The Nails of Calvary

Passion Week: The Fragrance of Worship

“Now Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. And as He was reclining at the table, a woman came into the house, with an alabaster flask filled with the highest quality of fragrant and expensive oil. She came to Jesus, and with a gesture of extreme devotion, she broke the flask and poured out the precious oil over His head. But some were highly indignant when they saw this, and they complained to one another, saying, ‘What a total waste! It could have been sold for a great sum, and the money could have benefited the poor.’ So they scolded her harshly. Jesus said to them, ‘Leave her alone! Why are you so critical of this woman? She has honored me with this beautiful act of kindness. You will always have the poor, whom you can help whenever you want, but you will not always have Me. When she poured the fragrant oil over Me, she was preparing My body in advance of My burial. She has done all that she could to honor Me. I promise you that as this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to Me will be mentioned in memory of her.’” (‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:3-9‬ ‭TPT‬‬)

We are looking at events in the life of Christ during His final week on earth, often referred to as the Passion Week. In the above verses, Mark 14:3-9, we are told the story of a woman anointing Christ’s head and feet with perfume. It was very expensive, worth a year’s wages based on the average income of the day. What is your annual income? That’s the equivalent for you of this extravagant gift. We know from John’s account (John 12:1-8) that this was done by the same Mary who sat at Christ’s feet, mesmerized by His words, in Luke 10:38-42. She was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead.

The timing of Mary’s offering was just days before His death, and Jesus said she was anointing Him for His burial. Whether Mary had grasped the reality of His words about His imminent death and resurrection, or whether Jesus was simply accepting the offering in that light is unclear. Two things we do know: It was a very costly offering from Mary, and it was precious to the Lord. “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her,” He stated (Matthew 26:13).

Some speculate that the scent of this powerful perfume would have lingered in Christ’s hair for several days. Did the fragrance help sustain Him as He agonized in Gethsemane? Perhaps the sweet aroma comforted Him through the tortuous six hours on the Cross.

Never underestimate the fragrance of worship.

Others in the room thought Mary’s offering was a waste. Some actually scolded her (Mark 14:5). I know the feeling. When I canceled all other activities for three months in our church in Colorado Springs, lavishing ninety days of 24/7 worship on the Lord, I, too, was criticized. One well-known Christian leader severely scolded and rebuked me, calling the ninety days of worship “a complete waste of time.”

It’s fascinating how much perspectives can differ. For me, those three months remain the best three months of my life. They were my alabaster box of costly perfume, the greatest offering I’ve had the pleasure of giving Christ. For the man who rebuked me, it was a complete waste of time. But never let the lack of revelation in others cheapen your offering. Don’t water down your perfume, either, just to save a little money, or substitute your best “myrrh” with some cheap off-brand. Like Mary, give Christ your best.

Others may mock your sacrifice of time, but go ahead and “waste” it on Him. Some will scold you, calling your passionate praise too radical, but pour out your offering in spite of their ridicule. Still others will label your extravagant worship as excessive, religious zeal. Don’t let their misguided criticism deter you - pour out your costly perfume!

The list of Christ’s followers in the room that day as Mary anointed Jesus is mind-boggling. The twelve disciples were there. You’d think they would have understood that He was more than worth this offering, but they were too practical: “It should have been given to the poor,” was their protest. Christ’s thoughts? “Go ahead and anoint Me; there will be ample time to care for the poor after I’m gone.”

Simon the leper (or should we say, “former leper”?) was present. They were actually in his home. You might think his new skin, replaced appendages, and restored life would merit the “wasting” of some costly perfume on Jesus. Evidently not - he didn’t come to Mary’s defense. And then there was Lazarus, Mary’s brother, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Surely he would see the validity of his sister’s sacrifice. But no, he didn’t come to her defense, either.

Could it be that the others’ familiarity with Christ had lessened their wonder of Him, their awe? We don’t know. They certainly didn’t come to Mary’s defense. And we know that only one worshiper that day had the fullness of revelation necessary to anoint the Savior. How sadly typical. So many miss opportunities to do so. It is not uncommon for me to see worshipers waste opportunities to break their alabaster box of love and pour it onto the Master. They’ve been around Him so much, sang so many songs, and prayed so many prayers that the experience isn’t worth quite what it used to be. So they give Him token praise and watered-down worship. Cheap perfume. I doubt if the fragrance makes it past Sunday lunch.

But while the others that day wasted an opportunity to comfort God, Mary poured out her perfume. Its fragrance sustained Him through the beatings, mocking, spittle, spikes, and thorns.

