Love with all you got

Love with all you got

John 12:1-11

September 15, 2024

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All throughout human history there have been examples of devotion and self-sacrifice. Many of these acts of heroism are never recorded on the pages of the history books but that does not mean they are not there. I would argue, kids, if you wonder what self-sacrifice is, look no further than the ladies who make sure you're dressed for church, have food on the table, and question that your homework is done.

Today I want to ask about another devotion. The title of today’s sermon is “Love with all you got.” I chose that because no matter your age, we get distracted and give our devotion away as if it is cheap. We are devoted to everything but the one who deserves it.

The issue that many Christians have is that we say we love Christ. We say that we are excited to be His followers but, I am trying to imagine to what level we love and why? Yeah, we love Him, we say we love Him but do we? If so, where does this desire for love come from? What is the source of this love?

In today’s passage, we read of a devotion to Christ that is courageous, costly, humble, and extravagant. I was thinking about the word devotion and concluded: that true devotion is a response.

Devotion means religious fervor, prayer, or private worship, the fact or state of being dedicated and loyal.

To this point, John 1-11 Jesus has been publicly preaching, teaching, and healing. From 1-11, John is recording three years of ministry. Now, from John 12 to 21 we will be looking at a week and a half, better known as the passion week.

In this passage, we find our Lord at dinner with the man whom He raised from the dead, Lazarus. With Him, we know that Martha, Mary, and the disciples are there. Thanks to the other Gospels (Matthew 26:6-13; Luke 7:37-39; Mark 14:2) we are given more detail than what John chooses to record. All four gospels record this and complement each other in harmony.

We learn from the other Gospels that Martha is serving (a form of worship and devotion to Christ) and a true representation of her personality. Lazarus who is sitting next to Christ, demonstrates devotion by being at the table with Christ (not surprising). We also learn that this account is not in Lazarus’s home. Martha is serving in another woman’s kitchen. They are in Simon the Leper’s home.

We also learn some interesting things about Mary. She was a “woman of the city” meaning a woman of great sin. John records her anointing just Jesus’s feet, but the other accounts include His head and feet.

This single act of devotion is recorded for us by providence. It is here for a reason to teach us what true devotion is and what it is in response to. Let’s see how devotion is demonstrated and defined.

1. Devotion is Courageous.

Vs 3 “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment.”

To understand a person’s courage, we need to understand the person’s situation. It is easy to be courageous in a country that tries to guard free speech and freedom of religion. But, historically, Mary was not blessed like we are. Look at 12:1 of chapter 12:

Vs 1 “Six days before the Passover, Jesus thereforecame to Bethany…”

Remember what we spoke about last week? This was just a very short period after the “council” had determined to kill Jesus and at the end of our passage today, her brother Lazarus. Did you catch the word “Therefore” in that verse? We need to see why it is there for. It links what happened in 11 to 12.

In those days, anyone associated with a condemned man should be very afraid. What’s worse is that Mary was openly showing great and courageous devotion to a man who stood in opposition to the religious leaders! She no doubt counted the cost, and it was 100% worth it to her.

John 11:57 “Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.”

In our country to harbor a fugitive is jail time. In her time, it could be death.

John goes on to explain the cost of following Christ in our passage today. As we talked about last week, when a reprobate mind is set on the expedient approach of self-preservation, truth is the target. Look down at the last several verses of chapter 12:

Vs 10 “So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well.”

So, you are going to kill the man that Jesus already raised from the grave? I can’t interject my opinion too much, but it seems dumb to me. I bet Lazarus was like, sure, do it…I know where I am going. It is obvious that they would stop at nothing to end the devotion of Jesus’s followers. Mary’s action took great courage and forethought.

(Riding story with John D. I have another crazy story) Even the pastor couldn’t get the courage to change the course of the conversation.

But, John did. He did it awkwardly but did it! He had courage. We often come into situations where courage is needed to act. Mary counted the cost and did not care. Her action of devotion was out of devotion, not self-preservation!

2. Devotion is costly.

Vs 3 Mary, therefore, took a pound of expensive ointment made of pure nard…”

Do you all know what the average yearly salary for residents in Idaho is? The average wage for a single person in Idaho is about $59,000 +/-. Now imagine you make that much money a year and you go and instead of using your income for living, food, and rent, you go and buy a 1-pound jar of perfume. Logically, I would argue that this would be a bad financial decision.

The content of that one jar was “pure nard”

“Spikenard had a strong, distinctive aroma, similar to an essential oil, that clings to skin and hair and continues to give off its perfume. It was also thought to have medicinal properties. According to Eastman’s Bible Dictionary, spikenard “is the root of an Indian plant, and symbolized the very best in ancient cultures the way that “Tiffany diamond” or the “gold standard” does to us.”

We can assume that Martha, Lazarus, and Mary came from great wealth by Lazarus’s funeral account and maybe here. But we need to be very careful about assuming that they had a lot of money. Even if she did, this costs. This was not something to lose, waste, or throw away. True devotion is never cheap.

In great devotion, cost was not an issue. She gave humbly and gave lavishly.

3. Devotion is humble.

Vs 3 “…and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.”

No one, not even a servant was expected to perform the act of washing another’s feet. Only the lowest slaves would stoop to that level. Thanks to the other accounts, we know that Mary anoints His head AND feet as a foreshadowing of His death and burial.

Mark 14:3 “A woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head[1]”

This verse will come back to us later but look at the completeness of this account. Thanks to Mark and John, we see that His head was covered AND His feet. It was a humiliating and public action by Mary. It was not just courageous and costly, but humiliating to think that you would cover a man’s feet and use your hair and tears to wipe them clean.

When we read about Mary in scripture, she is in a very typical posture for her. She was always at His feet. Think about this, Martha complained that Mary was at Jesus’ feet in Luke 10:39, and when He came into town to raise Lazarus, she fell at His feet (11:32). Now where is she? Yep, at His feet again! Why? Her devotion was completely humbled.

Mary is a great example for all of us, and where our heart should be...submission to our LORD and to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

My question for all of us is, when was the last time you humbled yourself before anything but what culture paints as worthy? When was the last time you humbled yourself at the feet of Christ? Her posture is one of true worship. Worship is not sound only, but posture, and humility of heart. Mary chooses wisely humble worship. Where are you in your worship?

Worship comes when we recognize who He is and who we are in comparison. Mary understood both. She knew Him to be the salvation of the sin that characterized her and her life. Her act of worship is a result of who He is and what He did. He forgave such a great sinner. Our devotion must mirror this to be called devotion! The more extravagant the worship, the more recognition of its need.

4. Devotion is extravagant.

For this point I need you to look at Mark 14:3

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head[2]

I want to make sure we understand her actions.

1. She broke that flask/bottle. There was 100% commitment at that point. There was no saving any, holding any back or reserving for the sake of prudence. She broke it, committed to the action, and would not stay her hand in extravagantly showing great devotion. If you look at how John records it in 12, it makes it sound like Jesus said she reserves some. That is not the case. The Greek renders it “Or leave her alone; she intended to keep it” for this! Meaning, its going to be used, all of it now.

2. She used her hair! Allow me to tell you culturally what she did there was scandalous and many of the religious leaders would have had a field day with this! Many judgmental accusations would have flown. For a woman who was married to let her hair down in front of any other man other than her husband would have been viewed as cheating on her husband. A single lady doing this would have been stoned for this action. Pure devotion like Mary’s was viewed as scandalous. Pure devotion today will gain the same types of responses.

By Mary doing this with her hair she was completely and intimately opening herself up to the judgment of only One, Him. She was completely and openly showing her 100% devotion and commitment as a wife would to a husband. In a nonsexual way, Mary was giving all that she could to show her love and devotion to her Savior. I would argue, her actions here are the greatest form of worship on that side of the cross.

It is no wonder that the petty, and the self-righteous respond the way they do. You see, true devotion always draws a response. It is usually driven from jealousy and envy. It is hatred because it is too exclusive and narrow.

5. Devotion is hated.

Vs 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

Interesting how true devotion is responded to by those who don’t get it. A little context here is important. Look how John describes the “man of perdition”. John has no problem describing the heart of Judas. But even in that, John understood that Judas had a role in this great plan of redemption of the lost.

John does a great job showing us the difference between belief and non belief. Oh, Judas had devotion, but his devotion was for self. We should be very careful not to hate this man. Allow me to explain the source of his devotion.

a. He was devoted to his own identity: self-preservation was his primary focus. He only wanted the $ and the status. Our society celebrates this doesn’t it?

b. He was devoted to his own sin: What he thought he was concealing of theft and betrayal came out in the end. Sin makes us think we can hide our sins, hide our passions, and hide our desires only to be revealed soon. Our sin will always collect on the debt. Numb 32:23 speaks to sin in hiding always being found out.

c. He was devoted to self-preservation: Even in the end, instead of going to Christ, the source of forgiveness, he hung himself once he saw the fruit of his betrayal. Self will always rob devotion from the one who deserves the devotion.

