Sermon Idea: Mk 14.8a “She has done what she could”

19Aug2025

Main point: don’t hesitate or falter when the good work you’re given to do (Eph 2.10) appears to exceed your resources.

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 14:3–9.

Jesus, able to know people’s motives, here reports Mary had paid attention to Jesus’ many announcements that He was going up to Jerusalem to be sacrificed. Unlike most of Jesus’ disciples who couldn’t seem to bring themselves to believe or accept what Jesus was saying, she did, and so took the opportunity afforded her to anoint His body ahead of time.

Other examples of “doing what you can”:

• Moses’ simple shepherd’s staff: “what is that in your hand?” Ex 4.2
• Gideon’s 300 broke their pitchers and shouted.
• King Hezekiah prayed. 2 Ki 19.14-19
• King Jehoshaphat sent out the marching band. 2 Chron 20.21-22
• Naaman’s wife’s Jewish slave girl: referred her master to Elisha.

Example of “not doing what you can”:

• Cain could have traded veggies to his brother for a lamb for a sacrifice.
• Jesus’ disciples could have fed the 5000 with the 5 loaves and 2 fish. Mt 14.16