SERIES: Faces  SERMON:  “Something About Mary”

SERIES: Faces  SERMON:  “Something About Mary”

John 12:1-11 

“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.  There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”

Mark 14:9 “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”     

WOW!  She expressed LOVE!!!

The greatest lesson we can embrace from this encounter:

The power of the gospel is manifest in our lives through beholding and not behaving.

A Deep Vision Of Grace!!!

Three places we see Mary Of Bethany in the Scriptures.

Luke 10:38-42

“ Therefore tell her to help me. … But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part.”

“The sweet language of experience is ‘Thou God seest Me’ When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on this earth.” A.W. Tozer  (The Pursuit Of God)

She see’s beyond the stuff that He does for us and has grasped the fact of His motivation … RECKLESS LOVE.   “Jesus loves me this I know.”   Beyond His acts to see His person.

Busyness can be artificial significance.     Bill Johnson

It is so often our activities that obstruct our union with Him.  Madame Guyon

Corrie Ten Boom “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”

Busyness:— not having too much to do, its doing that is not rooted in Jesus as your source. 

Baking cakes He didn’t order.

Busyness, worry, anxiety arise when my activity has its source in me.

He must be my starting point.  I can’t replace WORTH with work.   FIRST!

John 11:32. “Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’”

Martha met Jesus with words.    —    Mary met Jesus with worship.

They both had the same revelation but Mary went beyond the theological facts to the personal relationship.

Mark 14:5  “And they criticized her sharply.”    

embrimaoma (en-brim ah’ om ahee) :—  to snort with anger

Extravagant worship annoys religious people.

He is looking for worshippers and not workers.   

Any work should flow from Him as your source!

She gets it. — Doing it for my burial.

John 12:7. “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.”

An ounce of devotion eclipses tons and tons of striving.

She smelt like him and he smelt like her and her devotion changed the atmosphere.

A woman who didn’t write a book, preach or perform a miracle became the one who Jesus said is a clear manifestation of the gospel.

Grace that leads to adoration and not effort to gain understanding.

Matthew 26:8 “But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste?’”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

ap-ol’-loo-mee:— perish, ruin, waste

Mark 14:9 “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”     

WOW!  She expressed LOVE!!!

There was distance between her encounters.

Acts 2:4 “And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit…”

John 14:20  “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

JESUS MAKES HIS HOME IN US.   NO MORE DISTANCE.