Broken Vessel

Broken Vessel

Mark 14:1-9

     Tonight’s Gospel reading presents to us a very dramatic scene.  A woman named Mary, twelve seasoned disciples, a room filled with the fragrance of the finest perfume, a broken alabaster flask and Jesus, the Savior, dripping with the finest imported nard.  It was Holy Week.  Jesus was only a few days from being arrested, put on trial and crucified.  But this night was a night of celebration.  It wasn’t very long ago that Lazarus had been raised from the dead in this village of Bethany and now he was at the table with Jesus.  His sister Martha was helping with the serving and his sister Mary was also there.  This evening was recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John for one reason, what Mary did.  Sometime during that evening, a woman, identified by John as Mary, came to Jesus with an extraordinary gift.  She had an alabaster flask of expensive fragrant ointment called nard or spikenard.  The text tells us that it was worth more than three hundred denarii.  That would be almost a year’s wages for a common worker in those days.  The flask was made in one piece so that to open it, you would have to break it.  That’s what Mary did.  From that broken vessel she poured the fragrant ointment that was put on Jesus’ head and feet and the fragrance filled the house. 

     We are not told why Mary did this.  It could have been simply an act of worship or an act of gratitude for raising her brother from the dead or love for the Lord.  We don’t know for sure but we do know that those who witnessed this were shocked.  John tells us that Judas spoke up and criticized her, saying that this could have been sold and the money given to the poor.  John then adds that he said this because Judas had charge of the money bag and often helped himself to what was in it.  He could probably imagine all the things that he could do with over three hundred denarii.  In our money today that could have been tens of thousands of dollars.  In the minds of the disciples and others who were present this was a terrible waste of money. 

     In many ways, you can’t blame them for their practical, cost-conscious thinking.  Why not use that money for the poor or some other worthy cause.  There are always good causes that seem to need money.  There should be some other way that we could show our love to Jesus.  After all those who thought this was a giant waste of money had reason, common sense, and even Biblical mandates on their side.  They were demonstrating great fiscal responsibility and also compassion for the poor and needy.  In their minds, Mary was a misguided fool who was taking food from the mouths of starving babies by her extravagant demonstration of love or whatever she was doing. 

     There is no doubt that your human nature would have you solidly  lined up on the side of the critics of Mary.  After all, you have been taught to be responsible and play it safe and do what God wants in controlled and careful ways.  You feel that you are doing the God- pleasing thing by being reasonable and responsible and frugal.  You stand with the disciples and look for Jesus’ approval.  But to your surprise you get His rebuke. He told them to leave Mary alone. “Why do you trouble her?  She has done a beautiful thing to me.” 

     Again in your human way of thinking, this just doesn’t make sense.  Don’t criticize her?  Leave her alone?  It was a beautiful thing?  How could He say that?  She used up that whole container of precious ointment all at once.  It doesn’t seem smart to use up all you have all at once and end up with nothing left.  Isn’t it better to hold back, give what you can afford?  That might make sense but think again how this turned out.  Jesus said that Mary did a beautiful thing.  She didn’t hold back.  She gave her all.  Only giving what you can afford may win you points with your insurance company, your financial advisor and your doctor but from what we learn on this occasion, it leaves Jesus unimpressed. 

     When you think about it, there isn’t a time in Scripture where someone was commended or praised by God for playing it safe.  Whenever someone tried to play it safe, it ended with a rebuke from God.  Think of Abraham, Moses, Gideon, David and Elijah.  Jesus never had praise for people who used caution and took it easy.  The faithless servant who buried his single talent was rebuked.  The rich fool who had every future plan perfectly covered so he could eat, drink and be merry was condemned.  The lukewarm and safe church in Laodicea in Revelation was spit out.  Even the play-it-safe disciples failed Jesus when He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.  They did the reasonable thing and took off.  God is not impressed with caution.  He is not gratified when we hold back.  The disciples were wrong.  Mary did the right thing.  There was not middle ground on this matter.  It was an issue of a broken container.  It was a matter of a vessel that had been broken and now could only be used completely with nothing held back.   

     There was something more that was happening here than just the breaking of the alabaster vessel.  The vessel that won the praise of Jesus was Mary herself.  The vessel containing the fragrant ointment was an outward expression of what had taken place in the heart of Mary.  In her love for Jesus and her desire to serve and honor Him, she was holding nothing back.  Like the broken jar that had to be completely spent once it was broken, so Mary could keep nothing back in her devotion to her Lord.  She didn’t give herself half-way.  She did not do what was safe, or reasonable or convenient.  She did what she knew she had to do.  She gave herself completely and without reservation.  That is what was really happening there at the table in Bethany.  Mary was a broken vessel, pouring herself out in eager service.  Once she had been broken there was no option—she gave it all—she could do nothing else.  To everyone’s surprise, Jesus praised her because that total surrender, that complete giving, is what He wants for every one of His people!  Mary was doing it.  The disciples still didn’t understand.  They were still playing it safe and trying to figure out the best way to do the job, the least expensive, the most practical way to get it done.  They were working the angles and being reasonable.  Mary was doing what broken vessels do—they give everything.  Mary had it right.

     It’s not a comfortable conclusion to reach for people who want to practice a kind of convenient, comfortable, part-time relationship with Jesus.  This example tells us just the opposite.  Jesus praised her for her complete surrender, her nothing-held-back expression of love.  You have to confront what that means for you.  It’s clear that Jesus wants people who give it all in their service to Him, people who are broken and are pouring themselves out without limit.  Jesus calls you to a life like that.  He calls you to a life, not of careful calculating and prudent holding back, but to a life of all-out surrender.  That is what Mary did.  Does it mean that you are to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a bottle of perfume and look for someone to anoint?  No, but it does mean that it is time now to examine your life and your response to the greatest blessing you have ever received.  You have been given the gift of eternal life in heaven through Jesus.  Like Mary, you are a broken vessel because of your sin.  You have come in repentance to the foot of the cross and there you have received the forgiveness of your sin that that opens the gates of paradise.  So what are you waiting for?  What are you saving yourself and your resources for?  If Mary had waited one more week, she would have missed her chance to show her love for the Lord.  She gave herself when and where she could. 

     For most people, this is a bold step.  There is no better time than the present to stop hiding behind what is comfortable and convenient in your service to the Lord.  It is time to stop clinging to the reasonable way.  Break the vessel.  Go all out.  Let your life show what is most important to you now and for all eternity.  Don’t arrive at your funeral with unused engergies, hoarded hours and stockpiled resources.  Use them now, doing what God gives you to do.

     I’m not sure that Mary fully realized what she was doing that evening in Bethany.  She just did what she knew she had to do.  It was the right thing.  Jesus was anointed—in a sense an early embalming—in preparation for the suffering, death and burial that was only days away.  You never know what will come of your all-out surrender to the Lord.  That’s not the point.  Just do it and let God do with it what He will.  He is full of surprises.  Think about it.  Mary was the only one who got to anoint and embalm the body of her sacrificed Lord.  The women who waited until Easter morning never got the chance.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Lenten Pulpit Exchange

Lent 2014