Extravagant, Wondrous Love
Zephyr United Methodist Church
Early First United Methodist Church
March 25, 2007
Rev. Eddie Smart
John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
Some years ago, a little girl named Liza was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, as everyone present did, seeing the color returning to Liza's cheeks.
Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all his blood. The brother loved his sister so much he was willing to give all of his blood for her. What extravagant, wondrous love! What a sacrificial offering! What generosity!
Jesus headed to Jerusalem
Stops in favorite place - Bethany ( a couple of miles)
Home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
Gathered around table to eat
Lazarus present - Judas present
For John not a story about differences between Mary & Martha
Mary, at the feet of Jesus Martha busy working
Mary poured perfume on Jesus feet
Matthew & Mark – perfume on the head
the feet – humility
Looking to Jesus washing disciples feet (Cousar, Donovan)
Preparation for burial begins with the feet
She wiped his feet with her hair
shocking - not done by women of day
Barclay - spontaneous act out of gratitude
Perfume = EXPENSIVE
300 denarii = 1 yr pay for laborer 6k, 12k, 40k
Mary not rich – sacrificial offering – generous hospitality
Donovan 2007
Anointing of Jesus part of passion narrative
Literary context
Between
Raising of Lazarus
precipitated killing Jesus
Entry into Jerusalem Palm Sun.
Anointing is in Bethany
Where Lazarus raised from dead
Lazarus called out of tomb
Jesus would enter tomb
life not just to Lazarus
life to the world
Anointing pointing to Jesus death
at banquet table
Lazarus
raising of L. - Jews start plotting to kill Jesus
Judas
in home of joy and life
cast shadow of approaching death
Statement by Jesus himself
Vs 7 "day of my burial"
Did Mary anoint Jesus for burial?
That was not Mary's intention
It was an act of love
extravagant, wondrous love
Graditude for bringing Lazarus back?
Graditude for Jesus' friendship?
Graditude for what Jesus was about to do?
We can't say.
BUT, it was Prodigal love
Prodigal father - loves us
Mary shows how to love GOD
How has God shown us such love?
How have we shown such love to God?
Victor Shepherd tells the story of a missionary surgeon who had the reputation as a gruff, abrasive fellow who was equal parts kindness and sandpaper. Shepherd heard the missionary speaking to a small group of university students about his work in the Gaza Strip. He was telling us that them that we North American "fat cats" knew nothing about gratitude. Nothing! On one occasion he had stopped at a peasant hovel to see a woman on whom he had performed surgery. She and her husband were dirt-poor. Their livestock supply consisted of one angora rabbit and two chickens. For income the woman combed the hair out of the rabbit, spun the hair into yarn, and sold it. For food she and her husband ate the eggs from the chickens. The woman insisted that the missionary surgeon stay for lunch. He accepted the invitation and said he would be back for lunch after he had gone down the road to see another postoperative patient. An hour and a half later he was back. He peeked into the cooking pot to see what he was going to eat. He was one rabbit and two chickens. The woman had given up her entire livestock supply - her income, her food, everything. He concluded his story by reminding them that they knew nothing of gratitude. He wept unashamedly. The incident will stay with me forever.
As Mark said of this act in Bethany,
"Wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her."
WHY?
Because it was an act of extravagant, wondrous love.
It was an act of graditude.
God has given us two hands,
one to receive with and the other to give with.
We are not cisterns made for hoarding;
we are channels made for sharing. Billy Graham (Donovan)