You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
Thank you so much.
So much to celebrate this morning.
All of it pointing us to Jesus, right?
It's the reason that we celebrate all of the things that we're celebrating.
It's how wonderful and good and glorious He is.
Turn with me this morning to John chapter 12.
We're going to see some more of this together.
In our study of this account, John's account of Jesus of Nazareth, His life,
we've just been seeing His glory in the last of seven signs.
Signs that Jesus performs to point us to who He is.
And just in this last one, He has raised Lazarus from the dead and said,
I am the resurrection and the life.
After several weeks further away from Jerusalem, away from the leaders who are plotting His death,
Jesus now heads back towards Jerusalem.
And He stops in Bethany again, that same town where Lazarus is raised from the dead.
And maybe no surprise, they throw a dinner in His honor.
Lazarus and His sisters are guests at the dinner.
Before we read about that extravagant celebration of Jesus,
let me just make one point from verses 9 through 11.
We mentioned last week that not only did the Jewish leaders begin to get concerned about
too many people believing in Jesus, so they wanted to kill Him,
but also Lazarus became a problem.
Lazarus was walking around alive and telling his story
and causing too many people to believe in Jesus,
so they decided they needed to kill Lazarus too.
All of a sudden, Lazarus is a star witness for Jesus, isn't he?
But as far as we know, Lazarus never taught a class,
never led a community work day,
never did anything at all that we know of
besides walk out of a grave at Jesus' calling.
And I hope that is an encouragement to you,
that being someone who shares the good news of Jesus
is not about what you have done for Jesus,
but about what Jesus has done for you.
Lazarus shows us that that's what makes for a star witness, friends.
It is a powerful testimony to say,
I was dead and Jesus made me alive again.
I once was lost and now I'm found, was blind, but now I see.
And every single one of us who knows Jesus
has a version of that story to share with others.
Every one of you lined up out here,
every one of you who has taken those vows before,
who's been washed in baptism by the blood of Christ,
it is your story that it's not what I did for Jesus,
it's what Jesus has done for me.
I hope that you get to share that story
and that you will with joy,
even if it costs you dearly,
to point others to your Savior.
Well, let's go back now to the dinner
and read this account of how Jesus is honored
and how some, even those close to him,
are bothered by it.
Verse 1 of John 12, God's holy word.
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 the 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 300 denarii
and given to the poor?
He said this not because he cared about the poor,
but because he was a thief
and having charge of the money bag,
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.
The poor you always have with you,
but you do not always have me.
This is God's word.
Let's ask for his help as we look at it.
Father, would you show us Jesus
that we might worship him,
that we might give all that we have to him,
that we might be transformed as we see him,
that you would actually make us into his image.
Teach us from your word, by your spirit,
please, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
I love efficiency.
I coast toward a red light for better gas mileage.
I use disposable razors,
often two to three months at a time
before disposing of them.
Ouch.
I plan ahead multiple days
to run multiple errands
in the same shopping center all at once
and of course to try to make sure
I don't get caught buying anything
without a coupon or a BOGO sale.
Stewardship.
Efficiency.
Wisdom.
Amen.
But,
there is a version of me
known affectionately, I think,
as Vacation Dad.
Vacation Dad does very crazy,
inefficient things
like allow you to get a drink
other than water
when we go out to eat at a restaurant.
Extravagant.
A couple years ago on our anniversary,
we were traveling in Scotland on sabbatical
and I thought,
when will I have another anniversary
where I can take my wife to tea
at a fancy British estate mansion
to celebrate?
The cost was irrelevant to me
and it was covered by the sabbatical grant
which was really generous
but don't take all the credit away from me.
Still, still,
I found the place
that was most like a castle
and I booked tea for two
without a coupon.
In fact,
when I found out
that Christy was planning
to wear heels to tea,
I splurged.
I think it was ten bucks
for a cab
so that we didn't have to walk
two miles to tea
and it was great.
I'm so thankful
that I got to celebrate
my love for my wife
and our anniversary with her
and right outside the window,
next picture,
there's a peacock
right outside our window.
It's in the back.
You might be able to see it
and it's there for Adriana
because she joined the church
this morning
and that made it really special.
It is actually hard for me to admit
extravagant.
But sometimes,
especially in love,
extravagant makes more sense
than efficient.
And that seems like a contradiction
in terms for many of us.
It does for me.
And Judas actually shares my opinion.
Now, I know,
not great company,
you may be thinking.
You're not making a good case
for yourself.
But actually,
Matthew and Mark tell us
that others among Jesus' disciples
are thinking the same thing
about Mary's expression of love.
