Misc. - "All To Jesus" - John 12:1-7

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welcome! excited to preach!

illustration..

Question.

1. The Cause for this Dinner

They had come together to celebrate. Why? Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead!

a. The Satisfaction at the Dinner

Lazarus was alive!

Imagine the room… everyone had to be so satisfied.

Mark and Matthew tell us this was at Simon the Leper’s house.

by speculation Jesus must have healed him, too.

i. Some were Satisfied by Association

Look what He has done for my friend, brother!

ii. Some were Satisfied by Participation

Look what Jesus has done for me!!

b. The Service at the Dinner

Luke 10:38–42 KJV 1900

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Martha was busy serving.

This time, however with true joy.

c. The Servant of the Celebration

Almost one-half of John’s Gospel is given to this last week. Matthew used more than 33% of his Gospel to cover that week, Mark nearly 40% and Luke over 25% — to seven days of Jesus’ entire life.

2. The Components of this Deed

Illustration.

It may not seem like much.

but it’s roughly 11.5 ounces. Think about this much.

What do you need to notice?

a. The Description of the Perfume

John 12:3 KJV 1900

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

i. A Pound

This is roughly 11.5 ounces of perfume.

ii. Purity

“spikenard” - word we get that means “Genuine, faithful, and pure.”

only used one time in the Scriptures.

Here’s what’s so cool about the Lord, He knows what’s pure.

Genesis 1, God set the standard of pure and good. Cain and Able both offered an offering, but only one of theirs was what God desired.

iii. Price

“very costly…”

b. The Devotion of this Partisan

What was this act an act of?

I have about 5 moments in my life where I’ve been utterly speechless.

Where I found myself thinking, “how remarkable.”

1. When Hailey walked down the aisle.

2. When Beckett was born

3. When Baylor was born.

4. When my dog ate our wedding cake

5. The solar eclipse back a few years ago.

This act, had we seen it, was absolutely remarkable.

i. Remarkably Submissive

She lets her hair down. Women in this culture would let their hair down for a couple of reasons:

a. Worship

b. Mourning

ii. Remarkably Sacrificial

This was her inheritance… her security… her safety net.

roughly $60-80,000.

iii. Remarkably Shocking

iv. Remarkably Sensational

It filled the room.

I saw middle and high school boys throw “axe bombs” at camp.

First of all, if any of you parents are adding “Axe spray” to your walmart pick up order, shame on you.

how did it get to this point, though? Like how did Mary get to this point of devotion?

In all of this, Mary is a study of devotion to Jesus. “The life of Mary is painted for us, in three memorable pictures, in each of which she is at the feet of Jesus.” (Erdman)

Luke 10:39 : Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and learned.

Luke 10:39 KJV 1900

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

John 11:32: Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and surrendered.

John 11:32 KJV 1900

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

john 12:3: Mary anointed Jesus’ feet and honored Jesus.

whatever I can do, whatever i can bring, whatever I can say… I bring it to honor you!

3. The Clarity this Displays

It’s amazing that from a story like this, we can truly see the heart of each one at the table.

out of Judas’ heart came accusation and anger.

Out of Mary’s was admiration and awe.

What can we learn from their reactions.

a. Pure Admiration

This wasn’t fake. This was real!

True worship - that is ascribe worth to something - isn’t concerned with what other people think.

She didn’t defend herself.

She didn’t cause a scene.

She didn’t pout.

She didn’t react to them… why?

She was caught up in His presence!! She was caught up in awe of who Jesus was.

You see, out of Mary’s heart was admiration and awe, but out of Judas’ heart was accusation and anger.

b. Petty Accusations

What does Judas do?

John 12:4 KJV 1900

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

John 12:5 KJV 1900

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

He expressed his anger. He expressed how insignificant Jesus really was to him.

Illustration of Rawlings looking at our hands and not our face.

When we had something he wanted he was fixed on what he could get, and not who was present.

Judas was so caught up in what he could earn from Jesus’ hands, and not interested in what he could experience by knowing Jesus’ heart.

c. Personal Advocation

1 John 2:1 KJV 1900

1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: