Come Serve Jesus

In the 10th plague leading up to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, God killed the firstborn (בְּכֹר, bĕkōr; πρωτότοκος, prōtotokos) of the land of Egypt. He commanded the Israelites to perform certain observances so that he would pass over פָסַח (pāsaḥ) their houses and not destroy their firstborns. These observances included slaughtering a small flock animal (שֶׂה, śeh) and sprinkling its blood (דָּם, dām; αἷμα, haima) on the doorposts and lintels of their houses to mark it as one to be passed over. The Israelites were to eat the roasted meat of the animal with unleavened bread (מַצָּה, maṣṣâ; ἄζυμος, azymos) and bitter herbs (מְרוֹרִים, mĕrôrîm). As a result of the death of the firstborns, the Egyptians commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt. God established an annual commemoration of these events involving the sacrifice of a flock animal and the eating of unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The word פֶּסַח (pesaḥ, “Passover”) refers both to the original event (e.g., Exod 12:11) and to the annual commemoration (e.g., Num 9:4).

Passover points forward to Christ ultimate sacrifice.

This story takes place on the Saturday before Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus at this point would have been very much getting himself in the mindset for the crucifixion.

Bethany would have been about 2 miles from Jerusalem.

He is in Bethany taking time with Lazarus. What y’all remember about Lazarus? Lazarus is again someone who points to Jesus. Who points to what will come. Lazarus would have been raised from the dead six days earlier. So Lazarus had been raised from the dead not even two weeks earlier from Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus would raise from the dead 14 days after raising Lazarus. 14 in Hebrew culture means salvation.

Our day to day lives should point to God even in the small ways.

A Diner

During this time those you dined with really defined your reputation in a lot of ways. Jesus was eating with friends and disciples.

Great gospel encounters happen in everyday settings.

The Heart of Service

We see the three siblings serve in different ways

Martha served. Martha was there serving food to those in attendance. Martha served is a statement in this story that often gets overlooked. She was in the background serving. If she was not serving would Mary been free to do what she did? Would Lazarus been free to visit? No. Recognition does not define the value of your service.

Faithfulness defines the value of your service, not recognition.

Don’t get caught up in playing the comparison game. God has called you to your place not someone else. God will bless you where he has called you not where he has called someone else. Don’t let social media drag you into the trap of comparison, that is a great danger of social media.

Comparison is a distraction from the place God has called you to serve.

Lazarus reclined. Lazarus was laying around visiting with Jesus. Personal connection is important. We serve people by building relationship. The friendship is what got Jesus to the house. Relationships helps open the doors. Relationships give opportunities.

Personal connection grows the impact of service.

The more you know someone the more in depth conversations you can have with them. The more you will know on how to serve them more effectively.

Martha and Lazarus helped pave the way for Mary to give her sacrificial gift to Jesus.

Mary anointed and washed feet. Mary sacrificially washed the feet of Jesus.

How did she sacrifice?

She used a pound of nard which comes from the spikenard plant of the Himalayan mountains roughly 2,500 miles away. SO this would not have been easy to come by in this time period. It cost roughly 300 denari which would be about a year’s worth of wages. Average United States wages is 49,000. A new Tahoe base model starts around $53,000. So it would be like us giving away a slightly used Tahoe.

Then she wiped his feet with her hair. That is a sacrifice of comfort. Do you realize how dirty these people feet would have been? She was using her hair to clean off dirt and who knows what else. Serving is not always clean, serving can get messy.

Sacrifice requires discomfort.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

So Judas’ question in verse 5 was a very legitimate question. I think we would all have some variation of the question. As we get to verse 6 though we see the issue with his question, the heart behind the question. Judas was the disciple’s treasurer and would dip into the funds for himself. So 300 denari would gave him a significant amount to dip from. Ultimately Judas valued money more than Jesus.

Sacrifice in our lives shows we value God over what we sacrifice.

I believe Mary made this sacrifice solely because she felt led by God to do so. She followed God’s guidance even if it did not make complete sense to her.

Why did Jesus allow this “splurge” on his feet? What important event happens the next day? The triumphant entry/palm Sunday. Jesus crucifixion was coming and he was entering the Holy city one last time. Mary was unknowingly preparing the sacrificial lamb for the slaughter.

Serve under the guidance of God’s wisdom, not man’s.

If I am being honest in the moment I would have been going it would be a more beneficial ministry to sell the nard and feed the poor, rather than anoint the feet. Would Jesus feeding the poor with money had the impact as Mary washing the feet with the oil? No we saw Jesus time and time again feed the hungry. Instead the anointing of the feet helped one prepare them for the event sto come, but also the story has impacted us all greatly throughout the years.

Related Media

Related Sermons