Real or Pretender: A Heart Exposed 

Mark 14 invites us into a moment where devotion and deception sit at the same table. Mary and Judas both encounter Jesus, yet their responses reveal two very different paths—one of surrender and worship, the other of calculation and control. This passage exposes the heart—what we treasure, why we act, and where our lives are headed. As we study these verses, the goal is not simply to identify Mary as “good” and Judas as “bad,” but to honestly ask where our own lives line up. Am I responding to Jesus for who He truly is, or for who I want Him to be? Am I living as a real disciple—or only pretending to be one? 

In what areas of life is it easiest to look like a disciple (pretend) without fully trusting Jesus?

 

Two Disciples, Two Responses: Mary and Judas 14:1-21

1) Value / Treasure (Ps 73:25; Matt. 6:19-21; Phil 3:8)

What we place the highest value on in our lives shapes our priorities and choices. Those values will inevitably be revealed in our actions. Mary and Judas reveal two very different treasures.   

How does Mary demonstrate what she values most? 

How does Judas demonstrate what he values? (John 12:6, 13:2) 

Men don’t do what they say they believe; they do what they value. If someone followed me around 24/7 for two weeks, what would they conclude about what I value most? What competes with Jesus for the highest place in my life?

2) Motives (Psalm 139:1, 23; Prov. 21:2; Acts 1:24)

Two people can look similar on the outside while being driven by very different hearts on the inside. God doesn’t just see our actions—He sees the heart behind them.  He knows our motives. As genuine followers of Jesus it’s vital for us to examine not just what we do, but why we do it.

 What insights do we have into Mary’s motivation? (Lk 10:38-42; Jn 11:32-33) 

What motivated Judas? 

What practical steps help me regularly examine my motives and guard my heart?

 

3) Legacy (Matt. 25:21,23; 1Pet 5:5-6; James 4:10; Jn 17:22; Prov 29:23; Acts 1:16-19)

Mary and Judas both walked with Jesus, yet their legacies could not be more different. Mary’s devotion honored Christ, and Jesus ensured that her act would be remembered. Her lasting legacy is built not on proximity to Jesus, but on sincere obedience and love for Him.

What is Mary’s legacy? (Mk 14:9)

What is Judas’ legacy? (Mk 14:21) 

My direction, not my intention, leads to my destination. What destination am I heading for? Is the trajectory of my life heading towards nearness to God and exaltation from Him?

The Lord’s Supper (New Covenant) Instituted 14:22-25

As the people gather in Jerusalem to observe the Passover, Jesus shifts the focus in the upper room from the celebration to Himself. He reveals that He is the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover first established in Egypt, offering Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Exodus 12; John 1:29, 36; 1 Peer. 1:18–19).

Where do I see Mary’s heart in my life? Where do I see Judas’s? And what might Jesus be inviting me to surrender today?