The Perfect Father

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” 

(Romans 8:15-16)

The sweet, kind, sensitive, wonderful person, who is most dear to me on this earth, lost her father when she was only five years old. And it left a painful and lonely void in her heart, and in her life. 

A child needs her father.

But she has a Father now. And she truly knows Him...knows His Love.

The Perfect Father.

Do you know Him?

His name is Yahweh. He is also called Jesus, or "Yeshua" in the Hebrew language. His name also reveals His character and attributes:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

The tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, born in a cold, damp manger in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago, is The Mighty God—the Everlasting Father. He is Wonderful. He is our Counselor. He is our Prince of Peace. 

And because He willingly chose to die on a lonely, and brutally painful wooden Cross, on that dark day in Jerusalem, paying the penalty for your and my sin, and for our many crimes against God, you and I can now cry out to God: "Abba, Father!" 

The impenetrable sin-wall of separation between man and God was ripped in two that day, when Jesus died on the Cross, giving up His spirit to God the Father. And because He forever tore that wall of separation apart, I can now come freely to God my Heavenly Father. 

There are no barriers between Him and me. 

Even though my earthly father died 21 years ago, I now have an Everlasting Father—my Heavenly Father; who I have free and open access to, 24/7, 365 days a year.

Nothing stands between us.

I don't have to make any pilgrimages to Jerusalem once a year for Him to accept me. No candles need to be lit to bring about His presence. No indulgences need to be paid to help guarantee me a place in Heaven. I do not have to jump through any religious hoops for Him to love me, or be pleased with me.

He's my Dad—my Everlasting Father. And He loves me fully, totally, and completely. There is absolutely nothing that I can "do" that would make Him love me any more, or any less. No works or good deeds will gain me any additional favor or love from my Father who already has made me His beloved child.

I could not possibly earn His love by doing any good works. And I cannot possibly lose His love by failing to do enough good works.

Do you see?

He's the perfect Father that none of us ever had.

As a young and clueless father, I neglected my own son and daughter when they were just babies, because of my sinful and selfish nature. Even today, over thirty years later, I am so far from being a "perfect" father to them. I can't be. None of us can be perfect fathers, or parents.

Only God is the Perfect Father.

And He wants you to know Him personally...know His love, mercy and grace. 

He is the gift of Eternal Life. And that gift is free to you if you sincerely want it. 

Do you long for a Perfect Father who will never leave you or forsake you? Who will love you no matter how many times you stumble and fail? Who will give you peace that you cannot comprehend? And love and joy that you've never experienced?

That relationship with the Perfect Father is yours for the taking.

All you have to do is acknowledge.

All you have to do is believe.

All you have to do is ask.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

God is the Perfect Father. We are His beloved children, not slaves or employees in His corporation. Jesus told His disciples:

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

To anyone and everyone who is separated from The Everlasting Father, this is what He is saying to you today:

“Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

The Everlasting Father in Heaven is knocking on the door of your heart today.

But you have to choose to open that door and invite Him in.

You may say, "I've tried to believe, I wanted to believe, but I just don't!"

But that's simply not true.

If you don't believe it's because you really don't want to believe. You have chosen not to believe.

Anyone who truly wants to believe in Jesus can and will believe, because saving faith is a gift from God that is freely available to every person on this earth.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Salvation is freely available to you because of God's Grace.

And it's available to you today. All you have to do is open the door of your heart and invite Jesus in. He is standing there, right now, knocking on that door; greatly desiring to be invited in.

But you have to choose to invite Him in...

It's your move.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Draw Near

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

The older I get, the harder it is to be the man I once was—the man I know I'm supposed to be.

Not so much physically. But mentally, emotionally. 

I'm just weary of doing life. 

The toil, struggles, battles, disappointments, and continual challenges of living in this twisted, fallen world, in a fallen body, wears you down... all the while, the flesh warring against the spirit. 

"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

The struggles of this life have a way of eroding your confidence. Not my confidence in God's faithfulness. But my confidence in me being able to persevere. I have absolutely no clue what's going to happen tomorrow. My neurological condition that sidelined me for months, but has been managed through taking the right prescription medication, is now showing signs of making a comeback. Increased stress seems to trigger it. 

I don't know about you, but a stress-free life is not something I've ever experienced.

When I was in my 30's, life was quite a bit more carefree. I had no real health issues. Physically, I felt pretty darn  invincible. The economy was rocking, and financially, life was pretty good. Certainly, my life was far from perfect, but my confidence level of being physically able to work hard and be a good provider was pretty solid. I never thought I would end up being one of those aging people forced into living a lifestyle of having to rely on medications to keep a serious medical condition at bay.

I'm pretty sure many of you in your 50's or older can relate to what I'm saying.

