GREATLY GRATEFUL - by Revd Gilbert Wong

Texts: John 12:1-8; Isaiah 43:16-21

25 March 2007

Introduction:

The Princeton Theological Seminary bookstore used to sell a T-shirt that proclaimed, “Presbyterians do it decently and in order.”  Most lectionary denominations like ours do it decently and in order – which is certainly scriptural (1 Corinthians 14:40 “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way”).  However, there is also scriptural support for exuberance (Psalm 149:3 “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp”). 

Sermon in a sentence:

In this Gospel passage, Jesus calls us to generosity and exuberance and that decent and orderliness may not be the rule of the day every day. 

Context

We see such generosity and exuberance whenever there are some celebrations of sorts – birthday, weddings, anniversaries, thanksgiving and such similar occasions.  We do not hold back our generosity and exuberance.  And this is what we read in the Gospel of John 12:1-8.  These eight verses were set in an occasion of thanksgiving of the raising of Lazarus.

In John 11, Lazarus had been in his tomb for four days and yet was raised to life by Jesus to the surprise of many.  And there was great joy and exuberance particularly of Mary and Martha – Lazarus’ sisters.  Of course, many people believed Jesus when they witnessed the miracle firsthand but there were others too who wanted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus because Jesus gained in popularity.

An Extravagant Thanksgiving

So it was a thanksgiving meal given in honour of Jesus (verse 2) because he has wrought such a wonderful blessing on the family.  And while the meal was going on, Mary poured an expensive container of nard or perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.  And immediately, the entire house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 

It was certainly a very expensive nard as it would have cost one year’s salary for a working man for a mere weight of a pint which is 325 grams.  Moreover, Nard is imported from India which in part accounts for the expense.  And some people think that Mary was a wealthy woman that explains her lavishness.  Not necessarily so.  In the Gospel of Matthew 13:44-46 it tells us of such exuberance not because of wealth but because a man has found something of greater value.  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  Or “Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

These two parables do not make much economical sense: why sell ALL that you have to just purchase one thing be it a field or a pearl.  And certainly there is no indication in these two parables that neither the man nor the merchant are wealthy or whether the item they were both after was within their range of affordability.  What is clear from these two parables is that they are extravagant gestures of sacrificial offering and this was surely the case with Mary.

So what is clear is that “die, die also must get”.  And that is the nature of exuberance and generosity.  Barclay a NT scholar “says that Mary is a spontaneous person acting out gratitude that cannot be expressed more simply, and suggests that we could all profit by being less inhibited in exuberance in the church today, visit an African-American or a Pentecostal service.  You will see people speaking in tongues – holding their hands in the air – engaged in a little dance – whooping or shouting – even fainting in the aisle.  Such denominations have great appeal – draw people to Christ at a time when less demonstrative denominations are shrinking.”

Market Mentality

Just in case we think that the guests that were there were ever so pleased with Mary’s generosity.  Just in case you think that such things should be encouraged.  Wait till you hear what Judas Iscariot has to say in verse 5 of John 12, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?  It was worth a year’s wages.”  It is important to note that John tells us that Judas could not be trusted.  That Judas has no compassion for the poor, but only uses them to justify what he wants.  No matter what is Judas’ character, what he raises is nevertheless legitimate.  Three hundred denarii (equivalent to one year’s salary) would feed many hungry people – could be used for any number of practical purposes.  Gestures of devotion are appropriate, but surely it should be proportionate – perhaps a scholarship fund in Jesus’ name, but not S$20,000 worth of perfume – generous hospitality, but not this unseemly gesture with the hair!

We prize calculations, don’t we?  We tend to let money run our lives.  A sort of ‘market mentality’ – a state of mind that counts costs and calculate benefits – that affect all of us.  Just look at the host of important things of which we place a dollar sign:

Parents think of a college education in terms of the dollars it will cost.  Young people think of a college education in terms of the dollars that it will generate.  Just ask a young person why they are going to college.  The answer is usually, “I want to make a lot of money, and I don’t want to get my hands dirty.”  Only occasionally do you find a young person who thinks in terms of an education equipping them to live and work better – often in ways that have little to do with money.

We often reduce important things to dollars and cents.  We need always to be careful of this ‘market mentality’.  This is because ‘market mentality’ causes us to get our value backwards.  The Interpreter’s Bible makes this comment about ‘market mentality’ judgements:

On this basis you would have to say

that Francis of Assisi wasted his life.

He might have been a lord of the manor

instead if an impecunious beggar.

Father Damien’s life… was a waste.

So was John Welsey’s…

And so, of course, with the life of Jesus.

The Kings of Jews, a power to have made Roman tremble –

instead an itinerant teacher dying the death of a criminal.

Resolving the tension

As I mentioned earlier of Judas’ questionable character, he still raises legitimate concerns of spending such extravagance when one could use the same money to help many poor people.  Jesus resolves this issue by stating that Mary’s extravagance was appropriate and proportionate because she is preparing Jesus’ burial.  We treat burials with respect.  On funeral days, we do grander fashion than on other days.  The deceased may have preferred overalls, but now is dressed in coat and tie.  In Jesus’ day, people considered expensive perfume to be appropriate for funeral, just as we consider expensive floral arrangements to be appropriate.

“You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (verse 8).  These words have often been used to justify not meeting the needs of the poor but we must be careful as this is only part of a longer passage.  Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 15:11 which continues “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hands to the poor and needy neighbour in your land’”.  The real sense of Jesus’ comment is, “Opportunity is to be seized while it is there.  The poor are always present…But Jesus is not” (Morris).

People gathered around a casket often wish that they had done things differently – regret their failure to tell the deceased of their love – to apologize – to help.  The day of the funeral is too late.  Mary, however, has seized the moment – has made the grand gesture while Jesus is still alive to experience it.

Our opportunity to serve the Lord will also come to a close one day when you and I breathe our last.  At some point, it will be too late.  Even now, those of us who are older can offer only our diminished vigour.  Still, our time is not yet finished.  We can still seize the moment so that Jesus can greet us, “Well done! …Enter into the joy of your master!” (Matthew 25:23).

It is not always bad to calculate.  We must be good stewards – good managers of that which God has given us.  However, that stewardship – that management – must always exist in tension with God’s call to extravagance – to generosity – to giving our all.

As we approach Easter, we confront again Christ’s love – love that doesn’t count the cost – love that gives until the vessel is empty – love that has only one object in mind, and that is our well-being – our salvation.

As we approach Easter, let us put away our calculators.  Let us look to Christ – the author of our salvation.  Let us see what extravagance he is asking of us, and let us give him our all.

Church of the Ascension, 13 Francis Thomas Drive, Singapore 359339
Mailing Address: Toa Payoh Central Post-Office P.O. Box 162 Singapore 913106 
Tel (65) 6283 3988 Fax (65) 6283 3220 Email: [Church Office][Website Editor]
All Rights Reserved
[Home] **