A GIFT OF LOVE

John 12:1-50
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3Then 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. 4Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5"Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 6This 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. 7But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

In the book of John there is a wonderful account of a woman that gave a gift of love to Jesus. She was not the first woman to approach Jesus and pour out her love to Him. The first had been a woman with a bad reputation. Simon, the host of the dinner knew who she was and questioned in his heart how Jesus, if He was indeed a prophet, how could He let this woman touch Him. Jesus defended her and accepted her display of love as the repentance it was meant to be.
The second woman is unidentified by Matthew and Mark but John reveals that it is Mary, the sister of Lazarus.(12:3) This is not a woman that had a bad reputation. She had made it a habit to sit at the feet of Jesus. She did not come with a need for forgives but the need to express her love to Jesus. There are four things that we need to learn from her action and her expression of love to Jesus so that we can express our own love more effectively

First, it was daring. She comes into a room that was full of men. Women were only admitted to serve and then they were to leave. Mary is not concerned with what others thought. She was determined to show Jesus her love. It is possible, even probable that she was the only one in the room besides Jesus that understood that these were the last days that Jesus would spend with them. In order to be daring one must be Oblivious to self and to their reputation in the eyes of others. Mary let down her hair. (Matthew and Mark)This would be unheard of and there were those that were probably offended in her abandonment. But Mary chose to humble herself before Jesus and in front of others because she wanted to bless Him. This was between her and Jesus. No one else or what they thought mattered. The Bible says Humble yourself in the sight of the lord and he shall lift you up. Jam 4:10 Mary didn't have a towel and she didn't look for one. She wiped the feet at which she had sat at, with her hair. (vs.3)

Secondly it was costly. The price for the ointment she used was three hundred denarii (pence in Mat and Mark), almost a years wages.(vs5) It was a pound of this ointment and it was in an alabaster jar (Matthew and Mark). The alabaster jar was both precious and fragile. It was sealed in such a way that it could not just be opened and a little poured out. It was all or nothing and she broke it and poured it all out. She kept nothing back. Matthew and Mark say it was upon His head. (Mat 26/Mar 14) Joh.12:3 says that she anointed His feet. How do we reconcile the difference? She did both! Some believe that as she poured it out and it dripped (accidentally) onto his feet. Others believe she poured it out on his head and so much poured out that it dripped upon his feet. The point is... She did it!!! This was not a common gift and it did not just cost a little or nothing. It was one of sacrifice. We can hear the sentiment in the words of David,

“Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 2 Samuel 24:24 (NKJV)

Thirdly it was deliberate. It was something she chose to do whether the ointment was bought for this purpose or not is not known. It does not change the value, more or less. The point is that it was a decision on her part to give an offering of her love. This was not something that she had to do or was forced to do. It was not expected but in fact just the opposite. It was quite unexpected

Fourthly it was lasting. This is actually a result of the first three actions that Mary took. But consider this, because she poured out the whole gift on Him and it went over his head and upon his clothes and then on to His feet. It was at His feet where she wiped the excess away. There was an excess that covered Him. His hair and clothes bore the perfume of her love during the whole time …
• of His passion in the garden
• At his trials
• After his scourging
• All the way up the hill of Golgatha
• The terrible hours during his death
• Jesus was reminded of her love
Now let us consider the gift of our life to Jesus, because that is really what He is interested in.

First, is it daring or is governed by what others think? Do we not show our love or have any open display of it because of what other think? Or do we love Him with abandon and have little care of our own reputation? Is it oblivious to self and others and all we can think,

Second, is it costly? Is it our first and best or do we give what is leftover and not needed? Can we say that no price or service is too great or do we give God only what is left over, convenient and comfortable? We need to set aside our comfort and convenience and live out our love for the savior. We need to be less concerned about what we will get and be more concerned about what we can spend upon our Savior, simply because His love is worth it. Are you willing to sacrifice all for Him?

Third, is the gift of our life and love something deliberate or random and accidental? Is our love given freely and is our worship planned as well as spontaneous? People are deliberate about their jobs, their vacations and play times are thought out and executed with great care but their relationship with God “just happens.” Is our life given to Jesus with reluctance because everyone expects it? Or maybe because we feel like, well, we have to do something.

Fourth, is this life we are living and say that we are giving to God lasting or momentary? Is what we are working for lasting or will it only last and be remembered as long as we are there to perpetuate it. Are the things we give God eternal or temporal and only to appease Him. To do our duty so we can point to something and say, see “I love God”

Expect the Judas's (and other disciples) that will be there to question your motive and there will be those that will be quick to misrepresent your motive and love. Please my friend, let Jesus defend you and He will. Just as He stood for the woman with the bad reputation as well as the woman that was His friend He will stand for you. There will be those that will ask why you are wasting your time, your money and your life on Jesus. They will not understand and they will see it as a waste but Jesus will see it for the love it is and will remember it. And as you pour out your life as a fragrant gift of love as you give Him anything out of love you will find that the excess of your love for Him will remain on you. Your life will have the fragrance of love that people will notice. They will know that there is something different. And it will be lasting. Just as Jesus said of Mary may it be said of us…

I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." MAT 26:13