"WHY THE WASTE?"
TEXT: JOHN 12:1-8
INTRODUCTION
Last week as we closed out our study of the book of Judges, with a study of the life of Samson and the message was entitled, "What a Waste". Today’s sermon is entitled "WHY THE WASTE." During the month of June we will be studying the Gospel of John, and during our time together on Sunday mornings, we will be looking at what I call "Jesus Encounters," these are passages of scripture that show Jesus interacting with people, passages that show the response they had towards Jesus and effect he had on them, many times changing their lives, forever.
[READ - John 12:1-11}
Jesus was in Bethany (a small village about 2 miles east of Jerusalem) He was there with Mary, Martha, Lazarus and His disciples and according to Matthew 26 they are meeting in the home of a man named Simon the Leper (probably because the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha was too small). And this crowd of people had gathered this night, had gathered for one reason, to have a dinner in honor of Jesus.
This was the night before Jesus’ triumphal entry, the night before Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey to the praises and shouts of the multitudes, "Hosanna (which means save us now), Hosanna! blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!"
The days before this dinner had been days full of turmoil, energy and excitement that was bringing the ministry of Jesus to it’s dramatic climax. Only a few days earlier Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, calling him forth from the tomb after 4 days. The news of this miracle spread and many people were looking to Jesus as the Messiah, as their King.
The Jewish leaders however had quit a different reaction to the miracle and the growing popularity of Jesus, we read in John 11 that they called an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling body) and they said, "IF WE LET HIM GO ON LIKE THIS, EVERYONE WILL BELIEVE IN HIM, AND THE ROMANS WILL COME AND TAKE AWAY BOTH OUR PLACE AND OUT NATION."
And the High Priest and his cronies decided that it was to their best interest to kill this man, Jesus, rather than let him ruin everything that they cherished and worked so hard for. And the scripture says, "SO FROM THAT TIME ON THEY (THAT IS THE JEWISH LEADERS) PLOTTED TO TAKE HIS LIFE."
After 3 years of preaching, rebuking, teaching, healing and caring -- Jesus ministry had reached the boiling point. There were people who loved Him AND WANTED TO FOLLOW HIM and there were also people who hated Him and wanted to see Him dead. And everyone regardless of which side they stood on knew that something was going to happen, they knew that something had to give, but they were not quit sure what it would be.
It was like Gary Cooper and High Noon... The clock was ticking and the time was now at hand.
But that’s tomorrow and this is tonight.
And Jesus is spending time with and having a meal with His closest and dearest friends before that final week began.
They are reclined at a table, actually 3 tables arranged like a horse shoe. Those at the table would be leaning on their right arm and eating with their left. Their feet would be pointing out away from the table.
Martha who was serving would serve from the middle area of the tables. And while they were there reclining at the table Mary the sister of Lazarus, broke open an alabaster jar (this was a jar with thick non porous sides so that the fluid that was on inside could not escape permeating the sides) It was an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. And Mary took the perfume, walked over to Jesus, she broke the jar, filling the room with the aroma. And then she anointed the feet of Jesus, drying his feet with the only towel that she had brought, her hair.
Judas who knew the price of everything but the value of nothing, seeing what Mary had done and smelling the expensive perfume said, "WHY WASN’T THIS PERFUME SOLD AND THE MONEY GIVEN TO THE POOR? IT WAS WORTH A YEARS WAGES?" And the disciples joined in agreement according to the other Gospel accounts.
Not only was it decision making time for the Jewish leaders (who were plotting to kill Jesus), the scribes,priests and Pharisees -- it was decision making time also this very night, in that very room, now filled with perfume.
The reactions and actions, taken that night as they reclines at the table will reveal just what they really thought of Jesus, and what he was really worth to them.
Today, as we look at their decision time (Judas, the disciples and Mary), we will come to understand that it is also decision time right now, right here in this room -- today. Just who is Jesus to us, really? How much is he really worth to us? Regardless of what we say, it is our response to Him AND OUR ACTION FOR HIM, that will reveal the true answer.
I. AS JUDAS RECLINED AT THE TABLE, SHARING IN A MEAL GIVEN TO HONOR JESUS, HIS RESPONSE TO JESUS WAS ONE OF COMPLETE REJECTION.
Perhaps, Judas didn’t even see Mary enter the room and kneel at the feet of her Lord.
But as soon as Mary broke open that alabaster jar, filling the room with it’s strong aroma, Judas’ quickly turned his head.
And when he did Judas couldn’t believe his eyes, Mary was pouring expensive perfume ( a years wages!) onto the feet of Jesus.
And as Judas beheld this sight, his mind began to roll as he thought of all the things he could of bought if had been able to sell that perfume -- and he became angry... And he shouted "Why this waste!! Mary why are you wasting this perfume and Jesus why are you letting her!! We could have sold it and given the money to the poor."
Why did Judas respond this way? Why did He think what Mary did was a waste?
First let’s note that Judas was not really concerned about the poor, John was the last to write his Gospel and by the time he wrote everyone knew just what kind of man Judas was, So John informs the readers that Judas who was their treasurer, was not REALLY worried about the poor at all, but rather he was hoping to take the money for himself, because he was a thief.
Somewhere during the years that Judas spent with Jesus, and we can’t pinpoint the exact time and perhaps it was gradual thing , But one thing we do know is that it happened, and the plain and ugly truth is that Judas gave up on Jesus.
Now there has been much speculation over the years about why Judas rejected Jesus. I think Judas rejected Jesus for the same reason that the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus, He was not the Messiah that they wanted, therefore He could not possibly be the Messiah in their eyes. Judas was looking for what they were, an earthy kingdom and Judas was hungering for the power he would one day have as the treasure of the new Jewish World Empire.
But as time moved on and Judas spent more time with Jesus, it became clear to Judas that his dreams would never come true. Jesus would never over throw the Roman Empire, and Judas would never have the wealth and power he craved. And as he sat at the meal that night, he had already began making a deal with the Jewish leaders, for the betrayal of Jesus.
So when Judas saw all that money being thrown away he was furious, why waste so much on Jesus, on just a man.
And If Judas was right, that Jesus was not the Son of God, then what Mary did was a waste. If Judas was right then even to use dirty dish water to wash Jesus’ feet would have been a waste.
Judas’s response to Jesus was Complete Rejection, To Him what Mary did was a waste, because Jesus was not worth it in the eyes of Judas.
II. JUDAS WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE ROOM, THE DISCIPLES WERE THERE ALSO, AND THEY RESPONDED TO JESUS THAT NIGHT WITH MODERATE DEVOTION.
Both Matthew and Luke tell us that the disciples also became angry and said why this waste?
Judas sang the verse and the disciples joined in on the chorus.
The disciples at this time in their life were practical man of Moderate Devotion.
They were on again and off again, their devotion to Jesus was like a roller coaster ride.
At least with Judas you know where he stands, these guys leave us constantly wondering what they really think.
They said the same thing as Judas, "Why This Waste?" but they said it for different reasons. Judas said it because he had rejected Jesus, and now he wanted to get what money he could, before this sinking ship finally went under.
The disciples on the other hand said it was a waste because they thought they were being practical and they believed they had a very good reason to act as they did.
Their devotion to Jesus was Moderate at Best.
Let’s honor JESUS But let’s not get silly about it
Let’s anoint JESUS but not with expensive stuff
Let’s serve JESUS but let’s not be crazy about it
The church has far too many who like the disciples respond to Jesus with Moderate Devotion, and when they see true devotion they don’t understand... They too shout "why the waste"
You mean you gave up a job promotion that would have doubled your salary, because it would take you away from the church too much... why that’s a waste look at the extra money you could have made to help people.
You bought a new TV and gave it to the church, It would have been just as good to buy yourself a new one and let the church have your old one, your old one is better than nothing.
And I don’t know how many times this scene is played in the homes of Christian parents; Now Johnny I know you love the Lord and want to serve him but we think going to Bible College is a little extreme, you have a great mind and you have such potential, DON’T WASTE IT IN A LITTLE BIBLE COLLEGE, your mother and I have been saving for years to send you to Harvard. We want you to do something important with your life, be a lawyer/doctor/an engineer, we want you to be a success.... let someone else’s child be a preacher, we want better for you.
And many within the church sing this song, I’m just not going to let the church take up too much of my life... I’ll go sometimes but I’m not going to get silly about it..
And the second stanza is, "Come on we all love Jesus, but let’s not get crazy and fanatical about it, let’s not take it too far...
