THE GOSPEL / MARK 14:9

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Mark 14:9

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.

An Everlasting Memorial: Love, Extravagance, and the True Gospel

In Mark 14:9, Jesus makes a stunning declaration about a woman who pours a jar of expensive alabaster perfume over His head: “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

At first glance, the disciples saw this act as a financial waste. They argued the perfume could have been sold to help the poor. But Jesus saw something much deeper. He saw a heart that completely understood the gravity of the moment. This woman wasn’t just performing a random act of kindness; she was preparing His body for burial. She held nothing back, offering her most valuable possession to the King of Kings.

What is the Gospel?

Jesus explicitly ties her beautiful sacrifice to the preaching of the gospel. The word “gospel” comes from the Old English term meaning “good message” or “good news,” translating the original Greek word euangelion. This good news is the ultimate message of hope: God has provided a way for us to receive forgiveness and enter into a personal relationship with Him through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

When the gospel is proclaimed in the power of the Holy Spirit, it carries distinct, life-altering attributes:

• It comes with absolute authority (Matthew 28:18-20) and demands a response of repentance—turning from our own sinful way to follow God’s purposes (Mark 1:15).
• It exposes sin by working on our consciences, showing us what is right, and reminding us that we are accountable to God (John 16:8).
• It brings spiritual salvation, freedom, and life, rescuing us from the power of sin and Satan (Romans 1:16; Acts 26:18).
• It inspires deep faith, hope, and peace (Romans 10:17; Colossians 1:5), while gently warning us of the reality of judgment if we refuse it (Romans 2:16).

A Beautiful Response to Great News

The woman in Mark 14 models the exact response the gospel demands. When we truly grasp the weight of the good news—that Christ died to rescue us from permanent separation from God—our natural response should be extravagant devotion.

Her sacrifice was memorable because it matched the extravagance of the gospel itself. Jesus gave everything for us on the cross; she gave her very best in return. Today, as the gospel continues to be preached around the world, her story stands as a timeless visual anchor of what it looks like to love Jesus without reservation.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the beautiful, powerful reality of the gospel. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to offer us forgiveness, life, and an eternal relationship with You. We confess that we often hold back our time, our talents, and our treasures. Forgive us for the times we view devotion as a waste rather than a privilege.

