He’s Worth It
Opening Prayer
Before reading further, tell Jesus how thankful you are for who he is and what he’s done for you.
Read John 12:1–11
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.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How can you worship more like Mary?Is there a place for extravagant worship? Jesus says yes. Ointment worth about a year’s worth of wages (3), gone in an instant. More than that, Mary took the place of the lowest servant in washing Jesus’ feet. She then lovingly dried his feet with her hair (3). How great was Mary’s love for Jesus! In her actions I hear echoes of “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
When you love someone, really love them, acts of extravagance flow naturally. This was also an act of preparation for Jesus (7): he was soon to demonstrate an extraordinarily extravagant love greater than Mary’s. In response—in our planning, in our decisions, in our praying, in our singing, in our service, in our evangelism, in our saving, in our spending—is anything too great
to offer to our Savior as worship?
Mary’s act of worship changed the atmosphere in her home (3), but it couldn’t reach Judas’s heart. In verses 4–6 John gives us insight into this hell-bent man intent on monetary gain. Jesus
made it clear that one cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13). Money can indeed control us. Extravagantly worshipping God with our money is one sure way of breaking its power over us.
Apply
How is your giving? Are you giving to God what he deserves? Read Micah 3:8-12 and reflect to see if your giving matches your faith.
Closing prayer
I praise You, Jesus, for giving Your all for me. Show me how I can give my life for You each and every day.
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