What is Jesus Worth?

11:45-12:11

Last week we talked about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead

With one phrase he took what was dead and made him alive.

That’s a picture of the gospel message.

God makes dead things alive.

He gives us, who are spiritually dead, a new life.

And he offers it to all who will believe.

However, this offering of life causes division among people.

Some hate the fact that God offers life.

They hate the fact that Jesus is the Light.

They love the stench of death.

They love the death, Sin, and sin.

But most of all they hate God.

We see this most in the angry atheist on the internet.

If you ever want to see hate and vitriol just visit YouTube and search out atheist.

It’s interesting to me that they hate something that they don’t believe in so much.

But not only that this happens with the super religious people too.

They think they love go.

They think they are devoted to God.

But they are really devoted to religious superiority.

They really love their own self-righteousness.

They love the admiration and praise they get for being “good people.”

Then there are those that show love and devotion toward the God who offers life.

They are grateful.

They are willing to give good gifts.

They are willing to value God for who he is and what he has done.

How can people look at the same person, same teachings, and come up with different beliefs about him?

It all comes down to what they value?

How they value Jesus?

For the atheist and self-righteous he is only based on what they believe he can do.

For the ones who are truly devoted to him, his value is because of who he is.

In the stories we are going to look at this morning we are going to discover these two groups of people and how they demonstrate how they value Jesus.

One group is going to spare no expense to try to trap and kill him.

The other is going to spare no expense when it comes to worshipping him.

So as we look at the scriptures this morning, I want you to ask yourself do you believe that Jesus is worthy of worship?

Or do you want to be his enemy.

John 11:45–46 CSB

45 Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what he did believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

Belief

Here we begin with what I was talking about

Many believed b/c of Lazarus being raised from the dead.

But Some of them went to the Pharisees and tattled on Jesus.

Remember Jesus didn’t perform this last sign in or around a big crowd.

It was in a more intimate setting.

With the disciples, Mary, Martha, and then some of those that came to mourn Lazarus’ death.

Now their faith was built upon what they witnessed.

Not on what Jesus said or taught.

But they believed that Jesus was the Messiah the son of God.

Seeing God performing miracles, we’ve got a few here in our congregation, is not a bad place to start belief in God.

But it isn’t the finish line of faith either.

God does miraculous things everyday.

Everyday a sinner repents and gives their life to Jesus. Miracle.

Everyday the sun rises and we get to take a deep breath. Miracle.

There are miracles in the extreme and there are miracles in the mundane.

The fact that God doesn’t just wipe us all out and start over, is a miracle.

But we don’t just believe in God b/c of the miraculous.

We can’t just value him b/c of what he can do.

We must value him b/c of who he is.

Now those who believe in him after the raising of Lazarus, I am convinced that they are true believers.

And that their faith continues to grow.

And you may be asking why I believe that.

The text doesn’t tell us that they continued in belief.

That they endured to the end.

Remember what I said earlier.

This whole section we are going to look at this morning is a case study in different responses to Jesus.

And these that believe are contrasted with those who go and report to the religious leaders about Jesus.

Those who approach the religious leaders tell them what they witnessed and it lead the Religious leaders to gather and confer about what they were going to do with Jesus.

John 11:47–48 CSB

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and were saying, “What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs? 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Unrighteous Judgement

We read here that the Sanhedrin gathered and were asking about this Jesus.

It’s been a while since we talked about the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin acted as the Jewish Law Enforcement.

John 1–11 (6) The Passover Plot (11:45–53)

The Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem was generally composed of seventy of the leading priests (who were mostly Sadducees) and the revered rabbinic scribes (who were mostly Pharisees), with the ruling high priest serving as the seventy-first member who would vote to break ties in the court

They were in charge of enforcing the Jewish Laws and customs.

They valued the Scriptures, but they didn’t understand them as well as they thought they did.

They didn’t value Jesus.

Previously we are told that these leaders think Jesus is a deceiver

That he is a false teacher

and that he has a demon.

Here’s the crazy part for me.

They simply refuse to believe.

No matter how much evidence is put before them.

They even ask the Question in v. 47

John 11:47 ““What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs?”

Notice the language they use. It’s the same that John uses throughout his gospel.

Signs. Not Miracles. Signs.

Signifying that they understand that what Jesus has done is pointing to a greater reality.

That these signs are pointing to something more significant.

And yet they are too blind to see the truth.

Even the religious can be lost.

And they are scared.

