5th April 2011

John 12:1-11 – Jesus Anointed at Bethany

• ”How to make History”
• Jesus is anointed at the home of Lazarus.
• On this night it was customary to give the poor gifts and yet Jesus commended Mary for doing this.
• If we cross reference this with the story in Matthew we realize there two keys things:
• Mary “did what she could’ – as reference to Hasidut, a concept by which pious Jews would ask God the question; “what is the thing I could do to please you most” or put another way “what more can I do to please you” not in the sense of extra time but effectiveness.
• Also in the other version Jesus tells them that ‘the poor will always be with you”.
• There is a lesson here for leaders.
• The issues will always be with you.
• The bigger our responsibility grows and the issues just change; but they are always with us.
• Better not to concentrate on trying to get a life or ministry free of issues but to concentrate on what pleases God most – what most impacts the Kingdom of God.
• Mary sends a message into the future – by preparing him for burial he now has an aroma and when He stands in front of those who accuse Him the aroma lets them know that He knows that they mock trials are just pretence.
• It also speaks of the fact that the reason He will die is in God’s hands and not there’s.
• Those who deal with issues do not make history.
• Those who ask “what more can I do to please you?” do.
• Praying for this wisdom today.