" Was it the cost of the sins of his people - the price He has to pay on the cross.

Humanity of Jesus Christ depicted in today's verses moves my heart.
I wonder if this may be the beauty of Jesus Christ Rev. Bill Radford referred to in yesterday's sermon.

Have a great week everyone!