Temple Baptist Church - 11-8-2023
John 12:1-3
Introduction:
A. In chapter 11, we saw one of the more notable miracles of the Lord as He raised a dead man from the grave. The desired result of this miracle that the people would see and believe that all things were possible with God.
B. In chapter 12, verses 1-3, we find the necessity of restoration that believers need to experience after tragedy occurs. Tragedies often have lingering effects that, left unattended to, can be permanent ones. God wants us to come out of life’s valleys BETTER not BITTER.
C. I have no doubt that prior to this, the Lord had been to this precious home on multiple occasions. Lazarus, Martha, and Mary had opened their home to the Lord and welcomed Him like no others did.
D. Though He had done a wonderful thing for this family in resurrecting Lazarus, the effects of the previous couple of weeks had taken a toll spiritually.
E. Our Lord’s first opportunity to return to the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary was after a week or so. He had not sat in their home at their table since.
F. In the 23rd Psalm, verse 3 say, “He restoreth my soul.” He feeds us, He leads us; He restores us. The third is as important as the first two.
G. There are times when life gets so hard, problems so oppressive, the present so dim, that we tend to lose sight of our Lord. These are times when restoration can only be done by Him! I may cheer you up for a few minutes, but only God can restore your soul!
H. I copied this from the Treasury of David. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the "Prince of Preachers," composed and polished The Treasury of David over the span of nearly half his ministry.
“He restoreth my soul.” When the soul grows sorrowful he revives it; when it is sinful he sanctifies it; when it is weak he strengthens it. “He” does it. His ministers could not do it if he did not. His Word would not avail by itself. “He restoreth my soul.” Are any of us low in grace? Do we feel that our spirituality is at its lowest ebb? He who turns the ebb into the flood can soon restore our soul. Pray to him, then, for the blessing - “Restore thou me, thou Shepherd of my soul!”
J. In our text, I find 3 distinct areas of restoration that need to be done. 1) Our Communion in Lazarus 2) Our Service in Martha 3) Our Worship in Mary.
K. I want to make a comparison of our text with another such event that took place earlier.
Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (40) But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (41) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
L. Now, look at our text for tonight and see the changes made after their restoration.
1. Verse 2. Our Lord restored Lazarus in Communion. “but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.” In Luke’s account, Lazarus was not even mentioned as Martha received the Lord into “her” house.
a. Lazarus was never recorded as to speaking but our Lord referred to him as “Our friend Lazarus”, which implies communion.
b. Our communion with the Lord is important to both us and Him. It needed to be restored and the Lord sat with Lazarus at the table. I think that I can say that the conversation was both different and richer than it was before. NOW, they had something to talk about.
c. Our Communion with the Lord needs to be both personal and pleasing to the Lord and us. It is praying without ceasing which is rich in its reward.
d. After trials run their course, communion with the Lord often suffers. It must be restored.
2. Verse 2. Our Lord restored Martha in Service. “There they made him a supper; and Martha served” In Luke’s account, Martha was “cumbered about much serving … And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:”
a. In Luke’s Gospel, we find Martha previously serving but in a wrong attitude as it was a lonesome and cumbersome work.
Luke 10:40-41 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (41)
1) She was cumbered in serving. Cumbered – distracted. She had forgotten the “why” of her serving because of the “what” of her serving. She was serving the Lord! This was not just another meal.
2) She was cumber about “much serving.” It is wonderful to serve the Lord, but you can get wearied by never sitting at the table with others. Learn to “rest in the Lord” as well as “work for the Lord.”
3) She was careful: full of cares: worried and that caused her to be troubled about many things.
“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things”
b. Verse 3. Servants never sat at the table with others, but Jesus wanted Martha to serve. learn to sit, and hear His word.
c. It is hard to serve the Lord during trials, but we need to be restored to a place where it is JOY to serve the Lord.
c. The Lord restored her to “serving and sitting.”
3. Verse 3. Our Lord restored Mary in Worship. The emphasis of the story rests on Mary, one who had previously sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. “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.” In Luke’s account, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word” but did not worship.
Luke 10:39, 42 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word ... But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
a. Previous to these events, Mary had a desire to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word. I do not think that part changed in this scenario that we find in John 12. We need to sit and hear His words.
b. But this time was so different. Mary was still at the feet of Jesus where she could hear his words, but this time was also different.
c. The Lord restored her better than before. This time, Mary worshipped!
John 12:3 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.
1) Notice the amount of ointment. “a pound” Not just a little hand lotion in the palm of the hand to cover and work into the feet but a pound. Can you imagine how wonderful that felt to the Lord. His feet weary from the dusty roads.
2) Notice the ointment. “Spikenard.” Spikenard was a highly aromatic plant growing in India, whence was made a very valuable unguent or perfume, used at the ancient baths and feasts.
3) Notice the worth of the ointment. Verse 5. “three hundred pence” Clearly, the Spikenard was her own for personal use in bathing, etc. Clearly, according to Judas, it was expensive.
4) Notice the wiping with her hair. “and wiped his feet with her hair:” A woman’s hair was and is her glory. Instead of using a towel which would have certainly been less messy and more convenient, Mary bowed her head and used her hair to dry His feet.
5) Notice the noticing by all. “and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”
Conclusion: Our Lord desired to not only restore this home back like the days before when He came and sat with them, He wanted to restore this home to better than the days before.
The Lord restores our souls so as to make our daily communication, service, and worship so much better than before.
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