Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 26:1-13 ESV
1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Key Points
- Jesus shows up among a group of friends living life together.
- In the eyes of Mary, Jesus is worthy of extravagant worship.
- Worship is ascribing worth to someone or something.
- What the disciples consider wasteful, Jesus calls beautiful.
- Somewhere along the way, the disciples lost sight of Jesus.
- Jesus loved us so much he allowed his body to be broken and his blood to be poured out for us.
- We need each other to help us remember who Jesus is and what he is worth: everything.
- Jesus is either worthless, worthwhile, or he’s worthy of our all.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
-Matthew 6:21 ESV
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: Based on today’s primary Scripture from Matthew 26, how can you tell the disciples lost sight of Jesus somewhere along the way?
2: When was a time you lost sight of Jesus along the way and – just as Jesus showed his disciples who he is and what he is worth through Mary’s act of worship – how did Jesus show you more of who he is and what he is worth when you lost sight of him?
3: Review this week’s memory verse (Matthew 6:21) and answer the following questions.
· What does this verse mean to you?
· What does this verse have to do with today’s message?
· Why do you think this verse is worth committing to memory?
4: Read Psalm 51:17. If Jesus held nothing back in his sacrifice for us, based on this passage in conjunction with today’s message, what kind of sacrifice do you think Jesus wants from us?
5: What have you been holding back from Jesus lately?
6: What have you been holding onto instead of Jesus lately?
7: What truth do you think God wants you to be assured of today?
8: What would it look like for you to truly treasure Jesus this week?
Pray
Lord, like the disciples, we confess we have lost our way. Somewhere along the way, we have lost sight of you: the Way. By your Spirit, will you show us so much more of who you are? When we were utterly unworthy, Lord Jesus, you came for us, died for us, and were raised to life for us. In your eyes, we have always been worthy of your love. By your grace, remind us anew you are worthy of our all – today and always.
*Note: We invite you to pray with us in Ellis Chapel Monday through Friday from 11am to 1pm through April 15, 2022.
