“Mary and Martha's Feast,” John 12:1-8

John 12:1-8
Pastor Tom Johnson, March 13, 2016

It is dinner at Mary, Martha, and Lazarus’ house. What better way to celebrate new life and victory over death than a feast of thanksgiving. This is a feast of victory for our God—for the Messiah Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead. The meal is a Eucharist—the bread and wine of thanksgiving. Family, friends, and the disciples gather around a table in honor and gratitude to the one who called Lazarus out from the tomb. They throw a banquet for Jesus. Martha is in the kitchen again; her gift is most certainly hospitality as she cooks up some praise and thanksgiving in the kitchen. Mary is listening to Jesus; her gift is knowledge and a prophetic vision of who this Jesus of Nazareth is.

You’ll remember that Mary and Martha once did not get along. Mary would sit at Jesus’ feet listening to his teaching while Martha worked hard on preparing a meal. But their relationship has been transformed by their relationship with Jesus.They are now partners as they each use their strengths. They bring people to a multi-sensory encounter with Jesus and the good news he embodies to the world. Taste and see that the Lord is good! They spread a table in the presence of those who will embrace him as Messiah as well as those who will betray him. Martha was once afraid to smell the remains of their brother Lazarus after he lay dead in the tomb. She is now unafraid to fill the house with the sweet aroma of food, drink, and thanksgiving. Mary does not fear either. She fills the nostrils of her guests with the sweet aroma of nard, a fragrant oil as far away as the Himalayan Mountains. Mary covers Jesus’ feet with a pound of this costly perfume. The entire house was filled with the aroma of these sisters’ sacrifice of praise. Mary’s sacrifice of praise is over-the-top. It’s expensive. It’s sensual. It’s prophetic.

Judas, the one who will betray Jesus, does not like the gift. He is offended. He thinks the money should have been used to give to the poor. He gives the appearance that he is more caring and compassionate. He wants people to think he is the champion for the poor. But the truth is he has been stealing money that had been set aside for the poor. Jesus tells Judas to leave Mary alone! “Get off her case, Judas! Sadly, the poor are here today and the poor will be here tomorrow.” The church serves Jesus when we serve the poor. And today our worship will end with the charge to remember the poor.

But the Kingdom has its priorities. And the top of the list of priorities is the mission of Jesus. He came to seek and to save the lost. He came to preach forgiveness. He came to tell us not to be anxious but know that we have eternal life in him. The core of his mission is the Cross of Calvary. This is the main event of God’s love for us—Jesus’ death for the sin of the world. Mary understands this well. This is why she uses burial perfume on Jesus’ living feet. This is her prophetic imagination at work. This is her faith in action. Mary remembers the poor. After Jesus burial, the disciples will help provide for the poor. Mary leads the way. She knows that the best thing for the poor—and all people—is for Jesus to fulfill his mission to lay his life down for the world. He will purchase souls not with silver or with gold but his precious blood. He will overcome hunger with his Body and thirst with his Blood. He will clothe those who are dressed in rags with the dazzling robe of his righteousness. He will break the cycles of poverty by overcoming the powers of darkness. He will conquer death and the grave.

Mary anointing of Jesus foreshadows Jesus anointing of us. He will not just anoint our feet but anoint our heads with oil. Our cup will run over. He will baptize us with fire and the Holy Spirit. He will turn our morning and weeping into dancing. He will not merely prepare us for burial. He will prepare us to conquer death, the evil one, and hell itself. He will give us the confidence face our future. He will give us the strength and joy to meet any challenge we face. He will remind us that greater is he who is within us than he who is in the world.

Martha’s meal foreshadows the meal Jesus will have for us. He will not only spread a table before us in the presence of our betrayers and adversaries, he will throw the greatest banquet on earth or in heaven. We will be his bride, He will be our groom. It will be an eternal marriage supper of the Lamb without end. We will not just have Brother Lazarus with us at this Kingdom meal. We will have the whole company of heaven. We will have supper with a multitude that no one can number from all tribes, nations, tongues and people.

And we don’t have to wait for the fulfillment of this promise like Mary and Martha will. We will see Sally and Michael anointed, washed, and adopted through Baptism today! We will go to the Lord’s Table today. We receive forgiveness and the assurance of eternal life today. We will celebrate the one who raises the dead with angels, archangels, and the whole company of heaven today. Mary and Martha prepare Jesus for his burial with an anointing and a meal. Jesus prepares us for our resurrection with Baptism and Communion. It is Mary and Martha and all our joy to serve him because it is Jesus’ joy to serve us.