"The Price Of Oil"

Dear Beloved:

     The oil will flow when we become broken vessels.  The scripture tells us "a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.  But, when His disciples saw it, they were very indignant, saying why this waste?  For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor." (Matt. 26:7-9)

     According to scripture this oil Mary poured upon the head and feet of Jesus was extremely expensive. It was no ordinary oil, but rather the best oil money could buy.  In researching this further, it is noted that this oil was worth about one years wages back then.  In John 12:5, the scripture says that Judas asked the question "why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  Three hundred denarii were equivalent to 11-12 months wages.

     Question, what was it that Jesus did for Mary that would cause her to sacrifice so very much at one time? Who was Jesus to her that she felt He was worthy of such a significant gift to be so freely and openly released?  The average person does not even have two months of wages set aside in case of an emergency.  The average tither today will give between $1500-$3000 a year in tithes.  This is equivalent to 10% of their income.  Mary gave the equivalent of one year worth of wages to Jesus at one time.  What did she know that we don't and how valuable Jesus was to her that she so willingly gave Him so much?

     The bottle of oil had to be broken before it could be used to glorify God.

     Mary must have heard the words of Jesus when He said, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matt. 10:37-39).  It seems to me Mary had believed and received the revelation of Jesus as the Way, the truth, and the life.  Jesus had now become her life, and she had no other that was above or more significant than He was.  Her life had dramatically been changed, and she knew He was the reason.  I believe the sacrifice of the oil was no big deal to Mary, because of what Jesus had given to her.

     She was finally free from the old life of sin, guilt, shame, abuse, neglect, and being used by others.  Finally someone came to give to her and free her from her past sinful lifestyle.  Mary was now a free woman and she owed it to Christ, her Savior, Lord, Deliverer, and Lover of her life.  He gave her love when others only used her and took from her.  No more fear, hopelessness, despair, worthlessness, emptiness, guilt, or sham. She was a free woman and she owed it all to Him.  Nothing was too big to give Him.

     Is. 60:15-16 says "Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you.  I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations.  You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles and milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I the Lord am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

     The price of the oil becomes a small thing when Jesus becomes our all.  The freedom of surrender is more real to us when Christ becomes more real to us When we give God our all then the oil begins to flow.

Sharing Christ’s Love
Dr. James and Prophetess Sharon Randolph