Annointed

Good morning and welcome to another week of church here at the Bridge. I am so glad that we can join together and worship this morning. It is hard to believe that Easter is only a couple weeks away. This is always a great time of year and it is a time of year that as a Christian we look forward to. It is a time of year to celebrate and be reminded of why we gather together there this morning. Each year that i preach around this time of the year i am always challenged by what to preach on. You don’t ever want to be stale. This time of year and Christmas. It is kind of the standard messages about Jesus and the cross. How do we present them in a unique way. That though always reminds me of the beauty of the scriptures. The Word can speak no matter what even if we have heard the same stories year after year something new jumps out. This morning i want to look at a great story about Jesus and his ministry and the leading up to his death. Turn with me to John 12:1-8

John 12:1–8 NIV

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

The Background

Such a great passage of Scripture. It is a powerful story of the love Mary had for Jesus. I think this morning though I want to make sure we set some of the context for this passage. It wasn’t long before this that we see the story of why Jesus decided to go to Lazarus home. Chapter 11 begins with the death of Lazarus. One of the most famous stories about Jesus because i mean come on he brought someone back from the grave. This story was also powerful because it wasn’t like Jesus came and did CPR on Lazarus. It wasn’t an immediate “ressurection” that we may see in today’s modern medicine. It was four days later. In a time where they didn’t preserve bodies like we can.

John 11:38–39 NIV

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Lazarus, Come out!

Jesus commanded him to come out, and sure enough the man who was dead came out. Alive and well this man who was buried and dead for four days had returned. Can you imagine that scene. It is amazing to think of the power of who Christ was in that moment and the Glory of God was shown.

This of course lead to a big problem for Jesus. Many Jewish people who had come to visit Mary and Martha saw what happened and they believed in who Jesus was. Some other people went and told the chief priest and the Pharisees what had happened. This is where the plot to Jesus starts and he is forced to move in secret. He had to withdraw because he knew that it wasn’t his time yet. That is where the story picks up when Jesus comes to Bethany where Lazarus was from and to the home of Martha and Mary. I can only imagine the tension that had to be in that room. Jesus was a marked man at this point. There was no denying that. I also imagine that his disciples where worried about him. Lazarus, Martha, and Mary had to know the dangers of having Jesus in their home at that moment. Yet, would you really deny entry to Jesus. Their brother had been risen from the grave and would there be truly any other choice but to hold a dinner in honor of the man who had done that.

A pint of Perfume

Perfumes and colognes are funny things. They can drive people wild when they catch a whiff of that one smell that they find pleasing. Angie is guilty of this when i put on cologne. I don’t often do it mostly because I forget I have it. I can take this little bottle out and i can Spray it on and I know she enjoys it. It is special. it is also expensive. This one bottle which is only a couple ounces can cost me up to $50. Yet, because I don’t put it on often it last a long time.

Mary was about to do something similar for Jesus. She took this expensive perfume and anointed Jesus with it. She didn’t use just a little spritz of it. No she broken open a whole bottle. and poured it out. If she was using my cologne she would have just spent about $200. In those times the scriptures tell us that this perfume was a years wages. What an extravagant gift.

Quality Gift

The quality of the gift that she gave in this moment was something that stood out to me. It was an amazing gift that she gave and it was a costly one. She used the best perfume to bless Jesus. As he was nearing the end of his ministry she poured out the quality ingredient and everyone in the house shared in the smell of this perfume. As he was nearing the end it reminded me of the beginning of his ministry. It is very fitting that this expensive gift that really was a marked moment to the end of his ministry reflects the beginning of his ministry.

John 2:9–11 NIV

9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Revealed Glory

The quality of the wine revealed who Jesus was. Just like the glory of the miracle of bringing Lazarus back from the grave revealed who Jesus was. Mary didn’t deny it. She knew in that moment that Jesus was probably not going to be around much longer. He was a marked man. She thanked him and blessed him and anointed him with a gift of such quality that all could smell it and experience it in that house.

Judas’ Righteousness

Than Judas spoke up. He made a statement that made him seem like he was a very righteous man. “what about the Poor”. Why wouldn’t we sell this extravagant gift to take care of the poor? I mean come on that just makes practical sense.

I Found this reaction to be an interesting one. I thought about what would happen if we put this into today’s world. I honestly think that there would be people who would have the same reaction. Why didn’t we take care of the pour. Even in the presence of Jesus they would still be focused on those who have less. I thought about this for awhile. Was it bad to think about the Poor? Now i know you might say well Judas was skimming funds that's why Jesus was saying this. Really think about this though. Jesus wasn’t saying we ignore the poor or that we don’t care for the poor instead he was using this moment to recognize the gift that Mary used to honor him. He recognized the cost, and the meaning behind this expensive gift. She loved Jesus so much that she was willing to pour out a years wages to honor him.

Judas sought to gain access to that wealth and also to make himself appear righteous because he was “focused” on caring for the poor. Mary instead showed her love for Jesus by anointing him.

Loving Jesus

Many of us want to claim that we love Jesus. I would like to think that I would be willing to sacrifice an entire years wages to honor him. That is a powerful statement of love and commitment to him. I hope that i can do that. However, i realized there was something more here that I knew i didn’t wan to do.

I don’t want to be found being like Judas.

I don’t want to be found using words to appear to be righteous but never require any sacrifice of myself to appear to honor Him.

If God called me to sacrifice i hope that i would be willing to follow after him and seek to honor him. I know that is a difficult thing. that sometimes he asks us to give of our time, money, and resources and that can be a stretch for us. However, i know that I always want my actions to reflect that calling. I don’t want to be the one who stands back and says, “We could have done this or that” and look down on those who may appear to be wasting resources trying to honor God.

This time of year reminds us more and more the cost that Jesus paid on the cross and this story calls to mind that beginning of story of Jesus death on the cross. It is in the powerful fragrance of the perfume that i hope that I recognize that Jesus was about to die. Not just because he was a great teacher, or performer of miracles but because he is the Son of God come to this earth to pay the price for our sins. For that we are truly blessed.

Let us Pray.