Jesus in Revelation 3:15,16 is talking about a group of people who were just like that, they lived in a place called Laodicia, here is what Jesus said to them:
"I KNOW YOUR DEEDS, THAT YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. I WISH YOU WERE EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER! SO, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKE WARM - NEITHER HOT NOR COLD -- I AM ABOUT TO SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH."
What Judas did though wrong still made sense, but what the disciples did by responding with moderate devotion, doesn’t make any sense at all. It makes sense to be for Jesus and it makes sense (in a way) to be against Jesus but it makes no sense to ride the fence, to live in Laodicia, TO GO ONLY PART WAY. And besides if we try to, Jesus may just spit us out of His mouth.
SOME LIKE JUDAS, RESPOND TO JESUS WITH COMPLETE REJECTION, HE IS NOT WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM AND THEY MAKE NO 2 WAYS ABOUT IT.
OTHERS ARE LIKE THE DISCIPLES, AND THEY RESPOND TO JESUS WITH MODERATE DEVOTION. THEY ARE LUKE WARM AND HALF-HEARTED.
III. AND THEN THERE IS MARY, SHE WAS ALSO IN THE ROOM, AND SHE RESPONDED TO JESUS, WITH UTTER DEVOTION
Jesus had been trying for 3 years to teach his disciples about how His death was connected with the Kingdom, but they could not understand, they could not make sense of it, it did not fit into their concept of what the Kingdom was supposed to be.
Many times woman see things before man do, woman are generally much more perceptive than men are. For example woman can see the problems in their marriage long before the husband even knows there is anything wrong. AND Not only do women see the problems and tell you what is wrong, but they can usually tell you what needs to be done to fix it.
Mary was also at the dinner that night, and Mary could see what Judas and the disciples couldn’t SEE, Mary could see the connection between the Kingdom and Jesus’ death.
And what Mary did with that alabaster jar of perfume was the perfect thing to do. As we look back on this event with the cross behind us, we can ALSO see that it was the perfect thing to do. But Mary, she knew it then. That’s why when the men in the room criticized, her Jesus said the following as recorded in Matthew 26:10-13;
"WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING THIS WOMAN? SHE HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL THING TO ME. THE POOR YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE WITH YOU, BUT YOU WILL NOT ALWAYS HAVE ME. WHEN SHE POURED THIS PERFUME ON MY BODY, SHE DID IT TO PREPARE ME FOR BURIAL. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH; WHEREVER THIS GOSPEL IS PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WHAT SHE HAS DONE WILL ALSO BE TOLD, IN MEMORY OF HER."
Mary knew that Jesus was God the Son, she knew what he was doing, she knew that death awaited her Lord when he rode into Jerusalem the next morning... And she knew he was dying for her.
And Mary wanted to do something for Jesus, she wanted to do something that would express to Him her great love. She wanted to do something for Jesus while she still had the opportunity.
And so Mary took the most expensive thing she had and alabaster jar of expensive perfume, a years wages (how much do you make in a year). And she knelt down at the feet of her Lord, breaking open the jar anointing his feet, then Mary took her hair which Paul’s say’s in I Corinthians 11:15, "is a woman’s crown and glory" and she dried the feet of Jesus with her hair.
For Mary, no sacrifice was too costly......
For Mary, who wiped Jesus hair with her feet, no service was too demeaning.
Why would Mary do this? Isn’t it a little extreme to pour a whole jar of expensive perfume on someone’s dirty feet?? And isn’t it degrading and demeaning to wash someone’s feet, isn’t it going just a bit to far to dry his feet with her hair?
If Judas was right then to even wash the feet of Jesus with dirty dish water would have been a waste.
But if Mary was right IF Jesus is the Son of God AND that he LOVED US ENOUGH TO PUT ON HUMAN FLESH TO DIE FOR OUR SINS AND THE sins of the world. If Mary was right, then even if some how she was able to gather UP all of the wealth and all of the riches of the entire world, AND PUT IT IN THAT JAR AND POUR THAT ON THE FEET OF JESUS IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A WASTE!!!!!!!!!
WE CAN’T GIVE TOO MUCH TO JESUS
YOU CAN’T GIVE TO MUCH TOO JESUS!!
JESUS IS WORTH ALL WE HAVE AND ALL WE ARE.
This passage has been a special passage to me for several years, I first discovered the awesome truth of this passage during my Bible college years. And it has remained a very special to me until this day. I need this passage, I need to be reminded often of the truth of this passage. I need to hold it close, ingrained on my mind and burned on to my heart. JESUS IS WORTH IT!!! JESUS IS WORTH IT!! HE IS WORTH ALL I HAVE AND ALL I AM!!
