Never Losing Sight of Jesus

“It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.

“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked.

“It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me?

You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have  me.

She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.

I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

1.  There are Consequences for Losing Sight of Jesus:

• When We Lose Sight of Him, We Set Our Sights on the Wrong Things.
• When We Lose Sight of Him, We Inevitably Become Self-Focused.
• When We Lose Sight of Him, We Lose the Always-Available Intimacy of God

2. There are Consequences for Neglecting the Poor

• Two things that take fear out of that parable:
• When you walk intimately with Jesus, this flows from you
• When you walk intimately with Jesus, it is a matter of joy

3. There are Never Negative Consequences for extravagant love. (See verse 9)