A few years ago I was going through a particularly difficult struggle, and in my desperation I cried out to God; "Lord, why do you leave us in this weak, sinful condition, when You could change us in an instant?" Almost audibly, He spoke to my heart: 

"So you'll stay close to Me."

And even more so, as I age and face new struggles and challenges in my human weakness, failures and desperation, that is still the answer—so that I will stay close to Him.

That I will draw near to Him.

One of the passages of scripture that I quote most often and that I personally default to, is Jesus saying:

"Without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

Today, more than ever, I am painfully aware of that profound Truth.

Can you relate?

God saying, "Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you" is more than just a friendly invitation. It's a mandate. It's an absolute necessity on our part. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally; it's life or death.

It's a command from God because He knows just how desperately we need Him.

Do you know just how desperately you need God?

Then be obedient. Believe Jesus when He said, "Without Me you can do nothing."

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Life is in Jesus. He is the true vine—the only source of life and peace. Apart from Him, we are lifeless, withered branches.

This is life or death.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Launch Out Into The Deep

“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)

Do you feel like you are facing some deep water in your life? 

There is an element of the unknown in your journey. You just don't know what's going to happen. "How is this all going to work out?"

I think most everyone I know, in one way or another, feels the same way.

If we look only at our difficult circumstances, and lament, "Oh no, this is it!" we'd likely want to curl up in bed, and not come out again.

But the trials that we are all facing today are not the end of the story—just a necessary part of it.

Rejoice in your trials.  They're part of your Story.

I had the opportunity a couple of years ago, to spend the morning with about twenty guys who were all going through various trials in their lives. One man shared a very moving story of a friend who lost his job some time ago, and more recently, lost his house.  But the man went on to say that his friend said:

"I'm glad I lost my house!  Now, my life and my happiness are no longer tied to my material possessions."

Who among us could truly say that?  I'd like to think that, were it to come to that, I could, by faith, make that same proclamation.  But could I really?  I pray it doesn't ever come to that.

Walking by faith doesn't mean you check your brain at the door, and plow blindly ahead without thinking.  But many times, what God calls us to do is counterintuitive to our way of thinking. God said, 

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways."

Oswald Chambers wrote, in "My Utmost For His Highest" (June 8):

"If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself—begin to have spiritual discernment."

Reading that, I thought of how often I do this—play it safe—neatly secured in the safe harbor of my comfort zones, not willing to cut the lines that keep me there. 

But then, how often, does a storm seem to mysteriously appear in my life, severing those safety lines, and send me out into some kind of raging tempest where I absolutely need to trust fully in God to get me through?

Often enough it seems.   

Further contemplating Chambers devotional this morning, I was reminded of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee, who had previously called a few men to leave all and follow Him and be His disciples, even though it was counterintuitive to what they knew and understood. Jesus had an amazing way of demonstrating that He is not bound by our limited wisdom and understanding, and that when we obey His word and trust Him, we will see God's power operating in our lives. 

"So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Sea of Galilee, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking." (Matthew 5:1-7)

How willing are we to launch out into the unknown—into the deep—where we have to fully trust God?

Peter and his fishing buddies toiled all night, and they caught nothing.  But once Jesus directed them to launch out into the deep, going beyond where they were accustomed, beyond their comfort zone, and then let down their nets, trusting in Him, they caught so many fish that their nets were bursting at the seams.

When we take that step of faith to hear and obey the voice of Jesus—no matter how counterintuitive it may seem to us at the time to do so—God will supply all that is needed, and often beyond our wildest expectations. 

But you have to take that step of faith first.

You can't walk on water until you step out of the boat, and then only as Jesus calls you to do so. You can't harvest a catch so full that your nets are filled to the bursting point, until you first hear the call of Jesus, and then launch out into the deep and let down your nets at His command.

Yes, it's counterintuitive. Most of the time, it won't make sense. 

But don't you think that's what Peter must also have thought when Jesus told him to let down his nets in deep water?  Isn't that most certainly what he must have thought when Jesus bid him to step out of the boat and walk to Him on the raging water in the stormy sea?

Again, quoting Chambers:

"You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself—begin to have spiritual discernment."

It's easy to stay in the harbor; in safe waters. But you really have to trust God with your life when you venture into the deep waters of the unfamiliar and the unknown.

It's a matter of faith.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Look Up

“And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.”

(Horatio Spafford, 1873, “It is Well With My Soul.”)

From my quiet spot, where I like to sit early in the morning and watch the sun come up, I can see a huge, thirty foot limb on the ground across the street, that broke off of a large tree during the violent thunderstorm which blasted through here yesterday.

It's been a weird year. 

Months of unemployment, financial and relational struggles, health issues, sleepless nights, and many trials and personal tribulations. 

