In today’s reading, Christ is anointed in both word and deed. First, we read about the children in the temple who declare, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15). And then there is the woman in Bethany who anoints Jesus physically, breaking open a jar of perfume and pouring it out on His head (Mark 14:3). Both are beautiful examples of exulting Christ both with our words and with our actions, though not everybody in the story is happy.
Scripture describes the chief priests and scribes as indignant after hearing children call Jesus “Son of David,” a title reserved for the Messiah. And after the woman anoints Christ with perfume, the onlookers are described in the same way—indignant—asking, “Why has this perfume been wasted?” (v.4).
The anointing of Christ was an offense and a disruption. For the chief priests and scribes, it represented a disruption to their hierarchy, placing this man Jesus at the top. For those watching the woman spend her most expensive perfume, the anointing seemed irresponsible: Why waste such a precious possession? Additionally, as members of two marginalized and powerless demographics in first-century Judea, a woman and a group of children would not have had the authority to make such claims about a man. The anointing of Christ grated against an otherwise ordered and reasonable existence.
But did Jesus come to ensure a reasonable and ordered existence for us all?
When the woman anoints Jesus, He says she is foreshadowing an even greater disruption to society as they knew it. Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection were about to turn humanity upside-down. The greatest societal disruption of all was still to come, one in which the unclean would be clean and the unrighteous made righteous.
If I’m honest, I can be resistant to the Jesus who disrupts my order in the same way He disrupted the temple and the town of Bethany. I can grow very comfortable in the world I’ve created for myself and my place in it. The anointing of Christ, as well as the way He was anointed, tell me my purpose is not to be complacent with the way things are. I am to anoint Christ in word and in deed, following my King and doing His work, even if it pushes social boundaries, even if it prioritizes the wellbeing of the marginalized over my own comfort. This is the work that acts out real love toward one another, not because we are so good at loving, but because we have been so loved.
This is my prayer for us today, that our hearts would be set on the anointed Christ. I pray that the sacrificial love we have been shown and given would propel us to love others, so that one day Jesus will look at us and say, “She has done a noble thing for me” (v.6).
Leave a Reply
46 thoughts on "Our Savior Is Anointed"
Jesus I thank you for your love, and I pray for your spirit to lead me in becoming more like you.
Thank you Lord for the incredible gift of your love and allowing us to share that love in this world. You are life itself and I am beyond grateful everyday to stand in your creation.
Please pray for me-
I am a nurse and I feel God calling me out of working in the hospital and into working in ministry full time. The line about his caring for the marginalized is more important than our comfort really hit me. I long for Jesus to look at me and say “well done”. I do not want to squander the opportunities He’s given me to work for His kingdom. But I keep asking myself, “is this practical?? Does it matter if it’s practical?!” Please pray that I have clarity over the next week or so.
As a mother to a young child, anything that disrupts or changes our routine can be a burden and stressful. This lesson reminds me to accept the interruptions because it could be a God moment that I’m meant to be a part of or wittiness to.
As a mother to a young child, anything that disrupts or
Lord disrupt my plans for your glory and remind me that above all, You are love .
“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him” (1 Jn 4:9). God showed His love by sending His Son to live and die for us. His death gives us life. We show our love for Him by loving others. I cannot anoint Jesus’ feet, but I can wash and care for the feet of my dying patient. I cannot serve Him a meal, but I can help feed the college students at my church or the new mom down the road. I don’t have to travel to another country to show His love. There are so many here who desperately need to know His love. May I be the hands and feet of Jesus, right here every day
Thank you Andrea for such an insightful message today! To Erin, I’ve been thinking about the concept you mentioned of anointing Christ in word and in deed. I think of anointing Christ in word as lifting Him up in praise and adoration as those little children did. We do this most often in a setting of believers like when singing in church or at a Christian conference, but also as individual believers when we are alone at home and spending time with God, praising Him with words of thanksgiving and love, are ways to “anoint Jesus with our words.”
Anointing Jesus in deed could be any small kindness we provide for another person out of love for God. “Washing others feet” is a figurative way to describe this, but it could be any act of kindness as long as we are doing it out of our love for the God who loved us first.
