Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends on this Thursday,
Have you ever seen a very honorable, generous act be totally rejected or ridiculed or maligned by selfish people wanting to cause chaos? No, I’m not talking about politics, rather in this case I’m talking about what happened at a dinner party given in Jesus’ honor by Martha, Mary and Lazarus, as reported in John 12.
Yesterday we witnessed Mary pour about a pint of very expensive, pure nard perfume on Jesus’ feet and wipe His feet with her hair as a symbol of her humility, her admiration for Jesus, and while she may not have fully understood it at that moment, her preparation for Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
But not everyone in the room was impressed or in agreement. John records the confrontation this way: “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray Him, objected. ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold, and the money given to the poor? It was worth about a year’s wages!’ 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 into it.” (John 12:4-6)
Now isn’t that interesting? Evidently John, and perhaps others, had noticed a deceitful and critical spirit in Judas, yet we have no evidence Jesus treated Judas any differently from the other disciples. Pause, is there a lesson there, in relationships with difficult people? Do you suppose Jesus was trying to teach His disciples how to deal with those who would oppose them, ridicule them, as they spoke of Jesus in the years to come? May I ask, how do you and I handle people who oppose us because we are followers of Jesus?
Jesus’ response to Judas is important for us to consider: “Leave her alone. It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of My burial. You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me.” (John 12:7,8) Do you see that once more Jesus is predicting His approaching death and burial?
Time was getting close now, and Jesus knew it, but the disciples were oblivious. Jesus was not minimizing the harsh reality of worldwide poverty. Throughout the Bible it is clear God calls His people to be aware of, compassionate to, and helpful of, the genuinely poor among us wherever we live.
But this moment was about the unashamed, outrageous, pure hearted adoration of Mary for Jesus, whom she firmly believed was both Messiah and the Son of God. Pause. What distracts you and me from unashamed, outrageous, pure hearted worship of Jesus? Is that a problem you intend to do something about in your relationship with Jesus, this year? Oh, that’s an important question for us to consider, isn’t it my friends?
While we presume Jesus said many important things to His disciples and all those present at this dinner, nothing more is recorded, in any of the Gospels, about what took place around that table. But John wants us to know what was happening in the hearts of the people outside that room.
Lazarus was a phenomenon, a walking advertisement for the unique, death defeating power of Jesus. People evidently came often to Bethany just to see this remarkable man, Lazarus, living a second chance at life because Jesus had raised him from the dead. “So, the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.” (John 12:9-11)
Do you see the darkness, the evil, that was rooting in Judas, was even more deeply spreading among the religious leaders. Their opposition to and determination to eliminate Jesus was now spreading like a cancer; to include elimination of those whose lives were reflections of Jesus! Oh my!
Is that happening in our world today? Do you see strong opposition to Jesus and His darkness penetrating truth in your city? Do you see it in the schools, in city hall, or health care providers in your city who offer abortion or gender alteration treatments? Do you see it in the movies playing in the theater in your city, or the streaming services on your TV, or websites on your computer? What does strong opposition to Jesus and His truth look like in your city now less than 3 weeks from Easter?
We need to pause here my friends. It’s one thing to SEE the opposition to Jesus, it’s another thing to UNDERSTAND its source and its effects in the lives of people, especially the younger people in your city! And what is Risen Jesus leading you and me to do about that opposition?
Tomorrow we’ll see how the people responded to Jesus the very next day in a tumultuous and spontaneous parade. For today I urge you to reflect with the “Lessons Learned” notes at the link below and prayerfully evaluate your heart and your city. What does the Holy Spirit want us to see today? A song honoring Jesus, of course, will draw our hearts to God in worship, and I’ll be here ready for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: John 12:4-10.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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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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