And during those times when the Christian walk gets tough, when you feel like your spinning you wheels, when people get you down and disappoint you, when you effort seems to go without results, when you try and try and seem to be getting no where... WHEN you feel like throwing in the towel, WHEN you feel like dropping out of the race, WHEN you feel like you can’t give an y more, WHEN you feel used abused and unappreciated... JUST REMEMBER......
JESUS IS WORTH IT!!
JESUS IS WITH YOUR TIME!!
JESUS IS WORTH YOUR EFFORT!!
JESUS IS WORTH ALL THE PAIN AND THE FRUSTRATION!
NOTHING WE EVER DO FOR THE GLORY AND HONOR OF JESUS, IS EVER A WASTE...
AND THOSE WHO ARE LIKE JUDAS AND HAVE REJECTED JESUS AND THOSE WHO ARE LIKE THE DISCIPLES AND ARE MEN AND WOMEN OF MODERATE DEVOTION... THEY WON’T UNDERSTAND AND THEY WILL THINK IT IS A WASTE TO:
GIVE SO MUCH TIME TO THE CHURCH..
TO GO TO A SMALL CHURCH WITH LITTLE PRESTIGE..
TO PREPARE YOUR HEART OUT FOR JUST A FEW KIDS..
FOR SOMEONE WITH YOUR ABILITY TO CLEAN A CHURCH BUILDING..
TO USE YOUR VACATION TIME TO GO HELP BUILD A CHURCH...
IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO IS RIGHT (JUDAS, DISCIPLES OR MARY)
JUDAS WAS WRONG!!
AND THE DISCIPLES WERE WRONG!
BUT MARY WAS RIGHT!!!!!
YOU CAN NEVER GIVE ENOUGH OF YOUR LIFE (YOUR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURE) TO JESUS, FOR IT EVER TO BE A WASTE! BECAUSE JESUS IS WORTH IT?
Just as in the house of Simon the Leper THAT NIGHT, there are really only 3 types of people in this room today.
SOME HERE ARE LIKE JUDAS AND HAVE COMPLETELY REJECTED JESUS, TO THEM JESUS REALLY OFFERS NO MEANINGFUL ANSWERS AND THEY WANT NOTHING TO SO WITH HIM.
OTHERS ARE LIKE THE DISCIPLES ( THEIR’S WAS MAJORITY ATTITUDE THAT DAY) AND THEY ARE MEN AND WOMEN OF MODERATE DEVOTION, THEY WANT JUST A LITTLE OF JESUS BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES, AFTER ALL THERE IS NO SENSE OF GOING NUTTY OVER THIS JESUS STUFF.
AND SO THEY GIVE JESUS THEIR LUKEWARM, MODERATE, HALF HEARTED UP AND DOWN DEVOTION...
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE LIKE MARY WHO TRULY LOVE JESUS, WHO JUST CAN’T DO ENOUGH FOR THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR, WHO WILLINGLY GIVE ALL THEY HAVE FOR JESUS,FOR THEM NO JOB IS TO DEMEANING OR UNIMPORTANT IF IT IS FOR JESUS. THEY LIKE MARY HAVE LAID THEIR LIFE AT THE MASTERS FEET.
AS WE CLOSE LET’S SAY THIS ABOUT THE DISCIPLES, THEY DID LEARN BETTER, THEY DID LEARN THAT JESUS WAS WORTH IT, AND THEY DID BECOME MAN OF UTTER DEVOTION, AS THEY LITERALLY POURED OUT THEIR LIFE AT THE FEET OF JESUS (WILL WE LEARN BETTER--WILL YOU).
THOU ART WORTHY THOU ART WORTHY
THOU ART WORTHY O LORD
TO RECEIVE GLORY GLORY AND HONOR
GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER
FOR THOU ST CREATED HAST ALL THINGS CREATED
THOU HAST CREATED ALL THINGS
AND FOR THY PLEASURE THEY ARE CREATED
FOR THOU ART WORTHY O LORD
IT IS NOT A WASTE
NOTHING YOU DO FOR JESUS IS A WASTE
HE IS WORTH IT
HE IS WORTH ALL WE GIVE HIM AND MORE!!!!
