“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”  John 12:1-5

There is so much happening in this story about Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  And there are so many questions we can ask: “What was Mary thinking using this expensive perfume?”, and “Is this what discipleship should look like?”  These are questions raised by David Lose on his blog about this text. I have added another question for us to consider: “What is so important about hair?” Doesn’t it seem odd the thing that Mary does with her hair? Why her hair, and why so soon after applying the ointment? Hair up, hair down, a lot of hair, no hair, wacky hair, rainbow hair, who here cares about hair?  Too many people today worry about their hair – but it is a cultural expectation – just like women wearing their hair up in public was a cultural expectation in Mary’s day. But Mary does not care about public expectations in this moment because she cares intimately about Jesus, and so she responds to Jesus with love. This is what we must ponder today.

It really is not about the hair, is it? What Mary does is a spontaneous, outpouring of love and “worship” with Jesus. If she pours oil on his feet, or on his head, and then massages the oil using her hair, what does that matter to us today? What does matter, as far as I am concerned, is what we think about Jesus — and then how we hope to respond to Jesus today – spontaneous, simple, honest response to the love, mercy and Grace of Jesus.

At one time my middle child had hair as long as I had ever seen on one of my sons. He said he had seen the future when he looked at my hair, and so he wanted to grow it as long as possible while he still could. In spite of the comments that he got about looking like a hippie he did not worry about what others thought. If Mary would have worried about what others thought or would have worried that she would be compared to a “prostitute”, we never would have had this marvelous, wonderful outpouring of devotion recorded for us that happened over 2000 years ago.

What can you do today to express your love for Jesus?

Pastor Dave

“And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” And they all left him and fled. And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” Mark 14:43-52

When it comes to making sacrifices to G-d, we need to understand what “making sacrifice” has meant over the many millennia. In our day and age, it is good to give up something like chocolate or coffee for Lent. Denying ourselves something for the season of Lent, or even Advent is a good thing. But is this really a sacrifice? I would say no. It is a good discipline, but it is not a sacrifice. 

When the Temple was in full motion after Solomon had it built, sacrifices were given as “gifts” to a gracious G-d. When they performed sacrifices, ancient Israelites gave to G-d some of what they believed G-d had given them, expressing their close relationship with G-d and seeking to deepen that bond. People would “sacrifice” the first of their crops, or the best of their sheep or goats thanking G-d for all of their blessings that they understood “came” from G-d.

Today, my friends, G-d desires a different kind of sacrifice, one that encompasses our very being. In King David’s famous confession concerning his adultery and murder and cover up, he comes clean with G-d. He writes: “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of G-d are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O G-d, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17).

What we hear, then, is a new way to think of a “sacrifice”: no excuses, no ritual ceremony, just impassioned prayer and complete trust in and obedience to G-d. This is what people do when they have come to the end of their rope, and the end of themselves. They bring absolutely nothing to the table, and count on G-d to be everything to them. 

Just as “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4), nothing we sacrifice for G-d will “tip the scales in our favor” or satisfy G-d’s holiness. G-d alone blots out all our iniquities and restores to us the joy of our salvation. David’s point was not that sacrifices would no longer be made (they would), but simply that a sacrifice in and of itself counts for nothing apart from the heart of the one who offers it. G-d desires our whole heart, and the only way to give yourself completely is to let go of the notion that any part of your heart or your spirit or your life is good apart from G-d.

When we stop trying to justify ourselves before G-d, when we allow ourselves to see the scope of our sin, when we understand our total depravity, our hearts will break as David’s did. We will cease striving for a righteousness of our own, stop covering up our unrighteousness, and look only to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of G-d, who died once for sins, that he might bring us to G-d.

Pastor Dave