The Anointing

Easter  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  48:16
0 ratings
· 143 views
Files
Notes
Transcript
John 12:1–11 ESV
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 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. 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?” 6 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. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” 9 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. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

Introduction

We can read this same account in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9 leading us through the events of the day. But what had Jesus been doing prior to this? In Matthew 20, we find Jesus telling the disciples His purpose for going into Jerusalem.
Matthew 20:17–19 ESV
17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
He knew His ministry would soon be coming to an end, and as He prepared, He also prepared His disciples. Before this point, we find Jesus in Galilee at the time of the Feast of Booths (held the 15th day of Tishri, which is mid Sept to mid Oct). This time is rich in Christs ministry of teaching and parables - He is wanting to get the most out of the time He has left. But it was also a time when the Jewish leaders were seeking to kill Him. He avoided the Feast of Booths in Judea for this reason. We then see Lazarus is ill, and Jesus is summonsed to his side, to heal him. We all know that Jesus arrived in Judea, but Lazarus was already dead for four days. This was past the time of three days that the Jews thought the spirit stayed around the body and could come back to life. In the eyes of the Jews, Lazarus was dead dead. But the simple words of our Lord “Lazarus, come out” brought him back from the dead. From that time forward we see Jesus traveling from Judah to Ephraim, to Samaria, to the edge of Galilee, east to Persia, and south to Jericho - all the while teaching and performing miracles - healing 2 blind men, speaking to Zaccheus and seeing him converted, offering truth to the woman caught in adultery, and now raising Lazarus. While we do not know the exact time frame at each location, we now see Christ returning to Bethany - to eat with the resurrected Lazarus, Martha, Mary, and the former leper Simon - 6 days prior to Passover, which is held the 15th day of Nisan (March/April). For 6 months after Lazarus had been raised from the dead, we see Christ’s ministry in overdrive. Now, He is preparing all those closest to Him for His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus wanted them all to know His ministry personally, and to prepare for what was to come.

The Dinner

John 12:1–3 ESV
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 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.
As we know Jesus has been busy in the time leading up to the Passover, now we have a time frame that tells us six days before the Passover, Jesus returns to Bethany and visits with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. We are told in Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3, that they were at the house of Simon the Leper, who was by tradition, and it seems to be supported by scripture, the husband or father of Martha. In either of these instances, we know the house was large enough to entertain Jesus and His disciples. A and while Jesus was in Simon the leper’s home, Mary anointed Him. Notice the significance, Jesus was with Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. He was preparing for the upcoming Passover, a time of remembrance of the sparing of the Israelites in Egypt, knowing He would be the Passover Lamb who would take away the sins of the world - and that those who believe in Him will be spared the consequences of sin.
Other sacrifices were to be made. Martha is serving the household. Making sure all is going well with the serving of food and entertainment. But we see a different sacrifice in that Mary, loving the Lord with all her heart, mind, and soul, gave a gift out of the purest form of love for Jesus. She had been the one that had accused Jesus of waiting too long and neglecting her family when her brother was sick and died.
John 11:32 ESV
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.”
Here, we see a repentant Mary. When we define repentance, we see two movements - a movement away from sin, and a movement to God. Mary had turned away from the selfishness and self centered accusation she made towards Christ and now makes a sacrificial gift. The ointment - 12 ounces of perfume or oil, valued at 300 denarii, was poured on the feet of Jesus. When we look at the expense, a denarius was a days wages for labor, so a years wages was poured out. According to the Preachers Outline and Sermon Bible, perfume was one of the most precious things to Eastern women. Mary was taking her most precious possession and giving it to her Lord.” She honored the Lord as the anointed One. Notice what the ointment was made from - nard or spikenard, a perennial plant whose aromatic root was used for perfumes. While it was considered prized and rare, used by priests and kings as anointing oils, it was also used as a preparation for burial.
Matthew 26:12 ESV
12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.
Mark 14:8 ESV
8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
Mary, having heard Jesus outline His last days, reverentially anointed the head and feet of Christ, knowing the He would soon endure suffering and death.
How often have we read scripture, and say we understand the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf on the cross, only to do like Mary and question Him when things don’t go our way. We ask Him why things did not go our way, when we know He can fix any problem we have. We understand His power, but lack the understanding of His will. Mary found herself in this same situation, but notice her response. She chose to repent of her sins and return to Christ. When she did so, though, notice that it was not a joyous occasion, but one of criticism and questioning.