Those who are right there with him
think,
what's going on?
Why is she doing this?
Listen,
we are Presbyterians, right?
Most of you are going to feel
some of this this morning.
When we hear of the glories
of God's grace,
we say,
hmm,
yes.
Measured practicality,
I would say,
is our MO.
Measured practicality
is an occupation
for some of you.
This is how we function
day in and day out.
I'm not here to tell you
that stewardship
and planning
and efficiency
are always bad.
But Mary
and then Jesus
are going to challenge
those of us
who love them
not to hold on
too tightly.
There are other things
that are valuable.
It's really a pretty
simple story
to understand
as we read,
isn't it?
Mary expresses
her love for Jesus
extravagantly.
Judas objects
to her decision.
Jesus defends
her extravagance.
But can we be honest
that when Mary
empties perfume
on Jesus
that's valued
at a full year's wages,
just think about that.
What that would mean
for you.
Many of us want to ask
the same question
Judas does.
Why?
Why such extravagant
devotion, Mary?
You've never done this
before that I know of.
You've been with Jesus
before.
Think of all the good
that we could do
with that money.
Jesus is great
and all.
I mean,
sure,
but let's keep
our responses
within reason,
our hands below
our shoulders,
our hearts under control.
Let's not get carried away.
Will you let Jesus
press on our efficiency
idol this morning?
He says,
we need to leave
extravagant Mary alone
and instead examine
our own hearts.
Mary rightly values
Jesus.
Extravagance makes
sense here,
he says.
Why?
Why might
extravagant love
make sense?
What motivates
Mary?
What's the driving
force behind this?
What motivates
her here
that should also
motivate our love
for Jesus?
Would motivate us
in relationship
with him
to live
for him?
Well,
first,
it's what
Jesus has done.
Mary plans
this expression
of love
ahead of time.
Clearly,
she has brought
the perfume
from her home
to the dinner
because Jesus
has raised
her brother
from the dead
and she wants
to thank him,
right,
to celebrate him.
Lazarus is alive,
is seated
at the table
eating with Jesus.
Don't miss that.
This is not
where he was
just in the last
chapter.
He was in the grave.
She was weeping
for him.
Mary,
therefore,
took expensive
ointment
and poured it
on Jesus.
Mary,
therefore,
because of
Jesus had come
and Lazarus
was there,
so Mary
responded.
Think of all
the blessings
Jesus has
given to you.
All of the
things for you
to enjoy life.
It's extraordinarily
valuable,
isn't it?
In particular,
the lives
of those we
love.
If that's true
of their
physical lives,
like Lazarus
physically standing
there having
walked out
of the grave,
where we would
acknowledge that
our very breath
is a gift
from God,
how much more
is that true
spiritually?
When Jesus
has delivered us
and people
we love
from sin
and death
and the grave,
when our
children stand
before us
and profess
faith in Jesus
and hope
because of who
he is
and what he's
done for them,
there's no
greater joy,
right?
Mary can't even
comprehend
the value
of having her
brother Lazarus
back in her life.
It is a
throw-out-the-calculator
kind of devotion
and love
expressed here.
She's saying
thank you
Jesus
for all
that you've
done.
But more
than what
Jesus has
already done,
Mary has
some sense
of what
Jesus will
do.
Jesus explains
part of her
motivation in
verse 7,
right?
Jesus said
leave her
alone so
that she
may keep
it for
the day
of my
burial.
The Greek
of this
passage is
really hard
to pinpoint
the exact
meaning of.
I'm going
to stick
with what's
clear,
which is
that in
some way
Mary connected
this perfume,
this pure
nard,
to Jesus'
burial.
I think
it's not
assuming too
much to
say Mary
knows that's
coming soon.
She's
understanding
more than
most of
Jesus'
disciples.
After all,
she's been
sitting at
his feet
regularly.
listening to
him.
She's
probably
heard from
her friends
who we
read went
to the
Pharisees
just a few
months ago
after Lazarus'
resurrection
with news
of that
resurrection
and they
got a
response that
was murderous
toward Jesus,
right?
Mary knows
that.
She senses
what lies
ahead for
Jesus even
within a
week.
Jesus is
going to
die in
our place.
He's
going to
pay the
infinite
penalty for
our sin.
He's going
to endure
the darkness,
be buried
to give us
light.
Mary has
had time
to ponder
Jesus'
death in
her place.
I just want
to encourage
you.
Have you done
that since
last week
when we
got to
talk about
Jesus'
substitutionary
death in
our place?