Holy Spirit, break our hearts open like the alabaster jar. Inspire within us a faith that is willing to give extravagantly to the honor of Jesus. Let our lives be a sweet fragrance of worship to You. May the good news continue to go forth with authority across the world, transforming hearts, exposing sin, and bringing salvation to all who hear. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. IN THE EVENING … MIDNIGHT … AT DAWN / MARK 13:35
2. BE ALERT! / MARK 13:33
3. NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT THAT DAY OR HOUR / MARK 13:32
4. THIS GENERATION / MARK 13:30
5. SEE THESE THINGS / MARK 13:29
6. THE FIG TREE / MARK 13:28
7. HIS ELECT / MARK 13:27
8. SON OF MAN COMING / MARK 13:26
9. THE SUN DARKENED / MARK 13:24
10. FALSE PROPHETS / MARK 13:22
11. DISTRESS / MARK 13:19-22
12. ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION / MARK 13:14
13. STANDS FIRM TO THE END / MARK 13:13
14. GOSPEL PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS / MARK 13:10
15. MANY WILL DECEIVE MANY / MARK 13:6
16. WATCH OUT / MARK 13:5
17. TWO … COPPER COINS / MARK 12:42
18. DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES / MARK 12:40
19. LIKE … THE MOST IMPORTANT SEATS / MARK 12:38-39
20. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / MARK 12:31
21. LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD / MARK 12:30
22. THEY WILL NEITHER MARRY / MARK 12:25
23. SADDUCEES / MARK 12:18
24. HERODIANS / MARK 12:13
25. HAS BECOME THE CAPSTONE / MARK 12:10-11
26. PARABLE OF THE TENANTS / MARK 12:1
27. WHEN YOU STAND PRAYING … FORGIVE / MARK 11:25
28. BELIEVE WILL BE YOURS / MARK 11:24
29. FAITH IN GOD / MARK 11:22
30. A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS / MARK 11:17
31. JESUS ENTERED THE TEMPLE AREA / MARK 11:15-16
32. MAY NO ONE EVER EAT FRUIT FROM YOU AGAIN / MARK 11:14
33. BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES / MARK 11:9
34. PASSION WEEK / MARK 11:1-2
35. A RANSOM / MARK 10:45
36. WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT / MARK 10:43-44
37. CAN YOU DRINK THE CUP I DRINK? / MARK 10:38
38. FIRST WILL BE LAST / MARK 10:31
39. RECEIVE A HUNDRED TIMES / MARK 10:29-30
40. THE RICH / MARK 10:23
41. AND BLESSED THEM / MARK 10:16
42. LIKE A LITTLE CHILD / MARK 10:15
43. KINGDOM OF GOD / MARK 10:14
44. COMMITS ADULTERY / MARK 10:11
45. SALT / MARK 9:50
46. SALTED WITH FIRE / MARK 9:49
47. HELL / MARK 9:43
48. CAUSES LITTLE ONES / MARK 9:42
49. THE GREATEST / MARK 9:34
50. ONLY BY PRAYER / MARK 9:29
51. HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF / MARK 9:24
52. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE / MARK 9:23
53. UNBELIEVING GENERATION / MARK 9:19
54. ELIJAH HAS COME / MARK 9:13
55. HE WAS TRANSFIGURED / MARK 9:2
56. KINGDOM OF GOD WITH POWER / MARK 9:1
57. ASHAMED OF ME AND MY WORDS / MARK 8:38
58. DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS / MARK 8:34
59. GET BEHIND ME SATAN / MARK 8:33
60. WARNED THEM NOT TO TELL / MARK 8:30
61. HIS SIGHT WAS RESTORED / MARK 8:25
62. YEAST / MARK 8:15
63. I HAVE COMPASSION / MARK 8:2
64. CHILDREN’S BREAD / MARK 7:27
65. FOLLY / MARK 7:22
66. MEN’S HEARTS / MARK 7:20-23
67. MAKE HIM ‘UNCLEAN’ / MARK 7:18
68. THE TRADITIONS OF MEN / MARK 7:8
69. THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME / MARK 7:6-7
70. FIVE LOAVES … TWO FISH … THANKSGIVING AT MEALTIMES / MARK 6:41
71. COMPASSION / MARK 6:34
72. DANCED / MARK 6:22
73. JOHN IN PRISON / MARK 6:17
74. ANOINTED WITH OIL / MARK 6:13
75. EVIL SPIRITS / MARK 6:7
76. LACK OF FAITH / MARK 6:6
77. JESUS … A PROPHET / MARK 6:4
78. JUST BELIEVE / MARK 5:36
79. JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHES / MARK 5:27-28
80. A MAN WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT / MARK 5:2-17
81. JESUS WAS SLEEPING / MARK 4:38
82. MUSTARD SEED / Mark 4:31
83. EVEN WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN / MARK 4:24-25
84. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / MARK 4:15-17
85. A FARMER WENT OUT TO SOW / MARK 4:3
86. PARABLES / MARK 4:2
87. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT / Mark 3:29
88. TIES UP THE STRONG MAN / MARK 3:27
89. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT DEMONS / MARK 3:15
90. THAT THEY MIGHT BE WITH HIM / MARK 3:14
91. HEALED MANY / MARK 3:10-12
92. HERODIANS / MARK 3:6
93. LOOKED … IN ANGER / MARK 3:5
94. THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN / MARK 2:27-28
95. SABBATH / MARK 2:23
96. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / MARK 2:22
97. ON THAT DAY THEY WILL FAST / MARK 2:20
98. TO CALL … SINNERS / MARK 2:17
99. HEALING THE PARALYZED MAN / MARK 2:11
100. SON OF MAN / MARK 2:10
101. DROVE OUT MANY DEMONS / MARK 1:34
102. EVIL SPIRITS OBEY HIM /MARK 1:27
103. SYNAGOGUE / MARK 1:21
104. COME FOLLOW ME / MARK 1:17
105. KINGDOM OF GOD / MARK 1:15
106. THE GOOD NEWS / MARK 1:14
107. TEMPTED BY SATAN / MARK 1:13
108. MY SON, WHOM I LOVE / MARK 1:11
109. THE SPIRIT DESCENDING ON HIM / MARK 1:10
110. JESUS WAS BAPTIZED / MARK 1:9
111. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / MARK 1:8
112. THE WHOLE JUDEAN COUNTRYSIDE / MARK1:5
113. BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE / MARK 1:4
114. THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL / MARK 1:1-3
115. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace