It occurred to me this week that it might be a good thing to post my sermon notes onto my blog. Basically, if you were there for the sermon and you wanted to remember something from it, you can skim this and (hopefully) future posts for whatever you were looking for. If you miss the sermon and actually are interested, it is available for you to read (although it does read like a very long blog post, so if I continue this, I might break it up into shorter sections).
Also, I felt like this might help jumpstart 'real' posts if I'm getting into the habit of posting on the blog. The plan is to get a post up on the Truth Endures (historical bibles collection) exhibit that we saw at the Shepherds Conference this last week, but since Kevin covers that a bit over on his blog - http://kevinhornplayer.blogspot.com - I thought I'd hold back until tomorrow or Monday before working on that.
Last Sunday night, I spoke from John 12:1-11. My Scripture reading was from Luke 18 on the rich, young ruler, who did not value Christ more than what he himself already possessed. You might remember the text as the story of the woman pouring expensive perfume on Jesus' feet. John himself references the story in John 11 before telling it in John 12. The study was meaningful to me, and however much you get a chance to read of it, I hope you are blessed by the Word through the Spirit.
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"The rich, young ruler left his conversation with Jesus in sorrow. Why? He had sacrificed both his dignity and the respect due a man of his position by coming to Jesus – a man viewed without favor by the religious establishment in Israel – and he had come running; an action considered unbecoming for a grown man, and a ruler no less.
He must have been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, or else he would not have come.
He must have been convinced that there was a heaven that men could get to, and that he was not prepared to go, or he would not have come.
And he must have been convinced that Jesus, and no one else, had the answer, or he would not have come to Jesus.
And yet he left in sorrow. Why? Because he was a man of many enthusiasms – and God was not at the top of that list.
I was with Adam at the HB pier a week and a half ago. I listened as he shared the Gospel with a young man. While this man recognized that he was not saved and also that it was something he should take seriously, he admitted with some hesitation that there were some things in his life that he was not sure he was ready to give up. His life was too fun without God. He was unwilling to repent at that time.
Does God hold first place in our hearts? Is there anything or anyone that we value more than him? If God were to take our spouse, or child, or sibling, could we say with Horatio Spafford, ‘It is well with my soul’? Could we count all things as loss for Christ as Paul urges us? John Paton did; Adoniram Judson, too.
I say this not as your superior - I am a fellow believer, striving for this in the same way you all are; seeking to put to death what is earthly in me, and exalt what is spiritual.
If Jesus is what we value above all, we can all truly say, ‘It is well with my soul’. Tonight, we return to the gospel of John, the twelfth chapter, starting in verse 1.
“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.” (John 12:1-11, ESV).
Background:
In the previous chapter, we went with Jesus to the town of Bethany, only a few short miles from Jerusalem. There we witnessed the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus, dead, buried, and in the tomb for four days. As the crowds hurried to Bethany, the chief priests began to fret – considering Jesus to be a heretical teacher – and they began looking for an opportunity to execute him.
As chapter 12 begins, it is only six days until Passover. There is some uncertainty as to exactly what day this story took place, due to the Jewish consideration of evening as the start of the new day, as well as their understanding of when Passover officially began. I think it was most likely a Sabbath dinner that is being described here; that is, the Saturday evening meal.
Matthew 26 and Mark 14 tell us that this is the home of Simon the leper – presumably Simon, who was formerly a leper and healed by Christ, although we are not told that. However, neither those passages name Mary or Lazarus.
There is a similar story in Luke 7 that describes a sinful woman pouring ointment on Jesus’ feet as she also weeps on them, and she wipes his feet with her hair.
But Luke refers to Mary and Martha by name in Luke 10 – which would make one wonder why they are anonymous in Luke 7, if it is Mary.
The story also has differences. The owner of the house in Luke was a Pharisee who was, apparently, somewhat antagonistic to Jesus – and not a leper. They are both named Simon, though, interesting enough. Simon the leper, however, appears to be a friend. And Mary is never referred to as a sinful woman. And in Matthew, Mark and John, the onlookers comment on the value of the ointment – no such mention is made in Luke 7. It is probable then, that Luke 7 is a different, albeit similar, event to the one described in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 12.
Some writers wonder why Lazarus and his sisters are here, when it is apparently not their home – unless Simon is their father, which seems unlikely. Most probably, the village being small, Simon is either a relative or close friend of Lazarus and his sisters and they have invited Jesus to a pre-Passover, Sabbath dinner.
Now, as we get into the text, we return to the question we circled earlier: How do we value Jesus?
As we go through our text tonight and meet the cast of characters, we will ask that question of them and see how they respond.
1. Mary
How did Mary value Jesus? It says in verse 2 that they gave a dinner for him, Jesus, there at Bethany.
Verse 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.”
This is a magnificent gift. I would be willing to bet that I’m not the only one who, on learning the value of the perfume, thought to myself what an overly extravagant gift this is. 300 denarii, Judas tells us, is what this bottle of perfume would have gone for on the open market, and I suspect Judas is a guy who knows pretty well what stuff goes for on the open market.
A denarius was a day’s wage for the ordinary laborer. Figuring in Sabbaths and holy days when a man wouldn’t work, Judas is basically saying: It would take one year’s wages for the common man to buy this – and that is gross income, mind you, not net. It would be presumptive of us to suggest that Mary’s family was loaded with wealth. We aren’t told that. And even if they were, 300 denarii is a large figure, no matter how you figure it out. What does the average worker make these days? 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars? Standard of living in Israel compared to America is hard to set side by side, but we can safely say that this was a princely gift.
One can understand why the disciples, let alone Judas, are amazed by this.
But in addition to the high value of the ointment, the perfume, we see something else here. Verse 3 says that,
‘[she] wiped his feet with her hair]’. For a woman to let down her hair in public in this way was extraordinarily undignified.
The disciples, we can guess, were almost certainly particularly aware of this, since they all thought so highly of themselves that not one of them was willing to take the servant’s role and wash the feet of the others in John 13. It is quite likely that they, rather than recognizing the beauty and love behind the act, looked down on her lack of dignity and wasteful use of the valuable perfume.
Yet there are two things that are true of Mary here. First, she thought more of Jesus and his honor than she did of herself and her dignity. And she valued Jesus more than the value of the perfume.
Lastly, what is particularly striking about this action is an attitude present that is almost entirely absent from the gospels, outside of Jesus himself: Mary’s action is based not on the desire to receive something back from Jesus, but it is instead based in thankfulness as she recognizes what he has done for her.
Who else in the Gospels shows kindness to Jesus with no expectation of desire for repayment? This is a thank offering. For what? Certainly for healing her brother, if nothing else. Perhaps, as she seems to recognize his death is close at hand, she also recognizes by God’s grace that he is her redeemer. That may, however, be going too far.
The heart of Mary is the heart of a child of God. She considers him worthy of highest honor, even if it requires personal sacrifice to award him that honor. That is the heart that all believers ought to have. It is what was lacking in the rich, young ruler. And we see that this heart of Mary that is inclined to God is not a recent development. Way back in Luke 10, Mary’s heart desires to be near her Lord and to listen to him speaking. Many came to see his signs and left when they heard what he had to say. Mary came to hear him speak, and witnessed his grace to her family as he raised Lazarus from the dead.
But Mary, while the most prominent player in the story besides Jesus, is not alone with him.
2. Judas
Judas Iscariot, whose name seems to be perpetually followed in all four Gospel narratives by the words, ‘who would betray him’ (as in v.4), has a key role to play here.
While Matthew and Mark do not identify a particular voice to the criticism of Mary, John points to Judas as the ringleader, or perhaps the loudest voice. Verse 5: Judas says,
“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
John 12:6 is the only time we’re given another specific offense committed by Judas, other than selling out Jesus. John tells us that Judas’ apparent piety and compassion for the poor was motivated by less than charitable reasons. Verse 6,
“He [Judas] 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.”
While we can surmise that Judas was a man who liked money more than God simply by observing his betrayal of Jesus for a handful of silver, here we are told more about him that is not surprising, looking back on the events of the Gospels: Judas was a thief.
It is a reasonable guess that Judas’ attachment to Jesus was not based on love for Jesus. There are two possible reasons why Judas tagged along with Jesus for so long.
First, as John tells us, Judas held the moneybag. Probably, Judas figured that with all the miracles Jesus did, money would come flowing in. Having gained the role of team treasurer, he could appropriate money for himself whenever he wanted to, with no one the wiser.