In the nation and in the world troubles are escalating. Unrest and killing in the middle east continues to spiral out of control. The global economy is on very shaky ground. We are on the precipice of getting sucked into a war with Russia because of the conflict in Syria. It's a lose/lose situation. None of our statesmen or so-called 'experts' have any real solutions.

Devastating wildfires are burning up huge chunks of the west, while floods ravage much of the east. Some of my favorite places to camp and fish nearer to home have been burned up from the fires. The drought has resulted in my favorite "tailwater" river being virtually shut off, to save what little water remains for next year's irrigation needs. I know of people who are virtually 'devastated' because their favorite football team lost its season opener.

Signs of the times we're living in.

It's been a hard, but interesting life lesson to learn: seeking solace, peace, or fulfillment in temporal, worldly things is a dead-end proposition. 

Horatio Spafford, who in 1873, wrote the lyrics to the famous hymn, "It is Well With My Soul" knew about trials and tragic loss. 

“This hymn was written after traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the 1871 Great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago which was decimated by the great fire). His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873 at which time he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre. In a late change of plan, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone…" Shortly afterward, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write the words to his hymn as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.” (Source; Wikipedia)

This verse offers great hope:

“Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.”

Blessed assurance.

In my helpless state, I desperately need Christ's blessed assurance. In the crushing trials and storms of this life, I need to look unto Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of my faith. (See Hebrews 12:2)

So often, we hold tightly onto things in life that can be burned up by fire, or swept away by flood.

It's no wonder peace of soul is elusive to so many.

This morning, I, again, had to choose to take my eyes and my focus off of broken tree limbs and storms. Off of financial woes and worries. Off of government foolishness and folly that I cannot directly control. Away from my worldly and worthless pursuits, designed only to satisfy 'self.'

Look up.

If you worry, fret over, and focus on the storms of this life, all you will do is sink. But if you turn your heart and your focus upon Jesus—The Savior in The Storm—you will know Peace. Just ask the Apostle Peter:

“Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:25-33)

The world is in a slow downward spiral that is quickly picking up speed. It's only a matter of time until this twisted world system sinks, once and for all.

Once I have left this earth and am with Jesus, all of my property and possessions are merely firewood.

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:10-12)

It's all going to burn.

So, in your heart, let it go. Release your 'death grip' on the things that, ultimately, you cannot keep. 

Jesus said:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

The abundant life that I seek does not consist of 'things.' True, abundant life is found only in Christ. Hope, peace, joy; are in Him alone. Security is found only in Jesus. Job, money, houses, possessions, hobbies will never bring true peace, security, or fulfillment. You can lose these things without warning, in an instant.

Jim Elliot, the missionary to Ecuador, who was killed in 1956 by the natives he gave up everything to reach for Christ said:

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Jesus is coming soon. He said, 

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:37-44)

"Oh, Lord—haste the Day!"

Peter only began to sink when he took his eyes off the Lord Jesus and instead focused on the raging storm.

Look up!

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Is Your Fruit Sweet or Sour?

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” (Matthew 12:33)

Isn't it wonderful to bite into a fresh, delicious, juicy, ripe, red apple!

And it's equally awful to bite into a sour, bitter lemon.

Each kind of fruit tree is known for the distinctive fruit that it produces. Some sweet. Some very sour.

And that's how people are. 

Jesus was referring to the fruit, or 'produce' of a person's life in Matthew 12:33. Good fruit is produced out of the heart and life of a good man. Bad fruit comes from a bad heart.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35)

Just as a tree is known by the fruit it produces, so too is a man known by the fruit that is produced from his heart and life.

Consider your own life.

It could be concerning your marriage, your job, your finances, where you live, or what decisions you've recently made. What has the fruit been like in each of those areas in your life? Has it been sweet? Or sour?

Let's start with marriage. Does the way that you treat your spouse bear the sweet fruit of love, joy, peace, harmony, intimacy, long-suffering, patience, self control, goodness, and unconditional kindness?  

Or is the fruit of your relationship sour, bitter and rotten; manifesting itself as outbursts of wrath, contentions, jealousy, selfishness, abuse, and unfaithfulness?

A tree is known by its fruit.

What about an important decision you've made in the recent past? Maybe it's the job you've chosen. Maybe it's the new city you moved to? Perhaps it's a new relationship you've entered into? Is the fruit of that important decision sweet? Has it brought you rest, joy, union, and contentment? Is it a blessing in your life and to those closest to you? 

Or is it sour, and has brought you nothing but strife, stress, division, angst, complaining, and frustration?

The soundness or wisdom of an important decision we've made, or a path we've taken, is clearly revealed in the fruit it has produced in our lives.

The Apostle Paul writes of the Fruit of the Spirit - vs. - the Works of the flesh. Look at the stark contrast between the two:

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:19-26)

When you examine the fruit of your life, and the important decisions you've made, ask yourself if the spiritual quality of your life is a sweet blessing; full of love, joy, peace, purpose, contentment, unity, serving others, and drawing near to God?