Have you
taken time
to ponder
that?
Does it
stir your
heart to
overwhelming,
extravagant
thanksgiving
and love
and gratitude
for the
one who
paid the
debt that
you never
ever could
have repaid
and he's
paid it
in full?
Finally,
don't forget
that as we
consider what
could motivate
such extravagant
love,
don't forget
to contemplate
the wonder,
the glory
of who
Jesus is.
It's not just
the things he
does.
As we encounter
him here over
and over in the
Gospel of John,
remember what
John is doing
because it's what
Jesus has done.
He's doing
things as signs
that point us
to the reality
of who he
is that
show us
his glory
so that we
might believe
in him.
I just want
to walk back
through the last
couple of
chapters with
you.
I'm encouraging
you to slow
down with me
for just a few
minutes.
I'm not going
all the way
back to the
beginning of
John.
We'd be here
all day.
But just in
the last
couple chapters,
just take a
couple minutes
to remember
who Jesus
has shown us
he is.
We've seen
Jesus as
the good
shepherd
who calls
his sheep
by name
when otherwise
we would
wander.
Who lays
down his
life for
the sheep
when otherwise
his sheep
would have
been destroyed.
He's the
good shepherd.
We've seen
him as the
one and only
way into
life with
God.
The life we
were created
for.
Even when we
try to devise
other ways in
for ourselves,
that he is
the one in
whom we
find that
life.
We've seen
him promised
to be the
one who
satisfies us
deeply.
Who in
fact gives
our lives
true purpose
and significance
beyond what
we could
imagine so
that we
have something
to live
for.
We've seen
him offer
ultimate
lasting security
because of
his divine
strength that
holds us
in every
situation and
never lets
us go.
When we
are so
desperate for
something like
that that we
can count on,
when we're so
fearful, when we're
so anxious about
what this life is
going to bring,
there is priceless
comfort in
Jesus being the
divine strong
hand that
holds you.
we've seen
Jesus meet us
in our grief
with his
precious promises,
with his
perhaps more
precious tears
that help us
know the
heart of our
God in ways
that otherwise
we could only
hope were true
but now we
see and
feel and
know that
we're not
alone,
that our
sorrows and
our anguish
are justified,
that they won't
last forever.
Jesus is that
for us.
We've seen
him as the
resurrection and
the life,
who gives us
life beyond our
breath here,
confidence that we
will never taste
death because we're
hidden in him,
hope that this
purposeful,
significant life
that he brings us
into, we will enjoy
with him forever.
Are you
contemplating this?
Are you marveling
at who he is?
Just pick a
passage this
afternoon.
Would you do
that?
Sit for a few
minutes in the
glory of who
Jesus is and
what it means for
you in relationship
with him.
He is the
pearl of
great price,
right?
He is the
living water
that quenches
all of our
thirst.
He is the
treasure hidden
in the field
that when you
find it, you
would sell
everything that
you have in
order to have
him.
Settle there,
ponder that.
This is who he
is, this is how
valuable and
precious he is
and yet he has
given himself to
you for free
and forever.
He is yours
and you are
his.
Sit in that.
Put the
calculator of
measured
practicality
away.
All of a
sudden there's
not anything
in the world
that would be
giving too
much to honor
him, to
respond to
his life
giving love.
Love so
amazing, so
divine, demands
my soul, my
life, my
all.
Not sure how
much of Jesus'
glory Mary
grasps here
but I
suspect the
precious ointment
may be only
the beginning
of what she'll
pour out at
his feet as
she knows him
more and
more.
And we
really could
stop there
and just let
our hearts
respond, figure
out what it
looks like but
let's briefly
before we come
to the table
let Mary and
Jesus give us
some ideas of
what it could
look like.
If Jesus'
love demands
my soul, my
life, my
all, what
might extravagant
love for him
cost me?
There's a couple
of categories in
this passage.
I'm just giving
you categories.
Think specifically
for yourself.
Pray right now
that the spirit
would lead your
heart in the
next few minutes
in line with
your love for
Jesus that is
welling up in
you as you
consider who
he is.
What would
it look like?
First let's
think resources.
It seems that
in one night
Mary pours a
year's wages
onto Jesus
and he doesn't
think she's
gone too far.
The fact that
it's expensive
and the fact
that it could
have been
redirected to
other things
and used for
something else
they're both
highlighted here.
It may well
have been her
family's savings
their safety
net their
source of
security that
she pours out
on him.
See the money
is a resource.
You think money
likely extravagant
love doesn't
calculate 10%
very often.