Second, there seemed to be a general expectation that Jesus was the Messiah. It is not outlandish to suggest that Judas expected to be rewarded once Jesus was victorious over the Romans – as was expected – and took the throne of Israel. Perhaps a high position for one of Jesus’ twelve closest companions.
It would be wrong to suppose that perhaps he started with sincere desire for Jesus. He was not a true believer. Those who are not of God have no desire for him. It is doubtful that Judas ever had any interest other than his own in mind.
Given this self-centered attitude, as all who are in the flesh have, it is not surprising that Judas is stunned by Mary’s action. This lavish gift smacks of wastefulness. For a mercenary person such as Judas, an action so selfless does not even compute to him. How indeed could it? To him, thirty pieces of silver was all Jesus was worth. Three hundred denarii was unfathomable by comparison.
Judas’ interest in Jesus was a purely professional one. He only cared about what he could get out of him. Mary was motivated by love – and no price can be set on true, genuine love. I don’t mean what a child who is clever in his own eyes calls love.
When I was young, I might well have complained when my parents declined to buy me something that I wanted in the store, “You don’t really love me!” Giving in to that kind of emotional blackmail would not have been love at all. In fact, my parents’ love for me was demonstrated by declining to give in to my every whim – and punishing me when my pleading got out of hand.
For love that is real, no price can be set on it. And even this gift, material as it was, did not compare to the true value of Jesus. Its value lay in the cost of it to Mary.
Judas, on the other hand, had no love for Jesus at all. Mark tells us in chapter 14, verses 10 and 11, that immediately after these events, Judas went to the chief priests to negotiate the price of Jesus’ betrayal.
Judas shows here an attitude far too common in all of us: Base materialism. Looking only to Jesus for what we can get out of him. Seeking only the hand of God, and despising those who see His face, as Mary does.
Mary and Judas. One a woman, the other a man. One a follower of Christ, the other a follower of profit. But they are not alone. We have more people to question; more people to ask: How do you value Jesus?
3. The Jews
In verse 9, John describes for us a new scene. Less than an hour’s walk away in Jerusalem, word has arrived that Jesus is a mere two miles off in Bethany. In chapter 11, verse 55, we learn that many have come early to prepare for Passover. This was one of the three big feasts of the year. There are many now in Jerusalem who have come from all over Israel. And Jesus, the man who called Lazarus alive from the tomb, dead and buried for four days – both Jesus and Lazarus are close at hand in this village of Bethany.
We become suspicious first when we hear that they not only want to see Jesus, but Lazarus also. Certainly, anyone who heard that there was present a man who had been raised from the dead might well be expected to show interest. I mean, how many of you have seen someone who was physically dead and came back to life? And not just a temporary heart stop – a near death experience sort of thing – I mean, dead for four days and alive again.
But we see that these people have not come to hear what Jesus has to say. They’ve come because of what they’ve heard he can do. That may seem uncharitable of me, but consider this: In six days, at Passover, Jesus will be executed. How many followers of his are in Jerusalem then? Not many. The people actually ask that Barabbas, a murderer, be released to them, and Jesus crucified.
It is likely that most of those coming here are Lookie Lou’s: Surface level believers who look to Jesus to solve their surface level problems. They don’t look for anything deeper in him because they’ve never looked for anything deeper in themselves and, subsequently, are totally oblivious to their root problem – spiritual death.
The one who came to set them free from sin is right here, and all they care about is being set free from Rome. The one who is the Resurrection and the Life is ready to bring life to them, but all they want to see is the one brought back to physical life – Lazarus.
Do we ever lapse into this mindset again, from which we have been redeemed and set free? Do we ever look at our behavioral problems as merely a discipline problem, and not as a discipline problem that stems from failing to keep our gaze fixed on Christ?
Do we ever see our problems and needs, our burdens that we bear, as God’s means of growing us into mature believers? Or do we see them as simply needs that must be met and problems that need fixing?
Do we look to ourselves as the savior of each day, the one who gets us through each day? Or do we recognize that God, and God alone is our Supply – that all our ills find their cure in Him. He provides what we need each day. And if we do not have what we need, it is not truly a need. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:19, after proclaiming that God protects us in fullness and in want, he says,
“My God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Look beneath the surface and you will find the pearl of great price. He is worth selling all that you have to obtain him. The rich, young ruler would not pay that price. He was taken with the things of this world, and as they burned, so will he – so will all who follow that path.
4. The Chief Priests
Finally, the Chief Priests. You remember last Sunday in John 11:53 that they were making plans to kill Jesus. Now, in verse 10, they reappear, “[making] plans to put Lazarus to death as well.” Why? Verse 11, “Because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”
To me on first glance, this is absolutely stunning. I mean, okay, you want to kill Jesus. He’s speaking out against you, criticizing your leadership, and judging your zeal for God. But Lazarus? I mean, he was dead and now he’s alive. You think if you kill him, you can pretend it didn’t happen?
My first thought was: Even in a chapter in which a girl uses up an extraordinarily valuable bottle of perfume in one sitting, this right here is the most shocking verse of the chapter.
But as I reflected on it, I realized that is not true at all. From a human standpoint, this response by the chief priests is exactly what we should expect.
In the first place, not having been there, they probably doubt whether he was ever really dead. They no doubt believe this was a stunt orchestrated to expand Jesus’ prestige. Now, as long as Lazarus is alive, he’s like a living, breathing, rallying point for Jesus. From their perspective, Lazarus is exhibit #1 that Jesus’ followers can point at as a reason why you should follow Jesus. Thus, just as Jesus has to go, so too does Lazarus.
Secondly, man in his natural state is at enmity with God. Man is in rebellion against God. The priests’ response is totally in line with what we would expect from one who rejects God, or at least, God as he really is, not as these men understand him.
It is what we see in the parable of the vinedressers in Matthew 21: The story of history up till that point. God appointed some to watch over the vineyard, his people, Israel. They rejected God’s ownership of the vine as well as his lordship over them, and they killed and abused his servants – rejecting all who came in his name.
Finally, he sent his Son, and as Jesus foretold in that chapter, so we will soon see. They will kill him also, because they hate God – not the manmade god that they have reimagined for themselves, but the true God: The God whose law they despise and whose commandments they may obey outwardly, but never in their heart.
Such were we. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together in Him. Just as Lazarus was called to life by ‘The Logos’, the Word made flesh, we too have been called to spiritual life by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever. It is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, and it pierces even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intentions of our heart. No one, it says in Hebrews 4:13, is hidden from his sight.
Conclusion:
Jesus died that we might live. He has set us free from sin and death by his own death on our behalf. He in our place was accursed and left alone, and we in his are embraced and welcomed home.
Do we value Jesus Christ? How do we value him? Does he hold first place in our lives? No sacrifice is too great for him. I give of my money to him through the church so that ministries can do the work of God, but do I give my time? How much of my time am I willing to give? All of it, if he asks it? Or perhaps I’m willing to serve, but tight with giving my money away – "I’ve already given of my time, why must I give my money?" If he convicts our heart, what will we give?
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Each day I strive to understand better what that means.
Do I value God for who he is? Do I ever stop to reflect on his majesty; his glory? Or do I consider that time wasted? Judas would agree with that. Mary, I suspect, would be more than willing to stop and just consider God and his glory with us. Martha considered Mary to be making poor use of time in Luke 10. Yet what did Jesus say? While certainly, we all have responsibilities, and we must do those, do we make time for God, to be with him?
My weakest and most earthly days are those when I do my own thing and either skip time in the word and in prayer, or do them half-heartedly, not sincerely – although it is better to be in the word half-heartedly than not to be in it at all. Cultivate a love for God. Meditate on God – our fear of men and our unwillingness to do what he commands, whether in evangelism or in serving in the church, is usually directly related to our relationship with God.
In John 6:25 through the end of the chapter, Jesus commands us not to worry about our needs in this life. Why not? Verse 33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
This is the essence of Christianity – seeking Jesus Christ above all else. This is the framework upon which our personal faith and practice is laid. Without it, we’re left with a confused mishmash of platitudes and commands without purpose.
Seeking God, putting him as the most relationship of our life – so easy to say, yet so hard to do – that is the single most important thing we can do in our life. And really, when we think about it, that is what we will be doing for eternity in heaven. If being in God’s presence does not excite us now, why should the prospect of heaven hold any joy for us? In closing,
“1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal…”
“22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:1-11, 22-23, ESV).
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