Mark 14:9, "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

Man spends much time raising monuments and other such things to commemorate his existence and cement his "legacy" for years to come. Natural man decidedly desires to have some portion of him live on even when his natural existence is over. Kings in days gone by wanted more than anything to have a male heir to carry on the family throne but also that a portion of them would be carrying on in that position of power. God's children should devote decidedly more time looking to serve God today rather than be concerned about being remembered tomorrow. Yet, on some occasions, men and women of faith will be remembered in days to come after their lives are past and gone: Hebrews 11 is a good example of such testimonies after people are dead. Yet, one thing that usually confounds man is this point: people are more apt to remember the legacy of those that did not strive for it. Those that spend a lot of time and energy so that others will remember them, what they did, and how they did it will often be less remembered than those who simply lived their lives and did the best that they could.

Our study verse presents some very interesting language. The setting for the verse is that Christ is dining in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper. He is a mere days away from His great suffering and ultimate victory at Calvary. While eating, a woman enters with precious ointment to anoint the head of Jesus Christ. Since this ointment is presented as being great and costly, there is an immediate uproar among those that sat at meat. Their thought was that the ointment was wasted when the money spent on it could have been given to the poor. Now, let us consider that thought a moment. Noble intent is it not? Giving to the poor of this world is certainly a selfless act of charity. Yet, when put side-by-side with the Master, the poor fade from the picture rather fast.

Christ immediately rebukes those that would trouble this woman and makes the obvious point that is not obvious to many today. Christ plainly states that the poor will ALWAYS be in this world. He hearkens their attention to an Old Testament principle (Deuteronomy 15:11) that poor people will always exist. It would do well for us today to consider that no matter the effort put in poverty will never be extinct from this earth. Poverty will always plague this sin-cursed world, and while we should do good to those less fortunate, we cannot hope to eliminate it completely. The greater point that Christ makes is that since they are ever present, the ability to give to their need will be available in the future. What about this woman's ability to give of herself to the Saviour? In the way that she has shown her love and devotion to Him, that time was drawing close to an end, and therefore her work on Him met with His approval.

Christ further bolsters the point and importance of her work in that she anointed His body to the burying. By doing what she did, she showed forth what great things He would suffer for His own in that He would die (hence be buried). Finally, one last point before we get to our verse. While what she did was quite costly by worldly standards and met with the disapproval of the disciples and others, her work was quite small in comparison to being put to death for the sins of God's family and going to the grave. Yet, Christ commended her noble work by saying is was what "she could." She did not have the ability to do Christ's work, but she did what she could. We do well to heed to that principle today. We may not be able to do what Christ did or even rise to the level of doing what others may do (such as not being called to preach), but our purpose in serving Christ is to do what we are able to do.

Getting to our study verse, we see that Christ declares that this situation would be spoken of often whenever the gospel went forth. What this woman did would be a testimony to her efforts. Now, let us ask a simple question. In all the years you may have been in the church, listening to the gospel proclaimed, and hearing brethren discuss the Bible, just how often is this account brought up? Christ says that wheresoever the gospel is preached, this would be spoken of. What she did would be remembered for generations to come. Have men failed through the centuries to speak of this account often? While there is certainly no harm in preaching from this passage as there are many rich nuggets in it, Christ's point is somewhat bigger than that.

I remember as a young boy reading I Corinthians 2:2 thinking that every sermon had to talk about the crucifixion. When I realized that was not the case, I came to realize that every sermon should have Christ contained therein with the understanding that without Him, nothing else matters or is worthwhile. This passage contains something very similar to that. While we may not necessarily preach from this passage all that often, the heart of the passage is preached on a regular basis. This woman, Christ declared, wrought a good work upon Him. Her anointing of His body showed her love and devotion to Him and a willingness to part with natural things to show it.

Today, we do not have the physical body of Christ to go to, but by His Spirit, we assemble together, meet with Him in spirit and in truth, and as an assembly, represent or typify the body of Christ. Each of us are members in particular of a local assembly or body, and each congregation comes together to crown her Head and King Jesus. When this woman broke that box of ointment all over His head, we see an action that shows an understanding of His kingship. Old Testament kings were anointed with oil on their head as a sign to the right to the throne. Christ did not need this action from her to make Him King, but it shows an act of faith that she worshipped Him as King.

As our voices raise in song, prayers ascend on high, and preaching sounds forth in our courts, we attempt in our efforts to crown Him Lord of all. In so crowning Him in our efforts, the body of Christ is benefited and anointed as well. This ointment that she used was identified as being worth three hundred pence. That fiscal amount equated to much more than the amount the apostles mentioned to feed the 5,000 with a crumb or two apiece. (John 6:7) Depending on one's occupation, three hundred pence could equate to a whole year's wages. Therefore, knowing the magnitude of the monetary things that she sacrificed, how much ointment was there? That much ointment probably had the same effect that Aaron's did, in that it ran down from his head to the bottom of his skirts. (Psalm 133) As the body of Christ had ointment running down everywhere, so the blessings today in His service run down from the Head to every member that is there united.

As this woman, our efforts may seem small in comparison to His. To many today, giving up a year's worth of wages would be mighty indeed, but it is still small in comparison to the Master. Our hearts may say, "I cannot do the things that others do such as preach." Yet, God has given each member of the body honour and uses that benefit the entire body. As the ointment ran down, the whole body was benefited, and as we serve Christ and one another today, the whole body is benefited.

Now to the last two points, which are the testimony and the primary focus. Christ said that what this woman did would be a memorial of her, and she did it aforehand specifically for His burying. Today, people who see the saints of God gathered in His courts selflessly serving their Master with love, devotion, and care one to another it is a testimony that the same care this woman had for the Master's physical body, we have today for the body of the Lord's bride. She did it looking forward to the burying of that body in death, and we do it today commemorating that death, burial, and resurrection that was the only thing to bring us unto God. Truly, as the ages of time have rolled on, the truth of this majestic work has been faithfully honoured and proclaimed, and the people that gloriously worship and crown that effort have been some of the most loving and selfless people the world has ever known. Their efforts seem strange to others, wasted by more, and foolish to most. Yet, no matter what anyone standing by thinks, the peace which passeth understanding in our heart and soul, "Well done, you did what you could" from His still, small voice makes the effort worthwhile.

Mark 6:31, “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

This morning, we attempt writing upon a subject we have never written about before. Looking at the world around us, entertainment abounds, and most of it is foolish at best and ungodly at worst. A question that I as a minister get asked more and more often is, “Is there Biblically authorized entertainment that I can participate in without violating my walk and profession to Christ? If so, what is it?” Now, these people are not asking about church-sponsored activities and events. None of those would be authorized or condoned by Scriptural record, but on an individual level, what constitutes our “down time” or entertainment on a purely natural level? Does anything? As the world becomes more and more entertainment minded, I feel confident that I and many other ministers will have to field these types of questions more and more.

Undoubtedly, Scripture declares that we should love the Lord with every fiber of our being. (Luke 10:27) So, with such a clear principle, some would conclude – and some have – that entertainment is inherently bad as it detracts from that. As we should magnify the Lord with our body and spirit, some might think no room was left for entertainment of any sort nor of leisure time that was not immersed in the active, devoted service to Christ Jesus the Lord. While we should be found engaged in the clear commandments above, the Scriptures do bear out that times are necessary in this world for things of a nonspiritual nature.

Before we launch into the broad waters of what might be considered good entertainment or not, let us consider the difference between something being “unspiritual” or “nonspiritual.” We might also label the contrasting terms “carnal” or “natural.” When looking at the term “unspiritual” which would equate to something being “carnal,” we see something that is opposed to spirituality and is its enemy. Since the carnal mind is God’s enemy (Romans 8:7), unspiritual activity would be entertainment or otherwise that is contrary to spiritual things and dampers them in our lives. On the other hand something that is “nonspiritual” or maybe simply “natural” is something that does not actively destroy spirituality but simply lacks it. Rather than being spiritual things’ enemy, it is simply neutral.

Now, having laid out those two terms, one might say, “What was the point of that?” The point is simply this: many things in life are done that have no spiritual significance that do not actively destroy spirituality in our lives. For example, should I take my children to the park and spend time with them sliding down slides, etc. there is absolutely nothing spiritual in that activity. Truly, my love for my children has roots in spiritual things, but the activity itself does not actively promote spirituality. It is simply a natural pleasure. Does this mean that it dampers my spiritual thinking? It could should I be excessive in the activity, but the activity itself does not deter my spiritual deportment.

In our study verse above, we read about the word “leisure” with the thought that the disciples did not have it on this occasion. Our verse above gives insight into how we should view leisure. The word leisure simply means to have a convenient time. They did not have enough convenient time to even eat on this occasion. During their service to God, they could not even find a moment to eat and simply relax in a natural way. This brings us to a Biblical point that eating food bears no spiritual significance. Paul laboured to make such a point when dealing with Christian liberty in Romans 14. Are we any more or less spiritual depending on our diet or lack thereof? Not according to Paul. It is a natural activity that – inherently speaking – is simply nonspiritual.

