Jesus Revealed Pt. 12 - This Is Why I Came...Sample

Mary anoints Jesus  

Thoughts on the Passage

We see many contrasts in this passage.

· Mary and Martha and the way they each thank Jesus – Martha serves, Mary anoints.

· People believing in Jesus when they see Lazarus – and the religious leaders wanting to kill Lazarus as well because Jesus healed him.

· Mary’s love for Jesus – Judas’s love for money.

Each of these are worthy of taking time to expand on. Take one and meditate on the one that challenges you. I want to focus on the different ways that Mary and Martha say “thank you” to Jesus.

 

Martha serves. This is Martha’s heart. She loves to serve Jesus. There are many people just like her. Their passion is to bless others and to serve them and Jesus with their talents and abilities. Martha loves this and is always doing it. She gets to personally serve Jesus. That is an awesome privilege.

 

Mary is different. Serving Jesus is not enough for her. She wants to share her love even more. She takes pure scented oil worth one year’s wage and pours in on the feet of Jesus. This is not diluted perfume, it is the pure oil of perfume. It is an expensive and costly sacrificial gift. It is misunderstood by Judas, but not by Jesus.

 

There is a special meaning for this as well. Six days before the Passover, the lamb that was to be slain on Passover was to be chosen by the people – set apart for the special celebration. Jesus recognized that this anointing by Mary had a special significance that probably even Mary did not understand. She was preparing Jesus for His death. She was being used by God to anoint and announce the Passover Lamb of God.

[NOTE, in Exodus 12, it says that the Lamb was chosen on the 10th day of the month and Passover happened on the evening after the 14th day. The way they counted days is important here. Day 1 is always today. Also, every day starts on at sundown, so Passover is on the 15th day of the first month in the Jewish calendar. Day 1 is the 10th of the month and the 15th is then day 6.].

Mary and Martha are both recognized here. One because she serves. One because her act of sacrifice reveals the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of mankind. Jesus received both of their gifts.

Application

We can all choose to serve Jesus today. It can be a special reason for blessing Jesus or it can be just a normal day. It can be a special gift to Jesus or it can be a special gift to God’s people given in Jesus’ name. He will accept all of them.

 

Make it something that costs you. It may be your time, it may be your abilities, it may be money and a special thing we are saving for. Make it something that is telling Jesus how much you love Him.

Time to Pray

Father, today is a special day to say “thank you”. How do You want me to do it? Put within my heart a special way that expressed the love that I have for You. I am not willing today to just do it with a simple “Thank you!”. Like Mary and Martha, I want it to be special. It could be a special gift to a needy person – You say that when we do this, we do it for You. It may be a special offering to You. I do not care, but I want You to see my heart. I ask that You receive it as a love gift that is the best I can give. In Jesus’ name, Amen.