On The Road With Jesus: Mary

On the Road with Jesus: Mary Anoints Jesus

John 12:1-11 (Matthew 26:6-13 & Mark 14:3-9)

April 7, 2019

I hope that you have enjoyed listening to this series as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It is important for you to know that in writing these messages that I have given each person a back story. If this was a movie it would say, “Based on a true story.”

Each of these people have a story, Lazarus, the leper, the Rich Young Ruler, Zacchaeus and today Mary. I did however use some creativity with all of them. Their interactions with Jesus, those are from scripture. It is important that you read the actual story from the Bible, especially if you have children. It is important to know that we really don’t know if Zacchaeus was bullied as a kid. It is important to know that as a tax collector he was hated and despised by his fellow Jews and for Jesus to talk with him much less ask to go to his house was out of the realm of what was normal and accepted.

Today we hear the story of Mary. Not Mary the mother of Jesus but Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. This is not the first time Mary is mentioned. There is a previous encounter with Jesus. Martha forever the servant and Mary spending time at the feet of Jesus.

Jesus was definitely familiar with this family. They had a bond for sure. It was just weeks previous to this that Jesus had raised Lazarus. Passover was approaching. Jews from all over Palestine would be making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Jesus had come through Jericho where he had encountered Zacchaeus and Blind Bartimaeus. He was now very close to Jerusalem and was reunited with this special family.

This morning we hear from Mary as she encounters Jesus again on the road to Jerusalem.

On the Road with Jesus: Mary Anoints Jesus

John 12:1-11 (Matthew 26:6-13 & Mark 14:3-9)

April 7, 2019

The swing of emotions that I had experienced over those several weeks…..well, I’m not sure I can even put words to it. It kind of all goes back to when Lazarus got sick. He got sick and then he got really sick. His fever was so high. We had tried everything we knew how but he was just not getting any better.

We hated to send for Jesus because it just wasn’t overly safe for him to be so close to Jerusalem. We just felt like we didn’t have any other choice. He didn’t get here in time and my brother had died. In fact he had been dead for 4 days before Jesus got here.

I knew that Jesus could have healed him if he had been here. I had never expected him to bring my brother back from the dead. I mean, really, who does that except for God alone. If there had been any doubt before that Jesus was the Messiah, it had been erased. So many that had witnessed what had happened now too believed!

I guess Jesus sensed that it wasn’t safe because he left pretty quickly. Over the next couple of week there was always someone asking to hear the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Wanting to hear from Lazarus what it was like to be dead.

Lazarus didn’t really have any recollection, all he really remembers was being sick and then hearing Jesus voice telling him to come out of the tomb. All, however marveled at the fact that he was dead and Jesus had raised him to life. We gave all the glory to God and we were quick to point out that we were sure Jesus was the Messiah.

There were others however that wanted to know where Jesus was. We were pretty sure that they were wanting to turn Jesus into the authorities. We weren’t totally sure where Jesus had gone other than we had heard he had gone north.

The Passover was coming up and everyone was already in Jerusalem or on their way. There was so much talk about Jesus. So many people were hopeful that Jesus would show himself again. Some wanted to take him into custody and others were waiting for the Messiah to become a leader that people would follow. Tensions and emotions were running very high by so many people.

As the Passover approached we knew Jesus was coming back. We heard about him coming into Jericho and eating and staying with a tax collector. I’m sure that upset plenty of people. A servant had come to us from the house of Simon the Leper who had arranged for Jesus and his followers to dine there. He wanted us to join as well.

The dinner was being held at the house of Simon the Leper who was obviously no longer a leper but one of many who had been healed by Jesus and now knew that Jesus was sent from God and he wanted to honor all the Jesus had done for him and for us.