These disciples were so engrossed in the service of God with so many others on this occasion that they could not even eat. No leisure for a meal. This should show us that leisure, entertainment, and the like always takes a back seat when the Master bids us. If we are engaged in God’s house, food is secondary. All things else are secondary. Now, the verse does show the Master’s understanding that rest is necessary. Therefore, while He does bid us come and labour with Him, He is also gracious to bid us rest a while as well. Labouring spiritually is taxing upon the natural faculties, and He understands that we need leisure from time to time. Notice though that the service was first; the rest was second.

So, the first principle about this leisure is that God’s work still comes first. Christ declared that His righteousness, His kingdom, etc. should always come first (and thereby most important) in our lives. (Matthew 6:33-34) What about food? He promises that should His service come first and more important in our lives, natural blessings, such as food, would be added as well. When Christ and His disciples walked, He did not preach all day every day for 3.5 years. They would naturally rest, naturally eat, naturally sleep, etc. None of these things bore spiritual significance, but were simply natural activities of a non-carnal nature.

Understanding that His service is first, let us seek some ground to discover what the Bible says about leisure or having convenient time to participate in natural things. Eating has been covered as one of those things. What about a husband and wife’s activities together? Certainly, my love for my wife should be rooted in the love of Christ and understanding how to treat her, with the example of Christ’s love to His bride. Do all of our actions bear spiritual significance? No they do not. Isaac was found sporting with his wife Rebekah. (Genesis 26:8) That word “sporting” means to laugh, play about, or even mock in a kidding way. What Isaac did with his wife was share time that just the two of them could enjoy with each other – nonspiritual in nature – that showed their enjoyment of one another’s company. So should it be with the husband and wife today.

Paul laboured to show that marriages have things other than just simply vows and service to God. (I Corinthians 7) During his lengthy discourse on that subject to the Corinthians, he plainly states that a man’s service to God will suffer (time-wise) as he will HAVE to make time for his wife. While his wife is definitely secondary with the Lord first and foremost, he does have to make time to please his wife, spend time with her, and share moments of laughter, sport, etc. with her. The reason that it is necessary is that God knows that our natural relationships need that. Paul understood such, and declared the necessity of husbands and wives pleasing one another with time (leisure) and entertainment.

So also does the family of a man require time devoted to them. As we stated earlier, we love our wife and children based on the love of Christ for and to us. What we do with them and for them should extend beyond natural affection and into the realm of self-sacrificing and abiding love. However, with that well-spring of love to them, we will certainly have affections for them that necessarily should be met. Could I pray and meditate more without doing things with my children? Absolutely. Could I find more time to study without a wife? Definitely. However, they should not be looked upon as detriments to our service, nor their requests for time met as deterrents to our walk. Rather, we should delight to spend time with them, and pray that God would sweeten our time with them and abundantly enrich our time with Him.

Inevitably, someone now says, “But preacher, you have not listed acceptable nonspiritual activities against unacceptable unspiritual activities.” No I have not, for the list could be lengthy and endless. However, Paul stated toward the end of a passage about liberty of action to do all that we do for the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31) He specifically had eating under consideration. Do we eat or not? That is unimportant when compared to the why. Why do it or not do it? For the glory of God. So, are we back to decrying against all leisure and entertainment? No we are not. Simply put, we are summing the matter with this thought.

If leisure time is secondary to God’s service of a spiritual design, spiritual service should be done to the glory of God. However, knowing that we have natural needs that must be serviced, that should be done to the glory of God. Perhaps we are in a season where we must put family or even food aside to worship God and actively walk with Him in sweet fellowship. If that is the proper course at the convenient time, we should do it to the glory of God. Perhaps our family needs attention, the children need some playtime, the wife needs some quality time, our bodies need rest, food, or relaxation time. Whatever the natural need might be, service it to the glory of God. How? Do it firstly because He says He is pleased when we live as families in such a way. Do it secondarily as it will strengthen our frame for future efforts of service to Him. No one is of much good to God’s kingdom as a “spiritual burn-out.” One of the fastest ways to reach that point is to deny the benefit and Biblical aspects of good leisure and recreation. It is never the first course, nor is it the biggest portion, but giving it its due place, we will experience more energy and efficiency for our times of spiritual service to God.

In Hope,

Bro Philip