2 Corinthians 7:10 “10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death”

Grief or sorrow here refers to sorrow that is according to the will of God and produced by the HS. True repentance cannot occur apart from Godly sorrow. But, sorrow of the world (all people have a conscious, even Judas) only produces death. Human sorrow is unsanctified remorse from getting caught leading to shame, despair and depression and in the case of Judas, a quick stop with a rope.

All three of these descriptions stand in opposition and in stark contrast to the actions of Mary. No part of Judas demonstrated devotion to the one who could have saved him. By not recognizing Him for who He is, the neutral heart is the heart that hates Him.

You see, there is no neutrality with devotion with regard to Christ. We cannot be both devoted to self and Christ because they are fundamentally opposed to each other. We must act contrary to how Judas and the many others who claim to be followers of Christ do when they rob Him of devotion.

We may never have the opportunity to anoint him with a year’s salary in perfume, but we do have the opportunity to worship Him as directed: with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

6. Love Him with all you got.

My desire today is that each of us love like Mary did. While pouring oil out, tears matched the droplets rolling down dusty feet. She wept as she recognized the gravity of her sin in light of her salvation from that sin.

Do you know what makes this action so remarkable? It could not, would not, and will never start without knowing the one who she anointed. This is a RESPONSE to what and who He is! You will never know this level of devotion and love unless you know the level of love and devotion God has for you! The source of all this:

1 John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.”

God is love means the sacrifice of the One whom God sent to pay the great cost of her and your sins. God is Love, means God recognizes that you cannot pay your penalty of sin so He sent Him who knew no sin so that, in love could save you.

You will never know this level of devotion and love unless you know the level of love and devotion God has for you! When you know the depths of your sin, the cost of your sin, the weight of your sin, the pain of your sin, the ugliness of your sin, then and only then this type of devotion is reasonable.

There are people in this room who demonstrate this type of devotion. You can tell by listening to them pray, watching them live, and seeing how they are wrecked but not immobilized by their sin. All the while they are showing others the path to the one who takes sin away. Their lives are a representation of Matthew 22:35-39

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus is quoting Deut 6:4. It is not a new command, but a summation of all commands. In Mark’s account an extra word, “strength” is included. Meaning, it underscores the completeness of the kind of love you and I must have.

It goes back to devotion. If we are devoted, we don’t just offer up our heart, and strength while holding back our soul and mind. No, devotion is like Mary, all in, courageous, willing to pay the cost, humble, and extravagant! True devotion recognizes that because of the weight of our sin, there is nothing else that will do except all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

As I conclude, allow me to ask, are you devoted like Mary? How would you measure your devotion to Jesus? It all goes back to those three words I left you with last week. You can answer my question on your devotion by describing your: Time, Talent, and Treasure. If those are not devoted to Christ, then you are not acting like Mary but instead showing devotion to self.

Look at how Jesus responded to a person committed to self back in our passage John 12:7

Vs 7 “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor, you will always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Because of her act of devotion and worship, she is remembered throughout eternity. By the way ladies and gentlemen, we need to learn from this woman of devotion. Yes, gentlemen, a woman is showing us how worship is done. May we all learn from her! Mary’s actions are a demonstration for all men and women as to how to prioritize our time, talent, and treasure.

For us dudes, this action would be really hard. But, we can’t hide behind masculinity for the sake of being male. Her loving act will never be forgotten. Her name and act of devotion will be remembered wherever this Gospel message of salvation is given.

Unbeliever aside:

Maybe you are here today and the idea of showing devotion to anyone is completely foreign to you. I would argue you only need to open your calendar, and checkbook and see where you invest your talents to see if you are devoted to something. I would argue you are devoted to something, yourself.

You see, what caused Mary to do this was that she saw her talents, treasure and time were in opposition to the God who made her. Instead of standing in opposition to her Creator, she recognized the gravity of her rebellion and God’s Loving and unbelievable act of Grace by sending His Son to remove the cost of her sin.

When confronted with that sin, she fell to her knees. This is where we all have to get to. One must hit bottom before you look up. Are you still holding on to your own righteousness? Unbeliever, I pray that you recognize the cost of your rebellion from the One who made you! And when you do, call out to the name of Jesus! Confess your sin and repent! Come to the foot of the cross and be forgiven.

But how you may ask? Recognize you are a great sinner, recognize that He is Lord (love Him with your mind) then realize there is no other way for your brokenness, you are destitute (your heart), then commit the outcome of your salvation to Him (your soul) and finally, follow Him with all you got physically (your strength).

Church, the greatest showing of Love that Mary could demonstrate is nothing to the Love that He offers on the cross. No man or woman can love as Jesus does. But, we can be devoted and love like Mary shows us how. You can love with all you got. Love courageously, without regard to cost while being humble and extravagant!