They are worried about whats going to happen if more people believe in Jesus.

What is their chief concern?

Well in v. 48 they tell us.

They are afraid that they are going to lose what little freedom they have left.

That Rome is going to come in and take over.

They thought that followers of Jesus would stir up trouble and cause them to loose their power.

They would lose their influence.

And they can’t let that happen.

Caiaphas, the high priest stands up and gives a prophecy.

John 11:49–50 CSB

49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.”

Prophetic Irony

Caiaphas is the high priest at the time.

And as he cast judgement on Jesus he unknowingly preaches the gospel message.

Caiaphas suggests that Jesus’ death is a good thing b/c it will allow the nation to stay whole.

It will allow the leaders to stay in power.

It will allow for the status quo to continue.

So it’s too their advantage to kill Jesus so that things remain normal and the nation will be saved.

It is too their advantage that there is a substitute.

Notice they can’t deny what Jesus had done.

They can’t deny the healing of the lame man.

They can’t deny the opening of the eyes of the blind man.

They can’t deny the raising of Lazarus.

So rather than submit to the truth of those events and the proclamation that Jesus is king they decide that they have to get rid of him.

But much like in other sections of John’s Gospel, there is a double and deeper meaning to what is being said.

Caiaphas cares about keeping his power.

About things remaining the same.

But God was using his words to speak prophetically about what was actually going to happen.

God wasn’t interested in the status quo.

God wasn’t interested in the preservation of power.

God was interested in salvation for people through the sacrifice of Jesus.

In v 51-53, John tells us what Caiaphas’ prophecy actually meant.

John 11:51–54 CSB

51 He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. 53 So from that day on they plotted to kill him. 54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there with the disciples.

Substitutionary Atonement

John tells us there is something greater going on here.

What is that something greater, Jesus is dying not just for the nation, but for all the children of God.

Caiaphas’ words are not his own, but are given to him through the inspiration of God.

Interesting point here, even the enemies of God can be used as instruments of God to push forth his purposes.

What is Substitutionary Atonement?

This is a theological and biblical teaching that Jesus died in our place.

That his death was a substitute for ours.

We are enemies of God on the way to eternal separation from him.

Why? B/c of our sin, our rebellion, or blatant disregard for God’s holiness.

Even all of the good or moral things we can do stand before God as filthy rags unable to make us right with God.

The penalty for our sin and rebellion is death.

So all people in their sin and rebellion deserve death.

But God is rich in mercy.

He is rich in love, grace, and compassion.

So he provides a way for his creation to be restored back into relationship with him.

And he does this through sending Jesus to live the perfect obedient life that we couldn’t live.

And that obedient and perfect life was placed upon the cross to in our place.

So b/c of Jesus’ death. We can be restored.

Jesus was our substitute.

Jesus died for us And now we get to put on his perfection.

We get to be clothed with what the bible calls righteousness.

That is right standing with God.

And this isn’t for just a select few like Caiaphas expected, but for all who will be children of God.

All who will trust, obey, and follow Jesus.

John tells us at the beginning of his gospel that Jesus came to make people children of God.

John 1:12-13 “12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.”

You can be a child of God.

You can receive forgiveness.

You can be made right with God.

All b/c of Jesus.

You just need to receive him and believe him.

There is value in Jesus’ death.

In the eyes of God b/c it was the only perfect self-sacrifice that could make many sons of God.

But Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin also saw value in Jesus’ death b/c it would mean that they remained in power.

That they got to hold on to their influence.

So from that moment forward they continued to hunt Jesus down.

To put an end to the threat they believe existed.

They now continued to plot his death.

So Jesus left until his time came.

John 11:55–57 CSB

55 Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it so that they could arrest him.

Passover

We are told that Passover was near.

And with that comes a swell in the population in Jerusalem.

People from all over would come to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover feasts.

Many estimate that the population would grow from around 70k to nearly 250k people in Jerusalem for the Passover.

Let’s not overlook the significance of Passover.

Passover was the celebration of Israel as a nation.

The deliverance of the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt.

In fact, Passover was an OT picture of Substitutionary Atonement.

As a quick refresher, Passover celebrated protection from the final plague in Egypt sent b/c of Pharaoh's disobedience toward God.

The Final Plague was the death of the first born.

But God provided a way for his people to be protected.

They had to sacrifice a lamb and place the blood of that lamb on the door frame of their home.

That blood would protect them from death.

And for generations the Jewish people have celebrated that deliverance.

