SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14 & John 12:1-8
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PRETEND YOU ARE WALKING INTO THIS SANCTUARY ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING. THE RESPONSE TO THE YEARLY REQUEST FOR FLOWERS HAS BEEN UNUSUALLY LARGE, AND THE ONLY FLOWER ANYONE ORDERED WAS THE LILY. THERE ARE THREE TIMES THE NORMAL AMOUNTS OF LILIES PLACED ALL OVER THE SANCTUARY AND THE ENTIRE SPACE IS PERMEATED WITH THE SWEET, TANGY AROMA THAT NEARLY SHOUTS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RESURRECTION. YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES NOW!
THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF AS I READ THE GOSPEL LESSON FOR TODAY.
MARY BROUGHT AN EXTRAVAGANT AMOUNT OF SWEET, TANGY SMELLING OINTMENT INTO THE VERY SAME ROOM THAT STILL SMELLED OF HER BROTHER’S DEATH. YES, THIS MARY IS THE SISTER OF LAZARUS, THE SAME MAN WHOM JESUS HAD CALLED OUT OF THE TOMB A BRIEF TIME BEFORE THIS SCENE TAKES PLACE. WHERE ONCE THERE WAS THE SMELL OF DEATH, THERE IS NOW THE SMELL OF A NEW THING GOD IS ABOUT READY TO DO IN JESUS.
AND MARY IS THE ONE WHO BRINGS THE NEW THING INTO SHARP FOCUS WITH HER TENDER, SENSUOUS ACTIONS OF ANOINTING JESUS’ FEET AND WIPING AWAY THE EXCESS WITH HER BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR.
ALL OF OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR TODAY POINT TO WHAT THE INTERPRETER’S BIBLE CALLS, “THE RADICAL NEWNESS OF WHAT GOD IS DOING.”
THE PROPHET ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT THE REDEMPTION OF AN EXILED PEOPLE. THERE IS A NEW THING GOD IS READY TO DO FOR THE PEOPLE HE ONCE BROUGHT THROUGH THE RED SEA INTO AN EXODUS OF FREEDOM AND WILDERNESS WANDERING THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE PROMISED LAND.
AND THIS NEW EXODUS WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN THE LAST. ISRAEL IS UNLIKE ALL OTHER NATIONS WITH A KING. ISRAEL HAS A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND GOD IS THE KING OF ISRAEL. ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT THE REDEEMING LOVE GOD HAS FOR ISRAEL THAT SETS THEM FREE FROM BONDAGE AND SLAVERY.
CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT ISAIAH WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR PRESENT MOMENT AS WELL AS THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ISAIAH WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE NEW THING THAT IS EMBODIED IN JESUS THE CHRIST. CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ISAIAH WAS PREDICTING THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, THE ANOINTED ONE, THE SAVIOR OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. BUT CHRISTIANS ALSO BELIEVE THE LOVING REDEMPTION OF GOD GOES BEYOND THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. WE BELIEVE THE LOVING REDEMPTION OF GOD IS FOR THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. DO YOU FEEL WHAT A NEW AND REFRESHING IDEA THAT SOUNDS LIKE, EVEN NOW?
WELL, PAUL CERTAINLY FELT IT. IN HIS LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS PAUL IS EXPLAINING JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS TO THE NEW THING GOD IS CONTINUOUSLY DOING WITHIN CREATION. PAUL HAD LOST EVERYTHING FROM HIS PREVIOUS LIFE AS A JEW AND A PHARISEE IN ORDER TO LIVE HIS NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. ACTUALLY IT WAS THE CONSTANT WHISPER OF THIS NEW LIFE THAT FANNED THE FLAMES OF PASSION WITHIN PAUL FOR HIS ENTIRE MINISTRY. PAUL’S MINISTRY TOOK THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS FURTHER INTO EUROPE AND ITALY THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.
AND THEN WE HAVE MARY, POINTING TO AND CLAIMING THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN JESUS. SHE IS THE EPITOME OF GOOD DISCIPLESHIP AS SHE ENTERS THE ROOM WITH HER PURE NARD, HAVING SPENT AN ENTIRE YEAR’S SALARY TO BUY THE SPECIAL OINTMENT AND LAVISHING ITS HEALING POWERS UPON JESUS’ FEET. IT SEEMS THAT MARY WAS POINTING TO AND PREPARING JESUS FOR THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION THAT WILL BRING THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING CLOSER THAN EVER TO ALL OF HUMANKIND.
DOING A NEW THING; THAT SOUNDS SO INNOCENT AND BENIGN, DOESN’T IT?
“THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING” IS SUCH A RICH THEOLOGICAL PHRASE, AND WE LOVE TO HEAR IT – AS LONG AS IT MEANS NO PAIN FOR US.
IF THE “NEW THING” IS ABOUT THE ISRAELITES OR THE APOSTLE PAUL OR JESUS, THAT’S JUST GREAT. IT IS WONDERFUL TO STAND APART AND SAY, “WHAT A MARVELOUS NEW THING THAT IS.” BUT THE MOMENT WE GET SUCKED INTO THE NEW THING, AND IT MEANS A CHANGE FOR US, WE PANIC.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PAIN OF THE NEW THING IS UPON US AS WELL AND IT DOESN’T FEEL SO BENIGN.
CHANGE; I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DREADED WORDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. AND YET OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IS FOUNDED UPON AND GROUNDED IN THE CONCEPT THAT THINGS CHANGE CONSTANTLY. IT’S PAINFUL, SURE, BUT IT DOESN’T KILL US. WHO IS IT THAT SAID, “THAT WHICH DOES NOT KILL US WILL HELP US GROW?” I HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS PERSON UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PAIN OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION CAN BE BEARABLE WHEN APPROACHED FROM THE COMFORTING POSSIBILITY OF GOD’S LAVISH LOVE. CHANGE IS PAINFUL – SOMETHING MUST DIE WHEN CHANGE OCCURS, BUT THE DEATH DOESN’T HAVE TO BE OURS. AND THE SWEET SMELL OF MARY’S PURE NARD REMINDS US THAT THE RESURRECTION IS ALWAYS THE FINAL WORD.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES LOOKING AT JUST EXACTLY WHAT PURE NARD IS. IF YOU LOOK IN THE BIBLE DICTIONARY YOU WILL FIND A DEFINITION THAT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS, “A COSTLY FRAGRANT OINTMENT PREPARED FROM THE ROOTS AND HAIRY STEMS OF AN AROMATIC INDIAN HERB.” YOU WILL ALSO FIND THE FACT THAT THE NAME OF THIS OINTMENT IS SPIKENARD IN THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
SPIKENARD – IT DOESN’T HAVE QUITE THE SAME SOOTHING FEELING AS “PURE” NARD, DOES IT! BUT IT IS CALLED SPIKENARD IN THE KING JAMES BECAUSE TO THE POINTED AND SPIKISH NATURE OF THE ROOTS ON THE PLANT FROM WHICH THE OINTMENT IS MADE.
I FIND THE KING JAMES WORD A GREAT IMAGE OF WHAT CHANGE IS ALL ABOUT. THERE IS BOTH A PRICKLY NATURE TO CHANGE, AS WELL AS A SOOTHING KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESURRECTION THAT IS CELEBRATED IN THAT WHICH IS NEW. CAN WE SMELL THE SPIKENARD? CAN WE FEEL THE SOOTHING OINTMENT OF THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN US?
DO WE UNDERSTAND, ON A VERY FUNDAMENT LEVEL, THAT DISCIPLESHIP MEANS BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE CHANGE AND HOPE FOR NEW THINGS?
IN A WAY, MARY WAS ANOINTING THE HOLINESS OF THE NEW THING THAT WAS ABOUT TO BE DONE IN JESUS. DO WE GO AS FAR AS TO ANOINT THE HOLINESS OF CHANGE? DOES OUR ENGAGEMENT OF MINISTRY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST CARRY THE SAME LAVISHNESS OF GOD’S LOVE?
NOW THERE IS ANOTHER PROMINENT PERSON IN TODAY’S STORY. AND THAT PERSON WOULD BE JUDAS. AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE EXTRAVAGANT LOVE OF MARY’S DISCIPLESHIP WE SEE A DIFFERENT KIND OF DISCIPLESHIP PLAYED OUT IN JUDAS. JUDAS IS CHALLENGING AND DECEITFUL, LOOKING FOR ANY WAY TO STOP THE CHANGES FROM HAPPENING. JUDAS HAS HIS OWN SENSE OF WHAT THE NEW THING SHOULD BE. BUT WHAT JUDAS DOESN’T REALIZE IS THAT HIS IDEA OF A “NEW THING” IS NOT REALLY A NEW THING AT ALL.
JUDAS’ VISION IS SMALL AND NARROW. HE WANTS ISRAEL TO BECOME A NATION WITH A POWERFUL KING AND LARGE ARMIES THAT OVERTHROW THE ENEMY. THE “NEW THING” JUDAS IS LOOKING FOR IS REALLY A PAINFUL MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO FOR THAT HISTORICAL MOMENT.
