Preparing to Die

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Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, I rejoice that You are always with me. You strengthen me and guide me with Your wisdom. I desire only You.

Read John 11:55-12:11

^[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. ^[1] Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ^[2] Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ^[3] 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. ^[4] But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ^[5] “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” ^[6] 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. ^[7] “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. ^[8] You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” ^[9] Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ^[10] So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ^[11] for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

Meditate

In the movie The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman endeavor to complete all the things they had hoped to do before they die. Prayerfully write out your own bucket list.

Think Further

Jerusalem is agog with expectation: Jesus might come for Passover as before (2:13), but there’s an official arrest warrant out for him (57). Will he come? Most people would arrive several days early, in order to make preparations (55), and people know that, as soon as Jesus appears, the authorities will move against him.

The necessary preparations are about getting into the right state of purity, so as to be able to participate in the festival. Jesus has his own arrangements for this!–not in the Jerusalem Temple, where all the other pilgrims will go, but in another temple, made out of the home of his friends in Bethany. There Mary anoints him with precious oil, and the whole “house” is filled with the fragrance (3). This “filling” of the house reminds us of the “filling” of the Tabernacle and Temple with God’s glory (Exod. 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11) where Aaron was similarly anointed with precious oil to sanctify him for his ministry (Lev. 8:12). In Jesus’ case it’s a ministry of sacrifice, too, like Aaron–but the sacrifice is of himself. He deliberately comes to the festival, so that he may become the Passover Lamb sacrificed for the life of God’s people. Mary anoints him, he says, “for the day of my burial” (7).

So Jesus deliberately prepares himself for his own death by receiving this loving ministry from Mary, which unexpectedly turns into such a poignant picture of what lies ahead for him. Anointed for his burial! I heard some years ago of a Christian woman who planned her own funeral in detail, in discussion with her friends–but then decided that she’d love to be there to experience it! And so she held it as a thankful celebration of her life, just shortly before she died.

Apply

Death is all around them. Lazarus’s life is under threat again (10). How do you want to prepare for your own death? Pray about this carefully and without fear.

Closing prayer

Eternal God, I am not afraid of death, but I admit I am afraid of dying. How will it happen? Help me embrace the words, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow…”

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