Tag: hair

17.o. Sitting at the feet of Jesus

John 12:1   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.

Luke 10:39   And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’* feet and heard His word.

John 11:32    Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Mary has sat at the feet of Jesus and learned.  She sat at His feet in mournful surrender. And she sat at His feet and honored Him with oil.  How can we learn if we do not spend time listening with a desire to hear Him speak?  How can we surrender our broken heart at His feet if we don’t believe in His comfort in a time of grief?  How can we honor Him if we do not know and see His holiness and worthiness?

Outside of the betrayal of Jesus, Judas is only mentioned in the New Testament here for doing/saying something that would indicate his heart was not right. We do not know if the disciples knew that Judas was a thief.  This may have been hidden from them or not.  John indicates he knew he was helping himself to the money given to them and their ministry with Jesus.  Was it greed that overcame Judas’s heart?  Is this how satan took a foothold? We need to be mindful that sin is the fishing pond of satan.  Once hooked no amount of thrashing about will calm these troubled waters unless there is complete surrender to and belief in Jesus Christ.

17.a. “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

John 11:1   Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Jesus had a close relationship with this family. When Lazarus was sick it was natural for them to bring their need to Jesus. It was expected that if He miraculously met the needs of so many others, He would meet their need also. Mary and Martha did not specifically ask Jesus to come and heal Lazarus. They felt they did not need to, that it was enough to simply tell Jesus what the problem was. John reminds us that Jesus did genuinely love these sisters and their brother. It was an important reminder, showing that a testing of their faith was not a denial of His love. It seems strange that Jesus did not immediately act upon this great need. The delay was probably mystifying to the disciples and agonizing to Mary and Martha.  It is clear that Jesus prolonged the sorrow of Mary and Martha. These were two more days of agonized grief for them. Yet, “Sorrow is prolonged for the same reason as it was sent. It is of little use to send it for a little while.” (Maclaren) Jesus first refused to grant their request and then He fulfilled it after showing that He does things according to the timing and will of God, not man. Through His actions, Jesus demonstrated that His delays were not denials. They would bring greater glory to God. Jesus’ disciples were shocked that He would return to the region of Judea when He was a wanted man there. Jesus responded with by saying that He still had work to do. The twelve hours were a figurative way to speak of the time allotted by God the Father for the earthly work of Jesus. Nothing can shorten our time. We only have that time, so it must not be wasted. There is enough time for everything that needs to be done. Jesus is saying that a man must finish the day’s work within the day, for the night comes when work is ended.” “There are but twelve hours in the day, and it will be sunset before you dream of it. Get done what God has sent you here to do.” (Morrison)

We each have a fixed time to accomplish and do the will and purpose God has appointed us for.  We are in no danger as we walk through the darkness of this world, we walk in the light of Jesus Christ.