sermonette: Elements of a True Sacrifice
Offertory
Martin G. Collins
Given 27-Sep-03; Sermon #632As; 13 minutes
Sacrifice is a word that has been overused since that terrorist attack on
the World Trade Center on 9/11, 2 years ago. The New York City firemen who rushed into the burning and collapsing World Trade Centers to save as many people as they could before dying themselves, they sacrificed their own safety and then ultimately their lives. The US government has been using this as an opportunity to appeal to US citizens to sacrifice such things as freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of religion, while encouraging tolerance for sinful behavior. All in the name of
peace and safety. Turn with me to Mark 143. Webster defines sacrifice as the act of giving up. Or forgoing something valued for the sake of something having a more pressing claim. So we hear the argument that giving up these freedoms, as the United States government is asking us to do, is a far more pressing claim. But that's on a very physical level. Now here in Mark 14, we will read verses 3 through 5, but this is the story of the woman in Bethany who anointed Jesus' head with oil. And it's understood that this Anointing of Jesus was a far more true pressing claim than anything we see in our physical lives. In Mark 14 verses 3 through 5 and being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper as he, Jesus sat at the table, a woman, now John tells us that this woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on his head. But there, but there were some who were indignant among themselves and said, why was this fragrant oil wasted, for it might have been sold for more than 300 dnari and given to the poor, and they criticized her sharply. Now Mark contrasted the hatred of the religious leaders that he spoke of immediately before this text in verses 1 and 2. And the betrayal of Judas immediately following this text in verses 10 and 11 with the
love and devotion of Mary demonstrated by her anointing of Jesus with expensive perfume. The alabaster flask that contained the perfume was a container with a long neck that was broken off when the contents were used. So once it was broken, the oil was exposed and all of the oil had to be used. The expensive oil was made from a plant with a small slender stalk and a heavy thick root found primarily in India. And the best perfume is obtained from the root. Though the stock and fruit are also used for that purpose, and this was a very, very expensive liquid, far more than what we can imagine today. In fact, some commentaries. In one sense, I think went overboard to show how expensive this oil was, but this precious oil had a value of more than 300 denari, and according to some commentaries, a denarius was equal to a day's pay to start doing the math. So the cost came to more than a year's wage. We all recognize this as a huge sum regardless of whether it was actually a full year's wage or even partial. But in today's standards, what would that be? $20,000.30 4050 $60,000. It's hard to imagine on oil that was that expensive. But you can see the sacrifice that Mary made. In using this oil to anoint Christ. And
King David recognized that to live a righteous life there has to be sacrificing. In Psalm 54 and verse 5, he said, Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. So we all understand that there are far more things in life in the way of sacrifices than just money, but it's also our lives as well and more importantly, in many ways our our lives. To live righteously means we must sacrifice by abstaining from many of the activities of this world. It means we will not be involved in the
works of the flesh that are listed in Galatians 5:19. To human nature, giving up the excitement this world has to offer is a seemingly tough sacrifice, but it doesn't compare to the ultimate sacrifice that
Jesus Christ made for each and every one of us. Now what elements make something a true sacrifice? Well, I've listed 3 things that I'd just like to briefly touch on. The first is a sacrifice must be freely given. The sacrifice offered by an unwilling heart is totally unacceptable to
God. I look at what the psalmist said in Psalm 54 verse 6. He said, I will freely sacrifice to you. I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. That's the attitude that we should have in giving and offering is that we are freely giving of that offering. The Hebrew word rendered freely means willingly and voluntarily. The offerer does it. The offerer does it of a free or willing mind without constraint or compulsion of his own accord. Now the references to a free will offering as distinguished from one that has been prescribed by law. So we see the attitude that we must have in giving an offering is that it must be freely given. Now the second element of a true sacrifice is that it must be completely given. Partial sacrifices are unacceptable to God as well. Sacrificial animals had to die, not just suffer for a while. A partial sacrifice is very common in this society today. That is, people may not mind suffering a little bit for a short while, but they aren't willing to give up themselves completely to the point where they are willing to die for any cause, especially the cause of Jesus Christ. Turn over to Mark 12 and verse 43 with me. Let's go over a few pages. Now you remember the story in Mark 12 of the widow who gave all. Mark 12 verses 41 to 44 tells of the widow's might. While Jesus was observing how people threw money into the treasury, he noticed that many of the rich threw in large, larger amounts, and then came a poor widow, and she threw in the two mites that were so familiar with. Then Jesus told his disciples that this poor widow had cast more in. Than all they who gave from their abundance, but she cast hers in from her needs all that she had, even all her living. So you see the attitude that she had of giving completely. So here in Mark 12 and we will read verses 43 and 44. So he called his disciples to himself and he said to them, assuredly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty. Put in all that she had her whole livelihood. The rich gave out of their abundance, and it did not hurt them very much at all. The widow on the other hand, met the criteria of a true sacrifice because a sacrifice must be completely given. The sacrifice must be freely and completely given. But it also must be the third point, a sacrifice must be given at a cost. When we think of sacrifices, it's important to remember that Jesus Christ gave the greatest sacrifice that will ever be given. Does this sacrifice meet the criteria of being a genuine sacrifice? Absolutely, and you know that. Was his sacrifice freely given?
John 10:15 records Jesus's statement that he sacrifices for his church. Says there as the Father knows me, even so, I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my for the sheep. So Christ was a freely given sacrifice. Since all has sinned and all have crucified Jesus Christ, But because of his love for us, he freely laid down his life. So was his sacrifice freely given? It absolutely was. Was his sacrifice completely given? If Jesus would have miraculously come down off that stake early, he would not have met the criteria for a true sacrifice. He had to completely give all.
Romans 5:6 through 8 says, for when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Yet perhaps for a good man one would even dare to die. In verse 8, but God demonstrates His own love toward us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So we get the indication here that to die for someone who is a righteous person. would be In one sense, an incomplete sacrifice, but to give for people who are undeserving made it even more of a complete sacrifice. Was his sacrifice given at a cost? You already know the answer to that.
Matthew 20:20 and 28 says, just as the Son of Man did not come to serve, to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. The word ransom is translated from the Greek word anti-leutron, meaning a redemption price. All of us have been held for ransom by
Satan, but Jesus paid the ultimate ransom price by giving His life for life to free us. Had he not, we all would have died, but he died for us and our stead. And we realized that What a tremendous cost he paid for our sins. This is the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made. Never has anyone had so much given, has has had so much given it. Repeat that. Never has anyone who had so much given it all up to die for us. Uh, turn back to Mark 14 with me. Now God tells us he wants us to sacrifice. Or rather to offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice to him. And our sacrifice must be freely given and it must be completely given and it must be given at a cost. And that woman in Bethany knew something about sacrifice. So let's pick up where we left off in March 14, and we will read verses 6 through 9. But Jesus said, Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me, for you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish, you may do them good. But me, you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. Assuredly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. So Jesus was so impressed by her sacrifice. That he wanted everyone to remember it because of its importance and its genuineness and its humility. Jesus told this crowd of complainers to leave her alone. He saw her as having the
right attitude, and he was very pleased that she had given freely, completely, and at a great cost in sacrificing for him, not because of the pain involved, but because of the attitude of humility, of love, and zeal. So may God help us to have the same genuine sacrificing attitude as we remain committed to and thankful for the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will be coming soon and whose coming we surely look forward to.