SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
- John 12:1-11
ICE BREAKER
- What does it mean to be devoted to Christ? What does a life look like that is devoted to Christ? Today we will look at the devotion of Mary, Judas, and Martha.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What is my worship like and where do I see it changing my daily interactions?
- Pause and reflect on your current quality of devotion to Christ.
Would you like your devotion to Christ to increase?
Are you saddened when your devotion to Him falls short?
Share your thoughts with the group.
- If you are aware of a desire for more devotion to Christ, rejoice!
This desire is the Holy Spirit within you urging you on toward a rich life of devotion to Christ.
The key here is to be encouraged by your hearts’ desire for deeper devotion.
This encouragement fuels our fight to walk on the superior path that satisfies our hearts’ desire for Christ.
Our mindset now is that our deepest desire is aligned with the invitation of the Spirit.
With this mindset in mind, take some time to reflect on your current path.
Think about what enlivens and what dulls your devotion to Christ.
What adjustment do you need to make to align your path with your hearts’ desire for more devotion to Christ (Group leaders: consider giving some alone time for reflection)?
Share with the group.
- Use the categories in the notes below to examine where you are a worshiper and where you are a calculator. Invite Christ to encourage you toward another step of worship. Share with the group.
NOTES AND QUOTES
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment. She also wipes His feet with her hair.
She is displaying her devotion to Christ. Mary gives out of her devotion to Christ.
Giving and our worship of Jesus are intertwined.
To think we worship without giving of ourselves is incorrect.
David buys a threshing floor for worship as God directed him. The man wants to give it to David.
David insists on paying for it. He did not want his worship of God to cost him nothing.
Judas is a contrast to Mary.
He feigns care for the poor in order to line his own pockets(he regularly stole from the money bag).
Who knows the state of our heart? Jesus does.
The heart of our faith is Jesus; it is not social action or our public image.
Devotion to Jesus ignites social action in His name. But, Jesus is always first.
So, the summary of Mary and Judas can be summarized like this: worshiper and calculator.
A worshiper is: eager, free, giving, humble, peaceful and joyful.
A worshiper is looking to give in a way that will cost something.
A worshiper does not fuss about the minors of worship.
A calculator wants worship to be their way.
A calculator has an ambition or a striving with their worship.
A calculator is: busy, strategic, protecting, proud, troubled, and striving
A calculator tries to cut corners on worship to make room for other priorities.
Remember Marthas’ past interaction wtih Jesus? She was busy making preparations for her guests.
She comes to Jesus asking Him to tell Mary to help her.
Jesus tells her that she is troubled about many things but that Mary has chosen what is better.
Martha’s conspiracy: I’m working. Mary is not. She’s hogging Jesus. Mary is lazy. Jesus doesn’t care.
When Martha gets angry her conspiracy becomes public.
Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the one thing that is better–Jesus Himself.
Now Martha, after Lazarus’ death, tells Jesus that her brother would not have died if He was here.
Jesus asks her the most important question: Martha, do you believe Jesus is the resurrection and life.
So, in spite of her disappointment, she is able to declare Jesus is the Christ.
And now in John 12 we see Martha is free.
Martha served.
We have no evidence that she has a conspiracy going on as her sister, Mary, washes Jesus’ feet.
Marha’s devotoin to Christ has changed her behavior.
She is still serving but now she sees her serving as an extension of her worship.
Her sister is no longer a threat to her. Mary just anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment.
Is there a clear link between my love for Jesus and how I do everything in my life?
If anger, victimhood, and striving is in my daily life, I need to evaluate what I am worshiping.
Where are we holding back? What keeps our whole heart from being engaged with Christ
