Text: John 12:3–8
Theme: True worship treasures Jesus above all and seizes the moment to honor Him.
Mary’s Costly Offering: The Oil and the Alabaster Container
“Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” — John 12:3
This wasn’t an ordinary act or ordinary oil.
Why was the oil so valuable?
• Spikenard (nard) was a rare, fragrant oil imported from the Himalayan region—far from Israel.
• Because of its scarcity and long-distance trade, it was extremely costly, worth about 300 denarii—nearly a year’s wages.
• It was used for burial preparations, royal anointings, or kept as a family treasure—like liquid wealth.
Why was the container important?
• The oil was stored in an alabaster jar, a soft, beautiful stone that preserved perfume.
• Alabaster was luxurious, adding even more value to the gift.
• According to the Synoptic Gospels (Mark 14:3, Matthew 26:7), she broke the jar—a final act of no return.
Worship wasn’t measured. It was poured out completely.
The container was as precious as the contents—and she shattered it in worship.
Greatest Truth: True Worship Values Jesus Above All Else
Mary’s gift—both the oil and the jar—signified her heart:
• She recognized Jesus’ worth.
• She acted with prophetic insight, preparing Him for burial (John 12:7).
• She gave irreversibly and personally.
While Judas saw her act as wasteful, Jesus called it beautiful.
Life Application:
1. Worship that costs nothing says nothing.
Mary’s offering shows that if Jesus is truly your treasure, nothing is too much.
2. We must break the jar.
True surrender means we hold nothing in reserve. Worship involves giving our best, not leftovers.
3. Don’t let the Judas-voices stop your devotion.
Even people who look spiritual may misunderstand real devotion. God sees the motive.
4. Worship leaves a fragrance.
“The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” — John 12:3
Real worship changes the atmosphere around you. It lingers.
Parallel Examples of Costly Worship
Old Testament: Hannah (1 Samuel 1–2)
When God gave her Samuel, she gave him back to the Lord—her most treasured possession.
Old Testament: David and the Water (2 Samuel 23:15–17)
David poured out water his men risked their lives to get, saying it was too sacred to drink. He offered it to the Lord.
New Testament: The Widow’s Mite (Mark 12:41–44)
She gave all she had—a small gift in size, but great in value to God.
New Testament: The Alabaster Jar Woman (Luke 7:36–50)
Likely a different woman, but she too anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume and tears, wiping them with her hair. Jesus said, “Her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.”
Final Takeaway:
The oil was valuable. The jar was expensive. But Jesus was worth more.
Mary gave what others would hoard.
She worshipped while others watched.
She seized a fleeting moment—and it was not wasted.
Reflection Questions:
1. What’s your alabaster jar? What do you treasure that God is asking you to surrender?
2. Have you been giving Jesus your leftovers or your best?
3. Who do you resemble—Mary, who poured it all out, or Judas, who held back?
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, let my life be a fragrance poured out in love to You. May my worship never be measured by what’s convenient, but by what You’re worth. Break what needs breaking. Spill what needs pouring. I want to honor You while I still can. Amen.