The Question

John 12:4–8 ESV
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?” 6 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. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
Judas, the treasurer (chosen by Jesus) is the first to raise the question, “Why”? Notice this is the first words we ever hear from Judas, and it was a contemptuous question “Why was this expensive ointment wasted?” While those were not Judas’ exact words, in asking why it was not sold and given to the poor, He insinuates that Jesus was not WORTH such an extravagant gift. Judas was not worried about the poor, He was robbing from the treasury and was greedy - seeing what HE lost by it being used on Jesus feet.
Jesus rebukes Judas, telling Him that it was done as an anointing of Him before his burial. He reminds Judas that there will always be the poor, but that He would not be with them much longer. There is no doubt, Judas had already turned from Jesus. In the verses leading up to these, we find in the gospels that the Pharisees had already sought to put Jesus to death. After Mary gives a great gift, Judas gives the ultimate betrayal. Notice that unwarranted criticism is a sign of hypocrisy - Judas acted as though he was concerned for the ministry, but had another motive.
One thing we see in Mark 14:4-5 is that the other disciples join in on fussing at Mary. Isn’t it hard when we see people who should be representing Christ critical of worldly things and then see others pick up on the criticism even when they don’t know the full reason why they are being critical? It’s easy for evil to infiltrate our nation, our state, our localities, even our churches and our lives and get carried away supporting things that are not of God. Jesus knew His appointed time to die. However, we never know the day, hour, or minute that our end will come. We must care for those Christ calls us to care for, but we can never take for granted the need to accept Jesus as our Savior, to follow Him, and to do His will for our lives because there is a constant threat to those of us who follow Him.

The Threat

John 12:9–11 ESV
9 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. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
Notice just the word of Jesus being in Bethany brought a stir to the crowds of Jews. They had no doubt heard of this man Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. They wanted to not only see the one raised, but the one who had the power to raise him! How many people who sit in pews all over this world today come with half-sincerity? How many come to church because it is the thing to do, it is the social place to be, it is a place where maybe they get recognition and honor, or maybe they come to get their weekly “God Credits”, or come to church just because it seems like the right thing to do. Maybe they come seeking something, but cannot see clearly what God wants them to have. Because of this, they get a worldly attitude, they get a wordly view, and they lose sight of why they are there, and who they are truly there to worship.
Oh church, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we didn’t come to church looking for something that we can get from God? Too often we treat church like a grocery store, coming to pick out what WE want instead of being happy with what we are given. Maybe we, too, come to church to see the great signs and wonders that could be done?
Matthew 12:38 ESV
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
Instead, what if we viewed our salvation as being raised from the dead and desired that ALL of those heard of this miraculous transformation would want to also know the one who had the power to raise them! How much difference would our personal witness, and the witness of our church be if we allowed God to change us so radically that others WANTED to seek us out so they could see the miracle God had done in our life?
Luke 11:49–53 ESV
49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” 53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things,
Because of this miraculous transformation - the dead raised to life again, the leaders sought to kill Lazarus along with Jesus. Notice the decision to kill Christ came from the chief Priest - Caiaphas - the highest religious leader of the time. The very person who should have been leading others to Christ was seeking to destroy Him. Now, they were after Lazarus too. Why would the religious leaders deliberately try to destroy them? “Many” of the Jews were beginning to believe in Jesus. The impact He is having on the nation was tremendous - and it affected the religious leaders.
Church, turning back to God and going out and telling others about the saving grace of Jesus is not an easy road. There will be opposition, and even attempts to silence us. But we must remain steadfast and do what we are called to do - so that “many” may seek out Jesus, turn from their sinful ways, and believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Conclusion

Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more