TEXT: MATTHEW 26:8
''Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,/ There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat./ But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?''
Life is as a 'very precious ointment'; designed to be poured out and upon the object of love; it is as a candle to be burnt out; currency to be spent: it is only well lived, when wasted and burnt out on Christ; spending it upon any other terms, is like putting a gold ring in a pig's snout. A life lived for self and the goods of this life, is as coins put inside a licking pocket; no man should expect eternal reward, who wasted not his brief life here on Christ! True and right use of a lifetime, consists solely in wasting every moments and resources therein on Christ. O man, with you is an alabaster box of very precious ointment--your chance of existing once, whose head would you pour it? on Christ's or on your lusts' and other sublunary things? The carnal saints would object, 'To what purpose is this waste?' what! how think you, o saints, a thing done to Christ a waste? Does not Christ, who poured out His life for us deserve our 'precious ointment'? Whatever we count too high to give up for Christ, we set same up higher than Him, a sin punishable by death. Christ is over all and above all things: we are summoned to waste our all on Him. Christ would have all or none! To keep back part of ours from Christ, and lay the other half at His feet, makes us liars before heaven. Like the burnt offerings, all must be shredded and completely burnt on the altar of sacrifice. He gives not his life to Christ, who has not given Him all; all who have given up all, have found all; he has nothing indeed who keeps anything from Christ. Christ is won, when a man gives Him all, and takes Christ only! Those who feelingly have nothing, save Christ, have won Christ and all things! Those who hold unto their perishables, would never possess the imperishable; except the corn of wheat falls down and dies, it abides alone: the best use of life, is to pour it out on and for Jesus. Friends, take this searching and piecing question to heart: On what are you wasting your life--this 'precious ointment?' Wasting or spending life on anything save Christ, is as giving sacred things to a dog; and pearls to pigs: (Matt. 7:6)