Don’t allow another day to go by without becoming one of the “fragrance creators.” Let nothing deter you. Your alabaster box is your heart; your love and worship are the perfume. Break it open and pour it out. At the scent of your offering, He’ll meet with you. And He’ll cherish your worship, just as He did Mary’s.

The Last Supper

We cannot cover every teaching and event of Christ’s last week, but this is a fitting place to mention The Last Supper. It was during this meal that Christ washed the disciples’ feet and initiated the common practice of Communion, the partaking of the symbolic bread and wine.

At the portion of the Passover meal during which the head of the house would ceremonially wash everyone’s hands, Jesus parted from tradition and washed their feet (John 13: 3-11). The word describing the “towel” Christ used while doing this denotes the towel used by slaves during the washing of people’s feet. He had come to earth to serve, and even at the end, Yeshua demonstrated His serving heart.

In that day, people traveled by foot, wearing only sandals, on dusty roads and paths. Their feet became sweaty and caked with dirt. It was the task of the lowest servant to wash the feet of arriving guests. But on this night, the unthinkable occurred. Jesus took this servant’s towel, and angels probably gasped as they watched the Creator wash the sweat, dirt, and stench from His disciples’ feet. It boggles the mind!

Truly, there is no one like Him!!!

Just before relating this, the passage begins by saying, “…having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” Most people interpret the phrase “to the end,” as meaning “until His death.” However, this is not the case. The word in Greek means “the fulfillment or completion of anything, not its cessation.” It denotes, not the ending of the old, but the arrival of that which is complete or perfect. The verse is telling us Christ loved them fully, completely, to the uttermost or the highest possible degree. What a fitting statement as Christ prepares to visit Gethsemane, which we will discuss tomorrow.

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for including Mary‘s story in Your Holy Book. We are impressed and motivated by her example, yes. But just as importantly, we are awed by Christ’s moving acceptance and appreciation of it. May we today always give Him our best. May the fragrance of worship ascend to Him daily from our hearts and lives. And may You, Abba, always find a sweet fragrance of worship ascending before Your throne. We love You very much.

Jesus, thank You for Your amazing, unfathomable humility. We will never know just how much You humbled Yourself to serve us as You did. You became human, touchable, breakable. Your love is unmatched. We worship You today with our hearts and our words. And we gratefully partake of Your life, righteousness, strength, healing, and wholeness.

And honoring the 40-day call to prayer we spoke of yesterday, we partner with You in the ministry of intercession as we pray for the turning of our nation and for our government to be transformed. Change those who can be changed, replace the others. We ask for a turning of our nation, just as Nineveh turned, and an awakening unlike any seen before. You are the God of salvation, bring it to this land. And we wholeheartedly include other nations in this prayer - send revival throughout the earth. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that we are passionate worshipers of our great God, and will follow His example of serving our fellow humans.

Copyright © 2022 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.

God's Word for Wednesday, 26 MAY 21

 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:17 (King James Version)

God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

John 3:17 (The Message)

Thursday, 12 NOV 2020

 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Romans 12:19 KJV

Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

Romans 12:19 MSG

God's Word for Tuesday, 4/21/2020

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

John 10:28-30 KJV

Jesus answered, “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”

John 10:28-30 MSG

God's Word for Tuesday, 4/14/2020

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4 KJV

Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I’m assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you’re in this for good and holding fast.) The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says.

1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4 MSG

God's Word for Good Friday, 4/10/2020

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8 KJV

He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

Romans 5:6-8 MSG

God's Word for Saturday, 4/4/2020

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Ephesians 1:7 KJV

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

Ephesians 1:7 MSG

God's Word for Friday, 4/3/2020

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 KJV

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Hebrews 12:2 MSG

God's Word for Tuesday, 3/31/2020

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6 KJV

We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.

Isaiah 53:5-6 MSG

God's Word for Monday, 3/30/2020

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:3-4 KJV

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.

Isaiah 53:3-4 MSG

God's Word for Wednesday, 10/6/19

The narrative at the center of the book of Ruth (Ruth 3:1-8) depicts the scheming of Naomi and Ruth to attract the attention of Boaz, their kinsman-redeemer. The rest of the story (and history) hinges on Boaz’s response to their efforts. What will it be? Will he prove himself a kinsman-redeemer and redeem these needy women? Will he portray righteousness and Christ-likeness?

