Philippians 3:4b-14

Sometimes we misunderstand things. We see or hear something and we think we know what's going on. But then we discover that we have everything backwards. Let me give an example.

Once there was a man with exceptional church attendance. He was 105 years old and had hardly ever missed a service at church. Shortly after his 105th birthday he missed several Sunday and his church family became concerned. So the preacher went to visit him to see what was wrong. The man gladly explained himself. He said, "When I turned 90 I thought the Lord would come get me any day. Then I turned 95, then 100, then recently 105, and he still hasn't gotten me. I figure maybe he has forgotten me. I figure if I lay low and stay under his radar." If he has forgotten me maybe I should be careful not to remind him.

Perhaps this guy had heard that by going to church you can know God. Maybe he took that seriously. And he was afraid of literally meeting his maker.

Paul the apostle said to the Philippians, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Most people hear this and they misunderstand it. They think that Paul is saying that if we strive more we can reach Christ. Or in other words that the merit of our good works gets us closer to God. But if you look at the context of the verses leading up to this the point is quite the opposite.

Let's start at the beginning of the passage. Paul said, "If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more." If anyone could be saved by being a religious person it was Paul. He was born into a religious family, he had a religious upbringing and he was trained religiously. He also lived a life of someone who was very zealous about their religious.

Paul kept all the laws and did all the right things. Yet he says, "whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ." He goes on, "More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Paul is saying forget all those credentials of a religious person. They are nothing when it comes to knowing Christ.

Let's put this into perspective. Paul had been a very strong believer in God. This belief led him to persecute the early Christians. But then in his pursuit to do God's will Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and turned him around. After that he stopped persecuting the Christians and instead preached Christ. And he spent the rest of his life on the road spreading the Gospel. He was beaten and imprisoned and shipwrecked and even stoned and left for dead once.

Paul is saying that all that adds up to 0% of his salvation where as faith in Jesus makes up the other 100% After all it is Paul who said, "Salvation is by grace through faith." Now we here at Grace like to talk about grace. But too often Christians are under the mistaken impression that our works still play a role in our salvation. I think it is because we misunderstand the nature of God's righteousness and our righteousness.

It's really mathematical. Let's say we have a scale of righteousness. The most righteous person who ever lived might be a 1 million on the scale. The most despicable mass murderer is a 0. We might compare ourselves to them and say "Well I am far from 0, not quite a million, but I am above average." But we are serving an infinite God. Mathematically speaking 1 million is just as far from infinity as 0 is. We could never reach God with our righteousness. That is why God reached down to us with his son.

That is why Paul counts all his religious activity as loss for Christ. Paul said, "For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith." Paul's goal is to be in Christ. He tried to find salvation doing all the right things. It led him to persecution and murder of God's people. The only thing that saved him was faith in Christ.

Paul's righteousness is not based on his own works. It is based on faith in Jesus. It is righteousness not from his own keeping of the law or his own actions but a gift from God. That gift is then received by faith.

It's like someone who has fallen into a hole. The sides of the hole are too steep to crawl out of. The person is trapped there. But if someone outside the hole were to reach down they could pull them out. The whole human face is in a hole of sin and we are not able to climb out of it. In Jesus, God reached down to pull us out. But we need to take Jesus' hand - that is faith.

So why does Paul talk about pressing on toward the goal? It is a question of what the goal is. The goal is not heaven. Paul says "Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." Heaven is already promised because of Jesus Christ. The goal is the "heavenly call" of God in Jesus Christ. It's the call to follow Christ.

So yes we should strive to do the right things and serve God. But we are not striving for the prize of salvation. That prize has already been won. The prize Paul is striving for is to now live as much like Christ as he can.

When I was in high school I was a band geek. Our band had come in second in the state competitions for almost a decade. But my Jr. year we finally won the championship. After they announced it out drum major went forward to receive the trophy. And she brought it back to us and we all celebrated there on the field. Our parents came down to the field and I remember struggling though the crowd to find them so that I could hug them and celebrate with them. The trophy had already been won. I was struggling to embrace those who would celebrate the win with me.

The trophy of Eternal Life has already been won. Now we press forward. We press forward to embrace the one who won it for us. We press on to live a life which is in line with the calling of God in Christ. If you have never put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior do it today because he is your only hope. And if he is your Savior then seek to live for him as Paul did.