Or is it wrought with the sour, bitter fruit of being malcontent, dissatisfied, complaining, murmuring, angry, selfish, self-focused and disconnected from God and the people He has placed in your life and sphere of influence?

A tree is known by its fruit.

If the tree of your life is bearing bad fruit; sour, bitter and unpalatable, make the tree good by drawing near to Jesus, and then abide in Him to where being in His presence will begin to cause you to flourish in God's love, joy, purpose and grace, and will bear sweet fruit that will bless others. 

And in so doing, you will be blessed beyond your greatest expectations.

Draw near to Jesus today and abide in Him.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:5-8)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails! 

For This Cause

“And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster jar of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:6-13)

We are really thankful to have met a very nice man yesterday, who came to our rescue and helped us out of a jam we were in. (By "chance" we locked our keys in our car). And in the course of this 'chance meeting' the three of us had a wonderful opportunity to have a thirty minute conversation together about Jesus—Who He was, and why He came to earth.

Our new friend said that he 'wouldn't believe' (that Jesus is the only way to Heaven) "until he heard from Mary" — (as in Mary who had anointed Jesus with a very costly, fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair and her tears). I thought this was a very interesting objection from our new friend, to Jesus' exclusive claim: "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me." (See John 14:6)

We know from John chapter 12 that the woman with the very costly jar of fragrant oil, who broke it and anointed the head and feet of Jesus was Mary; the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denari and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” (John 12:1-8) 

Why would Mary do this? 

A pound of spikenard was said to be worth about one year's salary in those days. "Very costly." Most likely, this pound of fragrant oil had cost Mary everything she had. To the Disciples who were without understanding at the time, this seemed like a great waste of resources. The oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Although, Judas Iscariot, who seemed the most concerned about this "waste" and who would eventually betray Jesus, was not concerned at all with the poor, but only desired to sell the costly oil so he could skim off the money bag which he carried, and line his own greedy pockets.

But Mary had given all she had, to anoint Jesus for "His burial", as He said in verse 7. So why include this act of selfless love and worship by Mary here in Scripture?

Jesus said:

"For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. " (Matthew 26:12)

The point of this is clear, and Jesus pointed this out; "She did it for My burial." But He also put it in the following context:

"Wherever the gospel is preached."

What is the "gospel?" 

First, gospel means "Good News."  So, what is this good news? And why do I need it? The Apostle Paul clearly lays out the gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4...

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received,  in which also you stand, by which also you are saved,  if you hold fast the word which I preached to you,  unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Paul also gives the clear purpose of the Gospel in Romans chapter 5, subtitled,

"Christ in Our Place."

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:8-11)

And I simply cannot leave out this passage from Paul on our need to be reconciled to God through Christ:

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

So, why was Mary's act of anointing Jesus for His "burial" so significant? And is also to be spoken of in memory of her wherever the Gospel is preached?  

It's because Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for our sins. 

Without His death, burial and resurrection; for us there would be no going to Heaven. There would be no reconciliation with God. No hope of forgiveness of our sins. No removal of the guilt and shame we feel because we know by our God-given conscience that we have all done wrong. We have all fallen short of God's perfection.

Mankind needs a Savior. And Jesus is the only One who can save, as He said in John 14:6.

"I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me."

Mary was not saved because of her "good work" of anointing Jesus. She was saved because she believed in Him; that He was the Savior, the Holy One—the only one—who could, and who would die for the sins of fallen man. 

It was for this cause that Jesus—the King of kings—came into the world:

“Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37)

If man was good enough on his own merit, simply trying to live his life as a good person, Jesus, the Son of God, would not have had to come down and die for our sins. He would not have had to endure brutal torture and ridicule, suffering pain and shame at the hands of evil men.

But we are not "good", as Jesus said:

“No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19:17)

We are saved by God's grace alone, and never by what we think are our good works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

These two condemned thieves being crucified with Jesus were found guilty of their crimes and the penalty was death. Spiritually, these two thieves represent all of mankind before a Holy God. 

One thief mocked Jesus, and cursed Him. 

But the other thief acknowledged and confessed his guilt before Jesus, and turned and addressed Him as "Lord" and said:

“And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:40-42)

And to the one condemned thief who was repentant before God and confessed his guilt, Jesus said:

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

(For the full story on the two thieves, please check out this article):  http://marriage-miracles.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-tale-of-two-thieves.html

When you contemplate who Jesus is, and what He came to teach, consider why He came and died on that Cross. He would not have come and died a horrific death for "good people" who have no need of saving. 

For this cause, Jesus died for sinners like me, and you. 

It's because we all need saving...

We all need Jesus.

For a very thorough article on what the Gospel is, please check out this great website:  

http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/new-believer/foundations-for-living/gospel.html

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.