Untitled Sermon (15)

The Gospel of John

John 12:1–11 ESV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

The passion week begins in verses 1-8 and we see four people that we see over and over throughout the Gospel. We have Lazarus, Martha, Mary, and Judas . So imagine yourself for a minute, you and your siblings are at home, and its just y’all for a second. And Jesus is there, and while we don’t know all of the nature of jesus with lazarus we do know that he considers him to be a friend in John 11:11

John 11:11 ESV

After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”

So your home with your siblings, and your siblings friend comes over, and it Jesus, you know that he has raised your loved one from the dead and so you know the power that he can do, and who he claims to be, He sits down in you house, what are you doing in this situation.

We have Mary of Bethany, and what do we know her for doing throughout the gospels?

sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Luke 10:38–42 “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

she is sitting and listening while martha served

John 11:32 “Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.””

she fell at his feet in anguish over Lazarus

John 12:3 “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

NOW not only is she at the feet of jesus but she is anointing the feet of Jesus and wiping them with her hair,

Would anyone like to clean my feet with thier hair? Ruthie, addie, phoebe,

There is some major significance of the phrase “wiping it with her hair”

The hair of woman is her glory, 1 Corinthians 11:15 “but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.”

So cleaning the most filthy thing feet with the most precious thing, the most glorious thing in her hair demonstrated humility and reverence.

And she is cleaning her feet with ointment made from nard which is a root, and it cost 300 denarii, that is 300 days wages, That is taking almost my salary, and putting it perfume. Due to the high cost this perfume had probably been in the family for some time and was only used in small portions as a perfume or special occasions, but she took a pound of it. which doesn't sound like alone but it is.

Here is one takeaway, There is no demonstration of love to extravagant for those who truly understand the majesty of Christ.

We see this similar scenario throughout all of the gospels. the book of Luke 7:37–38 “And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.”

so if we use this, we understand that This sinful woman, posbably mary had this alabaster flask of oinntment.

and in the pharisees house, she interrupts the meal by washing his feet with her tears drying them with her hair and anointing them

In matthews Gospel and Marks it happens 2 days before the passover in the home of Simon the leper. The unnamed woman pours the ointment over Jesuses head and it symbolizes his anointment for burial

Matthew 26:12 “In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.”

Mark 14:8 “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.”

This event also foreshadows Jesus washing his disciples feet a few days later in the book of john.

In lukes Gospel, the account demonstrates a lesson on forgiveness and love,

Luke 7:47 “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””

In all of the gospels this anointing points to the eminent death and burial of jesus. eminent meaning famous.

The other character that we have is Judas, and his reaction in the moment says this about whats going on , “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

So really quick I want to challenge you, are you mary? bringing the most precious belonging you have to your Lord? always at the feet of Jesus, hanging on every word?

we see judass heart begin to turn here and listen Money can be a great tool for God but it can be a great coruptor, and you may sit there and think Josh I don't have any money, but maybe you place your value in all of the things that you have

And then we have lazurus, who is sitting at the table with Jesus,.

And what a tremendous honer to be at the table with the king, and the testimony that he has is that he was dead and now is alive. and its only through the power of Christ.

Because of him many people have believed and come to faith.

So which person are you.

Are you martha,

A servant with a servant’s heart? always busy working fo rhte lord sometimes at the expense of your own walk with the Lord

Are you mary, someone in love with the lord, at the feet of Jesus contiually, sacrificing the best of what you have because you Know he is worthy.

Are you lazarus, a living testimony, your life and your choices shout to the world that jesus is the truth the way and the life,

Or are you judas, a critical criticizing the other 3 because you don’t like the way they do things.

As we were talking last week about one at time, right one scripture at a time,

This week our one at time theme turns to one service at a time. and one service for jesus,

The dropout rate for young adults accelerates with age, the study found.

While 69 percent say they were attending at age 17, that fell to 58 percent at age 18 and 40 percent at age 19. Once they reach their 20s, around 1 in 3 say they were attending church regularly.

When you look at the kids that come to the college ministry, that here on sundays, for instance paul weatherford,

paul serves and theyve asked him to be deacon at his church, if you look at ryan who sings in the choir every week, he sings as a service to God but ryan sang at his church. Serving is not for people to notice us, its for us to notice God and I just got to call you young guys out that arent serving, passing around a plate on sunday is servign, and nobody gives a hoot about you passing around that plate, or if you feel like you can serve by singing in the choir, then sing, or if you feel like you can serve by helping with the nursery than do that, or with the band. But don’t make the excuse no more, because I don’t want to. Love God through you service because service is worship.

How could Mary’s act of worship been seen as wasteful? What was the perfume valued at and why do you think she’d have something that expensive? What clues does our text give us about Judas’ devotion to Jesus? Would the outside observer know this at the time? (How would someone in Jerusalem at the time think of Judas? Have you found yourself criticizing the way someone has expressed worship for God? What was that like and why do you think you went there in your mind or heart?  What are some ways we can cultivate or grow in our worship of Christ? For example, Mary’s act of worship is likely tied to genuine gratitude for what Jesus did for them and her awareness of that.