John 12:1-8

John tells us that it happened six days before the Passover. This was Jesus' last Passover on this side of the grave. The next day Jesus would go to Jerusalem. The people would praise him as the Messiah. As he rode on a donkey in fulfillment of Zachariah's prophesy they would shout "Hosanna" "Save us!" Then he would cleanse the temple of the series of events which would lead to the cross would be set in motion.

This was the calm before the storm. Jesus was with his friends Lazarus, Mary, Martha and the other disciples. They were at Lazarus' house only a few miles from Jerusalem. Lazarus was the one who Jesus had raised from the dead. Mary, his sister was known for sitting at Jesus' feet listening to him even when their sister Martha chided her for not helping in the kitchen. They were eating their Sabbath dinner. It was then that Mary did something humble; yet extravagant.

She took an expensive container of ointment and broke it open, poured it on Jesus' feet, and then wiped it with her hair. It was an act of great love and humility to anoint his feet and even to use her own hair to wipe them. But it was also extravagant for the ointment was very expensive and instead of using just a little, she used the whole container and the house was filled with the scent. Then Judas objected. "Something that valuable should not be wasted like that." It could be sold and the money given to charity. Of course Judas cared nothing for charity. John tells us that Judas used to steal from what was put in the common purse. That would have been more money that he could pilfer. But despite the objection from the treasurer Jesus commended Mary's humble extravagance. He said, "You can care for the poor any day, but you will not have much time to do nice things for me."

You know, Judas had a point. From a fiscally responsible point of view what she did was wasteful! Sure Judas really didn't care for the poor. But that doesn't mean that those of us who do care should not take the time to consider his objection. After all 300 dinarii was a lot of money in that day. One estimate says it was a year's wages for a common laborer. Can you imagine pouring all that out on someone's feet and the excess running out on the floor.

But don't misunderstand Jesus' response either. "The poor you will have with you always." Some have used these words as an excuse for doing nothing about poverty. What Jesus is saying is that next week and the week after and so on the poor will be there for you to help and you should help. But not long and he will not be there.

Remember what else Jesus said? "Let her alone; let her keep it for the day of my burial." Somehow Mary knew on some level what was going to happen soon. She knew that if she were going to show her love for Jesus she had to do it soon. Extravagantly she took her love in the form of that ointment and poured it out on Jesus' feet. In humility she poured her heart and soul out with the ointments and bowed her head to rub it in.

And the room was filled with the smell. They say that smell is the strongest trigger of memory. The smell of that ointment - strong and extravagant and expensive, filled that room: the smell of her devotion - humble and loving. And down through the ages people have heard of her actions and the smell of her actions has filled the heart and minds of the faithful. And as we hear of it the scent of her extravagant humility fills this room too!

Where did Mary learn this scandalously extravagant humility? Why; where she always was - at the feet of Jesus. Remember she was the one who was listening to Jesus after dinner instead of washing the dishes. She learned it by listening to Jesus, by watching Jesus, by living in his shadow.

Jesus was extravagant humility in the flesh. He was the King of kings and Lord of lords and Prince of the universe yet he had no place to lay his head. Angels proclaimed his birth yet he was cradled in a manger. He had nothing yet he gave it all away. He was master yet he washed his disciple's feet.

Jesus was about to enter into that event which would more than anything express his extravagant humility. It was Passover. The people of Israel were gathering to sacrifice lambs to express their love of God. But Jesus would offer himself up to be that ultimate Lamb of God sacrificed not for the sins of one family, but for the sins of the whole world. Humbly he would take his place among thieves and murders. He would bear the suffering and shame for the entire human race. And extravagantly he would offer the only sinless man's life for worthless wretches like me and you. And the scent of his extravagant humility fills our hearts and souls today.

Wait a minuet. Do you smell something? It smells like humble devotion - with generous overtones of sacrifice. Jesus modeled and lived out extravagant humility. Mary gave us an example of a person like us living it out.

Let's learn from their example. Maybe we should sit at the Master's feet and learn what it means to be extravagantly humble. Then we can pour ourselves out in love for God and our neighbor. Like Mary and like Jesus we can make sacrifices for others.

Then the scent of our devotion, of our extravagant humility, will fill our lives. And the extravagance of our love will shock those who don't know love. Perhaps it will shock them into realization. Maybe the scent of our worship will go beyond this room and fill the world we live in. Others will be able to smell the perfume of the love of God on us.

