Commitment - Rev Allister Lane
READINGS: PSALM 126 AND JOHN 12:1-8
Last Sunday’s Gospel reading had conflict: the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest.
Today’s Gospel reading has conflict: Judas complains: “You should’ve used the perfume on the poor instead of putting it on Jesus.”
I want us to look deep into this text, to mine what it tells us about commitment.
Mary was ‘making sense’ (scents) of the situation she was in. Mary could sense what lay ahead. The greatest person she’s ever known is facing likely death.
But in her grief, there is no denial. And so she follows her intuition – she doesn’t care what others thought.
Perhaps there was an awkward silence at her extravagant and sumptuous actions – costly gift, sweet perfume filling the room, wiping her hair on feet.
Until Judas, blurted out something about selling the ointment and helping the poor. Perhaps he was embarrassed; perhaps he was trying to be pious.
Out of proportion?
It is all too much for Judas – literally it would seem: too much.
But Mary’s gift of perfume was not out of proportion as Judas wants to suggest. Mary‘s gift is proportionate to the sense she has that Jesus is dying for her sake, and for all of us.
Somehow, she has this sense and responds with this gift of scent. Maybe later in life she could’ve written the hymn:
were the whole realm of nature mine would be a gift far too small;
love so amazing, so divine demands my life my soul my all.
Absolute commitment
Do you hear that? “my life my soul my all”? You can’t sample Jesus. To say ‘Jesus is Lord’ means Lord of all.
Commitment is (what we say in our family) ‘the whole kit and kaboodle’. If I was to come to visit you at your home, you can’t say come in ‘Allister’ but stay out ‘Lane’. They belong together and must be accepted together.
It’s all ‘in’ or all ‘out’.
What happens when we make a comparison – when we analyse the cost of such a commitment?
Compare
If you look at your life: what you love, what you have, what you enjoy, what you value… if there’s anything that’s too valuable to give Jesus, then you’re going to struggle to come into the presence of Jesus.
It’s that Rich man, camel through the eye of a needle stuff.
Just think about the parable of the man who bought the whole field because of the treasure.
Just think about parable of the merchant who sold everything to buy the pearl.
An old fashioned question of our faith commitment was: “Have you bought the pearl?” Do you recognise the surpassing beauty and the value of ‘the Pearl’? If someone looked at your life, would they be able to answer the question: has he/she bought the Pearl?
Counting the cost?
And if you walk around saying “I can’t do that, as a Christian”, then you’re counting the cost of not doing those other things. That shows that you don’t recognise the value of what you have.
You don’t have JOY!
Commitment is both a willingness to obey, and thankfulness in everything.
We give all we are and have to Jesus, because he has given all HE is and has to us! And continues to give to us!
All we have to do is give our little mite, and we are overwhelmed with God’s generous goodness.If you give in order to be good, then you are trying to be your own saviour.
We must let go of control and simply follow. Jesus is our guide who shows us the way. Jesus demonstrates commitment when he says to God the Father:
not my will but yours be done
When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin.
He said, your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me?
I said Amen - I think.
I think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
Well, yes, that sounds terrific, Lord, I say Amen - I think.
But, Lord, there must be other ways to follow you, I said,
I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.
Well, yes, he said, you could put up with the sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me? I said Amen - a bit.
A bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
I’m not entirely sure, can we just run through that again?
You say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up, and I say, Amen - a bit.
Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
Now, Lord, I said, the Good book says that Christians live in joy.
That’s true he said, you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you want to follow me, I said, Amen - tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then, that’s when I’ll say Amen,
I need to get it clear, can I just run through that again?
You say that I will need to joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight, I’ll say Amen - tomorrow.
He said, Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit,
Now tell me, will you follow me? I said Amen – Nah, I quit.
I’m very sorry Lord I said, I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do.
He said forget religion then, and think about my Son,
And tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done.
Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
Man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
Man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
To battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
Are you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry?
When nails break your body-are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again?
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said Amen.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen; Amen, Amen, Amen,
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said, Amen.