As the story unfolds, Ruth follows her mother-in-law’s advice and after perfuming and adorning herself with fine clothing, she hides herself in Boaz’s threshing house until he has feasted and drunk. Then, once he has fallen asleep, Ruth positions herself at Boaz’s feet and waits for him to notice her. Startled, Boaz awakens and immediately questions Ruth’s identity. Ruth replies with her identity and directly announces her mission; she proposes marriage to Boaz by requesting that he fulfill his role as kinsman-redeemer.

The role of kinsman-redeemer is found in Leviticus 25, in the case of an Israelite man’s death in which he fails to leave behind a son, the brother of the deceased man is commanded to take his widow as wife and both redeem the land and provide a son to carry on the deceased father’s name. This is Boaz’s alleged position as indicated by Naomi in Ruth 2:20 and it is this responsibility that Ruth pleads with Boaz to fulfill. Being the godly man that he is, Boaz graciously receives Ruth’s offer, but communicates that he is not the nearest kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 3:12). However, he promises that as soon as morning breaks, he will look into the situation. Additionally, he supplies Ruth with six measures of barley. Through a series of events, the door opens for Boaz to fulfill his position as kinsman-redeemer. With the greatest hesed  (compassionate loving-kindness), Boaz rises to the task of becoming kinsman-redeemer.

The story of Ruth portrays God’s blessing on the righteous. This outcome was only accomplished though, through Boaz’s righteous response. Through his actions, Boaz communicates Christ. His person and character illustrate the incredible hesed that Christ possesses for his people, as well as, the great measures he is willing to take to redeem his bride. Though Ruth arrives at Boaz’s bed, empty-handed and humbled to the core, Boaz treats her with respect and kindness (3:10-13). Disgraced by her position and despised for her ethnicity, the young Moabite woman appears to have little to offer. Yet, despite all this, Boaz views her as a worthy woman (3:11). Though Ruth comes from a family that has turned their backs on the Lord, the Lord turns his face towards Ruth and reveals himself to her through Boaz. Boaz foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate kinsman redeemer who will redeem a bride for himself—the church.

Though Boaz redeemed the line of Elimelek, Jesus would come to redeem all the people of God. It was him to whom Boaz’s position pointed to, for in the person and work of Christ was found the true definition of kinsman-redeemer.

God's Word for Tuesday, 11/5/19

"Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.'"

Exodus 6:6-8 KJV

Therefore tell the Israelites:

"I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God.”

Exodus 6:6-8 MSG

God's Word for 11/4/19: "Redeemed"

Book of Ruth, chapter 2:

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:

16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

When Ruth told Naomi the man who had been her benefactor was named Boaz, Naomi instantly saw the hand of God in the blessing. “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!’ And Naomi said to her, ‘This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives’ ” (v. 20 NKJV).

The Hebrew word translated “one of our close relatives” is goel. It is a technical term that means much more than “kinsman.” The goel was a relative who came to the rescue. The word goel includes the idea of redemption, or deliverance. In fact, in order to express the idea more perfectly in English, Old Testament scholars sometimes speak of the goel as a “kinsman-redeemer.” In Scripture, the word is sometimes translated as “redeemer” (Job 19:25 NKJV) and sometimes as “avenger” (Num. 35:12 NKJV).

A goel was usually a prominent male in one’s extended family. He was the official guardian of the family’s honor. If the occasion arose, he would be the one to avenge the blood of a murdered relative (Josh. 20:2–9). He could buy back family lands sold in times of hardship (Lev. 25:23–28). He could pay the redemption-price for family members sold into slavery (Lev. 25:47–49). Or (if he were a single man or widower and thus eligible to marry) he could revive the family lineage when someone died without an heir by marrying the widow and fathering offspring who would inherit the name and the property of the one who had died. This was known as the law of levirate marriage, and Deuteronomy 25:5–10 presented it as a duty in cases where one brother (obviously unmarried and presumably younger) was living in the household of a married brother who died. If the surviving brother refused to fulfill the duty of the goel by marrying his brother’s widow, he was treated with contempt by all of society.

The Old Testament places a great deal of emphasis on the role of the goel. There was a significant redemptive aspect to this person’s function. Every kinsman-redeemer was, in effect, a living illustration of the position and work of Christ with respect to His people: He is our true Kinsman-Redeemer, who becomes our human Brother, buys us back from our bondage to evil, redeems our lives from death, and ultimately returns to us everything we lost because of our sin.*

* https://www.joshhunt.com/2019/06/21/what-is-a-kinsman-redeemer/

What is a Kinsman-Redeemer?

The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws of the Pentateuch*, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need.


 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth...
Job 19:25 KJV


Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life—and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.
Job 19:25 MSG


* the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)