Jesus the Light 2: One Thing is Needful
One thing is necessary. Those who are totally committed to the Lord Jesus will not be understood by the devotionless multitudes or even by their fellow disciples either one. Mary of Bethany gave all she had gladly to glorify the Lord Jesus when she broke her expensive flask and poured its perfume upon Christ’s head.
But Mt.26:8,9 tells us that: “The disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, ‘Why this waste? For this might have been sold for a high price and given to the poor.’”
They calculated that man takes precedence over God, that needs preempt worship, and that ministry eclipses communion. However, “Jesus said, ‘Let her alone’” -Jn.12:7. Christ hereby affirms that there is something that transcends service and charity. It is the one necessary thing that He prizes.
“The Father seeks such to be His worshipers” -Jn.4:23. God is seeking, not for better servants, but for worshipers, for lovers, for tear-stained cheeks, for lips pressed to nail-scarred feet. The Father is seeking for our costly vessels to be emptied of their fragrant inner contents upon Jesus’ thorn-crowned head.
He is seeking for those who will pour out every precious thing in their possession upon the Son of God: and to do so because He is worthy because of the excellence of His glorious person.
This is the essence of gospel response. Mt.26:13 declares: “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
It will be told throughout the world because this is what the gospel demands throughout the whole world. We must yield every precious thing in our possession to be gladly poured out to glorify the Lord Jesus.
But those who are forgiven little love little. Those who draw back and withhold for themselves, do not value Christ.
All that Mary of Bethany had, she gave. What it cost was of no concern to her. What others thought did not turn her away; He was worthy. This is what filled her heart, which in turn filled the house with the “fragrance of Christ unto God” -2 Cor.2:15.
Kept to herself, the ointment did no good to any: neither to her, the poor, nor the Lord Jesus Himself. Kept to yourself, of what benefit are you? One may well ask of you, ”Why this waste?” Why are you wasting on self that which ought to be entirely poured out upon the person of Christ? What is He worth to you?
Dear Listener, have you given the precious possession of your heart completely to the Lord Jesus? Are you wholly His? Is your life a fragrant testimony that this is so?
Others have gone to great lengths for lesser gain. 1 Kings 10 says that the queen of Sheba traversed from afar to hear, firsthand, the wisdom of Solomon. She saw him and spoke to him of all that was upon her heart.
She perceived the wisdom of his words and the splendor of his house. She sat to dine with him and tasted of his table. His servants were blessed and their amenities fine.
When she gazed upon his ascent to the house of God, “there was no more spirit in her” -I Kings 10:5. She was overwhelmed. She confessed that she did not believe the word she had heard in her own land. She had thought less of Solomon than he was worthy of.
When her eyes were opened, the realization rushed upon her that “the half was not told me” -I Kings 10:7. So great was he, so magnificent, grand in wisdom, and glorious in riches; there was none his equal.
Her mouth could contain it no longer. Praise pealed from her lips. Riches poured from her hands. Spices, rare, fragrant, exhilarating aromas, wafted their delights throughout the house of Solomon. “Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon” -I Kings 10:10.
Solomon was glorified. He was delighted. And the queen was blessed from his abundance [I Kings 10:13].
Dear Listener, “behold, something greater than Solomon is here” -Mt.12:42. The Lord Jesus exceeds Solomon as the sun does a candle, as the sea a dewdrop. He is greater and He is here. You have heard of Him by the hearing of the ear. His Word has reached you in your land. But what of you; have you arisen to come to Him, to seek His face, to hear His wisdom?
When you see Him as He is, when you perceive the glories of His house and the blessedness of His servants, as you gaze into His face and feast at His table, and behold His ascent to His Father’s house, there will remain in you no more spirit.
You will confess that you have not believed the Word you heard in your own land. You will realize that you have thought Him to be far less worthy than you had ever imagined.
You will despise yourself in dust and ashes. Then your tongue will be loosed in praise and your hand will relax its grip on all you have clutched to your bosom. Gladly all will be given.
The insignificance, foolishness, and pride of your heart will be seen in the light of His glory. And you will bring forth spices uncountable. You will become devoted to the Lord Jesus. You will have tasted of the one necessary thing. He will be glorified and pleased, and you will be blessed from His bounty.
But you must arise and come. You will not be devoted to Him staying where you are. You must come to where your tears will cascade upon Him, where your lips will meet His feet.
He cannot be anointed from afar. His Word will not be heard amidst the bustle of your activities. You must come to His feet, both to hear and to weep. It is there that you shall discover the one necessary thing.
Some of you will come, I know; but some of you will not. It is because of this that I must tell you one other thing about the Queen of Sheba. She will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she “came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” -Mt.12:42.
She was compelled by the greatness of that king of peace to seek him earnestly. At all costs and with glad sacrifice she came to see his face, hear his wisdom, and behold his glory. It was a great expenditure for a lesser reward.
She will condemn this generation. Her very life will bear solemn testimony to the wickedness of hearts in not arising and seeking the Lord Jesus Christ.
This queen will be there, as will you, at the Judgment. The King will ask you, “Do you see this woman who came from the ends of the earth? How far have you come in pursuit of the one necessary thing in life, devotion to My Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?”
Many will be speechless on that day, but not the Queen of the South.
She will turn and ask, “Why this waste?”
One Thing is Necessary