Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Today, we return to the account of Jesus’ anointing by Mary of Bethany (Mark 14:1-8). In verse 9, Jesus concludes His encomium of her with this promise: “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.’” Mary’s story is found in three of the Gospels (here in Mark; Matthew 26:6-13; John 12:8). Thus, wherever God’s Word is found, people have access to her example of godly giving. When the Bible is translated into new languages, it is common for one of the Gospels to be the first book made available so that the people of that language can read about Jesus and His offer of salvation. Because Mark is the shortest of the Gospels, it is often finished first while other books are being worked on. The story of Mary is also commemorated in paintings, sculptures, and songs. The promises of Jesus can always be trusted, for “He cannot deny Himself” (II Timothy 2:13b).