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From The Pastor's Pen - December 2008
Sunday I shared how Mary lovingly gave Jesus the very best that she had. It was a very expensive gift, one year’s wages for a common person in that day. She poured this perfume on the feet of Jesus and then she did something very humbling, she wiped His feet with her hair. Oh, what love she had for Jesus. John Gill states: “That which was her ornament & pride, & which she took great care of to nourish & put in proper form, to, render her desirable, she uses instead of a towel to wipe her Lord's feet.” We see that Jesus states that what Mary did would be remembered “wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mk 14:9. How do you want to be remembered? This is a question that I asked you at the end of the sermon. It is a question that we should all consider. Do you want to be remembered as a great business man, an outstanding lady, a famous sportsman, a super mother, a marvelous teacher, an honest politician, a superior craftsman, a hard worker, etc.? All of these are good qualities to have but Mary was known for her demonstration of love to Christ. Unselfishly she gave her greatest earthly possession to Jesus to show Him her love and thankfulness. Are we willing to give our greatest possession to Christ? Earthly possessions can easily become a tool that Satan uses to ensnare us. We can become so attached to this world that we lose sight of our real home. Jesus stated that he would go before us and prepare for us a mansion in the world to come. One of the reasons Christ came to this earth is to show us how to live in it but not be attached to it. He stated that “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” Christ did not worry about earthly possessions. He knew that His heavenly Father would take care of Him by providing all that He needed. We are to trust God our Father in the same way. We are to be content with what He has provided for us. Americans spend more money on themselves than any other nation. During the Christmas season billions of dollars will be spent on stuff that we really do not even need (or even like). We have got caught up in a “Vanity Fair” and do not know how to leave for we are afraid of offending others by not participating in this pastime. I want to challenge each of us to do something different this year. Why not seek to be like Mary and give a great possession to Christ. How can you do this? Find a needy family and seek to minister to them. Send money to a missionary. Contribute to a gospel work that is in need. Give to the church benevolent fund or building fund. Give a gift to ARBCA special projects or our missionaries. There are many opportunities to use what God has blessed you with. Do this as a family, discuss it together and share with the children that they will not receive as much as they normally do but instead, as a family, you will seek to follow Mary’s example. If this is done in the right spirit you will be greatly blessed and you will honor Christ. May this Christmas be special for each of us as we give!
Pastor Thomas Winn
