“And they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival [Passover],” they said,“ or there may be a riot among the people”” — Matthew 26:4, brackets added.
Read Mathew 26:2-16 NIV
Jesus celebrated Passover knowing he was already our eternal Passover lamb slain before the foundation of the world (1 Corinthians 5:7, Revelation 13:8). He was the living reality of the festival the chief priests and elders celebrated without revelation, not knowing they were plotting to slay the omnipotent Passover lamb himself. Meanwhile, a woman with no title, social status, or religious clout had the revelation to break an alabaster box of pure nard, expensive perfume worth a year’s wages, to anoint Jesus’ body for his own Passover death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 26:7, John 12:3-5 NIV). Her sacrifice positioned her to be forever remembered wherever the gospel is preached. But how did she know to do it? How did she land at the right place at the right time and do exactly the right thing?
She had a revelation that comes only through “relationship.” That woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She was the one that consistently chose the “good part.” And Jesus reminded Martha, saying, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41). Whenever Jesus would come to their house, instead of serving in the kitchen with Martha or reclining at the table with Lazarus, Mary would position herself at his feet. So, to pour expensive perfume and wipe his feet with her hair on this particular day was nothing special for her at all—it had been her lifestyle to sit at his feet and choose the “good part.” She chose intimate fellowship—relationship—worship.
Interestingly, as an apostle, Judas had closer daily physical proximity to Jesus than Mary but was not nearly as close to Jesus in his heart. While she broke the alabaster box, he was on his way to negotiate with the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus.
Passover, plots, perfume, and thirty pieces of silver teach us that being close to Jesus physically doesn’t exempt our hearts from being far from him. We need the kind of revelation that comes from an inward relationship with Jesus and worshipping at his feet. Let’s not miss our time of visitation. The poor we have with us always, but we must never take Jesus’ presence for granted, thinking we can have it whenever we get ready. In this Passover season, we must maintain a posture that chooses the “good part.”
Lenita Reeves
Lenita is the senior pastor of Action Chapel Baltimore and Action Chapel North Carolina churches. She is a podcaster, the author of nine books, and an international speaker on a mission to communicate with passion, propel people into their purpose, and teach transformative truth across the globe. Lenita is the founder of PurposeHouse Publishing, PrayerWatch with Pastor Lenita, and creator of the Purpose/full Institute, which helps people discover and hone their divine purpose. She is a former Accenture consultant with college teaching experience, professional instructional design experience, a member of the RAINN speaker’s bureau, and a trained counselor. Lenita is also a Christian International/Bishop Hamon authorized prophetic instructor. She has traveled the globe as a keynote conference speaker in the United States, London, Jamaica, Ghana, Uganda, Haiti, and Kenya. She has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, a Master of Arts in Dance Education from Ohio State, and an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park. Sign up to connect, receive more blog posts, and updates on courses, books, and events.