A Study of the Book of John
“That You May Believe”
Sermon # 32
“Love’s Devotion”
John 12:1-8
Chapter eleven ended with Jesus going with Martha and Mary to the tomb of their brother, Lazarus and there miraculously restoring him to life. Since Lazarus had been dead for four days there was no denying that he was really dead. The resurrection made the religious establishment more than a little nervous. As we begin John chapter twelve we come to the final week of our Lord’s earthly ministry. The crucifixion is barely a week away.
As we look at this story we again see the family of Martha and Mary and Lazarus. The occasion is a celebration dinner “a thank you Jesus” dinner for Lazarus’s resurrection. Mark tells us (14:3) that it was given at the house of Simon the leper. As we join them we see three different people motivated to express their gratitude through worship in three different ways.
First, Martha Expressed Worship Through Service (12:1-2)
“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. (2) There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.”
As I have already stated the occasion is a celebration dinner given at the house of Simon the leper. Martha we read “was serving” which is quite in character with that which we have seen of her in a previous incident in Luke 10:38-42. But this is not the same Martha that we had seen serving in the previous incident. You will remember that in that situation Martha had allowed herself to become irritated that her sister Mary was not helping her and even asked Jesus to make her help.
But on this occasion there is quite a sizeable dinner party and there is not a word about being distracted “ Martha has learned something on that sad dark day … Her service had not ceased but some secret had been learned, which kept her from distraction.” G. Campbell Morgan.
Circumstances have not changed but Martha has. John has already let see something of the faith of Martha (11:27) and is also good to see that she has learned something of the spirit in which she should serve. Martha has learned that in service attitude is everything.
Martha Expressed Worship Through Service and …
Secondly, Mary Expressed Worship Through Giving (12:3-8)
“Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
Mary’s worship took a different form. Perhaps the meal is over and the guests are sitting around the table talking and then something happens that will be talked about for centuries. It is a simple gesture of a grateful heart. It was not meant to be showy thing in fact I believe that Mary was quite unaware of anyone but Jesus. With a heart overflowing with gratitude for what Jesus had done for her and her family she has gone to a special place of safe-keeping and had removed a vial of special ointment and brought to Jesus. There she had knelt at the feet of Jesus and quietly anointed the feet of Jesus with this most precious of oils.
I want you to note three things with me about this act of worship.
•Mary’s Worship Was Spontaneous.
Her worship was spontaneous. She was not concerned at all about what people thought. She was not worried about how much the perfume cost. She cared nothing for the customs of the day, she entered into a supper where women were not usually welcome, she let down her hair in public, an unthinkable act in that culture, and she openly expressed her love for Jesus. At that moment she was completely caught up in worshipping the Lord. I wonder, just once, what it would be like to be that caught up, in worshiping God?
•Mary’s Worship Was Sacrificial.
Somehow I believe that Mary knew of King David’s statement in 2 Sam 24:24, when he said, “I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing!” I wonder what an understanding of that truth would bring to our worship? What we see demonstrated in our text is love’s extravagance. Is really this extravagance? Yes, since Judas tells us that it’s worth 300 denarii. It is hard to fix an exact dollar amount because the figure is constantly changing, but a denarii was the average daily wage for a man so it was about a about a year’s salary. So imagine putting whatever you make in a year in a bottle then break it, pour it out.
Mary took the most precious thing she possessed and spent it all on Jesus. This costly perfume was derived from a special plant which grew only in India. Love gives all and its only regret is that has does not have more to give. Her heart is so filled with joy and thanksgiving that she broke the narrow neck of the alabaster jar containing the ointment and poured the whole pound upon Jesus until the fragrance filled the whole house.
There are churches all over the world
meeting today for what they call “Worship.” But there is no worship happening in those places. Or maybe one person on the second row is worshipping, and one on the back pew, and a couple in the choir. There are six people on the pew but only one or two truly worship. Others go away disappointed, unchanged… they did not have a worship experience. They blame the music or the sermon. The real problem is with them. They did not worship because they did not offer a sacrifice.
The plate came by and they put in $5… no sacrifice… no worship. The preacher preached on sin and they hardened their heart and would not confess their sin, and offer it to God as a sacrifice. They refused to lay their sin on the altar. Or they are a little sorry. They know it was wrong, but not that wrong. They just decide they will not change. Others don’t worship because they hear God calling them to lay their gift on the altar… their spiritual gift… or talent… or ability. But they look at the job and say, “I can’t do that, I don’t have time, I don’t like to do that, I don’t feel comfortable. God is calling for them to lay it on the altar… use it for Him and for his church and they say “NO.” They don’t want to be bothered, inconvenienced, asked to do things. That would be a sacrifice. That is too much to ask. They just want to come to church, sit in their pew… and worship. Guess what? “It ain’t happenin’” They want worship without sacrifice!
• Mary’s Worship Was Criticized.
(vv. 4-8)“But one of His disciples, Judas
Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, (5) “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.”
There is one thing you can be assured of whatever you do, however you chose to worship God someone will criticize the way you do it. Not everyone will approve of the way you wish to honor God. Certainly not everyone approved of what Mary did. Judas made a big deal of how much the oil cost.
He makes it all sound so pious, he says after all the oil could have been sold and the proceeds given to care for the poor (v.5) John tells us that Judas’ motives are hardly pure since it is later learned that he as the group treasurer he has been helping himself to the funds. He saw only saw it as a means by which he might further enrich himself. Judas stirs up the criticism but in the end the criticism of Mary’s act of worship does not come from Judas alone Matthew 26:8 says “his disciples” were indignant and Mark 14:4 says “some” were angry.
Mary may have been criticized by Judas but she was defended by Jesus who said in verse seven “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. (8) For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
Little by little the fragrance of the oil had filled the room until everyone had noticed. Judas had made a fuss of the cost of the oil and caused Mary no little embarrass-ment. Jesus defended her and the other gospel accounts of Matthew and Mark reveal that in Matt 26:13 Jesus says, “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” And just as Jesus said we would we have down through the centuries remembered this woman’s sacrificial act of worship.
Mary Expressed Worship Through Giving and…
Third, Lazarus Expressed Worship Through His Testimony 12:9-11
“Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. (10) But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, (11) because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”
Our text in verse nineteen tells us “and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead”
Because of the great change in Lazarus, many people desired to see him; and his “living witness” was used by God to bring people to salvation
There are no recorded words of Lazarus in the Gospels, but this scripture tells us that his daily walk was enough to convince people that Jesus is the Son of God. It may be that Lazarus never said any thing that any one thought worth recording. Yet he ended up being one of the great witnesses for Christ. Why? The answer is not in what Lazarus did for Christ but in what Jesus did for Lazarus.
Now, I do not know what Lazarus testimony was, but I am sure it went something like this.
“I was dead ... but now because of JESUS ... I live.” Why do you say that preacher, well scriptures tells us that (v.9) “they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.”
I believe that this was Lazarus testimony because the scriptures tell us that people saw him and believed in Christ!
His testimony was so powerful ... His witness was so effective that (v.10) tells us that religious leaders wanted to kill him and get rid of the evidence.
Conclusion
Martha Expressed Her Worship through Service
Mary Expressed Her Worship through Giving
Lazarus Expressed His Worship through Testimony
Each is valid and each is Accepted.
“Love’s Devotion”
John 12:1-8
First, Martha Expresses Worship Through __________ 12:1-2
Secondly, Mary Expresses Worship Through ___________ 12:3-8
•Mary’s Worship is ___________.
•Mary’s Worship was __________.
•Mary’s Worship Was ___________.
Third, Lazarus Expresses Worship Through His ______________ 12:9-11