That Rescue.

And this Passover, John tells us about is the third and final passover of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

This is the picture that John has been painting since the beginning.

Jesus is the greater passover.

Jesus is the true substitute.

Or as John the Baptist proclaims in John 1:29 “... “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

The passover lamb was simply a sign pointing to our need for a substitute.

One who would stand in the gap and take away our sin.

Who would protect us from death.

Who would cleanse us from our sin.

Jesus is worthy of being celebrated.

He is worthy of being worshipped.

He is worthy b/c he is the lamb that takes away the sin of the world.

And we can see that on this side of the cross, but what were people thinking and seeing before the cross?

...

There is a buzz around Jerusalem.

Many have heard about Jesus.

Many probably have friends or family that have believed in Jesus.

They were curious about Jesus.

They were looking for Jesus.

Standing in the temple wanting to interact with Jesus.

Unsure if he was going to attend the festival.

Meanwhile, we learn that the chief priests and Pharisees have told people to report Jesus if they see him.

So the people are faced with a choice if they see Jesus.

Report him or keep it to themselves.

We are left in suspense.

What’s going to happen?

Is Jesus going to show up?

But the next scene we are introduced to isn’t Jesus going to Jerusalem, but Jesus at a dinner with some friends.

John 12:1–7 CSB

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it. 7 Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.

Priceless Anointing

Six days before the Passover, Jesus is enjoying a dinner with his friends.

We learn that it is Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.

Martha is busy serving the food, making sure everything is perfect.

Lazarus is sitting next to Jesus.

And then Mary is introduced.

She takes a pound of expensive perfume and John tells us she pours it on his feet.

Now there are some who see discrepancies in the retelling of this story in each gospel.

Matthew and Mark say that the oil is poured on his head and John says it was poured on his feet.

The reality is that it was probably poured on both.

It’s a pound of oil.

That’s a lot of oil definitely enough for both head and feet.

But the gospel authors are simply highlighting different things.

The anointing of the head is a signal of Jesus as the true king. The promised messiah.

The anointing of his feet is a picture of Mary’s love, devotion, and service to Jesus.

The immense value she places on Jesus contrasted against the religious leaders that wish to kill Jesus.

This jar of oil would have been sealed and would have had to be broken to be used.

Meaning that the moment the seal was broken the value would diminish.

Without hesitation, Mary broke the bottle and the whole house was filled with this beautiful fragrance.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I thought about the whole place smelling like this perfume.

When I waited tables at the Cheesecake Factory we had something like this take place.

Except is wasn’t a pleasant smell.

We had these giant jars of Tabasco Sauce that we would deliver to the tables if someone wanted some.

Well one of my coworkers accidently dropped a brand new full container of Tabasco sauce on the marble floor during our shift.

The entire restaurant smelled like Tabasco the rest of the evening.

In fact, they had dropped it near the front doors.

So whenever someone would come in the first thing they smelled was Tabasco.

It was not a pleasant shift.

But the oil poured on Jesus would have been way better smelling than the Tabasco.

Not only that, this oil would have been extremely expensive.

John tells us, through Judas, that it cost 300 denarii.

Which is the average years wage for a worker of that time.

We may look at that and see the number 300 and kind of think, well that’s not that much, sure its expensive, but hey it’s for Jesus.

I want to put it in perspective for us.

So I did a little research.

The average annual salary here in Texas is just over $57,000.

So if Jesus were here today and Mary walked in and poured 57,000 dollars worth of perfume on him, how would you feel?

You might be with Judas at first.

Do you know how many families we could have helped if we sold that?

We could have fed or supported many who are hurting or broke.

But here’s the thing.

What Mary did was more important than the worth of that bottle.

She was demonstrating how much value she placed on Jesus.

He was worth more to her than priceless perfume.

In fact, I saw one commentator make the argument that this jar of expensive perfume could have been used as a dowry or a payment for marriage.

Back in those days if you were a woman and wanted to be married, you would have to give something of great value to the father of the man you wished to marry.

This commentator argued that this could have been a dowry for Mary to get married.

She could have used it to secure her future by marrying a man of means.

But instead she used it to anoint Jesus’ feet.

She was willing to give up her ability to marry to wash Jesus’ feet.

That’s value.

She saw Jesus as more valuable than her own future.

Judas saw value in the oil.

Mary saw value in Jesus.

They are not the same.

Not only that but John tells us that Judas was a thief.

That he wasn’t really concerned with helping the poor.