It's just not
on the radar.
It also
represents some
other resources
like time
doesn't it?
How many of
us worship
Jesus with
the measured
practicality of
yes a couple
hours on Sunday
morning makes
sense most
Sundays.
What about
dreaming about
a whole day
of Sabbath
spent with
Jesus?
What it could
look like to
be with him
wholeheartedly
with nothing
distracting you?
What about
considering how
I invest my
free time
for his
kingdom?
my vacation
for his
glory?
Would I
risk things
that threaten
my earthly
security to
express my
heartfelt devotion
to Jesus?
I hope you
read the words
we'll sing them
in a minute.
I'd rather
have Jesus
than silver
or gold
riches
untold
anything this
world affords
today.
Mary must
have concluded
that.
I'd rather
have Jesus
than houses
or lands.
I'd rather
be led
by his
nail-pierced
hands
even
if his
lead me
to the
same
painful
places.
It gets
harder in
my opinion.
I'd rather
have Jesus
than men's
applause.
I'd rather
have Jesus
than worldwide
fame.
Mary has
counted this
cost to
the cost
of her
reputation.
Letting her
hair down
to touch
his dirty
feet
with her
glory,
her hair.
This would
have been
scandalous.
not to be
done in
public
setting by
a respectable
woman.
Measured
practicality
says,
I'll let
them know
I'm a
Christian,
but I'll
make sure
they know
that I'm
still
intelligent
and a
man of
science.
Would
you be
okay if
they're still
skeptical on
the last
part?
Are all
of your
relationships
with
efficient
people?
Would you
humble
yourself
to
relationships
that won't
do you
any good
socially or
professionally?
That might
even harm
you in
those ways?
That might
even cost
you a
promotion
or the
opinion of
someone you
care about?
Y'all,
I want you
to think
about
relationships.
All
relationships,
especially
relationships with
the kinds of
people Jesus
loves,
they're rarely
efficient,
but they
often teach
you about
loving
extravagantly.
Are you
okay with
being left
out,
thoughtless
of,
even by
other
Christians
who don't
mind making
their opinions
known about
the company
you keep?
Just because
Jesus is so
precious to
you, you're
going to
love that
other person.
One more
thing it may
cost you,
reasonableness,
now that
hurts for
those of
us who
love
efficiency.
Mary
surrenders
everything
here,
right?
I mean,
look, she
breaks the
box, she
pours it
out, she
loves deeply
from the
heart, but
one thing
she is not
is reasonable.
She is not
using a
spreadsheet, she
is not
calculating
ROI.
In these
days a
dab of
perfume on
the forehead
would have
been customary
and adequate
to be
respectful for
the evening.
Mary has
long since
passed customary.
She has
long since
stopped
calculating
what she
owes Jesus.
She is
worshipping
him with
all that
she has,
all for
Jesus,
all for
Jesus,
all my
beings,
ransomed
powers,
all my
thoughts and
words and
doings,
all my
days and
all my
hours.
really?
Really?
Think of
how many
poor people
could have
been helped
with the
proceeds from
selling that
nard.
Whether he
means it from
his heart or
not, Judas
is not wrong
financially, is
he?
He's got a
point.
I don't want
you to be
confused when
Jesus defends
Mary either.
He's not
saying don't
care about
the poor.
He's not
slighting the
poor.
He's not
talking down
caring for
them.
That is a
hallmark of
the ministry
of Jesus
and a reason
why they
have money
that they
keep with
them to
share with
others.
Jesus is
contrasting
here something
that you
should always
do, care
for the
poor, with
something Mary
can only do
in this way
right now.
Honor Jesus
by preparing
his physical
body for
burial.
He is
pointing out
that Mary
in giving
all to
him has
not
overvalued
him.
You don't
have to worry
about that.
You will
never overvalue
Jesus.
You'll never
pay too much.
And
wonderfully,
we're in a
little bit easier
spot because
we don't have
to worry about
neglecting the
poor when we
do.
Why?
What did
Jesus himself
tell us?
Whatever you
have done to
the least of
these, visited
them in prison
or when sick,
fed them,
clothed them,
welcomed them
into your
home or life,
whatever you
did for them,
you did it
to me,
Jesus said.
There's no
binary choice
between
extravagant love
for Jesus and
generous love
for the poor,
is there?
We can do
both at the
same time,
in fact.
Has your
love for
Jesus ever
overflowed into
something entirely
unreasonable to
those around
you?
Or have you
proudly kept it
under control,
not gotten
carried away?
