image Rubens Feast of Simon

John 12:1-11 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. [2] There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. [3]  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. [4]  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, [5]  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? [6]  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. [7]  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. [8]  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. [9]  Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. [10]  But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; [11]  Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

What is the most important thing to you?

Six days before Jesus was going to be crucified He went to Bethany. When I initially read this story I thought that Jesus was at the home of His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. But when you compare this text with Matthew 26 you see that …

Matthew 26:6 (KJV) … Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper …

Simon was called “The Leper” not because he currently was a leper – for the Israelite was commanded to stay outside the town and to have no contact with healthy people (Deuteronomy 24:8-9; Leviticus 13:46). Simon had been healed by God. Simon was also a Pharisee (Luke 7:37-38). I suspect that Jesus accepted Simon’s invitation to supper because our Lord is always reaching out in love to others. Though the Pharisees hated Jesus, Jesus loved them too. Our Lord came to save whosoever will.

What is the most important thing to you?
I wonder what was the most important thing to Lazarus?

John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

Jesus came to this supper not long after raising Lazarus from the dead. A week before this supper Lazarus became sick unto death.

We all take our lives for granted until death knocks at the door.
We sit and watch mindless television. We watch re-runs.
We invest our lives in many things that do not matter.

But Lazarus had seen death. He actually died, was buried, and had been through his funeral. Lazarus realized how fleeting life is. Though resurrected by Christ, he would one day die again, for it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Doesn’t the Bible tell us that:

James 4:14 (KJV) … For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

What is important to Lazarus? Read the text.

John 12:2 Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with {Jesus}.

The one who has lost life then receives it again is not wasting it anymore. He realizes the preciousness of life. Lazarus “sits at the table with Jesus”. He wants to be close to Jesus. Jesus said:

John 12:26 (KJV)  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

What is the most important thing to you?
I wonder what was the most important thing to Martha?

John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served

What was most important to Martha was the applause of others. She loved being busy. This was not her house, and yet Martha served. I thank God for those who serve, for without them the Church would come to a standstill. And yet I ask, Why do you serve? There was another time when Jesus came to supper and Martha served. As Martha served Mary sat at Jesus feet and “heard His Word” (Luke 10:39). Finally Martha had enough.

Luke 10:40-42 (KJV)  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  [41]  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  [42]  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

When we come together as a Church we as individuals come expectantly – wanting a Word from God. We serve Him, and do as He says. But we need His Word so we can apply it to our lives.

We need to come SEEKING and leave SERVING.

God loves those who serve Him. Let our lives be about serving Him by hearing His Word FIRST and THEN putting it into practice.

What is the most important thing to you?
I wonder what was the most important thing to Judas Iscariot?

Mary opened a bottle of precious oil, and began to bathe Jesus’ feet with it. The Bible says …

John 12:4-6 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, [5]  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? [6]  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

The most important thing to Judas was money. He loved money. The Bible warns us that …

1 Timothy 6:10-11 (KJV)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  [11]  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; …

Money is a trap, and it has killed many.
We are to RESIST the devil, but FLEE from greed.

Judas Iscariot sold our Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. After doing this his conscience condemned him. When he tried to return the money the Pharisees would not take it back.

So Judas killed himself by hanging.
Jesus was supposed to hang on a tree for our sins.
But Judas hung HIMSELF for HIS sins.
Which did nothing at all for Judas.
Better he should have heeded Christ’s words.

John 12:7-8 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. [8]  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Mary was ministering to Jesus. God had spoken to her heart, and she knew that our Lord was going to die soon. Lazarus should have looked away from the money and looked unto Jesus. There he would have found rest.

What is the most important thing to you?
I wonder what was the most important thing to the Chief Priests?

John 12:10-11 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; [11]  Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

The chief priests and Pharisees hated Jesus because He threatened their power. The chief priests were concerned with being “chief”. That was what they wanted, so much so that they plotted to kill Lazarus. Jesus told these people:

John 12:25 (KJV)  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

The chief priests would not only lose their power, but in 70 AD the Temple would be destroyed by the Roman Empire. They would lose their lives and their jobs because they made the wrong thing most important. They should have loved the Lord.

What is the most important thing to you?
I wonder what was the most important thing to Mary?

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Money was not the most important thing to Mary. Spikenard is harvested from a plant that only grows in the Himalaya mountains of India and Nepal. It is very rare, and was imported to Israel. When Judas Iscariot – a greedy thief – evaluated the cost of the spikenard he said it was worth 300 pence or denarii (John 12:5). The average workman earned only one denari per day of wages, so this would be the annual salary of a blue collar worker. Mary without hesitation anointed the feet of Jesus with this costly spikenard.

Pride was also not an important thing to Mary. She anointed Jesus’ FEET, the dirtiest part of the human body in those days. She then wiped His feet with her hair. The hair of a woman was considered her crown and glory.

What was the most important thing to Mary?
It was to honor Jesus with her possessions.
It was to honor Jesus with her life.
She served the Lord.
Because of her service,

the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

When God’s people serve the Lord without pride and foolishness the house is filled with the odor of the ointment. God gave us life to serve Him. We are to worship Him with all our hearts.

There was one other person at that supper that we have yet to mention. He is not specifically mentioned in the text, but He was surely there. That person is the Heavenly Father.

I wonder what is the most important thing to God The Father?

The Father has said of His Son that He is “My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22). Jesus said:

John 5:22-23 (KJV)  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:  [23]  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

The most important thing to the Father is that His Son be honored. God sent His Son to die for our sins. Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, to be a blessing to us. Jesus is to be honored. He is precious to God. Mary knew this. Of all that were there that day Mary and possibly Lazarus, I believe, gained the smile of God. They both wanted to be near Jesus.

Let us live to honor the Lord Jesus.
Let us use what we have for His glory.
In Christ’s Name.
Amen!