This is the last Sunday we can worship together this year. I would like to offer my thanks to the Lord. At the same time, I would like to say thank you to all who are here this morning -- for what you have done for Chapel Noah. "Thank you."

The story or event described in today's reading happens to be one of the highlights of the Bible. Jesus is just about to be crucified, and Mary of Bethany [John 12:3 tells us this woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus] is prepared for it. Our mission is publishing a devotional booklet, and for a whole week, I have written sermon illustration for this devotional booklet about Mary's sweet deed. In it I said that we are to wait on the Lord, just like Mary. With our hearts and our minds, we are to love Him and serve Him like Mary. Mark tells us that the perfume that Mary poured onto Jesus was very precious [;rare] and expensive. In those days, to earn as much as the expense of that perfume would take you 300 days of labour! Mary did not think about its cost. She just did her best in waiting on our Lord.

I am sure, and it's very true, that most of us always do our best in serving Him -- without thinking about how much money we have spent, or how many hours we used up for the work of our church. I am very proud of it!! "She has done a beautiful thing for me." Jesus said to his disciples.

According to the Gospel of John, it's been said that they could smell the sweet fragrance of the perfume throughout the room after Mary broke the jar open, and poured it over Jesus. Mary's loving deed reminds me of mothers. They never think about 'how much' or 'how many' when raising their children. No matter how tired they might be, they never mind getting up for their children, and this appears to me to be a beautiful deed too, having such a sweet fragrance.

"She did what she could."

What she did was beautiful and it was the most that she could do. I would also like to do such a thing with my best love.

Mary was also tactful enough to wait for the right moment in doing what she did. She planned it in advance! To do things by planning ahead is very important. She was not late, or mistaken, in doing the right thing. We tend to be the last ones to think, but Mary was not at all. In advance, knowing what to do, Mary did what should be done. Later, when the time was fulfilled, people talked about it. We also should be tactful enough to see what to do and when to do it.

Fix your eyes upon Jesus' reply; "Leave her alone. She has done a beautiful thing for me. What she has done will be told throughout the World." What a beautiful thing to say that is!! People often can't understand why Christians do their selfless works, but Jesus knows all about what we are doing for Him, preparing His loving reply for us.

A different belief, or a different view, causes a different action; a little girl was carrying her little brother. An adult seeing this, spoke to her, asking, "He's too heavy for you to carry, isn't he?" But, the little girl angrily answered, "No! 'Cause he's MY brother." Mary's deed might look strange to people, but in truth it was not strange at all. In God's eyes, in God's sight, it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
For all sermon indicies see: cHaPeL nOaH sErMoN iNdEx