The phrase ‘good work’ occurs 12 times in the Bible. Only two are a commendation of an individual and both refer to Mary’s costly gift.
We have been asked many times why this work, and why not give to some charity? Why not feed or clothe the poor? Why not give any money raised to official preaching?
We ought to give to charity always, and it might be our shame a neighbour is not fed and not clothed. Effective preaching is done best person to person, except for advertising and this again is ongoing.
What we are proposing is one-off. A gift.
It is a gift to Yahweh Elohim to affirm confidence in his word.
We can talk of what we believe. That is preaching. But what if we could do something to affirm what we believe about what God will do next?
Like Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, did.
She broke a bottle of ointment estimated at about half a years income, in affirmation that she had heard and believed Christ’s words.
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. (John 12:7)
But she poured this precious fluid out on him before he was buried. None of the others had even wanted to think this as being truth. Yet Mary, not only believed him, but acted on it. But even as she did this,
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. (Mark 14:4-5)
But listen to our Lord who ought to influence all our thinking,
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. (Mark 14:6-9)
For this answer Judas betrayed Jesus. Would anyone wish to be in Judas’ company? Would it not be better to do as Mary did?
What if we could do something the world might think truly wasteful? Something that is truly altruistic.
If any have an idea as to what may be done please contact us (see contact)
On a small scale an opportunity has presented itself, at a place called ‘Isaac’s beacons’, to affirm as Isaiah says that Israel is today God’s witness, and that the events on the mountains now in Jerusalem and Judea point to the soon return of the greater son of David, the Jewish Messiah, our King and saviour.