Adoniram and Nancy Judson Gave All for Jesus
Adoniram Judson is one of the most important and fascinating figures in American history. He wasn’t a famous politician or military hero. He wasn’t a famous writer or actor. He was the leader of the first group of missionaries from America.
Adoniram was born, raised, and educated in Massachusetts, but he lived most of his life in Burma (modern day Myanmar). He and his wife Nancy and another couple left Salem, Massachusetts for Burma in 1812. Adoniram wouldn’t see the shores of America again until 1845, thirty-three years later. Nancy returned to America in 1822, not knowing it would be the last time she would see her family and friends. She died in Burma in 1826 at the age of 36.
When Adoniram first met Nancy and realized that he wanted to marry her, he wrote the following letter to her father:
“I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”
Adoniram was asking Nancy’s father if he was willing to give up his daughter for the glory of Jesus among those who’d never heard the gospel. Her father was willing. He gave Adoniram and Nancy his blessing. Nancy wrote to a friend, “I feel willing, and expect…to spend my days in this world in heathen lands…I have about come to the determination to give up all my comforts and enjoyments here, sacrifice my affection to relatives and friends, and go where God…shall see fit to place me.”
What compelled Adoniram, Nancy, and Nancy’s father to make such great sacrifices of faith? The answer is in Adoniram’s letter: “Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you?”
Adoniram, Nancy, and Nancy’s father were compelled to sacrifice everything for the sake of the One who’d sacrificed everything for them. Jesus was so precious to them that they were willing to lose everything for his sake. Jesus was worth more than their own lives. The reality of Jesus’ death for them and the reality of millions dying without him moved them to sacrifice everything.
Another Sandwich from Mark
The Judsons stand in a long line of men and women who’ve been moved to make sacrifices that the world would say are reckless. The next section of the Gospel of Mark introduces us to perhaps the first person to ever sacrifice the most precious thing she had for Jesus’ sake (Mk. 14:1-11).
Mark yet again employs his sandwich technique to contrast Judas’ treachery with this woman’s sacrifice. Mark sandwiches her beautiful act of faith (vv. 3-9) in between the plot to betray Jesus (vv. 1-2, 10-11). The middle of the sandwich is the point of the story. The woman makes a great sacrifice of faith whereas Judas sacrifices his faith.
Let’s look at the bread of the sandwich (vv. 1-2, 10-11), and then consider the meat (vv. 3-9). First, a traitor loses everything but gains treasure. Second, a woman gains everything by losing her treasure.
Judas Loses by Gaining
In verse 1, Mark says it was “two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.” The Passover was a Jewish holiday that celebrated their release from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12). God told the Israelites to sacrifice a spotless male lamb or goat and put its blood over their doors. When the angel of death came by, if he saw the blood, he would pass over that house and they would be spared. If there was no blood, the firstborn died. God commanded the Jews to eat the Passover meal each year to commemorate this event. The Passover meal began the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread, which commemorated the quick departure of the Jews from Egypt when there was no time to allow dough to rise.
The reason this is important is because it tells us that Jesus died at Passover as the ultimate Passover Lamb. In verse 1 there’s already a connection between Passover and the death of Jesus. They were “seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him.” A Passover lamb would be sacrificed in the temple that week; the Passover Lamb would be crucified on a cross that weekend.
Notice that the plan to kill Jesus was an official plan. It was the “chief priests and the scribes” who were seeking how to “kill him” (v. 1). The plan for Jesus to die wasn’t a movement among the populace. It wasn’t a referendum that the people voted on. It was an executive decision that came from the top down. Jesus had gone too far in his teaching against the leaders of the temple and the temple (11:18). He messed with their sacred cow, so he needed to be dealt with.
Above their sinful plan, was God’s plan. He wanted his Son to die that weekend so that the nature of his work as the ultimate Passover Lamb would be clear. So Judas, under God’s sovereign hand, and by his own moral volition, “went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them” (v. 10).
Notice that Mark identifies Judas as “one of the twelve” (v. 10). Jesus’ betrayal originates within his inner circle. One of Jesus’ best friends sold him out and colluded with the religious leaders to put him to death. This means that proximity to Jesus doesn’t guarantee faithfulness to Jesus. Being around God and the things of God doesn’t mean you love God.
Why did Judas betray Jesus? Verse 11 says that Judas got paid for betraying Jesus. In John’s version of this account, we learn that Judas was the treasurer of the disciples and a thief (12:6). Judas loved money more than Jesus, so he sold out the Son of God for some coins.
We can learn from this that a love of money will pull us away from Jesus. It may not be a quick departure – Judas was with Jesus for three years. But as our hearts grow in love of money they will grow in coldness toward Jesus. This is true of individuals and churches. Our treasure is not in how much our offerings are but in the worth of the Son of God. If we have lots of money but no love for Jesus, what are we? What will your money do for you in eternity?
Jesus asks, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (8:36) Paul says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Tim. 6:10).
Judas, a traitor, loses everything but gains treasure. He lost the only thing that mattered in order to gain something that he would eventually lose (Mk. 14:21b). May God protect us from this same impulse and give us a heart like the woman we meet in verses 3-9.
A Woman Gains by Losing
In between the bread of verses 1-2 and 10-11, Mark inserts the meat of the sandwich, a story about a woman who anoints Jesus with an expensive perfume. Mark is contrasting her with Judas. One sacrificed for their faith. One sacrificed their faith. One lost by gaining. One gained by losing.
John’s version of this story gives us a few details that Mark’s doesn’t (Jn. 12:1-8). Here we learn that the woman is named Mary. She’s the sister of Martha and Lazarus (11:1-2). Their family was hosting a dinner for Jesus at Simon the Leper’s house presumably to thank Jesus for raising Lazarus from the dead.
This may seem like a relatively unremarkable event. But at the end of John 11, the Jewish authorities said that if anyone knew where Jesus was, they were supposed to let them know so that he could be arrested (v. 57). There was a warrant out for Jesus’ arrest. But when Jesus comes back to Bethany, instead of turning him in, Jesus’ friends (Mary and Martha) host a dinner party for him. Mary is sacrificing more than her ointment in this story. She and her family are putting their necks out there for Jesus. His power and glory had really changed their lives, giving them a remarkable courage.
The most remarkable thing about this dinner party is not the bravery of Jesus’ friends for hosting it. The thing that stuck out in everyone’s mind long after this event was what Mary did. Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ head and feet with expensive ointment didn’t seem like a big deal at the time to those who were there. The only one who seemed to notice was Judas, and he only cared because he could’ve benefited from the sale of the expensive ointment.
Jesus Set Apart for Burial
Why is what Mary did significant? Because in this event Jesus was symbolically set apart for his burial by the only one who really understood what was about to happen to him. Jesus says in verse 7 that “it was intended that (Mary) should save this perfume for the day of my burial” (NIV). Or in Mark’s version, “She has anointed my body beforehand for burial” (v. 8).
Jesus obviously wasn’t buried at this dinner party, so why would Mary be preparing him for his burial now? Because in a couple days Jesus would go to Jerusalem and be crucified on a cross.
Remember how Jesus told his disciples repeatedly that he was going to Jerusalem to die? Mark 9:31, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him.” The disciples, like us, were slow learners and didn’t understand what he meant. It seems that only Mary understood.
Mary kept this expensive perfume because she knew that Jesus was about to die. She knew that he was about to go lay down his life, and so, out of love, she symbolically prepared him for his upcoming death and burial.
Because Mary knew what Jesus was about to do, she asked herself during the course of the dinner party, “What can I do to show him that I love him and that I understand what he is doing for us?” She was led to give him her most valuable possession, a pound of expensive ointment.
