Monday, January 3, 2022

John 12 Devotional Bible Study by Steve Wilson

“Wasting” Our Lives on Jesus

John 12:1-8 - 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.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

What do you think about what Mary did? Was it a waste to pour the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet? Should she have used it for something else?

There are probably a lot of people who would say that Mary wasted that perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and then it was gone. They would say that she wasted it on Jesus.

There are a lot of things that we can waste on Jesus. When we go to church or read Scripture, we’re wasting time on Jesus. That’s time that we could have spent doing other things. When we give money to the church or other ministries, we’re doing what Mary did. We’re wasting money on Jesus. We give it to Him and then it’s gone. We could have spent that money on other things. When we follow the commands of Scripture and listen to what Jesus wants us to do, we’re wasting our lives on Jesus.

But here’s the point: Why did Mary want to pour the perfume on Jesus’ feet?

She wanted to worship Him. As a follower of Jesus, Mary knew that Jesus was worth more than any perfume she could ever buy, worth more than any money she could ever get, worth more than anything else she could ever do. You see, Mary knew who Jesus was – He’s God, the Creator of the Universe, the One who gave her and us life – and she knew what Jesus was about to do for her. She knew that Jesus was about to die to forgive her for all of her sins and give her a way to live forever with Him instead of going to Hell. Because of all that, Mary knew that Jesus was worth everything.

And that’s why we also give everything that we can to Jesus. That’s why we spend time with Him, that’s why we listen to what He wants for our lives, that’s why we donate to the things He wants us to support. Because of who Jesus and what He’s done for us, we know that He is worth everything we can possibly do for Him.


 

 

 

 

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