Morning Message Text: John 12: 1-8
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
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.”
Morning Message:
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. (John 11: 33) We will focus on true devotion this morning, but before we do, I would like for us to look at our Savior and see some of the reasons why he is deserving of our devotion. In our Lenten devotional for today we read this from the author, Henri J. M. Nouwen, from his book, Out of Solitude. “We forget that Jesus did not give food to the many without having received some loaves and fishes from a stranger in the crowd; that he did not return the boy of Nain to his widowed mother without having felt her sorrow, that he did not raise Lazarus from the grave without tears and a sigh of distress that came straight from the heart.” It is hard for us as humans to minister to those who are grieving. We offer our sympathy, and it comes straight from our hearts, but it is hard for us to fully empathize with them. In many cases we have not been through the same kind of loss that they are suffering so we are not familiar with their feelings. But Jesus knows and feels our deepest pain and sorrow. Jesus became fully human so that he could sympathize with us. He has shed tears; felt the pain of loss. He fully understands and empathizes with our pain and sorrow and struggles. In our times of loss and brokenness, our Lord is there, surrounding us with his comforting touch and healing power. This is what I pray for the families at every funeral service: to know and receive the tender care of Jesus.
As we look back at the story of Lazarus, we can see why this family was so devoted to Jesus. They were not just casual followers; they were true believers and disciples of the Messiah. Jesus spent time in their home on several occasions, and they were so close that when Lazarus dies, they sent word to Jesus. Maybe it was simply to let Jesus know of his passing, but I think that it was much more. It was with the belief and expectation that he could raise him from the dead. If you go back to John chapter 11 verse 21, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. She had so much faith. There was no doubt in her mind that Jesus had power over all things, even life and death. True devotion starts with unwavering faith. We must stop for a moment and consider how we measure up to this standard of faith.
I like this section of scripture because it gives us a timeline. This is the beginning of Jesus’ last week before his crucifixion. There will be celebration and glorification, dedication and denial, worship and betrayal, pain, and suffering. This may be the last relaxing, peaceful occasion of Jesus’ earthly existence. Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany. The dinner was given in honor of Jesus. Martha served; this was her gift; she loved to serve, and I am sure that having the opportunity to serve Jesus was her way of showing her true devotion to her Lord. If you have the gift of serving use it the way that Martha did. Don’t feel like your gift is overlooked or in some way less special than others. You will see in the upcoming chapter, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples as an example of how they should serve one another. It is the person who serves that is blessed, and every disciple is called to serve. This may come easier to those of you who have this gift. You are lucky because everyone else must work harder to catch up. The only mention of Lazarus is that he is reclining at the table with Jesus. I’m sure that the celebration probably had a lot to do with his resurrection and maybe he was simply entertaining the guests. This was a dinner in honor of Jesus in order for this family to show gratitude for the wonderful miracle that Jesus performed in bringing Lazarus back to life. Showing gratitude is different from devotion. It can lead to devotion, but it is not a substitute for it.
Then we have Mary. She was humble and teachable. As she demonstrated, it is more important to be occupied with Jesus than to be occupied for him. In the Hebrew culture, to sit at someone’s feet means to learn from that person. The idiom describes submitting to another’s teaching, authority, and ways of life. Mary showed her love for Jesus by positioning herself at his feet other times as well. In Luke chapter 11, verse 32, we read about Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him and her sister Martha being upset because Mary wasn’t helping her. Remember that Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part. We learn to worship Jesus with a sensitive heart when we follow Mary’s example of spending time at his feet. When we take this approach, real, fruitful ministry will follow. If you want to be used by God spend time learning at his feet.
Mary was also generous—she took the most honored part of her body, her hair, and used it to clean the lowliest and dirtiest part of Jesus, his feet. Mary’s own brother had died, but instead of using her costly perfume for his burial, she had been saving it for the day of Jesus’ burial. What a picture of worship and sacrificial devotion! She lavished her most precious possession on her Savior, showing her complete submission and love for him. This was her true devotion to her Savior. True devotion doesn’t just happen. It grows out of a deep sense of love and an unwavering trust in someone that is unquestionably greater than you yourself. Mary planned and saved for years, not for something that she might gain or some love that she might be shown in return, but to honor her Lord and Savior after his death. This is true devotion. This must cause us to consider our priorities in life.
In Christ’s Love and Peace
Pastor Bob
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