My mother moved in with us over the weekend due to some troubles with my stepdad. I imagine it must be uncomfortable for her to be living with her daughter’s family. And I KNOW it is an incredibly disheartening and emotional time for her right now. All that to say, I pray that I can be an encouragement to her and do what I can to help make her feel comfortable here during this time. It would be far too easy to focus on my own discomfort at the change in our normal routine, rather than focusing on caring for her. Pray that I can overlook any selfish thoughts and put her comfort over my own.
Bethany, I pray for you, that you will be filled with God’s Love for your mother in ways you couldnt even imagine, amen!
I have moved back to my parents’ house, living with them for some months now, and I too struggle with trying to set my self aside for God’s Love to come through to my parents.
I am thinking about the concept of anointing Christ in word and deed. I’m wondering if anyone has wisdom to expand on this? I understood why the woman anointed Jesus and I have heard believers talking about us being anointed by God in certain instances but hadn’t ever considered that we would still be figuratively anointing Christ today. Would love to explore this further!
Amen!!!
I can be resistant to the Jesus that disrupts my order!!
These words could not be more true!
My order, my control , my power! Not only are his ways higher and righteous but he has graciously given us theHoly Spirit to guide us! This is so good and so much love!!
Allow us all be that noble women. Allow us all to exude love peace and joy❤️
Asking for disruption in my life is sooo scary because I like comfort and stability. Peace. But I know that our faith is truly forged in the trials and fires that disruption brings. I do want more opportunities to truly share my faith and the peace that the Lord has brought to my life.
Jesus, help me with my desire to interrupt my daily comfort. Help to inspire me to look outside of myself for ways I can help those who need it most. Help me to find the ways that I can serve you in my daily life.
Thank you Jesus for “disrupting” my ordered and “safe” routines and world so that I may fall into your easy rhythms of grace. Thank you for reminding me to put you and your will first – so that I may honour you through my actions:
I pray that I am willing to give everything to Jesus because he is worthy of it
all.
What I am moved by in this text is the spontaneity of the praise of the children and the devoted worship of the woman. Sure, to the world it looked out of place and ill-timed and inappropriate. Am I so overcome by love for the one who loves me that I sing and dance with exuberance and joy or worship with sacrifice, heartfelt devotion and loving attentiveness? After all, isn’t that how he loves me?
Awesome teachingAll glory to our LordWhen you spoke of the woman breaking her box to Bless Jesus, I couldn’t help but think that it was such a great sacrifice for her. Also, God had Blessed her with the box full of perfumed oils & she was only giving back what she had received from her beloved Father.
Yes, thank you. Continue to always keep the pregnancy help centers in your areas covered in prayer. Also, we love our volunteers!! Even a few hours a week- or be an advocate at your church— or simply pray!!
I was caught up with the word “indignant”. And in today’s world how easy it would have been to be indignant toward those who believe and Jesus. How crazy those children and that women would have seemed. I mean, imagine if a man was walking around performing miracles and claiming to be the son of God? Today, we’d lock them up, but those who believed were steadfast and others believed because they believed and couldn’t deny the truth. My heart goes out to those who lost everything to believe in a man that many would call crazy, but ultimately was not crazy and died for our sins.
WOW, Andrea so powerful. I truly had to hear this from you this morning. It has spoken to me on so many levels for so many things going on in my life right now. So He may say one day, “She has done a noble thing for me.” Yes!
Disturb my world so my heart, life, & actions are full of your love.
It can be so easy to feel that my plans and my decisions are being interfered with when Christ comes calling. But I don’t have time for that. We don’t have enough money for that. That’s going to be really hard. They’re going to think I’m crazy. The excuses are endless – filled with fear and uncertainty. But in the end, choosing the way of Christ is going to eliminate all of those questions if I trust in His plan and His way. Sometimes, like to onlookers in Judea, it may not make sense why I am choosing to turn towards Christ over ease, wealth, comfort, or conformity. But in the end, what I and the onlookers think carries no value. The only true value comes in knowing and following Christ and being brave enough to do something about it.
