The Vine: April 7, 2025

“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint 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.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 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.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.”
”

— John 12:1-8

In the chapter preceding John 12 we read about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary, and it appears Jesus had a special friendship with these three siblings. It’s fascinating to think that Lazarus, after just being raised from the dead, was now reclining at the table with Jesus at a dinner. I think Lazarus could “one up” anyone at the meal that evening. I can just imagine the conversation, “What have you been up to lately Lazarus?” “Oh, not much. Just came back from being dead.”

The meal took place in Bethany, in the home of Lazarus. Jesus was headed to Jerusalem and the cross, but before he entered Jerusalem during Passover, he stopped here in Bethany for an evening with his friends. The human side of Jesus needed “Bethany”. Bethany can be thought of as that place where he could relax with those closest to him. We all need a “Bethany” – that place where we can gather with our closest friends and family for support.

During the meal, Mary did the unthinkable. She anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and washed them with her hair. Typically, kings were anointed on their heads by people of status in the community. In this setting Jesus is not only anointed with perfume on his feet, but by a woman. In those days, women were viewed as second-rate to men, yet here we find Jesus breaking with the cultural norms and including women in his ministry.

Obviously, someone at the dinner was bound to speak up regarding the “wastefulness” of pouring nearly a year’s salary worth of perfume on Jesus’ feet. In this case, it was Judas. On the practical side of things, Judas was correct. It made no sense on a practical level to do what Mary did with the perfume. But who said love is “practical”? Jesus made no effort to stop her when she began the process of pouring the perfume on his feet. He knew that this offering from Mary was more than just a bottle of perfume. It was literally her love poured out to him in response to his love and care for her.

In the end, I suppose that is the best any of us can aspire to be and do. As disciples we pour out our love for Christ in many ways by loving and serving others, knowing full well that sometimes the less “practical” the better.

Prayer:

Loving God, help us to be less practical and more extravagant in our love for you and others. Amen.

Questions for Reflection:

Who are the characters in this story? What can we learn from Mary? Martha? Lazarus? Judas? Jesus?
What do you think prompted Mary to perform such a lavish act?
Can you recall a time when someone loved you in a self-sacrificing way?
How do we express our love and devotion to Christ today?

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