"WHAT WILL YOUR MEMORIAL BE?"

May 25       What Will Your Memorial Be?  Matthew 26:6-13

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? “For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”  But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. “For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.  “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Matt 26:6-13 What will your memorial be? If someone looks back on your life years from now, what will they remember about you?
None of us will probably have our names in the history books of the future. What is more likely to happen is that we will be remembered by those whose lives we’ve touched. The woman in today’s Bible reading touched the life of Jesus. He was so captivated by her sacrifice that He proclaimed that what she did would become a memorial to her. In one act she demonstrated what her life was all about. This Memorial Day we remember those who demonstrated their priorities by giving the supreme sacrifice. Men and women of the armed forces fought and died so that others might have liberty. It is always sobering to reflect on the reality that the liberties we enjoy today came at a great cost. So we pause as a nation to express our recognition and to collectively say, “We Will NOT Forget!”  The woman who acted kindly and compassionately toward Jesus has not been forgotten either. It is so because Jesus knew her example would teach us an important truth. This incident teaches us the importance of perceiving the true value of things. This woman took a very expensive jar of perfume and lavished it on Jesus. To her, there was no question that Jesus was worth the price she paid. To the disciples who witnessed the occasion, it was an act of waste. (V8) How could her deed be interpreted so harshly by the disciples?  Was it because, as a woman, she was more sentimental than the men? Do women perceive the importance of showing their love more than men? Do men say, "I love you", and fail to show "I love you"? Generally; yes, unless they have matured in how they relate to others. Men don’t always perceive that showing someone you love them with a tangible gift once in a while is not wasteful.  Important lesson: Love is expressed with more than just words." Jesus did not chide this woman for financial irresponsibility (as His disciples did). He memorialized her for perceiving what was most important. If we work 60-80 hours a week and have plenty of money in the bank, but neglect our family, our church, and our community - have we really given ourselves to what is the most important? Do we perceive that it is wasteful to put Christ first in our lives? One day Jesus was standing by the treasury of the temple observing the gifts people brought. A widow woman came along and put in two copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Jesus said this woman on a fixed income contributed more than all the big givers that preceded her. How? "All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:4) It’s not the size of your gift that matters as much as the size of your heart for God! Like the woman in our scripture, this woman not only knew what is important, but she also acted on her core belief by making a personal sacrifice. Today, Memorial Day 2020, we honor the sacrifices of brave men and women.  I will add all of those on the front lines of the battle with COVID19 that have lost their lives! Why would they pay such a valuable price? Because they were purchasing something far more valuable than life itself - liberty! That is what sacrifice does - it gives up something valuable to gain something even more valuable! In baseball, a batter will often bunt or intentionally hit a pop fly to deep center field to advance a runner. The player’s appearance at the plate goes down in the record books as a "sacrifice".  He was more productive in giving up his chance to run the bases because he helped the team have a chance to win. The woman with the very expensive jar of perfume perceived that Jesus was soon going to die. She knew that her sacrifice paled in comparison to that of her Savior. In her eyes, it was a very small thing to give up her valuable possession to anoint the body of Jesus for burial, since He had and was going to give up so much for her! And so today we remember her. And who else do we remember? We remember others who gave of themselves in sacrificial ways to lavish upon us, our blessings. What will people remember you for?  Live to be remembered for the important things. Live to be remembered for giving up your rights and your possessions for the benefit of others. Live for acts of kindness that lighten the load of those who are hurting and weary. Jesus will remember these things too.  Written in the front flap of my daddy’s Bible is a quote that I heard him repeat many times and it is appropriate today: “Reputation is what people think you are, Charater, is what God knows you are!” What will your memorial be?  How will you be remembered? Stay Strong, Stay Focused… Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!