What would Jesus say to Buffett and Gates?

The celebration at Bethany where Martha was working in the kitchen, Lazarus was the focus of attention, and Mary was pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet. There was concern on the part of the disciples, especially Judas Iscariot, about the expense of her action related to the needs of the poor.
Three perspectives of the story:
• Everything is His – we really own nothing
• Everything is His to serve His purpose – he was being anointed for burial and the word “intended” seems to indicate this was a well thought out action
• Everything has been given so that we might seize the moment – recognize the eternal significance of each moment. Mary seized the moment of course not aware that Jesus’ death was just days away.
How does this story relate to you and I so many centuries after it happened?
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 12:1-8
“What Would Jesus Say to Buffett and Gates”
INTRO
-Weddings, I have discovered, are a mix of both great joy and subtle sadness
-Joy over the fact two people are cleaving
-But there is that certain sadness when you watch the slide show of their lives
-And realize they are also leaving
-A new chapter is beginning—an old one is ending
-Some years ago, another July wedding
-one wedding I once witnessed the mother wailing uncontrollably at the thought of losing her daughter
-The kind you see in the Middle East—in a funeral procession
-I thought—this man’s in for a long ride
In John 12—it must have been a very emotional time as well. (Vss. 12:1-8)
Like a wedding banquet—people from all around came to celebrate
-And it too had its mix of emotions
-This was Jesus—the Resurrection
-But this was Jesus—the wanted Man (11:57)
-This was Saturday night—the end of Sabbath—time for feasting
-But this was Saturday—before Sunday—the triumphal entry
-That would lead to Thursday the arrest
-And Friday—the execution
-Time for sadness
But for this moment—there would be celebration
-For one of the most incredible miracles in history occurred
-Lazarus, at the command of Jesus, came out of a tomb he had been sealed in for fours days
-So a dinner was held in Jesus’ honour
-Mark 14 tells us Simon the leper—possibly the Father of Lazarus and Mary and Martha, hosted the dinner
-Verse 2 tells us Martha was in the kitchen—where else?
-Up to her elbows in garbanzo beans
-Making sure enough humus was on the table
-The bread, olive oil and vinegar and wine—everything adequately prepared, served
Meanwhile—there must have been a festive atmosphere out in the main room
-It’s not often you have a “Back from the Dead” Party
-Live band—maybe the Grateful Dead or
People must have hovered around Lazarus—like someone just back from spending the night in the number 10 downing st
-What was it like—who did you meet—how was the food?
-What is death like—what do you see, hear, smell?
-Did you meet Him?
-Was it hard to come back?
-Curiosity seekers, necks craning to hear
-Get some hint of what the big day will be like when they all die
But John wasn’t interested in reporting this
-It was Mary who captures John’s attention
-Mary-the quiet one
-Usually found in the vicinity of Jesus
-Hanging on to His words—amazed at Jesus’ wisdom
-Overcome with gratitude for the love Jesus had shown in raising her brother
-Impressed—with HIS POWER—that raises the dead
-So Mary did a most remarkable thing
-She grabbed the most expensive thing in the house
-The family heirloom
-Perhaps the dowry kept for Mary’s wedding day
-The pint of pure nard
-The treasured scent found only in the mountains of Nepal
This was like grabbing imperial majesty by Clive Christian—sold for nearly £1500
an ounce. Or yours for £150,000 a bottle (What I typically buy for Donna at Christmas
-Only more expensive
-For this was pure oil worth about one year’s earnings
-20-30,000 pounds —and she broke the seal and poured it out—all 12.375 ounces
-And in this moment emptied out all of her inheritance—perhaps her ticket to marriage
-And if this were not enough—she poured it on His feet
-Which for most would have been a degrading act
-Only the most menial of servants touched the dirt ridden, smelly, callous feet of another
-But Mary more than touched His feet with her expensive perfume
-She bathed His feet with the symbol of her glory—her hair
-This was a woman acting with extravagant abandon
-Laying aside all propriety and restraint
-For in her mind—this was Jesus—the Deliverer—the Resurrection—the
Light of the world—the Bread of Life—the Living Water
-Whose value to her eclipsed everything she owned—everything she was
The conversation, the eating—everything appears to have stopped like a car in busy traffic.
