Why do people really come to Jesus? In John 12:1-11, two people sit at the same table with very different hearts: Mary, who pours out her treasure on Jesus, and Judas, who only wants to use Him. Dr. Toby Holt examines the motives behind our worship. Days before the cross, Mary anoints Jesus with perfume worth nearly a year's wages and wipes His feet with her hair — humble, extravagant love. Judas objects that the money should go to the poor, but he is a thief who cares only for himself.

Questions this study answers:

1. Why did Mary anoint Jesus? Out of deep love and worship, giving Him her most costly treasure to prepare Him for burial.

2. What was wrong with Judas's objection? He sounded generous but was a thief who cared nothing for the poor. His heart wanted gain, not Christ.

3. What does this teach about our motives? It asks why we really come to Jesus — to use Him for our own ends, or to love and worship Him for who He is.

"Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial." — John 12:7 (NKJV)

Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.