Extravagant Demonstration
John 12:1-8
Throughout history there have been people who have done extravagant things in the name of love.
There was Prince Reinier of Monaco that gave up his opportunity to be king, and he gave it up to marry the American Grace Kelly. And she gave up her acting carrier. Not exactly roughing it.
How about what people spend on weddings these days. I don’t think I want to know what my sisters cost. But it is not too uncommon to hear about people spending $20K on their daughters wedding.
I don’t know about you but I read something like that and I think what a waste. I won’t eve tell you what I think about people that spend a million which is rare. Perhaps you should know I still have less than positive thoughts.
In our scripture today, Jesus is at a dinner party in Bethany the home town of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. While today’s reading does not tell us who’s house it is. Matthew and mark say it was at Simon the Leper’s home, a Pharisee. Some believe that it is a celebration after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The whole pervious chapter of John is all about that incident. Jesus delay in returning, the fear of the disciples. The reaction of the family and crowds. Also the negative reaction of the Religious leaders.
This is a party in Jesus honor. Martha and Mary are there. They seem to have their characteristic personality traits. Martha is helping to serve the meal and Mary ends up out in the room with all the men.
We don know how they met, but these three people a brother and two sisters were friends of Jesus. Their home was a place that he and his group could drop in on and get a home cooked meal. No direct demands were placed on Jesus. We know that he did teach when he was in their home. But is seems like a place away from the crowds, like going home to be spoiled by family.
In today’s picture, the bulk of the meal is probably over.
"Now where has Mary run off to?" Martha sighs. "Time to clean the table off for dessert and no Mary; I’ll just have to do it myself." Mary finally returns balancing an urn on her palms. Her chin steadies the slender vase neck. She sets the urn down.
Mary takes an expensive Perfume and pours it on Jesus feet, and wipes his feet with her hair.
Sounds a little bit radical. Maybe the perfume lady at the big department stores comes to mind, standing there in the main entrance wanting to hose everyone down with High dollar toilet water.
I avoid the person and refuse if I get trapped.
I would guess that Jesus could have said hold up little lady. Go on back to the kitchen and help the ladies. Maybe it was a sneak attack where she surprised him.
But as normal Mary has jumped out of line culturally. This is probably not her home, She is in someone else’s home, this means that Jesus is not her guest.
The time she was sitting at his feet listening, and Jesus tells Martha that Mary is fine, was a little different time and place. Mary had crossed a line then but this time she went even farther.
What she does next was taboo for a respectable woman - she loosens her hair in a room full of men. No one does that in polite company, except . . . you know, those kind of women. Just as unorthodox, she pours this expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet.
Then she touches him. Rabbis do not allow single women to caress their feet. Not even among friends. And to end an already bizarre story, Mary uses her hair instead of a paper towel to wipe the extra balm from his feet.
Only sinners, women of the night, unnamed strangers do such things.
But Mary we know. She’s no stranger, no infamous sinner. Mary is just a friend. Jesus loves Lazarus, Martha, and Mary; they all love him.
But why act like this in front of everyone? Why such waste?
Mary must have gone off the deep end. No one knows quite what to do.
"Well, let me just say that I’ve never in all my life seen such a thing. What a complete misuse of that expensive nard. Shame on you, Mary," Judas scolds. "Haven’t you looked around and seen all of the poor people we’re trying to help? And you go and blow this valuable product on Jesus. God pity your soul."
Judas is right-the pure nard is very, very expensive. In fact, a day laborer and his family could live a year on that much money.
Certainly looks like waste to me. It’s like those truffles that sell for hundreds of dollars a piece that are consumed in a bite or two at expensive parties. Could you imagine what she might have gotten for her perfume on Ebay?
Judas reaction seems like the natural one. In fact in the other Gospels, the disciples agree with Judas.
So what is going on here? Is she just grateful to Jesus for what he did for her and her family. The restoration of her brother. Does Mary know where this is headed?
I believe that we have a story of worship. Of extravagant, I don’t care who is watching and what they are thinking Worship!
Mary Is in Love with Jesus…… Love that knows no price…… Love that will do anything to express it self…..
For Mary her reputation is being placed on the line. She does not care what other people in the room think about her actions.
For Mary, her money is being placed on the line….. She does not care….. Spend it all for the moment….because at this moment it is right.
For Mary it was worship at all cost.
For Judas there was no worship of Jesus. The criticizing of her actions for the honorable action toward the poor was just as act, at least according to John.
So Judas high sounding words were more of an excuse regarding what he thought was important.
HE had a worship of money, If the Nard was worth 300 Denary as other gospels suggest then that would be about $15 - 25K and if John was correct he would have had a decent commission….. probably a lot more that the 30 pieces of silver he would end up with later.
More precisely, he had a worship of himself and what he saw as important, which was probably himself.
Worship and tithe are different things. All too often we all too easily connect the two. I hope you can separate the two. Mary was not paying a tithe to Jesus. She was offering the best she had and it happened to be worth a lot of money.
When Mary poured out the nard on Jesus feet. She was pouring out her heart, the love in the most extravagant means that she could....
I don’t know if she understood the big picture. I do think she understood the immediate need to show her love for all that Jesus had done in her life. She wanted to express how she felt.
• When have any of us really expressed our love for Jesus?
• When have we been extravagant in our actions?
• When have we placed our money or our reputations at risk?
I am afraid that we are more like Judas. Throwing out jeers or excuses in response to other people’s worship.
The music is too loud or the wrong kind. It cost too much. I don’t have time.
I have done my part. It won’t work any way.
Anything that keeps us from trying or that keeps us from enjoying or stops us from a willingness to risk what we are and have, separate us from intimate moments with Jesus.
It stops us from being extravagant in what we will do for Jesus. How we will show we love him.
Jesus has a response for Judas.
7"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
That response is almost as bizarre as what she does: Jesus is the friend of the poor; he champions their cause, he preaches against hoarding and greed. But instead of Jesus’ usual sermon on waste, we hear "leave her alone. You’ll be caring for the poor until the end of time. But my time is running out."
What is it about this situation that Jesus has changed his position? Normally, he would be the one making the “Correction” and makes us uncomfortable.
This time Jesus accepts this extravagant Demonstration of Love.
It could be because he sees the symbolism of what she is doing (HIS death) and lets it happen. But personally I believe that it is because it is a GENUINE demonstration of her love of Jesus. Her abandon of all the worldly reservations and taboos all because of her love.
Is our love for Jesus Deep and Genuine so as to react in dangerous, extravagant and costly ways?
Are we willing to break the vessel of our hearts and worship him so that he will feel the touch of our hands, the sound of our voices or the fragrance of our prayers?
Do you think we could do too much to show our love of Jesus?
If I had been in the room that evening I probably would have suggested that Mary give the Nard to Jesus in the container. That it would be best if he choose what to do with the ointment. I would have been wrong. Because I would have tried to restrict someone else’s worship.
Is it the Judas in our humanity that stops us?
Why do we let our world, our fears and our pride keep us from lifting our hands, singing loudly or making our way down to the alter occasionally?
If you want an example of an extravagant demonstration of Love, look to Jesus and realize that there is nothing that he would not do to show his love for us.
All Glory be to God!
