將最好的獻給主
約翰福音十二章1至11節
1逾越節前六日，耶穌來到伯大尼，就是他叫拉撒路從死裡復活之處。
2有人在那裡給耶穌預備筵席；馬大伺候，拉撒路也在那同耶穌坐席的人中。
3馬利亞就拿著一斤極貴的真哪噠香膏，抹耶穌的腳，又用自己頭髮去擦，屋裡就滿了膏的香氣。
4有一個門徒，就是那將要賣耶穌的加略人猶大，
5說：這香膏為甚麼不賣三十兩銀子賙濟窮人呢？
6他說這話，並不是掛念窮人，乃因他是個賊，又帶著錢囊，常取其中所存的。
7耶穌說：由他罷！他是為我安葬之日存留的。
8因為常有窮人和你們同在，只是你們不常有我。
9有許多猶太人知道耶穌在那裡，就來了，不但是為耶穌的緣故，也是要看他從死裡所復活的拉撒路。
10但祭司長商議連拉撒路也要殺了；
11因有好些猶太人為拉撒路的緣故，回去信了耶穌。
信息分享
然而，有一個女人卻曉得耶穌快將受死。她就是伯大尼的馬利亞。我們每次見到她，她都總是坐在救主的腳旁。我們第一次認識她，她正是坐在耶穌的腳邊，聆聽和學習祂的道理(路十39)。她第二次出現的時候，是跪在耶穌的腳前，承認祂是掌管生命的主(約十一32)。第三次就是這段經文了：這時耶穌受死的日期已近，她跪在耶穌的腳前，用香膏來抹祂的腳。
也許在祂的生平之中，這個動人的故事最能表達出人對祂的愛了。馬利亞所用的香膏，可能要用上她一年的工資才能買到哩！然而，她卻在這個向救主奉獻和敬拜的榮耀時刻，用了整瓶香膏來抹主的腳。
當然有人會批評她的做法，同樣，也總會有人無法明白別人怎麼把貴重的東西獻給基督。然而，正是這種不計代價、心甘樂意地把一切奉獻給祂的愛，才能真正討祂的喜悅。
基督指出，馬利亞這樣膏祂，是因為她知道祂快要死了。她也許對自己說：「萬一有一個暴徒把祂殺死，我便沒有機會去膏祂的身體了；我還是現在就去膏祂，免得將來後悔。」
許多時候，我們都會為到拖延了做該做的事而感到後悔。而許多時候，當我們沒有立即去做該做的事，一旦擱置，將來就沒有機會再做了。你有沒有類似的經驗呢？基督是否要你立即去幫助某人，但你卻一直拖延呢？又或，基督要你奉獻某些東西，但你卻覺得代價太大呢？請再讀這個故事一遍，然後立志將最好的獻給主吧！
SACRIFICIAL GIVING
John 12: 1 – 11
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.
2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
3 Then 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.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,
5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,
11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Message
But there was one woman who did understand. It was Mary of Bethany. Each time we meet her, she is at the Saviour’s feet. The first time she had sat at his feet, listening and learning (Luke 10:39). The second time, she knelt at his feet acknowledging him as the Lord of life and death (John 11:32). The third time is here in this passage when his death was near. She knelt at his feet and anointed them.
This beautiful story is perhaps the greatest expression of love for Christ that we know of in his earthly life. The ointment she used may have cost almost one year’s wages. Yet Mary poured out all of it in one glorious moment of sacrifice and worship at the feet of her Saviour and Lord.
There were those who criticised her of course. There are always people who can never understand anyone giving anything costly to Christ. But the kind of love which really pleases Christ is the kind that does not count the cost but gladly gives everything to him and for him.
Christ said that Mary did it because she realised his death was not far away. Perhaps she said to herself, ‘I may not have an opportunity to anoint his body if a mob kills him, so I will do it now before it is too late’.
We are often guilty of putting off things that we ought to do right now. It often happens that we put them off and then never can do them later. Is this true for you? Is there someone Christ wants you to help just now and you haven’t done it yet? Or is there something Christ wants you to give that seems too big a sacrifice? Read again this story of Mary’s gift and do it now, whatever the cost.