Jesus and Mary: What comes into your mind when you think of worship? Going to church? Singing worship music? In the story of Jesus and Mary of Bethany, Mary gives a beautiful picture of what true and proper worship is. When Mary anoints Jesus, it's a picture of extravagant honor with an audience of one. Recorded on Dec 31, 2023, on John 11:45 - 12:11 by Pastor David Parks.

Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.

Sermon Transcript

 Well, today, we’re back from a little Christmas break last week to continue working through The Gospel According to John in a series called Finding Life in Jesus’ Name. We’ll be working from John chapter 11 into chapter 12, considering a beautiful picture of true and proper worship in the story of Jesus and Mary of Bethany. As we begin, let me ask you a question. What comes into your mind when you think of worship? When I was a kid, I think if you asked me that question, I would’ve thought of going to church. And this makes some sense as we call this a worship service. But is worship limited to Sunday morning or whenever there’s a worship service? I think when many people think of worship, they think of worship music. And certainly, Biblical worship includes singing songs of praise to God. The book of Psalms in the Bible is a hymnal, a whole songbook used by God’s people for thousands of years in worship. But worship isn’t limited to music any more than it’s limited to a particular place/time. So, what is worship? Well, the answer is so clearly seen in our story today when Mary responds to Jesus with extravagant honor. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to John 11:45. We’ll read through it and unpack it as we go.

John 11:45–54 (NIV), “45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.” Ok, let’s pause here. If you’ve been with us for the past few months, we’ve seen a similar reaction throughout this middle section of John’s gospel. People are divided over who Jesus is. Some respond in faith, as it says in v. 45, “many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.” At the same time, others oppose him, including those in positions of power like Caiaphas, the chief priest. Now, it’s interesting that Caiaphas made this prophecy about Jesus: That Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and also for the...