Lesson 149: Mary anoints Jesus

This week we’ll continue on the Passion and resurrection of Jesus.

The word ‘passion’ in this context is related to the Latin word ‘patior’ meaning ‘suffer,’ refers to those sufferings Jesus endured for our redemption.

Currently, the plan is to break it down into the following lessons:
* Triumphal entry into Jerusalem
* Cleansing of the Temple
* A woman anoints Jesus
* Last Supper
* Garden of Gethsemane/Judas’ betrayal
* Peters’ denials
* The trial
* The cross
* The Resurrection

This week’s lesson will be the Mary’s anointing of Jesus.

Please begin preparing by reading the three accounts of this act of pure devotion in: Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; and John 12:2-9. This story helps us see two distinct perspectives: from a worldly perspective (exhibited by Jesus’ disciples) Mary’s act was a physical ‘waste’ (using
somewhere between 4 and 12 months of wages’ worth of pure nard on a single occasion), but Mary was acting out from the perspective that worldly wealth pales in comparison to a living relationship with Jesus!

As a teaching opportunity, we’ll play the game “what do you want more…” in which we’ll ask kids would you rather have cookie or Jesus? Would you rather have 300 cookies or Jesus (the truth being that kids know the right answer is Jesus, but they REALLY want 300 cookies)?

And we’ll keep pointing back to Mary’s example, that Jesus REALLY was more important to her than material things.