imagining how the church can reorient around mission

John 12:1-8 –  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.”

I will be speaking at The Porch, here in Spokane on March 17^th.  They have asked me to teach from John 12.  The story is fairly familiar to most Bible readers. A few usual suspects: Jesus, of course, Lazarus, Judas Iscariot and the polar opposite sisters of Martha and Mary.  The center of the story captures Mary pouring out a seemingly inordinate amount of expensive perfume (pure nard) on the feet of Jesus. Crazy, right? read more