Jesus’ disciples scolded Mary for “wasting” her ointment on Jesus (Mk. 14:4). She thought that Jesus was worthy of the sacrifice. They did not. They were “indignant” over what she did (v. 4). This reminds us that the world has no problem with Christianity in moderation, but those who love Jesus excessively are scorned and mocked. The world has no problem with too much wealth, power, sex, or ambition, but it does have a problem with too much Jesus.
Are We Like Judas or Mary?
Judas complained and said that the ointment should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Eventually Judas would sell out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The ointment that Mary gave Jesus was worth a year’s salary. Judas used Jesus; Mary made sacrifices for Jesus.
Which person are you like? Are you more like Judas, who used Jesus and who criticized those who openly loved Jesus? Or are you more like Mary, who gave up the most valuable thing she had for Jesus, who wasn’t afraid to publicly display her love for Jesus? Are you willing to give up what is most valuable to you out of love for Jesus?
Our most valuable possession will be different than Mary’s. It may be your reputation, career, kids, grandkids, retirement, money, house, vacation time, health, safety, or comfort. Whatever it is, the question is the same: is Jesus more precious to you than your most precious thing?
In light of his death for sinners such as ourselves, in light of him taking the punishment that we deserve, in light of him rescuing us from an eternity in hell, are we willing to give up the most valuable things we have in order to serve Jesus and show the world Jesus’ worth?
Do What You Can
This doesn’t mean that we have to do everything. Like Mary, we should seek to do “what we can” (v. 8). We can’t all do everything and we won’t all do the same thing. Our call is to “do what we can.” The widow “put in everything that she had” (12:44). Mary gave up a year’s worth of wages. In Jesus’ sight, both acts are beautiful. For Jesus, an act has value according to its motive and intent, not its material value. No gift given to magnify the worth of Jesus is meaningless, whether two pennies or a year’s salary.
Our call is to magnify the worth of Jesus in any way we can. This may mean visiting a new mom to help with food or cleaning or kids so she can get some rest. It may mean taking a college student out to lunch once a week for encouragement and prayer. It may mean hosting a community group or serving in the sound booth or preparing food or leading worship or teaching the Bible or giving to missions or any of a thousand things. As Paul said to the Romans, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (12:6). The question is whether we’re using our gifts to magnify the worth of Jesus.
Do we have eyes like Mary’s? Do we see Jesus’ worth? Does our sight of him compel us to “do what we can” for the good of others and the glory of God?
There’s a principle here for our church to grow in: If you see a need in the church, you’re responsible to make sure it’s met. You may not be able to meet it by yourself, but you can work with others to get it done. For example, members, do you notice when other church members stop attending services? If so, have you reached out to them? Do you assume that caring for the members is just Nick and I’s job? Paul says that Jesus gave the church pastors to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-12). Every member of the church is responsible for the other members of the church. We’re a faith family with a responsibility to care for the souls of our brothers and sisters. Do you see the needs around you? If so, what are you doing to meet them?
Jesus told his disciples that Mary did “a beautiful thing” to him (v. 6). Because the church is the body of Christ, when we serve each other, we’re literally serving Christ himself. Therefore, when you serve a brother or sister in Christ, this is what Jesus says to you, “You have done a beautiful thing to me.”
Jesus Was Mary’s Greatest Treasure
Sacrifices inspired by the worth of Jesus are precious in God’s sight (v. 9). Our sacrifices may not make it into the inspired history of the Bible, but they’ll be remembered by the only historian who matters. Our sacrifices for the body of Christ spread the fragrance of the knowledge of him to one another and to a world suffocating from the stench of self-centeredness.
Judas gained some treasure but lost his soul. Mary lost her most precious treasure but gained Christ. Why did she use her ointment on Jesus? Because Jesus was her greatest treasure.
May the worth of Jesus compel us to break open our lives in acts of great sacrifice, like the Judsons, like Mary, so that the aroma of Christ may be smelt among us and go out from us to a world in need.