John 12:1-9 (NIV) 12 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.”
Do you find the actions of Mary appealing or appalling? Do
you regularly experience the bountiful life God wants for you? I invite you to
go with me on a visit to the home of Mary and Martha to see and feel what
happened that day and to remember that it can happen to us as well. It was
probably a Sunday or Monday when Jesus and His disciples made the trip to the
small village of Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. This was the place
where Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. They came to the house of Lazarus
and his sisters Martha and Mary. Martha had prepared supper and that was her
way of expressing her extravagant love for Jesus. Meanwhile Mary was sitting
listening to Jesus. Suddenly, without explanation she dashed to bring into the
room a jar of very expensive perfume, and she began pouring the perfume on
Jesus’ feet and spreading it with her hair. Though perhaps shocked or
surprised, everyone breathed in the fragrance of Mary’s extravagance, except
Judas, who pointed out that the perfume could have been sold and the money
given to the poor.
Judas was not really interested in the poor, and partly
because of his greed Judas did not get the message of Mary’s act. Her act was
not a wild, reckless deed. Rather, ointment was what was used to anoint kings.
Mary was saying and showing in the most complete way she knew that Jesus was
her king.
It may not be greed that keeps us from seeing and
appreciating Mary’s act. Maybe it is other insecurities of life, or the sheer
lack of faith in the generosity of God towards us. So we find the spirit of
Mary appalling? Are we alive with energy, extravagant with emotions, totally in
love with life? And if we find the spirit of Mary appealing which kind of
anointing do we need to give Jesus?
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope April 1,
2001
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell
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