Lent Day 28: Missing the point entirely ...

Jesus comes over for dinner with his friends. Can you imagine the joy of this family and friend reunion? Lazarus has been brought back to life. His sisters have their head-of-household. They are no longer at the mercy of others. Picture this warm and loving scene: 

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

> Mary honors Jesus by spending her treasured possession on him. 

Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

> How beautiful it must have smelled. Everyone would have inhaled with pleasure ... except for Judas, someone close to Jesus who entirely misses the point of Mary's sacrifice.

> Why does Jesus bring a thief into his closest circle? We don't know - but scripture tells us that anyone who asks for forgiveness obtains it. Judas could have turned his life around at any time.

 > Judas takes offense at the expenditure of love and friendship, but Jesus puts her gift into perspective:

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’

> The public response to what has happened is predictable. People want to see the guy who was raised from the dead. Last week, they were at his graveside. Now the ex-dead man is hanging out with Jesus. 

> Once again, the religious rulers should have been thrilled, worshipping God and thanking him for exercising his great power. Instead, they have decided to opposed anything that Jesus does. No proof is enough for them. No sermon or fulfilled prophecy will persuade them. Their minds are made up. Jesus is dangerous and needs to be stopped.
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

> Have you ever experienced opposition to what God does through his Son Jesus Christ? 

> It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin and righteousness, says Jesus (John 16:7-10). However, when someone decides to reject Jesus, not even miracles, scripture, or transformed lives will persuade them. 

> The "unforgivable sin" against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-29)? There is no hope and no salvation for someone whose heart is closed to the One who could save, and who calls evil (blasphemes) the Spirit, whose work it is to make Jesus known.

> How open are you to what God intends to do in your life and in others?

Popular posts from this blog

Lent Day 23: A life in hiding

Image
" You have been raised up with Christ. So think about things that are in heaven. That is where Christ is. He is sitting at God’s right hand.  Think about things that are in heaven. Don’t think about things that are only on earth.  You died. Now your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3 Where are you hiding? And what are you hiding from? What would happen if you believed God had raised you from the dead and you were focused on heaven? What is you hid behind God' power instead of depending on your own?
Read more

Lent Day 39: Sentenced for your crimes and mine

Image
When the Pharisees and other national leaders take Jesus to the Roman governor, they are looking for the worst punishment they can inflict, a cruel and painful death . Here are the details, from  John 18:28-19:16: Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.  So Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’ ‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ ‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ they objected.  This took place to fulfil what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. > This is hardly a trial that seeks justice. Rather, it is a conspiracy to execute someone who threatens the power base and status quo. The reli...
Read more

Lent Day 31, 2024: Pruning that profits us

Image
It's painful to lose things. Sometimes we have to wave goodbye to a friendship, a job, or a home. Sometimes it seems like God is angry with us or that it's our fault. But Jesus offers a different perspective. Jesus talks about the value of the hard times, when things are pruned away.  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.   He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful (John 15:1-2) ." Sometimes what you leave behind is something that has outgrown its season or taken energy away from your true purpose: a fruitful life. Other times we don't know why  we are being reshaped.  It can hurt.  The writer to the Hebrews notes: " No  discipline  seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11)." Challenge: Think of som...
Read more