Nard, or Spikenard is a pale yellow or amber-coloured liquid with a heavy, sweet-woody, spicy odour.
When was the last time you reclined?
What’s your favourite fragrance?
Do you object to people pushing in the queue?
How much is your watch worth?
‘Help yourself’ has 2 meanings. If you help yourself to the money in the tip box, what does it mean?
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 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.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ 6 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.
7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’
9 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. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well.
What would you do with £20,180.16?
v5 It (the perfume) was worth a year’s wages.
In the UK, there are about 252 working days in a year, excluding weekends and bank holidays.
UK minimum wage = £11.44 x 7 hour day (with hour for lunch unpaid!) = £80.08 x 252 = £20,180.16
Jesus moves into danger for people: for us.
John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany
John 11:57 the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
2. How much is Jesus worth to you?
John 11:25 ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
The meal was given in Jesus’ honour - a thank you to Jesus for raising Lazarus from the dead.
John 12:3 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.
v4-5 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ 6 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.
how expensive the perfume was.
how suicidal, dangerous, and risky it is when our hearts don’t match and connect with the worth of Jesus.
Mary loved Jesus. Judas loved money.
3. Is there anything priceless to us?
John 12:7 Leave her alone.
Judas you have no idea of what is happening here.
Mary has seen me, she has experienced me, Mary’s heart has chosen me. And she has done the best thing – something beyond words and actions – a heart that matches me and my worth.
How much value is your life? £20,180.16?
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. There is no measuring the value of Jesus. There is no counting his worth. We can’t calculate the cost of love.
Jesus is wonderful beyond words and Mary loves beyond words.
4. Our response to Jesus
v7: Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.”
Jesus wants her to keep her thankfulness, her amazement, her excitement, her love for him as the resurrection and the life – including at his death and burial.
How do we respond to Jesus?
v3: “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
Our love and worship for Jesus is never just private: our time, effort, sacrifice, thankful love for Jesus is a challenge and blessing to everyone.
If any voice or anyone tells you that your love for Jesus is too much, don’t listen.
Let your love for Jesus be more than money: all that money can buy cannot compare to Jesus and life.