He was concerned with lining his own pockets.

Judas cared more about money than he did Jesus.

He sold Jesus to the higher bidder, but that’s not where it started.

It started by stealing just a little bit here and a little bit there.

But his heart became hardened and money became his god.

What Judas saw as a waste of money, Jesus saw as a blessing.

Jesus knew his time was short.

That the hour was about to arrive.

And he saw sacrifice and symbolism in Mary’s gift.

She was anointing him for his death.

She was preparing him for his suffering.

She was also cherishing the time she had with him.

And that’s part of Jesus’ rebuke toward Judas.

The poor will always be around.

But He is about to go.

Yet, Judas did not see the value in Jesus’ presence.

To Judas, Jesus was simply a means to an end.

A prophet to profit off of.

Here’s some time for self reflection in the face of Mary and Judas.

Judas and Mary are on both ends of the extremes when we look at belief and unbelief in the Gospel of John.

Mary believes and trusts Jesus so much she is willing to lay it all out there.

Judas’ lacks belief in Jesus and his mission that he worries about money he can steal.

Do you believe or do you lack belief?

What do you find more value in Jesus or something else.

What is most valuable to you?

If Jesus asked, would you be able to let go of your job, your promotion, your bank account.

Your aspiration.

Your desires.

Your dreams and ambitions.

Do you see Jesus as the most valuable?

Do you know that his value and worth is greater than any earthly thing?

Because until you see who he is and what he did as the most valuable thing in your life, then you won’t be able to let go of what’s holding you down.

You won’t be able to enjoy the presence of the Lord without worrying about something else.

Do you value and cherish Jesus or is he simply a means to an end for you?

Do you follow him around not truly believing he is the Messiah the Son of God just b/c you want to reap the benefits?

Or are you willing to lay it all on the line for him?

Are you ready to pour out your life for him?

Are you ready to give up everything to worship him?

Do you relate to Mary or Judas?

Don’t try and deceive yourself when asking this question?

Answer truthfully.

God already knows the true answer.

If you find that the true answer to that question is that you align more with Judas than with Mary,

I want to encourage you that it’s not too late to turn around.

You’re not too far gone.

Jesus wants your worship.

He desires your love and affection.

He’s ready with open arms to welcome you.

Embrace him.

...

John 12:9–11 CSB

9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

Sin Digs Deeper

Word gets around that Jesus is just outside Jerusalem in Bethany.

and Large crowds start to gather around.

Not just to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus.

Are the stories true.

Was this man dead for 4 days and then brought back to life.

If this is true then maybe what Jesus says is true too.

It’s easy to hear tall tales, but to see Lazarus in the flesh after his death.

That’s a sight worth seeing.

And b/c of Lazarus’ life many more were Believing in Jesus.

Many more were listening to the testimony of Lazarus and trusting in Jesus.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times.

Your testimony is important.

Your testimony about how God saved you and how he has changed you will have an impact on others.

It may not cause everyone to believe, but some might.

Lazarus’ testimony of being dead and them waking up alive is powerful.

Your testimony of being an enemy of God.

One who was opposed to him and him saving you is an amazing testimony to.

Use it.

But rest assured not everyone will believe.

And people may even hate you for your testimony.

They may hate you for loving Jesus.

That’s what happens to Lazarus.

The Religious Leaders hated Jesus so much that they wanted to not only kill him, but wanted to take Lazarus down too.

Their sinful hatred and anger dug so deep that they were willing to kill not one but two innocent men.

Just so they could stay in power.

Just so others would not believe in Jesus.

Just so they could save face.

Here’s the thing about sin.

It always leads to more sin.

It always leads to more destruction.

It always has more consequences than we can even imagine.

Sin, hatred, and anger will always dig deeper than we want it too.

It will always stay longer than we want it to.

But the good news is that Jesus can cleanse us of our sin.

If we call out and believe in him we will be made new.

Our sin will be forgiven.

We will no longer be children of wrath and enemies of God, but He will make us children of God.

If you have never believed in Jesus.

Today is the the day that he is calling out to you.

He wants you to respond.

Turn from your sin and embrace his forgiveness.

If you are a follower of Jesus.

What are you holding on to that Jesus is asking that you let go of?

What can you offer to him as an act of worship?

As we partake in the Lord’s Supper and sing these last couple of songs reflect on what Jesus has done for you.

Reflect on your relationship with him.

Matthew 26:26–30 CSB

26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Lord’s Supper