God I pray that in my life today I can hear you calling me, that I can be willing and open to listen to all you have to say and all you want from me. I pray that I can take your requests and do something noble with it.
Beautiful prayer, Kenya!
“GOD IS LOVE”!!!!
After living in the States for 16 years & coming closer to God in my church here, my life is being disrupted as I move home to Scotland. I pray I take all I’ve learned with me and “do a noble thing” for Christ.
Praying for you Janice as you go through this change!
Praying for His courage, strength and Grace as you go and make disciples!!!
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
As I read today I really gravitated to the 1 John passage. Love doesn’t consist of my love for God or what I can do for Him, but love consists of what God did for us, sending His Son to live a life I could never live to die I death I deserved! So wonderful! So amazing!
Jesus for the grace and strength to turn my thoughts into deeds vs accepting complacency.
Thank you Lord for the times you have made me uncomfortable. For the times you have called me out of my zone to be under You. For the times you have called me to do your will. Thank you for loving me so much that you have not forgotten me.
Amen!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Jesus let me be disrupted today. Let me see the opportunities you place before me to show love. What a different world this would be if we loved with sacrifice!
Amen!!
Amen ❤️❤️❤️
Amen
Me too, amen!
Your words are my prayer today. Beautifully said.
Disrupt my “comfortableness” and my complacency with the way things are. May my heart be set on You.
This is a very needy world. The good causes that come across my path and ask for my involvement are many. When I pass on some of their requests it is always with a twinge of sadness and even some guilt. I have been so blessed. The needs are so great. What impact would I even be able to make? The Scripture today reminds me of these two things : the poor will always be with me and I should do what I can. There will always be opportunities for me to love my neighbors in tangible ways and my goal is to hear Jesus say “She has done what she could.” I cannot do all things to alleviate all suffering but I can do something. What alabaster jar am I willing to break? What sacrifice am I willing to make? May I make this week holy by doing random acts of kindness, by paying my blessings forward. May I do it all in honor and remembrance of the woman who boldly anointed Jesus. May my small offering be a sweet fragrance.
This is awesome. I think I’ll follow suit.
Blessings all mine, and 10,000 beside.
In the past 5 days, I’ve heard the scripture about Jesus saying my Father’s house shall be a house of prayer. My church is planting another church in a community I grew up in and work at as a reading specialist at. We did a prayer tour of the building in different areas ministry will take place. Please pray that people will be drawn in and meet Jesus. Please pray for all those involved in the church plant for wisdom, strength, protection, and a desire to do God’s will. Although, it’s not about us, we can’t do anything without Him. May everything that happens point people to Jesus! May He be praised, glorified, and honored! May many salvations occur and let their be a ripple effect. May people be so changed, that others can’t help but want to know Jesus too!
The other devotional I read teaches about sharing God’s Word too. Here is a link: @First5App @Proverbs31org With all of our phones, apps and reminder notifications, it would seem that we really shouldn’t forget things; unfortunately, we still do.http://www.first5.org/plans/Even%20If/ff_evenif_6
There have been many a compliment of praise for a job well done, a gift well chosen, a hand extended when needed… they have all been accepted, I hope, with a humble heart…
Now, to hear the words such as ..”she has done a noble thing for me..” from Jesus… oh my goodness, that I think, what am I talking about, that, I KNOW would be great, GREAT praise indeed.
I may never, who am I kidding, will never know that kind of praise this side of heaven, and, thank God, because this side of heaven, i am not worthy…I am striving to be like Jesus, the one pure, noble, true, faithful, hope giving, love overflowing One, who stood in for me, walked MY DESERVED walk …
Lord, I pray my alabaster jar of your hope filled Word, your grace, your mercy, your love, your faithfulness, your provision, your love filled actions, spur me on to be like and to do like Jesus, but most importantly, may my actions, because of all I have known and received in love from you, Lord God, be an anointing to you Lord Jesus.
Thank you Lord God. Thank you..
Amen.
I’ve rambled..
Every blessing Sisters.. every blessing..