April
27th John 12 Mary’s devotion
1: Then Jesus six days before the
passover came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2: There
they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat
at the table with him. 3: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very
costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and
the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4: Then saith one of his
disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5: Why was not
this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6: This he
said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the
bag, and bare what was put therein. 7: Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against
the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8: For the poor always ye have with
you; but me ye have not always. 9: Much people of the Jews therefore knew that
he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see
Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10: But the chief priests consulted
that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11: Because that by reason of him
many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
The
Lord enters Jerusalem
12: On the next day much people that
were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13: Took
branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed
is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 14: And Jesus, when
he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15: Fear not, daughter
of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. 16: These things
understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then
remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done
these things unto him. 17: The people therefore that was with him when he
called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. 18:
For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done
this miracle. 19: The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye
how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
The
Lord predicts his death
20: And there were certain Greeks
among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21: The same came therefore to
Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we
would see Jesus. 22: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and
Philip tell Jesus. 23: And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that
the Son of man should be glorified. 24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except
a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit. 25: He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he
that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26: If any
man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant
be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 27: Now is my soul
troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this
cause came I unto this hour. 28: Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a
voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29: The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered:
others said, An angel spake to him. 30: Jesus answered and said, This voice
came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31: Now is the judgment of this
world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32: And I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33: This he said,
signifying what death he should die. 34: The people answered him, We have heard
out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of
man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35: Then Jesus said unto them,
Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest
darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he
goeth. 36: While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the
children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself
from them.
People
do not believe the Lord
37: But though he had done so many
miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38: That the saying of
Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed
our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39: Therefore
they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40: He hath blinded
their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes,
nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41:
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. 42:
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of
the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue: 43: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Faith
in the Lord
44: Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45: And he that
seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46: I am come a light into the world, that
whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47: And if any man hear
my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world,
but to save the world. 48: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words,
hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day. 49: For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which
sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50: And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak
therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Six days before the Passover on the
Sabbath, Jesus came to Bethany
where Lazarus was. Martha served and Mary came and anointed Christ. Mary took a
pound of very precious ointment to anoint the feet of Jesus she wiped it with
her hair and the aroma of the ointment filled the house. Judas complained at
the so called waste. He said it was worth nearly a year’s wages. (In 2010 about
£17.000.) John records his thoughts about Judas. He says he didn’t care for the
poor but was obsessed with money. Jesus told Judas to leave her alone. This
wonderful act of worship was like a red rag to Judas. He was all take but Mary
was all give. They could not understand each other. This act of worship is told
wherever the Gospel is preached. The Lord and Mary carried the remnant of her
worship for a long time. People came now not just to see Jesus but to look at
Lazarus. The religious leaders plotted to murder Lazarus. On the following day
Jesus entered into Jerusalem
on the donkey. And the people gathered and cut palm branches for him to walk
on. The Disciples didn’t understand all this. The Greeks were probably
proselytes who attached themselves to Israel and they wanted to see
Jesus. They approached Philip who told Andrew and together they came to Jesus.
This Passover week was to be Christ’s hour when he would be glorified. Then he
said, ‘Verily, verily, Truth, truth, unless a grain of wheat is buried it
remains one grain but if it is buried, it produces much grain. Then he told of
the contrary attitude of those who are blessed they think of the future life
and their love for it is so great that this mortal life is like hatred in
comparison. These people with experience resurrection to immortal life. Then he
said if you want to be my servants then follow me in this. Then Christ
confessed great trouble of soul over his future And he said what do l ask of
the father do l ask to be delivered from this hour? This hour is by destiny.
Then he cried, ‘Father, glorify thy name’. And his Father responded ‘I have
both glorified it, and will glorify it again’. Some people who stood nearby
only heard a rumble like thunder. Some said an angel spoke. Then Christ said,
‘now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast
out’. Christ was describing a momentous event. God himself was going to judge
the world in the atoning sacrifice of his Son. And in the crucifixion Christ
would draw all men unto him. This is not saying that all men will be saved what
he is saying is that in the cross Christ was going to become to point of
contact of men with God. Then the people were confused about what Christ had
said. They understood that the Messiah would be eternal and they could not
understand Christ’s reference to a cross. Christ said, ‘l am only here for a
short while you are to live in the light that l bring’. Then Jesus departed to
a secret place. The people did not believe in him inspite of all his signs.
Isaiah the prophet was right in him prophecy when he said who will believe our
report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And they were unable to
believe because Isaiah also said, ‘God hath blinded their eyes and hardened
their hearts so that they will not believe and be converted and Christ would
heal them. Isaiah saw the glory of Christ when he said these things. However
there were many among the chief rulers that did believe in him but they did not
confess him openly because they were afraid of the excommunication of the
Pharisees. They loved the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Christ
again called upon Israel
to believe in him. He outlined his whole message declaring himself to be the light
of the world and the Saviour of men.
No comments:
Post a Comment