Daily Dose of the Word of God - John 12: 1-3

Rachel Klooster & Billy Heschl

Transcript

Rachel Klooster 0:07  

Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose of the Word of God. It's Tuesday, April 1, and this is Billy Heschl reading for Rachel Klooster as awlays. Today's reading is from John 12, 1 through 3,.

Rachel Klooster 0:36  

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.

Rachel Klooster  1:07  

Two details I find interesting. There seems to be a lot of emphasis on letting us know that this dinner included Lazarus, the guy Jesus just raised from the dead. Lazarus was among those - in other words, there were other people there who saw Lazarus. I think John wants us to catch that Lazarus really was raised from the dead and there were so many witnesses who would agree that he was dead and then he was alive. The other detail we should catch is that Mary took a pint of pure nard. According to the internet, Nard (in the Bible) refers to a precious fragrant oil delivered from the spikenard plant, known for its cost and use in anointing rituals. It is grown in the Himalayas of Nepal, China and India. The Internet also says that because of its high cost, Nard was sometimes mixed with inferior oils or counterfeited. John is making sure to tell us that it was pure nard, so we are to recognize that Mary was anointing Jesus was something very precious, from a long distance away and costly.

Rachel Klooster  2:18  

When this oil or perfume was poured on Jesus feet, the house was filled with the fragrance, overwhelming the smell of food and people. Everyone must have turned to see what was going on - and they would have seen a friend and follower showing her dedication and love to Jesus. It also seems like the emphasis on the pure nard is pointing us to Mary's purity of heart in anointing Jesus's feet and wiping them with her own hair.

Rachel Klooster  2:47  

What are the pure actions God is asking us to take on behalf of him and others? Actions that will fill our lives with the fragrance of pure nard perfume. Some ideas that come to mind: reaching out to our friends and pouring out goodness and grace on them through encouragement and listening. Saying a kind word or giving a smile to a stranger we encounter as we grocery shop or go out to eat. Listening well when a family member is telling us their side of an argument. Or other ways you may think of to put the pure fragrance of love out into the world.

Rachel Klooster  3:20  

Let’s pray. Dear Jesus, we are grateful to be counted as your friends and followers, along with Lazarus and Mary from so long ago. We ask for you to show us ways that we can reach out to others with love and encouragement, to fill our worlds with the sweet fragrance of your love. Thank you for loving us first, Amen.