The Alabaster Circle- a woman's group

The Alabaster Circle-a woman’s group are women who choose to be a part of fellowship, teaching, worship and service to one another and to others inside and outside the church. We are pursuers of Jesus just like the woman with the alabaster jar of perfume. We don’t know who this woman is, but she knew Jesus. Some scholars say she is Mary Magdalene, some Mary (of Mary and Martha) and some think it was the woman caught in adultery…I don’t know…but I know she loved Jesus and she wasn’t afraid to put that love on the line. Let’s take a look at her act of love.

The Alabaster Jar: In Luke 7:36-48, the woman comes with roughly 12 ozs. of spikenard oil to pour out on Jesus’ head and feet. She was doing a prophetic act. Jesus was the “Anointed One” but hadn’t been anointed in the natural (earthly realm) or physically by anyone until this woman. She is crying over Him and offering Him the only things she had-her perfume (her money), her hair (her glory), her tears (her love) and her presence (her courage).

Her perfume: This was very expensive perfume (probably about a year worth of wages). She was a “sinful woman”-she had to work hard for her money! The perfume was an investment on several levels. It represents money saved. She could sell that on the market and have money to live on for a long time. It represents a change of heart. That was the perfume she anointed herself with in order to be enticing but she pours it out on Jesus; not to entice but to offer up her change of heart. She wasn’t going to be a “sinful woman” anymore. She broke the jar! She wasn’t planning on filling it up again. She wasn’t going back to that sinful life anymore!

Her hair: A woman’s hair was her splendor. They would wear their hair in style. It was a covering and would show her stature in the community. When this woman let down her hair and washed Jesus’ feet she was releasing to Him her “glory” (her place in society) and letting Him judge her. Jesus could have pushed her away but instead He forgives her sin and proclaims her destiny. She will be remembered for her act of love forever. She gives Him everything and He gives her a destiny!

Her tears: We cry for various reasons but this woman was weeping. She had so much heartache in her life. An outcast in religious society, an outcast in secular society, probably an outcast from her family, she was as much a leper as a real leper. Her weeping is a sign of change: sorrow for her sin, joy that Jesus was accepting her offering and love for His acceptance of her as she was. He sees her as “this woman” not as “this sinful woman”. He sees her heart. Jesus truly does see the inward. He knows what she needs and He forgives her sin.

Her presence: It took courage to walk into that household. She was unclean by Jewish standards, she was unfit by mans standard and she doesn’t ask permission to do what she must. Her courage in the face of all that condemnation had to be great. To go where she wasn’t invited, to do what she was compelled to do, was a great step of faith. Sometimes, we need Jesus so badly we will do anything to get to Him. She risked everything to get to Jesus and He answered her by “seeing” her, loving her, forgiving her and giving her a new life.

It is my hope the teachings that come from The Alabaster Circle will be like the lesson of the woman and her alabaster jar of perfume. We will find ourselves transported to the feet of Jesus. We will risk all to be in His presence. We will be willing to have our hearts changed. We will let Jesus “see” us and be transformed. We will reflect His glory as His Bride. We will be courageous in this pursuit of becoming…so, come…choose to be a part of this circle of pursuers of Jesus.

(Scriptures: Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-7)