The Least Becomes the Greatest

Dannah Gresh: Do you feel like a nobody? In the eyes of people around her, a woman named Mary had little value. But not in God’s eyes. Here’s Pastor Bob Bakke.

Pastor Bob Bakke: By Mary’s humble adoration, Mary does a thing of more significance than she could possibly have imagined. And in this moment, the least becomes the greatest.

Dannah: Welcome to the Revive Our Hearts podcast for February 17, 2025. I’m Dannah Gresh. Our host is the author of Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In many ways, that’s true. Photos have an amazing ability to capture moments in time and remind us of the details of what happened.

I’ve mentioned this before—Robert and I sometimes scroll through the photos on our phones to help us relive memories and rejoice at what the Lord has done.

Today we’re going to hear a message from a Revive Our Hearts conference where Pastor Bob Bakke shared some photos of his own, and a “snapshot” from the apostle John. Of course, John didn’t have a camera or a smartphone. But he did describe a specific memory for all of us to read. And that’s what we’re going to hear about today and tomorrow. 

Here’s Bob Bakke.

Pastor Bakke: Snapshots can define a moment in life, can’t they? A place, a time that we cherish.

One of my favorite snapshots is of my parents. I think we have a picture of my parents that might pop up. It was taken in 1942 at their engagement party in my great-grandparents’ backyard in New York City, in Brooklyn, New York. My parents—I don’t know, I think they look great, don’t you? This handsome young Army officer, pilot in the Army Air Corp, and his beautiful bride-to-be, my mother, having met in youth group in a church in Brooklyn and later married.

I have an older friend who has a picture on his iPhone of his beautiful thirty-something bride. It’s a beautiful picture, a wonderful picture. It’s on the home page of his iPhone so that whenever he opens it or turns on his iPhone, he sees that picture.

Well, my friend lost his wife to cancer a few years ago, and he still has that thirty-year-old picture of her. Her age was thirty years old. But whenever he looks at it, he does so with joy knowing that this is what she is going to look like when he sees her again in heaven. That picture is what I imagine my parents will look like when I meet them again in heaven.

Well, the Bible has snapshots, too. There are scenes. They’re frozen in time for us at least in our mind's eye. It helps us define our faith, these pictures do. Some of the snapshots are there in our mind's eye because we've seen great works of art, perhaps a fresco, perhaps a stained glass window of some kind—Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah. There’s a picture of the cross, perhaps Jesus staring down at his mother alongside of John. Then Peter and John at the empty tomb, or Moses before the Red Sea.

I'm sure many of you have snapshots as you think of the Scriptures and the Bible stories because often we think in terms of pictures. It helps us when we upload them onto our spiritual hard drive. It helps us define our faith.

Well, tonight I would like to take you to one of my favorite snapshots in all of the Bible. It’s found in John chapter 12, when Jesus was adored by Mary of Bethany. I think it's a wonderful way to begin this entire conference, and I trust you’ll find it so.

Now, when it comes to worship, what does worship do? 

Well, the Lausanne Covenant says that worship:

• Quickens the conscience by way of the holiness of God.
• It feeds the mind with the truth of God. 
• It purges the imagination by the beauty of God. (Don't you like that?) 
• It opens the heart to the love of God. 
• And then it devotes the will to the purposes of God.

And we're going to see all of these in this snapshot tonight—a conscience quickened because of the holiness of Christ, the truth of God; the mind filled with the truth of God feeding on it; the imagination purged by the beauty of Christ and on and on.

Now, for me the snapshot in Bethany we find all of these things. It's what adoration and devotion should look like now and forever. The apostle John thought so highly of this moment in his gospel that he in fact frames his entire gospel around this event, this moment. Let me explain.

When you go to the book of John, you will find that chapter 12, at least the first few verses of chapter 12, is a transition between two books. That's what the scholars call it.

Raymond Brown, for example, says that the gospel of John opens with a prologue. That is when John himself lays down the outrageous claims about Jesus saying that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and so on. He was made flesh and dwelt for a while among us. All things were made by Him. We are the children of God because of faith in Him. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only full of grace and truth.

And then he begins with what is called the Book of Signs. That is, after the prologue, after saying all these outrageous things, John is going to prove these things to us. The evidence, publicly witnessed evidence, that proves the claims of the prologue. So by word and by work, Jesus validates all the assertions about Him, the preaching, the signs, the wonders, and on and on. And the Book of Signs then ends with the resurrection of Lazarus. His public ministry essentially comes to an end.

This transitions then into the Book of Glory. The whole tempo of the gospel of John slows down to a crawl, shifting from Jesus here, there, and everywhere across Israel, down to just a few places into intimate moments, private moments. The first three chapters before crowds, the last few moments and the last few chapters in a single week before His dearest friends where John then pulls together the character stories of his gospel. And then all of it is wrapped up in the twenty-first chapter with an epilogue, the final words.

Well, the segway, between the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory is this breathtaking act of worship by a woman. With the resurrection of Lazarus, John concludes the accounting of his evidences and now turns to the hour of Jesus' glory, the hour when His Father will glorify the Son through the cross and ultimately the resurrection. So the segway between these two books is this amazing act of adoration by this woman. So the whole gospel of John then pivots, the entire gospel pivots on this moment of worship.

What's more, not only is the structure of John's gospel built around Mary's worship, but the literary setting of Mary's worship is stunning as well (we're going to get to the account in just a moment so be patient) because as the curtain rises on this drama at the end of John chapter 11, and we’re about to see the act of worship with Mary, the stage is filled with a frenzy of activity.

The Feast of Passover is upon them. It was a frenzy. The high holy days of the Jews is upon them. The high holy days required that the Jews attend—every Jewish male within the boundaries of Israel needed to be in Jerusalem or around Jerusalem for the Passover. In fact, the Passover had to be taken within the city walls, and every Jew that was beyond the boundaries at Israel had to at least once in his life make his way to the Passover in Jerusalem. Some of the accounts tell us that Jerusalem swelled to as many as three million people.

Now add to this holiday crowd, this buzz that’s taking place on the stage, Lazarus had been raised from the dead. He’s on the stage as well. The village of Lazarus is just two miles from the eastern gate of Jerusalem. So you can imagine that the news of his resurrection from the dead spread like wildfire through these hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. How long do you think it would take to get through all those crowds, spreading across the hills of Jerusalem, all filled with Messianic code, these people, who have been singing the promises of the Messiah as they have ascended the Mountain of the Lord for this holiday?

But there is tension in the air. As the curtain rises, the place is filled with news. They're talking about Lazarus raised from the dead. They’re talking about the Messianic expectations. But they’re also talking about the threats against Jesus, wondering whether Jesus is going to come to Jerusalem for the Passover because the authorities were waiting for Him to arrest Him on site. So there’s storm clouds on the horizon.

Now look at the cast of characters on the stage that John adds. The stage is buzzing with all the activity and all the wonder and all the questions, and Jesus is about to appear at center stage. Stage right, over here, your left—let's just call it that—a group of angry men is seen. They’re dressed really well. So they're very wealthy men, and they’re yelling. They're angry. They’re calling out in loud voices, and they’re gesturing passionately. We hear them shouting.

These are powerful men. These are men at the top of Israel's food chain because John chapter 11 tells us that the chief priests and the Pharisees have called an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin, that is the ruling governors of Israel, the seventy elders plus one, the high priest, who ruled over the affairs of the Jews. These highly educated men, these politically powerful people, they’re angry, and they’re demanding answers.

And both the Sadducees and the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, the scribes, they’re there, and they're jointly. They’re cemented. They’re united in their conviction with regard to Christ. Now, these two people hated each other normally. They didn't like each other, but when it came to Jesus, they hated Him the same.

Raised voices. Urgent voices. Demanding solutions. And now, soon. Because of this, the high priest, calming them down, assured them that Jesus, because of a prophecy, He must die. They gave orders that Jesus would be arrested on site. These are the highest, most educated, most powerful people in all of Israel, these men, this group of men.

Well, stage left, over here, still in the shadows, a spotlight is yet to rise on him, we see another educated man, the shadow of one, Judas Iscariot. This money keeper of the band of disciples. Judas will be the instrument through which the wrath of hell will inundate Christ.

But then at center stage, with all of this swirling about it, as John has set the stage, in contrast to the great and learned men, the great and influential men, their powerful voices, their knowledge of things economic and political and theological, their powerful voices and their resumes, all these are juxtaposed to a little woman.

I say little, perhaps not in size, but in social standing—one who owns nothing, who is powerless, who we are quite certain was illiterate, and she’s a woman. A woman, of all things. She is the quintessential nobody among the Jews. She’s a person of no social standing. She’s of little worth to men.

You know those guys over here that are yelling and demanding solutions, the Sanhedrin. They would pray two prayers in the morning. They would pray the Shema, “Hear, O Israel, God is one.” And they would pray a second prayer, “Lord, thank You that You did not make me a woman.”

This woman had few choices in life. She could be divorced easily, or if she was married, when she got married, all the man, all the husband had to do . . . You burn my breakfast three days in a row, I call you into my home, I have two witnesses, I repeat three times, “I divorce you. I divorce you. I divorce you.” And you are out.

A women’s gender was not trusted in the courts of law. A woman could not survive on her own apart from the hospitality of her family or her friends. She could not survive on her own economically, could not inherit property, she was lost. She could serve in somebody's household. She could be a wet nurse to somebody's baby. She might be loved and cherished in somebody's home. She could maybe beg on the streets or sell her body. Those were her career options. And she is the one upon whom the entirety of the gospel of John pivots. And in this moment the least, at least in the eyes of Jewish men, becomes the greatest.

John chapter 12, let me read it in the NIV.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. And here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; and as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (vv. 1–8)

So as the powerful Sanhedrin becomes the supreme expression of humankind's refusal to believe in Jesus, the anointing of Jesus by a powerless Mary becomes the most magnificent expression of adoring faith. Both prophesy about Jesus' death.

By Mary's humble adoration, Mary does a thing of more significance than she could possibly have imagined. She has no clue what she is doing except adoring her Lord. Only Jesus has the eyes to see the magnitude of her actions.

Verse 7 Jesus says, “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.”

“It was intended,” He said. This is a statement full of mystery and wonder all by itself. These words aren't literally in the Greek text, but the force of the grammar of the Greek demands we understand the words of Jesus this way.

 

Jesus is saying that God's design all along, before the foundations of the earth were laid. God planned that this family treasure, now in Mary's possession, would be kept for this day and this moment. And Mary, again, who is oblivious to the higher meaning of her actions, participates in God's sovereign design and administers the death anointing of the Christ.

Mary, by obeying the impulse of her heart, unwittingly becomes the divine agent who prepares the Lamb of God to redeem the earth.

What's John's point? The point is this: that Jesus, having been rightly adored, is now rightly prepared for the hour of His glory. And our Redeemer, who culminated His public ministry by calling Lazarus from the grave, is now ready for the cross and the grave Himself—because a single woman, of absolutely no consequence to her surrounding culture, was compelled to worship Him at His feet.

Listen to me again, please. There is no telling what divine scheme we may be initiating, what you may be initiating, what mysteries may be unfolding, what enemies we may be defeating when we simply give ourselves for the worship and adoration of Jesus.

Take that picture. Save it.

Nancy: What a wonderful reminder that the Lord can use our worship—our self-sacrificing, extravagant worship—within His overall plan. In Mary’s case, she was unknowingly preparing Jesus’ body for burial. Who knows how God might fit your sacrifice into the grand story He’s writing!

That’s Pastor Bob Bakke, speaking at a Revive  conference for women sponsored by Revive Our Hearts. He’ll be back with the rest of his message, tomorrow on this program. 

The question is this: How can you, how can I take a step toward greater freedom, a greater sacrifice, in our extravagant worship of Jesus? Mary overcame so many perceived obstacles because her love for Jesus was so vibrant and strong. Do you love Him that much? Do I? 

Dannah: Great question! Thanks, Nancy.

Mary worshiped with her tears and a costly gift. You and I can worship Jesus like Mary did, as well as in our prayers.

If you feel like your prayer life could use some help, let me remind you that the key to invigorating your prayer life is not a method, a posture, or a program. It’s personal. Just like Mary’s worship was personal.

The God of the universe wants to hear from you. We’ve pulled together some wonderful resources on prayer. You’ll find them at this special page on our website: ReviveOurHearts.com/prayer. 

I’d love to encourage you to seek the Lord for greater faith, humility, wisdom, and grace this year with ten of Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s most frequent personal petitions. The My Personal Petitions Prayer Journal will help you revitalize your prayer life by incorporating these same requests into your own. 

This month, we’re making it available to you as our way of thanking you for your donation of any amount. So be sure to find out more about the My Personal Petitions Prayer Journal and matching bookmark when you contact us with your gift. To make a donation visit ReviveOurHearts.com, or call us at 1-800-569-5959.

Before we’re done, I’d like to share an audio postcard we received not too long ago from a listener named Teresa, in Texas.

Teresa: Hi Nancy. Even though we have never met. My name is Teresa, and I live in the panhandle of Texas. I feel like we are friends. I began hearing your name many years ago as I listened to Gate to Joy with Elisabeth Elliot and followed her program. It took awhile to get to know you after Elisabeth, but I quickly came to look forward to your program every day on the radio and now on the podcast. It has become a very special part of my life.

I've read nearly all of the books you have written. It's a real pleasure to be able to tell you how much the book Incomparable has meant in my life in the last year.

I got to know one of your Ambassadors, Karen Watts, through a simulcast. I always listen to the conferences in my home. I did one of the Cry Out! events and hosted it at my church. Through that, Karen began to reach out to me once a year.

One day shortly after the death of my son . . . He was forty years old and in a difficult time of his life, and he took his life. It was quite devastating; it brought a shock! I was very much in the midst of deep, deep grief one day as I was driving to work, and Karen called. Her comfort that day was so precious and so meaningful. Grief takes time.

Even though it has been six years now, when I was reading the book [Incomparable], just so many pages brought comfort to my heart. I'm just very grateful for the time the book came and how it has brought me fresh comfort from the Lord.

I also want to thank you for sending me this book free for being part of your monthly partners. I never expected all the bonuses that come from that small gift! And this gift has been a big gift! So I thank you very much. It is a joy to partner with Revive Our Hearts.

I just want to thank you for your obedience, for your knowledge as a theologian, and for the gifts of the Spirit you give to women so that we can know this incomparable Jesus and grow deeper into Him.

Dannah: I love that! On behalf of Nancy, thank you so much! The book Teresa was talking about is Nancy’s devotional on the life of Christ. It’s called Incomparable. And with Easter coming up in April, this would be a wonderful time of year to work your way through this fifty-day devotional. You’ll find more information about Incomparable when you go to the transcript of this program at ReviveOurHearts.com. 

Tomorrow we’ll find out more about Mary’s costly worship. Pastor Bob Bakke will be back to share some fascinating insights into this snapshot recorded for us by the apostle John. Please be back for Revive Our Hearts.

This program is a listener-supported production of Revive Our Hearts in Niles, Michigan, calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

All Scripture is taken from the NIV.

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