Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends;
Today begins Palm Sunday weekend around the world. One week from today is “Good Friday”, the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus. Now I wonder how significant Palm Sunday and the days which followed, leading up to that Easter 2000 years ago, are today, considering the headline events happening in your world and mine this Easter season 2024?
We’ve been following Jesus and His disciples over the past week or so, as they’ve been making their way toward Jerusalem for Passover, as recorded in the Gospels in the Bible. While all four Gospels have accounts of Jesus sharing meals with His disciples and friends, today let’s join them in John’s Gospel chapter 12, at a very special “Palm Sunday eve” dinner, being given in Bethany, with Jesus as the guest of honor. Bethany was a small town only about 2 miles east of Jerusalem, just over the ridge of hills called the Mount of Olives, filled with groves of olive trees covering these hillsides. Bethany was home to some dear friends of Jesus and His disciples, Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
Of course, the miracle Jesus had performed in Bethany a few weeks before had created quite a stir and people often found themselves drawn toward the home of Lazarus and his sisters, just to catch a glimpse of Mr. Lazarus. Why? Well, how often do you see a grown man, going about normal life, when only a few weeks ago he was dead and had been buried in a tomb for several days!?
John tells us Martha was busy serving this big dinner party, of course, and Lazarus, her brother, was at the table along with Jesus and His disciples. Word had spread and many people had come and were peering in the windows, anxious to catch a glimpse of Jesus and also Lazarus, the man raised to life by Jesus. (John 12:9) At one point in the evening, Mary took a break from working with her sister Martha, and came to Jesus with a jar of very expensive perfume, and poured it on the feet of Jesus, then wiped His feet with her hair. (John 12:3)
The fragrance was powerful and filled the house, overpowering any smell of food or other odors. Suddenly the noisy conversation around the table stopped, with all eyes on Mary and then Jesus. What was happening here? What did it mean? Judas evidently broke the silence with a skeptical, even sarcastic comment which reflected the growing darkness in his heart: “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth about a year’s wages!” (John 12:5)
Everyone paused, held their breath, wondering what Jesus would do or say? John gives us this editorial comment: “Judas 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 in it.” (John 12:6) Evidently Judas had a reputation among the disciples of Jesus. Have you ever thought about the costs for Jesus and 12 grown men disciples to travel the countryside together for several months? We know from Luke 8:1-4 that often some women, and even others, walked along with Jesus and His disciples caring for their needs, which we presume meant, among other things, shopping for food and preparing meals for them. The funds needed were evidently kept in a money pouch which Judas carried for safekeeping, but he was known to be dishonest.
Jesus broke the silence: “Leave her alone, it was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of My burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.” (John 12:7,8) Once more Jesus gave a glimpse to His friends of the agony which was heavy on His heart. With each passing hour, the horrificness of next Friday was rapidly approaching and Jesus knew it all too well. It was the ultimate purpose for which God the Father had sent Jesus, God the Son, to earth!
Yet these around the table with Jesus had no idea, even though Jesus had several times made His approaching death very clear to them, remember? (Luke 18:31-34) Now, once more, Jesus uses this powerful moment and the overpowering smell in the room to remind them of what they refuse to believe… death, and the spices and perfumes used to wrap a dead body, would be HIS experience very soon!
Lazarus was sitting at the table with them. I wonder if all eyes turned from Jesus to Lazarus? Only a few days ago he had been very sick and the sisters had sent a messenger to find Jesus. But despite the urgent message, Jesus remained where he was a few more days, and Lazarus died. The sisters in their deep grief had wrapped Lazarus’ body with spices and perfumes, and buried it in a cave outside town. Several days later Jesus finally arrived at their home, but much too late. Amazingly Jesus had made no apology for His delay, but said God would be glorified through this and He asked to be taken to the cave/tomb.
Shocking everyone Jesus had stated: “I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me will live, even though they die…” (John 11:25,26) Then Jesus had requested they remove the stone from the opening of the cave. Martha had objected declaring there would be a bad odor for Lazarus had been dead nearly a week! Instead Jesus prayed, then shouted for dead Lazarus to come out of the cave. And a dead man, Lazarus, all wrapped in burial cloths, came out of his tomb, alive! No one could explain it, but also no one present that day could deny what they were seeing!
Now a few weeks later those very same people are sitting around the table, looking at Lazarus eating a meal! He looked healthy and well, and he was! Hearing Jesus again predict that His death was near, and the smell of perfume filling the room, was a repulsive, even offensive idea. They refused to believe that soon Jesus would be dead and His body wrapped with spices and buried. Everyone looked at each other all wondering what could be done to prevent such a travesty? But there was one big difference between Lazarus & Jesus.
It would not be an illness that would cause the death of Jesus, it would be the barbaric rejection of the people and especially the religious leaders, who would demand His execution. Not for any crimes, but simply to remove the presence of Jesus, God the Son, from among them. Now before we shake our heads in disbelief, I ask you to look closely at your city, your country, wherever you live, my friends. Do you see evidence of the same effort? Is Jesus and His message being pushed out or welcomed in your society? And what is the result when God is pushed out of politics or entertainment or education or health care or business or even the family?
I imagine everyone had lost their appetite, despite Martha’s delicious cooking. Laughter had turned to disbelief and maybe even confusion as they pondered the smell in the air and the words Jesus had spoken. Why would Jesus, with His unlimited power, allow such a disaster? How could anyone who had heard Him speak or watched Him love people, or witnessed the miracles, possibly turn against Jesus and call for His death? It seemed beyond preposterous.
After a while the smell of perfume dissipated. Mary went back to helping Martha, the men began reaching for the food again. Finally, after dinner was over and everyone had laid down to rest for the night, I wonder if Jesus took a walk, alone, out into the quiet night and looking up at the stars, did Jesus have a very important, maybe prolonged conversation with His heavenly Father? Oh the importance of the next few days… for every living human being of all time! Let’s think about that. What was Jesus thinking that night, the eve of Palm Sunday?
Perhaps this worship song is a reflection of your heart and mine as we consider the significance of that night and what awaited Jesus…
Today’s Scripture: John 12:1-11.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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