-This was adoration to behold—this was gratitude overflowing—this was worship at its finest—this was…WASTE!!
-Verses 4-5 tell us a spirit of indignation took over the room
-It was one thing to provide a meal in Jesus’ honour
-But to waste good perfume on Him
-Parallel accounts tell us nearly everyone, including the disciples, were disgusted (Mark 14:4; Matthew 26)
-Judas voiced what others were thinking, what some of us might have thought—“why this misuse of funds”?
-Do you realize how many starving people there are in Africa?
-What we could be doing to help the Dalits in India?
-WHAT IS THIS WOMAN THINKING?
Maybe Mary was thinking this—
1. If He can raise someone from the dead—can He not provide?
2. If He has come to offer life—life abundantly—life in all of its unrestrained fullness
-Is it too much let loose in unrestrained worship?
3. Maybe she was thinking this—wondering this—
-So how do you measure the worth of Jesus?
-How did you arrive at your small price tag?
Illustration: Sophie has inherited from her Dad the issue of struggling to share, mine, mine, mine, Seagulls Finding Nemo
What was Jesus thinking at this moment?
-The One who came to preach to the poor
-Bring mercy—call for justice—teach the parable of the Good Samaritan
-Would He not agree that this is excessive?
-Mary—next time—a simple thank you will be enough
But Jesus did just the opposite. (Verses 7-8)
So what is He saying?
-Perhaps He at this moment placed things back in perspective—
A. EVERYTHING IS HIS
-Nothing is really ours
-What all of them failed to see is that Mary was only bringing to
Jesus what already was His
-Every square inch of this whole universe has written on it—“Mine”
Is that how you see things?
B. EVERYTHING IS HIS TO SERVE HIS PURPOSE
-Everything and everyone has a divine purpose
-Mary seemed to get this
Jesus underscored this in verse 7
-It was intended—for this purpose—the day of My burial—that she kept it
-i.e., from eternity past—this Nard was set apart in this field—in this home—to be used by this woman
-On this night
-That My body might be prepared for this burial
-That this death, burial, and resurrection might save your lives
-Is this not a reminder that all of our gifts, talents, resources, passions— are ultimately His—for His purpose
-And our wisdom is to willingly submit—fit in to His purpose?
Were Jesus speaking to Warren Buffett or Bill Gates—two of world’s richest men
-Who have teamed up to create the world’s largest charitable foundation Would He not say something like this?
-I am impressed by your efforts to alleviate human misery—rather than spend it all on yourselves
-To create a foundation that will hand out more money per year than the
GNP of 40 nations is commendatory
-Resources that could radically reduce poverty, address HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and poor education
-But if this is more about fulfilling your purpose than finding MY PURPOSE
-Treating it as if it is yours to give—rather than Mine to manage
-You might miss the opportunity to most impact the world
-You might become so focused on your solutions that you miss the heart
-From which all the world’s problems emanate
-You might perpetuate the poor because you miss the structures that create poverty
-Sinful inclinations, self-centeredness, and greed
-WHICH ONLY I CAN CHANGE
You might miss what I want to do through you—for life is about My purpose—not yours
Here’s a final perspective—
EVERYTHING IS TO SEIZE HIS TIME
-In this story, God placed a moment in front of Mary
-The hour had come—and no one at the table knew
-No one but Mary—so she seized her moment
-For the moment would soon pass to anoint His body
It is the same for us—we must also seize what is in front of us—and here’s what will not be there much longer—
-The opportunity to give our lives to Jesus, invest in His kingdom, steward whatever He has given us—whatever gifts, passions, talents
-Realizing that the day will come we can no longer do this
-Entering into eternity will not provide a second chance