The Anointed Priest

Sermon Text: John 12:1-11

Snowbird

Operation Shoebox

Sermon in a Sentence: We Must Prioritize Jesus above all and point others to Him.

Introduction-

I want us to start this time thinking through sacrifice.

When has someone sacrificed for you?

How did it make you feel to know this person gave up something for you? Something they loved, wanted, or needed.

Is it easy to sacrifice for others?

Division #1: Jesus Followers Sacrifice Greatly for Him

EXPLANATION

As we continue to talk about sacrifice what does it mean to sacrifice for Christ. What does that look like. I want us to look at this scripture.

John 12:1–3 “Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

The life of the Christian is about real sacrifice. About losing the things that we love for the sake of knowing him and drawing close to him.

This is what is pictured here with Mary. She takes a lot of very expensive perfume and she “anoints” or basically rubs this oil onto Jesus as this great sign of love and respect. And on Jesus’ feet (which are nasty from travel). And she uses her hair. The cleanest purest part of her she puts to the dirtiest part of Jesus. What a picture of love and sacrifice. Very sacrificial.

It helps if you understand what this oil means to people. It is a source of fat and wealth. It is used for just about anything. Fuel for lighting, nutrition, etc. If you had oil or the ability to make oil, you were wealthy. And so she takes out a years worth of wages

Think about that, when we get married, they suggest to men that they sacrifice how much on the engagement ring? 3 months salary! This is a years worth of oil

It is this great gesture of humility and offering.

ILLUSTRATION

I can’t think of a greater sacrifice than that of parenting. You think about what all you sacrifice when you have kids. You give up money, time, the things you want to do, the shows you want to watch, the hobbies you want to do. LISTEN when you become a parent, you never sleep again. At least like 18 years, you don’t sleep.

But you sacrifice greatly for your children out of this great love that you have for them.

APPLICATION

So what does this look like in the lives of the believer? Well you go home tonight and find some oil…NO! we can’t rub Jesus’ feet with oil today. But how do we sacrifice for him?

We give up the things that we want for him. We sacrifice our time, our lives, our efforts, for him. To serve him humbly

Some of you are already beginning to experience the sacrifice. A friend comes up to you and says, we are gonna go do XYZ, come hang out with us. And you know you can’t. And so you tell them, and you see that little thing inside them. And you know you won’t be thought of the same way by them again. You are sacrificing your image, your popularity, your friendships for the king.

Division #2: Jesus Follower Prioritize Being with Him

EXPLANATION

John 12:4–8 “But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.””

Judas criticizes Mary and her sacrifice. He claims that he would do better things with this money. But really we see that he is just interested in stealing it. He was being deceptive and a thief.

How does Jesus protect Mary in this moment? What does he say to her?

Judas if you truly interested in the poor, which I know you’re not (he doesn’t say this but he knows it), you will always have them. But you will not always have me.

He has been telling them that soon he is going to go away. He is going to be crucified. And then he won’t be with them. But she is doing this gesture in recognition of the time spent with Christ.

Its about prioritizing this time she has with him.

Followers of Christ, prioritize being with Him. And let me tell you, that people do not understand this. THINK THIS THROUGH WITH ME.

Judas did not understand this priority while Jesus was in the same room.

We tell people that we are missing out stuff we could be doing today because we are spending time with Jesus and they are like what. You are spending time with Jesus—the guy who died 2000 years ago. Yeah, I’m spending time with Jesus.

I’m spending time with his body when I go to church.

I’m drawing close to his spirit when I worship and pray.

And as we learned last week when we serve and do unto the least of these, we do to Christ.

But many people in our lives just arent going to understand this. They are going to criticize our actions and try to convince us that the sacrifice isn’t worth it.

ILLUSTRATION

In the book of Matthew there is an analogy made about God’s kingdome being like a hidden treasure (Matthew 13). A man finds it in a field. And then in his joy he goes and sells all he has to buy that field.

The field seems not to be in high demand.

But to him, its worth sacrificing everything he has just to draw close to it.

APPLICATION

Most of us may say the opinions of others don’t matter, but our actions prove otherwise. We want to be liked and respected. We may desire to always put Christ first, but it’s tough when people we love ridicule us for it. We have to remember Christ was also ridiculed, and He understands our emotions. Jesus defended Mary’s actions. When we prioritize Christ over everything else, we know it makes God’s heart swell with joy.

Division #3: Jesus Followers Help Other Believe in Him

EXPLANATION

John 12:9–11 “The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.”

So we know from this story, that Jesus has gathered with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. And so a large number of Jews see, that it is not only Jesus, but Lazarus who had been raised to life.

People are curious to see Lazarus in person, and to see this miraculous healer. And so as we see these three persons and the disciples spending time around Jesus, prioritizing him and sacrificing for him—we see that that draws people to Jesus.

So much so that look in the story here. Not only were they going to keep to the plan to kill Jesus, but now they plotted to kill Lazarus as well.

Here is the point! No one was safe around Jesus. This is why the disciples fled when they took Jesus into custody, because to sacrifice and prioritize him meant danger for the them.

And the reason why is because when you are around Jesus, people can tell. Acts 4:13 “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”

We live in this new life. It ought to actually be NEW. So we live our lives in that knowledge that what we give to Jesus not only rewards ourselves, but also rewards others. People are watching your life even when you don’t realize it. They are seeing how you live in the newness.

ILLUSTRATION

Like Lazarus, what about you shows that Jesus has given you new life?

APPLICATION

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He was a walking testimony of new life. But we are too! Believers have been raised from spiritual death through Jesus. We’re also living testimonies of God’s mercy and goodness, but we often walk around as if no change has occurred. If God has made us alive in Him, then our lives should scream “I’m new!” This should be evident in our attitudes, the way we speak about others, our language, the way we treat others, the way we handle pressure, and so on. We have new life in Christ, and it’s proof to others of the gift Christ offers them as well.

Conclusion --

Finally, let me close by giving you this scripture. Matthew 19:29–30 ““And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”

What we lose for Christ sake we gain in the next life. This is why we can’t lose. Anything we sacrifice to the king is gain. Anytime we prioritize him, its gain, And when other watching us come to him, its gain.