Devotion
John 12:1-8
by Jim Westmoreland
Have you noticed how popular some biblical names are? They continue to be popular today as people continue to name their children names like, James, John, Peter, Phillip, Mary, Martha, Andrew, Nathaniel, but not Judas. I can't think of anyone I've known whose name was Judas.
Yet, Judas was one of the disciples, and he was prominent in today's story as well. Judas, whose name meant praise was from the town of Kerioth in the region of Judah. To distinguish him from the other disciple named Judas, he was known as Judas Iscariot, meaning Judas from Kerioth.
The story takes place in Bethany, just over the crest of the Mt. of Olives. Jesus and His disciples came to Bethany six days before Passover, and they stayed in the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. The sixth day before Passover would be a Saturday, the Sabbath. The next day would be Palm Sunday. Lazarus must have been expecting that Jesus would come and stay with them on this day. For one thing, no food could be prepared on the Sabbath. So, Martha would have had to prepare the food before and then serve it on the Sabbath. It was something she had done many times for Jesus and his disciples as they had frequented their home just a few miles from Jerusalem.
And Judas was there too. Such a contrast in devotion. Lazarus was at the table with Jesus. Lazarus, the one whom Jesus raised from the dead! Now, Lazarus would have some very warm, grateful thoughts and feelings for Jesus. It is in John 11, the preceding chapter, that John tells us about Lazarus' death and Jesus' calling him out of the grave. Martha and Mary were grieving sisters who were very disappointed that Jesus didn't get there sooner. They were hurt the day that Jesus showed up. Lazarus had already died and had been buried four days. To look now and see Lazarus at the table with Jesus could not help but trigger emotions deep within them.
How many more times would Mary be able to have Jesus in her home, and how many more times would her heart pound at the joy of seeing Jesus and Lazarus together? That's when she did it! Everyone knew the rumors were growing about the rising threat to Jesus and even to Lazarus. Raising Lazarus from the grave was more than the authorities could take because the people were almost in a frenzy over Jesus. They couldn't stop talking about Him. They would have to stop Him soon.
Mary must have felt many emotions that day. With the very real danger of even having Jesus in their home and with the ominous dark clouds of opposition becoming more vocal, fear could have been a very strong emotion present that day. But, if fear was present, it was completely overshadowed by the love and devotion of Mary for Jesus. He had done so much and meant so much to their family. They had become very close friends. Their home had become a home for Jesus to come and rest.
John tells us that Mary took a pound of costly perfume and anointed Jesus' feet and then wiped them with her hair. All of the senses were triggered at once, along with deep emotions. Maybe no one noticed at first what Mary was doing. They were talking among themselves, but then there was a strong and pleasant smell that filled the room. They couldn't help but notice the smell, and they looked to see from where it came. Jesus had to know, but He didn't react in any way that would seem shocked or rejecting of her outpouring love for Him, even if what she did was beyond the norm in extravagance and intimacy.
Some of this perfume was likely used as they prepared Lazarus' body for burial. That would give this act of devotion a kind of eery quality to it against the backdrop of the threats on Jesus' life. Pastor Jonathan Boyer says that the shock of the anointment with ointment would be like buying an expensive, funeral, flower spray with the "Father and Husband" ribbons on it, and then giving it to the person before he dies! It could easily be seen as out of place. We all would probably have felt that it was out of place!
Ronald DeVaux says, "Sacrifice is the essential act of external worship. It is a prayer which is acted, a symbolic action which expresses both the interior feelings of the person offering it, and God's response to this prayer. It is rather like the symbolic actions of the prophets. By sacrificial rites, the gift made to God is accepted, union with God is achieved and the guilt of the man is taken away. But these effects are not achieved by magic, it is essential that the external action should express the true inner feelings of man, and that it should be favorably received by God."(1)
Stuart Sacks tells a story that happened while he was serving in Paraguay. He says, "a Maka Indian named Rafael came to sit on my porch. I was eating and went out to see what he wanted. He responded, "Ham, henek met." Again I asked what I could do for him, but the answer was the same. I understood what he was saying but not its significance: "I don't want anything; I have just come near."
Sacks says, I later shared the incident with a local veteran missionary. He explained that it was Rafael's way of honoring me. He really didn't want anything; he just wanted to sit on my porch. He found satisfaction and pleasure just being near me.
"What brings you here, my child?" the Lord asks.
"Ham, henek met."
Doesn't that reveal the heart of true worship?(2)
And, so, we have a room full of people all smelling and witnessing the extravagant gift that Mary has made. We also have Martha and Lazarus, both full of love and gratitude for Jesus for choosing them as friends and for the miracle of bringing Lazarus back to life.
And then, Judas speaks, "Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor?" Judas, who just didn't get things that Jesus was trying to teach him about who Jesus was. Judas, whom John foreshadows as the one who was about to betray Jesus, already had a character flaw and whose devotion to Jesus was suspect. This Judas, who puts Mary's devotion down. This Judas, who was the treasurer of the group, kept the common purse and was stealing from it. How is that for devotion? It is easy to condemn Judas misuse of the money he handled, but the prophets' question still applies to us today. "How does a person rob God? In tithes and offerings."
How could Judas be with Jesus through everything and still not understand who Jesus was. He was with Jesus far more that Lazarus, Martha and Mary were, but he just didn't seem to get it. Why? Sometimes, we have a way of hearing selectively, or maybe selectively not hearing.
Isn't it odd how some people only hear part of what you say. Some people only hear what they want to hear, and then there are others who hear you say one thing, and then interpret it as something entirely different.
I heard a story the other day about a hobo who walked up to the front door of a big farmhouse, and knocked on the door until the owner answered. The hobo said, "Sir, could I please have something to eat ? I haven't had a meal in days." The well-to-do owner of the house said, "I have made my fortune in the world by never giving anything away for free. If you go around to the back of the house, you'll fine a fresh gallon of paint and a clean brush. Paint my porch and I'll give you a good meal."
The hobo headed off to the back of the house. About an hour later he knocked on the front door. The homeowner was surprised. "You're finished already? That was quick! Come on in and sit down, and I'll have the cook bring you a meal." "Thank you, sir!" the hobo said. "I must tell you though, you really don't know your cars. That's not a Porshe back there. It's a BMW."
Yes, sometimes people just don't understand clearly, and that is the case with this morning's Scripture passage. Judas' and Mary's devotion were different. He didn't understand and Mary did. His devotion involved what Jesus could give him and what he could get out of it. Mary's devotion grew out of her deep love and commitment to Jesus. That affects everything we do. Our motives, our commitments, our dependability are all affected by whether our devotion is to Jesus or to something else. Do we find satisfaction in just coming near to God in worship? Do we worship a God who has intimately touched us and known us, and do we worship with a devotion that is intimate and unreserved? As we do, He will empower us to do His will and to serve Him by serving others. When we see someone who worships extravagantly and gives their life away, then we've seen devotion! Amen.
Century Christian Church, March 25, 2007 - Sermon by Jim Westmoreland
www.centurychristian.org
1. Roland De Vaux - Ancient Israel, p.451.
2. Stuart Sacks, Villanova, Pennsylvania - Preaching Today.