THERE IS NO THOUGHTFUL RISK AND VERY LITTLE SPIRITUAL GAIN INVOLVED.
A FEW PEOPLE MIGHT DIE IN A MILITARY UPRISING, WHICH IS WHAT JUDAS WAS LOOKING FOR, BUT THE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL MATURING OF THE HUMAN RACE WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED THAT WAY. YOU SEE, JUDAS DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN JESUS CHRIST IS UNIVERSAL. THE NEWNESS OF IT IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE IMAGINED IN THE MOMENT. JESUS IS ABOUT READY TO TAKE AN ACTION THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY HUMAN BEINGS RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO GOD FOREVER. AND JESUS’ ACTION IS MEANT TO CHANGE THE HUMAN PSYCHE UNTO THE END OF TIME.
MARY SEES IT AND CONNECTS WITH IT. SHE HAS A POWERFUL AND EXTRAVAGANT RESPONSE TO THE LOVE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN THROUGH JESUS.
JUDAS, ON THE OTHER HAND, REJECTS THE MESSAGE OF LOVE. HE DISTRACTS THE CONVERSATION AWAY FROM THE MAIN POINT BY MENTIONING THE POOR. JUDAS CAN ONLY SEE AS FAR AS HIS OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THERE IS NO OPENNESS TO GOD’S UNENDING CREATIVITY IN JUDAS. HE IS AN UNFAITHFUL DISCIPLE IN COMPARISON TO MARY’S PERVASIVE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR OF JESUS’ LIFE HAS FINALLY ARRIVED. WHICH KIND OF DISCIPLESHIP DO WE DEFINE? DO WE UNDERSTAND THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF MARY’S ACTION? OR WOULD WE RATHER CONTROL THE SITUATION LIKE JUDAS?
I’M GOING TO TELL A STORY THAT MIGHT HELP US UNDERSTAND THE KIND OF EXTRAVAGANCE MARY WAS MODELING FOR US. THERE WAS ONCE A MISSIONARY SURGEON WORKING IN THE GAZA STRIP. AS HE SPOKE TO A GROUP OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ONE TIME HE TOLD THEM HOW WE NORTH AMERICAN “FAT CATS” KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GRATITUDE, WHICH TO ME IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF TALKING ABOUT A RESPONSE TO EXTRAVAGANT GIVING.
IT SEEMS THE RATHER GRUFF AND TO THE POINT DOCTOR HAD STOPPED AT A PEASANT HOVEL TO VISIT A WOMAN ON WHOM HE HAD OPERATED. SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE DIRT POOR. THEIR ENTIRE HERD OF LIVESTOCK CONSISTED OF ONE ANGORA RABBIT AND TWO CHICKENS. IN ORDER TO MAKE A LIVING THE WOMAN WOULD COMB THE HAIR OUT OF THE RABBIT, SPIN IT INTO YARN AND SELL IT FOR A SET PRICE. FOR FOOD THE WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND ATE THE EGGS FROM THE CHICKENS.
ON THAT DAY THE WOMAN INSISTED THE MISSIONARY SURGEON STAY FOR LUNCH, TO WHICH HE FINALLY CONCEDED, BUT ONLY AFTER HE MADE A VISIT TO ONE MORE POSTOPERATIVE PATIENT WHO LIVED DOWN THE ROAD.
WHEN THE DOCTOR RETURNED AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, HE FOUND THEIR LUNCH COOKING ON THE STOVE. AND IN THE POT WAS ONE RABBIT AND TWO CHICKENS.
THE WOMAN HAD GIVEN UP HER ENTIRE LIVESTOCK HERD—HER INCOME, HER FOOD, EVERYTHING. AS THE SURGEON CONCLUDED HIS SPEECH TO THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THROUGH A VEIL OF UNASHAMED TEARS, HE REMINDED THEM THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GRATITUDE—WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT EXTRAVAGANT LOVE.
I’M STRUCK BY HOW MUCH OUR SENSE OF GRATITUDE DEFINES OUR DISCIPLESHIP. MARY WAS SO DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO JESUS FOR GIFT HE WAS READY AND WILLING TO GIVE. MARY’S GRATITUDE MOVED HER TO EXTRAVAGANT GIVING, WHICH OUGHT TO BE THE BASIS OF ALL DISCIPLESHIP. WILL IT BE THE BASIS OF OUR DISCIPLESHIP? I HOPE AND PRAY THAT IT WILL.
AMEN.