Notes
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Genesis 1:27-28
Humans are created to be bearers of God’s image and bring up there down here. God gave us the authority to govern the earth, but as we see later in Genesis, sin entered the world because humans chose to listen to the voice of the enemy instead of the voice of God.
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.
Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Mark 14:3-9
The woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume understood something profound: she didn’t hesitate to act on what she knew was right, despite criticism. Like her, we are called to prepare the world for the Good News.
1) Start Where We Are
From a human point of view, it may seem like we’ll never have enough, but we have to start somewhere. Instead of worrying about whether we have enough, we are called to start where we are with what we have. Jesus desires to be at the center of every part of our lives. By making Him our focus, we can see the opportunities around us to serve Him and fulfill our calling.
Jesus wants to be in the center of everything you do: your relationships, your parenting, your health, your job, your hobbies. Don’t let everything else cause you to miss the opportunities He’s presenting you with; start where you are. Make God the central focus of your life.
2) Use What We Have
We may not be able to pour perfume over Jesus’ head, but like the woman who did, we have been given resources to use for His glory. We all have something valuable to contribute to God’s kingdom. The most important question to ask ourselves is whether we are using what we have to bring up there down here.
God can use whatever He has placed in our hands to bring up there down here. God used a stick in Moses’ hand to part the Red Sea. For Rahab, it was a red cord. David had a slingshot, Peter had a festival, and Paul had a pagan statue. No matter what we have in our hands, we can use it to advance the kingdom of heaven and permeate God’s presence throughout the world.
3) Do What We Can
The Spirit has been poured out on those who have been saved by the grace of Jesus, and He coaches us to use what we have to expand the kingdom. There will be dark and trying times, but He who lives in us is greater than he who lives in the world. Light is greater than darkness. We are called to be a light in the darkness, walking in faith and courage as God’s people.
Group Questions
- What does it mean to reflect God's image and bring His kingdom to earth in your daily life?
- What distractions in your life might be keeping you from making Jesus the central focus?
- Can you think of a moment when you, like the woman in Mark, felt called to act despite others’ opinions? How did it turn out?
- What are some of the ordinary things God has placed in your life that He can use for extraordinary purposes?
Prayer
Thank you for creating us in your image and for calling us to bring up there down here. Help us to trust you with what we have and to start where we’re at, using our gifts and resources for your glory. Empower us through your Spirit to be a light in the world.