Giving Of Ourselves

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.

INTRODUCTION:             We have some interesting side notes concerning this anointing of Jesus.                  (vv 1-2)

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

(Mark 14:3)  …being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, …

In our text

(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.

              We see Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon. Lazarus was also there.  This house to the best of our knowledge was the home of “Simon the Leper.”   Little is known about this Simon, other than we can make some suppositions.

                        He was a man with leprosy, who Jesus healed.  Maybe the one

who came back?

              In addition there are a couple more theories one that this Simon was the husband of Martha, consequently Martha was over the household in charge of serving

              Another is that Simon may have been Martha’s Father.  Simon may have been a widower, consequently leaving the eldest daughter in charge of the serving.  If this was true then this Simon was also the Father of Lazarus and Mary.

              So we don’t know all the answers but we know that Jesus impacted this family on a large scale.   Jesus not only resurrected Lazarus but he also resurrected Simon “the leper” to a new life.

              We see in our text it is only six days until the Passover festival, that time when Jesus would become the Passover Lamb for you and I.

I.            THE SUPREME BELIEVER                                                    (v 3)

              A.           A Person Like Mary

1.               She sacrificed all she owed

i.                She loved Jesus with all her heart

ii.               With all her soul

(Deuteronomy 6:5)  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

                             2.           Cleave unto Him

                                           i.            Desired His presence

              B.           Is A Person Who

                             1.           Expresses a repentant love

i.                Not afraid to show their love for Him

a.               A love that knows I am a sinner

b.               I am not worthy

(Acts 8:22)  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

                                           ii.           Pray for forgiveness

              C.           A Person Who Has A Sacrificial Love

1.               Has a costly love

i.                The perfume = I years wages

a.           Like a diamond to us.

ii.               Other than her clothing it may have been her only possession.

              D.           Has A Believing Love

                             1.           Her anointing Jesus was her expression of her love for Jesus.

2.               Jesus had given her much

i.                He gave her brother back

ii.               Now she was giving back

a.           When we see Jesus at home

b.           What are you going to give Him?

3.               How willing are you to put away your pride

i.            To worship Jesus

(Matthew 6:20)  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

II.           THE UNBELIEVING DISCIPLE                          (vv 4-8)

              A.           Judas, A Follower Of Jesus

                             1.           A professing believer

i.                Not always in agreement with the others

ii.               When they disagreed with him

a.               He criticized them

(Matthew 7:3)  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

              B.           Judas Expressed Concern                                           (v 6)

                             1.           He had an ulterior motive

i.                He was having a hard time with the waste

2.               A years wages poured out

3.               He wanted to help the homeless

4.               Why?   He was a thief yet he wanted

i.                To be socially accepted

ii.               To be recognized

iii.             To be honored

iv.             To gain credit with God

(Matthew 23:25)  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

              C.           Judas Worked For Jesus                                        (vv 7- 8)

                             1.           He did not love Jesus

                                           i.            Jesus was abrupt with Judas

(John 12:7)  Then said Jesus, Let her alone:..

                                           ii.           Jesus knew Judas didn’t understand

                                                          a.           Because he did not love Jesus

                                           iii.          Jesus said Mary’s anointing was

(John 12:7)  Said Jesus, …against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

III.         THE CROWD WAS NOT SINCERE                                       (v 9)

A.              They Did Come To See Jesus

1.               The person calling himself “The Messiah.”

2.               They wanted to see for themselves.

B.              The Crowd Came To See A Spectacular Event

1.               First, they wanted to see Lazarus

i.            Another dead man raised to life.

2.               They wanted to see if Lazarus was any different

              C.           The Crowd Was There For Fellowship

1.               A carnival like atmosphere

2.               People whose thoughts were on the festival

i.                They were there for the fun

(Matthew 23:28)  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

IV.         SELF SEEKING RELIONISTS                                       (vv 10-11)

              A.           Seeking To Kill Lazarus Also

1.               In addition to killing Jesus

2.               Lazarus’ resurrection

i.                Had impacted so many people

ii.               Now Lazarus was also a target

 (John 8:44-45)  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

             B.           Many Who Had Opposed Jesus

1.               Were now believers

              C.           Jesus’ Impact On Israel

1.               Was enormous

2.               His impact on the Sanhedrin          

i.                Was enormous

(John 5:24)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

CONCLUSION:               We have seen all facets of Church goers.  We have true believers to those who claim to believe yet are skeptical of certain things stated in the Bible.  They sorta believe the “Discovery Channel” more than the Bible.

              Then we have the skeptics among us who though they have heard the Word of God, His Gospel, just as Judas, yet they believe not, they for one reason or another attend church, yet may never be a believer.

              So the question comes; what are you?  Are you a secure believer, who serves Christ as Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us?

              Or are you a skeptic, one who is willing to listen, and does believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but there are problems, some of what I hear I doubt?

              Or are you one who attends, can understand why most are here, but like Judas, just cannot accept that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God?

              These are questions only you can answer.  I do not have the ability to discern your thoughts; though I can witness your fruit.

              For those who have not accepted Jesus as your personal Saviour, consider:

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That God tells us that “…whosoever believeth in him…”  There is this word “whosoever” which tells us regardless of what you have been, what you are, or even what you might be considering becoming. If you will call on Jesus’ name in belief, God will grant you eternal life with Him in heaven along with His only begotten Son Jesus.

Romans 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.