She Hath Done What She Could (Part I)

“After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

(Mark 14:1-9)

This sermon tells us to serve God to the fullest... by giving God the first place in your heart, giving God the best that you have and by giving God the strength of your youth.

“She hath done what she could.” The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet was Mary, Lazarus and Martha’s sister.

“Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” (John 12:1-3).

Jesus praised Mary for her unselfish act of worship.The essence of worshipping Christ is to regard Him with utmost love, respect, and devotion and to be willing to sacrifice to Him what is most precious.

I – SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD WITH WHAT SHE HAD - “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark 14:3 )
“Alabaster box” – onyx marble. Popular for making perfume vases and boxes for precious ointments.
“Spikenard” – aromatic ointment. Highly perfumed ointment, prepared from a plant in India. “Very precious” – prized by the ancients – favourite perfume at their baths and banquets.

Application:
1. Is it costing you anything to serve God, or do you serve comfortably from the excess of what you have? Giving to God what cost you nothing does not demonstrate commitment. The word “SACRIFICE” implies giving something that costs the giver in terms of SELF, TIME or TREASURE.
2. Giving is a NATURAL RESPONSE of LOVE, when you love someone, you want to give him your time and attention and to provide for his needs. If you refuse to give, your love may not be as genuine as you say.
- “You cannot LOVE without GIVING – you cannot GIVE without LOVING.”
3. God wants you to give what you have, not what you haven’t.- The attitude with which we give is more important than the amount we give.
4. Giving to the Lord is but transporting our goods to a higher floor.
5. When we give God the leftovers, He is obviously not at the centre of our lives. Give God the honour of having first claim on your money, your time, and your talents.

6. Hymn: “GIVE OF YOUR BEST TO THE MASTER”

I
Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth;
Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardour Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example; Dauntless was He, young and brave;
Give Him your loyal devotion, Give Him the best that you have...

Chorus:
Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth;
Clad in salvation’s full armour, Join in the battle for truth.

II
Give of your best to the Master; Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service, Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you shall be given; God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him, Give Him the best that you have...

III
Give of your best to the Master; Naught else is worthy His love;
He gave Himself for your ransom, Gave up His glory above:
Laid down His life without murmur, You from sin’s ruin to save;
Give Him your heart’s adoration, Give Him the best that you have...
“Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth”

7.When a Christian comes to the end of his life, the regrets that he may have are probably that he has not served Christ better, love him more, spoken of him oftener, and given more of his life to the enhancement of God’s Kingdom.Live today to the fullest. Remember it’s the first day of rest of your life.

8. Give of your best to the Master; Give Him FIRST PLACE in your heart.”To put God first:
a. Recognize what is taking His place in your life.
b. Renounce this “substitute god” as unworthy of such devotion.
c. Ask God for forgiveness.
d. Restructure your priorities so that love for God is the motive for everything you do.
e. Examine yourself daily to be sure you are giving God FIRST PLACE.

9. Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
10. “Give Him your hearts adoration; Give Him the best that you have”. In the Old Testament, animals with defects were not acceptable as sacrifices, because they did not match God’s Holy nature.
When we give our BEST TIME, BEST TALENT and TREASURE to God, rather than what is tarnished or common, we show the true meaning of worship and testify to God’s supreme worth.
God deserved the very best. To give second best to God implies that He is second rate in our lives.

(From Rev. Pastor Teofilito A. Rufon's Sunday Worship messages)