Such Love

 

The Fragrance of Extravagant Love – John 12:1-11

Dear Friends, picture the warm evening light in the home of Lazarus in Bethany, just six days before Passover. The house is filled with the aroma of a meal, but something far more powerful fills the air — the rich, unmistakable scent of pure nard, an extremely expensive perfume.

Mary takes a pound of this costly ointment and pours it over the feet of Jesus. She then wipes His feet with her hair. The fragrance fills the entire house.

Judas Iscariot is quick to criticise: “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (v. 5). But John tells us his concern was not for the poor — he was a thief who helped himself to the money bag.

Jesus defends Mary with gentle but firm words:

“Leave her alone; she intended to keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” (vv. 7–8)

This was no ordinary act of kindness. Mary understood something the others missed — Jesus was heading to the cross. In a few short days He would be crucified. Her extravagant, costly act of worship was an anointing for His burial.

Two very different responses emerge in this story:

Mary — gives everything she has in lavish, uninhibited worship.

Judas — calculates the cost and sees only waste.

The contrast is sharp. True love is often extravagant. It doesn’t count the cost when it comes to honouring Jesus.

Today, we are faced with the same choice. Will we hold back, calculating what we can afford to give Jesus, or will we pour out our best in worship — our time, our resources, our hearts — even when others don’t understand?

Pause in the quiet today. Where might Jesus be inviting you to be extravagant in your love for Him? Is there something you’ve been holding onto that He is gently asking you to pour out at His feet?

The fragrance of true worship always fills the house.

Point to Ponder: Extravagant love for Jesus will often look wasteful to those who do not understand the cross.

Verse to Remember: “Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3 ESV)

Question to Consider: This week, what is one “costly” thing (time, money, comfort, or reputation) that you could pour out as an act of love and worship to Jesus? What might the “fragrance” of that act be in your life and in the lives of those around you?

Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church