Why This Waste? (Matthew 26:6-13)

Matthew 26:6-13

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

What I love most about this story, its Mary of Bethany's heart. She is the same one that on another occasion sat at Jesus' feet and listens to His words, despite the pressure from her sister who was worried and busy with many things. Her heart posture was to hear Jesus words because she loved Him. I believe that when she went out with an alabaster jar to meet Jesus, she had heard His words and new exactly what she was doing... she believed Him when He said He was going to die and rise again, so she wanted to prepare Him for His burial. And secondly I believe that she had heard his message on the greatest commandment, to love Him with ALL!!!... that alabaster jar represented all she had, her inheritance, her security, her life! and even though her all was small compared to the All that Jesus was about to display at the cross, she was willing to love Him with the all that she had.

Her extravagant worship of Jesus really stirred up some offense in the disciples heart, it says that they became indignant. They were offended at her expression of love for Jesus, maybe even jealous... Even after being with Jesus for about 3 years, they couldn't understand what would make a woman do that.

They asked why this waste? we could have used this extravagant offering for something more productive? ...

WHAT COULD BE GREATER THAN POURING OUT YOUR LOVE ON JESUS?

I believe the same dilemma is still in the church today, I've seen many young people full of passion for the Lord who end up burning out because they didn't use it rightly. It's so easy to get distracted on what I can do FOR God and lose the passion that was meant to be used only ON Him. Many in the body of Christ considers it a waste to spend your life primarily worshiping Jesus. we all know the statement "you are too heavenly minded that your no earthly good". I believe that it comes from the same heart that the disciples had at that time and I believe is a killer of passion. The only way to be any earthy good is to be fully heavenly minded!

Lovers will always outwork workers. We were meant to love the Lord with all we have, and out of that do ministry. We were made to WASTE our lives on Jesus, then maybe as we empty ourselves out before Him, He can fill us up with His spirit and actually use us effectively. We will always have the poor with us like Jesus said, we will always have opportunity of outward ministry, but will waste the oil of our life ministering to Him? Our greatest call on life is to love Jesus with all, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, because He loves us with all that He is.

Perfect extravagant love was demonstrated on the cross where Jesus bleed and hung to death for us!!! Oh how precious is the blood of Jesus that was poured out for us on that day when His side was pierced. It is greater than any alabaster jar this world has to offer, He wasted it all on us without hesitation! How much more should we waste our lives pouring all we have at His feet?

Even though are all is so small compared to His ALL... All is still all, and all is what we have to give, and it is the one thing He asks for.

"That the Lamb may receive the rewards of His sufferings" "May He find a Bride, fully yoked in wholehearted love"

Why This Waste? . . . Because He is Worthy of it!

How sweet it is, to waste my life on the One I love.