Alabaster Jar

Pastor Calvin Lee

Matthew 26:6-13

3 important points to learn from this story :

(1) Her extraordinary sacrifice flows from her extravagance heart
- she gave from her heart to Jesus

(2) her sacrifice was condemned by the disciples but condoned by Jesus
- Jesus looked at her sacrifice as worship, not waste

(3) her sacrifice although a great one, cannot be compared with the great sacrifice made by Jesus Christ

What are some lessons we can learn and draw from this story?

A. Whatever sacrifice we made, what matters is the heart
- men tends to look at the outward but God look at the inward
- it is not the size of the sacrifice but the size of the heart
- we do it because we are grateful and thankful

B. Whatever sacrifice we made especially a significant one can be misconstrued by others
- don't be surprised when people around you misconstrued you by saying you are rash, unreasonable, stupid, "are you sure?" etc

C. Whatever sacrifice we made, let it be now, not later
- make "today" matters because "tomorrow" may never come
- you always have the poor with you, you do not always have me (Jesus). Cease that moment, not wait or procrastinate. Tomorrow may not come

"Time flies as the day goes by. But what goes around must surely come back around. There's always yesterday, today and tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes.
Our debtors plead for tomorrow. Our parents hope for tomorrow. Our dreams rely on tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes.
Children are the leaders of tomorrow. A slogan that seem endless. A day we always await. But tomorrow never comes.
If today becomes yesterday, and the future is tomorrow. Where is the future? If tomorrow never comes."

D. Whatever sacrifice we made must be done with a mission purpose
- we must be convicted that whatever we do is to have lasting impact :
# the word of God
# the souls of men

E. Whatever sacrifice we make cannot be compared with what the Lord has sacrificed
- we gave out of our heart of devotion, not transactional
- we can never repay our Lord

F. Whatever it is, it's important that we break the alabaster jar of our lives

@ God somehow loves broken things

Leviticus 6:21
Psalm 51:17

@ We all want breakthrough in our lives but we do not want to be broken
- our will, agenda, lives have to be crushed
- often times to experience a breakthrough, something in us needs to be broken

@ He takes what's broken for Him and uses it for His glory

1 Corinthians 11:24

What is that alabaster jar in our lives today that needs to be broken?