It's within
reason,
carefully measured
out all the
time.
We should
pray,
friends,
we should
pray Jesus
so stir our
hearts that
we are
extravagant.
make our
hearts full
of your
love that
it would
overflow
beyond what
we could
control or
count.
You can
pray that
confidently
while also
repenting of
our efficiency
idol.
You know why
you can do
that?
Because there's
no way at
the end of
this that
Jesus can
condemn
extravagant
love or
gratuitous
generosity or
unreasonable
sacrifice because
he's about to
do exactly
those things,
isn't he?
This is the
way God
loves and so
it is one way
that we can
reflect his
image.
Think about
this.
It's why Tim
Keller calls
the father of
the prodigal
son the
prodigal
God.
He's
scandalously
extravagant.
Wouldn't you
call it
extravagant to
give your
inheritance away
to a
wastrel and
then when he
comes running
home to spend
much of the
rest of your
resources throwing
a party for
him?
God is
sometimes so
inefficient it
seems.
What's he
thinking?
Jesus spends
all this time
one-on-one
with sinners
and others who
sometimes reject
him.
He could be
teaching hundreds
at a time.
He could have
become incarnate
in the internet
age when he
could be a
huge influencer.
It's almost
like he thinks
it makes sense
to leave the
99 at home
to chase
after the
one lost
sheep and
then celebrate
like crazy
when you
find it.
Does he
really think
that makes
sense?
Thank goodness
he does.
Jesus acts
like that.
Jesus teaches
like that.
It sets a
pattern in
the life of
God become
man to show
us what God
is like in
his extravagant
love.
Such a
pattern in
the life of
Jesus that
he determines
at the end
of it to pay
the price of
his precious
blood.
The blood
of a
spotless
lamb without
blemish or
defect.
The son of
God, the
pearl of
great price,
the prince of
heaven decides
to give his
life to buy
people like you
and me back
into his
family.
His life
for ours.
No way.
It is like
young, vibrant
Belle throwing
herself into
near certain
death to
spare the
life of her
aging,
lunatic
father.
What?
It's
extravagant.
It's
unreasonable.
But what
beauty there
is in the
unreasonable
sacrifice of
Jesus, right?
The
gratuitous
generosity of
our gracious
God, the
extravagant love
of the
Trinity for
sinners.
Aren't we so
thankful?
Why don't we
stop analyzing
it and
celebrate such
love together
this morning?
As we do
this, let it
soak deep into
your soul as
you taste his
body and his
blood.
Let it really
sink in deep,
okay?
It was on the
night when
Judas betrayed
Jesus that he
took bread and
he broke it and
he gave it to his
disciples who still
struggled to
understand exactly
how much he was
worth and what he
would give for
them.
And he said,
take and eat.
This is my
body, my very
self given for
you.
Do this in
remembrance of
me.
And in the
same way after
supper he took
the cup and
he said, this
cup is the new
covenant in my
blood which is
shed for many for
the forgiveness of
sins.
Drink from it
all of you.
See, this is not
Southwood's table or
the Presbyterian's
table.
It is the
Lord's table.
He is the
only one
extravagantly
loving enough to
give his life, to
give you life, to
give undeserving,
hopeless people.
That's what our new
members stood up here
and said.
We say it with them
as we come here that
we are hopeless save
for his sovereign,
extravagant mercy.
If that's your story,
that that's where your
hope is come and
take his body and
blood given for you
and celebrate love
like that.
If that is not your
story yet, if you
haven't owned that
publicly and been
baptized, then don't
come take bread and
wine this morning.
Come and observe.
Come and ask us to
pray with you.
We'd be thrilled to.
But come and
consider, please
consider the Savior
who would give his
body and blood so
that you would be at
this table with him
forever.
That's how he loves
you.
It's how he's shown us
his love.
Some of you are
coming this morning to
eat and drink with us
for the very first
time.
We are so excited to
celebrate with you,
dear young people.
What a joy.
We rejoice with you
that you're about to
do perhaps some of you
for the first time.
Something that you
will get to do
forever.
You get to eat with
Jesus.
He is giving you
this so that you
know there is a
table like this
coming forever where
you eat in his
presence and you're
never apart from him.
So start celebrating
that today and you
never have to stop.
Let me pray and we'll
celebrate together.
Jesus, what amazing
love.
You are so good to
us.
Don't let us miss
it.
Don't let us move
quickly past who you
are and how you love
us.
Stir up within us
gratitude, wonder,
love for you.
We ask in your name.
Amen.
For more information,
visit us online at
southwood.org.