John – God Speaks!
Did Jesus go back to Bethany to visit the man he raised to see if any had any side effects from being dead? Nope. Lazarus was raised to full life…as before.
Can you imagine the victory dinner Martha must have prepared, celebrating the resurrection of her brother to full life? She must have pulled out all she had to host the One and Only who raised her brother from the dead. What she doesn’t fully realize yet is that Jesus will die soon in payment for all the sins of the world. Jesus, himself will also be raised from the dead after three days.
Mary seems to know the heart of Jesus. She gives Jesus herself. She “anointed” his feet with precious perfume, saved for a person’s burial ritual as was the custom. Mary gave up her oil from a heart of love for her Master, Friend and soon to be Savior. Did THIS Mary know all the significance of her act of love? Probably not at the time.
When Mary is criticized by the crooked bookkeeper of the band of disciples, Jesus tells everyone in the room the real significance of Mary’s sacrificial act. Jesus had told them what will happen to Him in Jerusalem a few times, but they still cannot wrap their heads around the fact that He will die after torture as the supreme sacrifice for sin.
“You will not always have Me” says Jesus. He want them to understand.
The crowds learn that Jesus is there. They not only want to see the One who brings people back from being dead. They want to see the proof in Lazarus.
Fickle crowd. Many will soon turn from Jesus to the words of the shiny clothed religious elite who want to rid themselves of the Son of God.
Are we fickle in our belief, faith, walk, love of Jesus? What draws us away?
Do shiny trimmings, bright lights, busy shopping to get that special thing for someone else who is doing the same for you draw us away from Jesus who came to earth to save us?
How can we spiritually “anoint” our Lord today?
–Accept, believe in Him with no turning back.
–Be kind and gracious, showing mercy to mankind.
–TELL His story of redemption by our changed life…Sometimes use words.
–LOVE as if your very lives depended on it.
John 12, New Living Translation
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9 When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11 for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.
Believe in Jesus. Desert the world and it’s thinking.
“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” –Jesus
LAST THOUGHTS…
Lazarus will die an earthly death once more before being raised again to life eternal with Jesus. We all must die but we don’t stay in that condition if we believe and live for Jesus now.
Broken and spilled out…Mary’s representation of what Jesus will do for us.
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is good to revisit what you have done, are doing and will do in our lives all because of your resurrection from death to life forever. Thank you for saving our souls. Thank you for making us whole again. Thank you for working on us and through us to develop in us your characteristics. I love you, Lord with all that is in me.
In Jesus Name, Amen
