When Worship Gets Expensive: Mary’s Price And Judas’ Calculations Series

Find John 12 with me.

Worship is the one activity believers will do for all of eternity. Worship offers us these incredible benefits of peace and joy in our lives. Listen and learn from a story of incredible worship. As you listen, refuse to be Judas while embracing Mary. Oh, that there would be someone here who would emulate Mary’s worship!

Today’s Scripture

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus” (John 12:1-11).

Sermon Preview

1. A Family’s Love for Christ

2. A Woman’s Love for Jesus

3. A Thief’s Love for Himself

4. Our Savior’s Defense of Mary

1. A Family’s Love for Christ

“So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table” (John 12:2).

This is a dinner party, but it is so much more than a dinner party.

I will show you how all 3 siblings worship in a moment, but how do we get our arms around this story?

Let’s dig into a beautiful act of worship, shall we?

1.1 Celebration Dinner

This was a celebration dinner to honor Jesus. This is not just an ordinary evening meal among friends. They had a thank-you dinner to honor Jesus because He raised Lazarus from the grave after 4 days (verse 2). They focus on Jesus and His amazing power in raising Lazarus from the dead.

1.2 Simon the Leper

The Gospel of Mark and Matthew tell us they had this special dinner at Simon, the leper’s house (Mark 14:3). Some have wondered if Simon was the father of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, but this is only speculation. There’s a lot we don’t know about Simon, but we do know one thing we do know about this man Simon: he contracted the deadly debilitating disease known as leprosy. And Simon miraculously had been healed by the master. Picture the scene at the dinner table in your mind now. Simon would have been there telling everyone about how the scabs fell from his skin when Jesus healed him. Perhaps that’s where Lazarus might have stopped Simon to say, “You think that’s something, wait to hear what happened to me!” ?. There’s joy in the air, with great food being shared by all. Again, we know all this took place at Simon’s house. We also know this took place in Bethany, which was two miles from Jerusalem.

1.3 Palm Sunday

It’s likely Saturday evening, March 28, 33 AD, and after sundown when the dinner takes place if we understand verse 1 correctly.1 This would be at the conclusion of the Jewish Sabbath, so people observing the Jewish custom not to travel on Sabbath would begin gathering, as verse 9 tells us. Palm Sunday was the very next day (March 29, 33 AD). Palm Sunday is when Jesus enters Jerusalem on the back of a colt with people shouting, “Hosanna.”

The air was thick with excitement. The Passover crowds in Jerusalem would already begin to gather at this point. And the crowds were like a powder keg ready for a spark — filled to the brim with both messianic fervor and hatred of Roman rule.2 Listen as John tells us this story: Verse 1: “Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead” (John 12:1).

So, let’s make the connections together. Remember, the chief priests and the Pharisees had issued a warrant for His arrest (John 11:57). You might even call this what I understand law enforcement officials today call a “BOLO” or “Be on the lookout” for Jesus. Immediately, the next verse (12:1) says Jesus came back to the very town He had just left to go into hiding. Jesus is moving into danger, not away from it. This is the Passover when He will die.3