John 12:1-8.                        Remember the best!!!                                   13/3/16

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 

2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 

3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 

5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” 

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 

8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” 

Easter is fast coming on us, and the question arising out of this reading is, are we focussing on that which important. Or are we allowing lesser things to take centre stage in our thinking. We all, too often, get caught up in thinking about our day to day life and what needs doing. We are focussed on life in our world around us. So we fail to consider the truly important things in life.

How many of us are pondering deeply over the fact that Jesus is going to die - for us? Do we really take seriously that here God is going to die because of our sinfulness? Do we understand that we are completely unacceptable to be in God’s presence without Jesus doing what he did on the cross? Is he truly all important in our thinking and our actions? Would we give him our very expensive perfume in honour and gratitude for who he is and what he has done for us? These, and many other similar questions, are important for us to think through as we approach Easter.

Now here in this reading Jesus and his disciples are on the outskirts of Jerusalem where Jesus is about to go, where he will be arrested and put to death. Jesus has told his friends a number of times already that this is what is about to happen. However, by in large they just don’t seem to get it.

They are too busy thinking of themselves and their place in the scheme of all of this. Judas is only interested in getting his hands on the money that could be gained from the sale of this perfume. They all seem to be too engrossed in themselves and what is happening in the here and now. The important things are not considered.

Only Mary has any real concept of what is at hand and what is needed at this point. She has heard what Jesus had been saying and taken it all to heart. She knew he was going to die. She here now knows that it is near at hand. The text makes it clear that as she had already known that this was going to happen. So she buys this expensive nard in preparation for his death. In fact, she spends a whole year’s wages on this purchase, for the very purpose of anointing his body.

She knew Jesus was all important. She knew that his death was important. It also would seem that she knew that he was going to be crucified and that she would not have the opportunity to anoint his body when the time came. So here she takes the opportunity to do what was necessary. She is going to do the very best she could for him who is the Messiah – the one sent by God to save and lead his people. She was anointing him to be enthroned as King on the cross.

So Mary is focussed here on Jesus’ impending death and the importance of what he is doing and is about. In Mathew’s Gospel reading on this event we have Jesus heaping praise on her for what she has done: 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. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

What a beautiful reminder we have here for us too as we look forward to Easter. In the midst of the many temptations and distractions that we have at this time, we surely are encouraged to never lose sight of that which is truly significant.

Just as the disciples struggled so much from this point on, because they failed to come to grips with Jesus and his talk of death and resurrection; so also do we. When we don’t hold Jesus and the cross ever before us it is so easy for us to be tempted by the long weekend away; the Easter eggs; and lattes in the café; whatever.

Then also our ‘christian life’ becomes focussed on the poor; and our doing; and feelings; and what fits the culture of the day. Jesus becomes our great example; or we look to him to be our miracle worker so that we can somehow know that we are loved and accepted. My reasoning determines what the Bibles says and means; and my attendance at worship is determined by my understanding, not what he says.

All this and more becomes our thinking when we lose sight of Christ and the absolute importance of his death on the cross. Then we wonder why life is such a struggle and is so frustrating and empty. We know something is missing, but we don’t know what it is. We look to what everyone else is thinking, saying and doing, rather than looking to this one who gives his life so that we can have life.

However, on the other hand, when Christ is ‘anointed’ and his death and resurrection hold critical sway in our lives, then all these other things find their rightful place. Even the poor find that they never suffer. When Easter, and Jesus’ death is looked to and believed and seen for what it really is, then life takes on a whole different perspective.

There on the cross God has come to establish his kingdom. There he ascends his throne and declares the devil powerless. For there he takes the sting out of our sin and death. The devil’s accusation of our guilt is now powerless, for the punishment has now been taken by Christ himself and the declaration of forgiveness for all of our sin now stands.

Then in his resurrection, three days later, he assures us that he has defeated death and the devil and has come through for us, victorious. All now who are connected to him in their baptisms have the assurance of life and salvation. Just as he was raised from the dead so also will we. All of this can be truly believed because they have happened here in our history. This is real. This is life changing.

Now then we can face the future with confidence and hope. No matter what we are facing in life – good or bad – they all now find meaning and hope in Christ and his death and resurrection. Now there is certainty in the midst of the uncertainties of this life.

Now we don’t have to strive to find life in and from ourselves. We don’t have to hang on to ourselves for dear life and hope against hope that it will somehow work out. Now we can acknowledge that we are far from what we should be or can ever achieve by our own efforts. For in connection with Christ and letting him lead and guide how we live, we can be certain that it will all work out for good. His Word is now our sure guide for living in a way that is good and helpful, even if it is at odds with our world around us.

Even in severe suffering and death we now can be sure that God is at work bringing about good into life for us and for others. For we are loved, forgiven and assured of eternal life by our King who died and rose again for us.

So now with this knowledge and assurance we too can anoint him with the best we have to offer. He and what he does for us is what we want to think about; live in light of; and give honour to. Even though we will get ridiculed for holding him and his death up as central to all that we are and do, we will do it because it is the only thing that is truly good, helpful and life saving.

Surely also we will listen to and follow carefully what he has to say to us in his Word. We will not be wanting to change and ignore parts of it to suit ourselves and our culture. For now we know that what he says there is true and is all for our good and the way that we are to live as his people. Because he is true to what he says with regard to his death and resurrection we will accept what he says as the truth and as to what is good.

So now in the lead up to Easter let us not be distracted from giving our very best to him because of all he has done for us. Like Mary let us also fully trust him and what he has to say with regard to the importance of his death. Then may we gather together over this weekend and give him all glory and honour for the greatness of who he is and what he has done.

I am nothing. He is everything. Let this be our thinking so that he too may acknowledge us and receive us into his kingdom so that we can give him all glory and honour for all time. AMEN

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish