Jonah Albrecht

Midweek Lent 1

On the Road to Easter…Honored with Love and Anointed for Death

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 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. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “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. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Grace and Lenten peace be yours through Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.

In the name of Jesus, Whose steps we are tracing this Lenten season as they lead to our salvation, DFR:

A daughter packs away her mother’s belongings. Her mom died suddenly and unexpectedly. The daughter never imagined her mother would die so quickly; she seemed in such good health. The daughter thought she would always have time to tell her mother how much she loved her. She thought there would be time to do things together. But in the rush of daily life, her mother always seemed to lose out on her priority list. Now she quietly asks herself, “Why didn’t I do more when I had the chance?”

A boy watches from a safe distance as the kids on the playground mercilessly taunt his little brother. The kids are laughing at him. The boy knows he should step in to defend his brother, but it’s safer to stay away. You see, it’s his own friends who are doing the teasing. What his friends think is more important than any feelings he has for his brother.

“Some day I’ll get caught up on my work and actually be able to spend time with the kids. Someday, the bills will be paid, and we won’t have to worry about making ends meet.” But by the time that someday rolls around, it’s too late. The kids have grown up. They have their friends now. They have their own interests and things to do.

How many times have we missed opportunities to show our love for someone because we didn’t seize the chance or because something else was more important?

Our text tonight is about two people who didn’t wait for a better time. As we begin a Lenten journey On the Road to Easter, tonight we see how Jesus was Honored with Love and Anointed for Burial.

Our text picks up just six days before Palm Sunday and Jesus arrived in Bethany where His good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. This was also the home of a man called Simon the leper whom Jesus had healed of his leprosy. It was in his house that this dinner takes place. Now, what Simon did in hosting Jesus for dinner took great courage and faith. Not long before this takes place, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. Do you remember the reaction of the chief priests following that news? They were seeking any way they could to kill Jesus. Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

Simon was outright disobeying the order from the religious leaders. Anyone could come by and turn him in to the Sanhedrin and he would face serious consequences. So why the risk? Why would Simon openly host Jesus at his house, knowing the threat it could pose to himself or Mary, Martha, and Lazarus?

Because he could. Because his name was no longer Simon the Leper and Jesus was the one made that possible. Before he met Jesus, Simon could not host a dinner party or have anyone over. He was ostracized from society and considered unclean. But Jesus took that reproach away from him. Jesus healed Simon from his leprosy, doing something that no one else could do.

Simon wasn’t the only one present who owed their joy to Jesus – Mary did as well. Don’t think that her actions that night were rash and impetuous. They weren’t. She brought this precious jar of perfume from her home to Simon’s. It’s value? 300 denarii! One denarius is a day’s wage. In America, there is approximately 250 working days in a year when you exclude weekends and federal holidays. So think about how much you make in a year, gross income and benefits, and then pour it all out on Jesus in a single act of love. For Mary this would have been everything – she would have been saving up for a long time. But this was the moment she anointed Jesus’ head down to His feet and dried them with her hair.

Then, in the silence of watching this unusual moment comes someone saying, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” John tells us this came from the greedy heart of Judas Iscariot, but why did Mary use this expensive perfume to wash Jesus’ feet?

Think back to Mary standing before the tomb of her brother. Imagine the joy that overwhelmed her when Jesus gave her brother back to her; not some rotten corpse, but Lazarus in full strength and health. She did it because of Jesus, what He had done for her.

Now consider what Jesus says in Matthew 26:11, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” Yes, the perfume could have been sold and the money used to do a lot of things for the poor and needy, but what Mary used it for was infinitely more valuable. Mary used it to anoint Jesus for His burial. This was something no one else would have a chance to do.

Mary learned the importance of seizing Jesus while she had the opportunity. She sat at His feet and listened to His Word. When He spoke of His death, she believed; when He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” she understood what Jesus was talking about. She didn’t think twice about pouring out that perfume on Jesus because she understood how priceless He was to her life.

How much is Jesus worth to you? We shouldn’t try to put a monetary value on it, but rather consider what difference Jesus has made in your life. Imagine you are before the throne of God’s judgment. There, just one sin is enough to cast you out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. As you approach the throne, you realize that God knows everything about you. Every sinful thought or desire; every evil act or selfishness. Right as His judgment is about to come upon you and cast you out of heaven forever, Jesus steps next to you and says, “Do not worry, I have paid for your sin. My righteousness is yours and you are declared innocent of all things.” The judgment God renders is not guilty because of your Savior standing next to you.

Have you stood by the gravesite of a loved one? You place flowers in the vase, clean up around the stone, and you are flooded with memories you had with them. Then, for a moment, you think about what it will be like when you see them again in heaven. Not sick, or weak, but strong and full of life. The memories you made with that person are precious, but how much more precious is knowing that you will see them again in ternal glory? The reason for that certain hope is in one person: Jesus.

Neither Simon nor Mary postponed their acts of love. No one needed to tell them what to do. Simon knew Jesus would be coming for the Passover and need a place to stay and eat. Jesus didn’t ask him, Simon simply did it to show love to the One who changed His life forever.

Mary didn’t withhold anything either. She seized the opportunity she had. A simple act of love for her Savior would turn out to be something that will be remembered for the rest of history and into eternity.

Some day I’ll sit down to read my devotions. Someday I’ll spend more time with my mother. Someday I’ll stand up for my brother on the playground. Some day is a word that our sinful flesh loves to use. It turns good intentions into missed opportunities. Someday, I’ll invite my neighbors to come to church. Someday I’ll sit down and read the Bible from beginning to the end.

Tonight we remember that Jesus has forgiven us for all our “somedays” and has turned them into todays. We can’t anoint Jesus for His burial, we are much too late for that, but God still provides opportunities to show your love for Him. I don’t need to tell you what to do. Just seize the opportunities that God has given you and use them to glorify Jesus – the reason you have joy and a hope for eternal life. Amen.