Holy Week 2022: Wednesday

Spend a few moments in silence before God preparing your heart to hear from Him.

7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

- Isaiah 52:7

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

- Isaiah 61:1-3

What does the annointed one do for His people?

Pray using the words Jesus taught us to pray:

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.

- Matthew 6:9-13

Read Mark 14:1-11

When we read the story of Jesus and focus on the events leading up to His crucifixion, we often focus on the main characters. We see the chief priests seek to kill Jesus. We know Judas betrays Him. We watch as the disciples misunderstand and desert Him. We witness Pilate succumb to the crowd's demands and hand Jesus over to be crucified. We wince as the soldiers beat and mock Him and nail Him to the wooden beams. It is easy to forget the seemingly insignificant side characters whose time on the pages of Scripture is brief. We must not ignore their role in the narrative, or we will miss profound and beautiful truth.

In a world that increasingly values clicks, likes, and shares, we often feel pressure to produce something worthwhile, to do something that goes viral and gains us some amount of fame so that we can feel seen, known, and significant. If someone does achieve a moment in the spotlight, the pressure to continue to pump out relevant content to remain there is massive. The result of this fixation is an epidemic of depression, anxiety, and a sense of worthlessness. In addition, the most viral content is often the most divisive, stirring up online disputes, which is creating fierce divisions in every part of society. How can we ever hope to find peace in this context? The woman who anoints Jesus shows us.

This woman who poured what Mark calls "very expensive perfume" upon the head of Jesus appears to be a side character in the events leading to Jesus' death. She almost seems a distraction from the main event rather than a vital part of it. Yet Jesus sees her differently. Those who witnessed her act are offended by her rude interruption. She entered a room of men and had to squeeze her way through those surrounding Jesus to get to Him as He reclined at the table. The smell of the perfume would have been powerful if not overwhelming. She shatters an alabaster jar, something seen as a luxury at that time. Her actions appear wasteful. Why pour extravagant burial ointment on a living person, let alone Jesus, who was supposed to be the conquering Messiah?

It is fascinating to note that the people in the story of Jesus' death and resurrection who most recognize why He had come, what it meant for Him to be the Messiah, are those who seem least essential. It is this unknown woman who prepares Him for burial by anointing Him. It is a guy we don't hear of until after Jesus' death named Joseph who buries His body, and we never hear about Joseph again. It is the women who stay and observe His death on the cross and how and where His body is laid to rest. It is the women who are there at the tomb when He rises from the dead. It is women who first preach the greatest news the world has ever heard!

It is a deeply profound truth that our God is a God who sees the sparrow fall (Matthew 10:29). He chooses the small and insignificant things of this world to shame the great and powerful (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). He delights in faithful, daily acts of obedience born from devotion and love for Him and the people He cherishes. Jesus declares that what the woman did for Him is beautiful and will be remembered forever. Her act of worship will be forever tied to the Good News of Jesus because she recognized her King. She knew where to find peace even when the crowds and disciples did not. Peace is not found in being great in the eyes of the world. Peace is found by denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and accompanying Jesus along the way of humble, self-giving love.

What does this woman teach you about your life? How does her story challenge what our world says will give us significance, meaning, value, and worth?

Listen to the following video:

Read Ephesians 2:11-22 (focus especially on verse 19)

What has Jesus done for the foreigner and stranger who believes in Him?

We can have peace because of Jesus, knowing there is nothing about us that He does not deeply cherish and love. He is not interested in our accomplishments or status in this world. He delights in us because He made us, and we are precious in His eyes. We do not have to perform for Him or produce something of worth to be seen by Him. Jesus' own life was one of seeming insignificance. He was born poor and lived a humble, sacrificial life. In the eyes of the world, His ministry was a complete failure ending in the most humiliating death possible. In the eyes of God, His death "gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9b-11).

What needs to change in your life as a result of hearing this message about Jesus?

Pray using the words of Psalm 139 to thank God for loving every part of you.