Break your heart as Mary broke her bottle of ointment and Jesus broke his body. Pour out yourself just as Mary poured out her ointment and Jesus poured out his blood. Be extravagantly humble in your love of God and the world. And smell how sweet extravagant humility can be!

John 12:1-8

John presents the anointing of Jesus like a well-written play. The characters involved are ones we are familiar with. We know their tendencies and personalities and their meaning from previous encounters in John's Gospel. The place is a house in Bethany, which John points out, is the hometown of Lazarus. You remember Lazarus: he is the one whom Jesus raised from the dead and John reminds us of that fact. In this drama Lazarus represents the resurrection from the dead.

Mary and Martha are also there. We know them from that famous story of Jesus eating at their house. Remember Martha was slaving feverishly in the kitchen to prepare a fitting dinner for the good teacher. At the same time Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to him speak, hearing and absorbing his teachings. We know their personalities well; they are people we can all relate to.

Then of course there is Judas. John reminds us that Judas is the one who later betrays Jesus. He also tells us that Judas has been pilfering from the treasury. So Judas is not merely a back stabber, he is also an embezzler. Judas represents the evil in all humans that Jesus is opposed to.

Finally there is Jesus. We all know him. He is on his way to Jerusalem and has stopped for a rest during his journey. He has been trying to make his followers understand why he is going to Jerusalem. But the more he tries, the more they resist God's plan for their salvation. The disciples are more like us than we like to admit sometimes.

The stage is set, and the curtains open on this one scene play. As the action begins they are about to eat supper. Lazarus is seated at the table. It doesn't say where, but I imagine him next to Jesus backstage. Mind you, Lazarus doesn't say anything in this play, but his presence is a constant reminder of the resurrection. So there sits Lazarus, Mr. "Resurrected From the Dead" himself, next to Jesus the source of resurrection. On the other side of the table I imagine Judas. And Martha, what would you expect, she is serving the dinner. And true to form Mary is at Jesus feet. The same place we saw her before. Like a child waiting to be told another story, she sits there attentive.

Then the action begins. Mary pulls a bottle of ointment out of her purse. She begins pouring it on Jesus' feet. Then she loosens her hair and she begins to wipe it into Jesus feet. Mary, the one who always listened to every word Jesus said, has understood. He is going to die. The teacher is going to Jerusalem to die so that everyone could know the kind of new life he had given her brother Lazarus. So she symbolically anoints his body for burial. When words failed her, actions speak clearly. By anointing him for burial she was shouting from the mountaintops, "Jesus I know you must die." By the tenderness with which she did it she was saying, "I am sorry you will suffer but I understand why you must." The smell of the perfume filled the room and all attention was focused on Mary as she lovingly anointed Jesus feet.

Then Judas bolts from his chair, "Stop her!" And everyone in the room looks away from Mary at Judas. Judas says, "That perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor." Jesus knew Judas didn't care about the poor. So he told him, "Leave her alone. She can save the rest for my burial. Judas, you can help the poor any day, but I will die soon and you will not be able to help me."

We don't need the narrator to come out and tell us that Jesus did die for the sins of the world. That his death brought the hope new life to all. And that he rose again and Mary was there while Judas wasn't. We know all that. And we recall it as the curtain closes.

Jesus is still on his way to Jerusalem in a manner of speaking. In this play he was on his way to Jerusalem so that he could bring salvation and new life to those who need it. Jesus is still in this world trying to do the same. He is still accomplishing his calling to liberate the oppressed, free the sinners, and bring comfort to the distraught and suffering.

And this little scene is played out every day. Along the way some recognizes Jesus at work and they add their "amen" to Jesus' grace. Like Mary, some add their loving support for what Jesus is doing. Some, like Lazarus, are sitting quietly by as living examples of Jesus' life giving power. But then some, like Judas, protest. They try to confuse the issues and merely pretend to be merciful. Like Judas they voice an opinion contrary to Jesus' work.

And I ask myself, "Where am I in this little play?" Am I supporting Jesus' work or am I opposing it? Have you accepted Christ's death as atonement for your sins? Some who were sitting with Jesus that day, like Mary, did. While others at the table like Judas didn't. Christ gave himself for us so that we could have new life. It's the kind of new life that is demonstrated in the Resurrection of Lazarus. It's also the kind of new life demonstrated in the discipleship of Mary.

You will have a chance to sit at Christ's table later in this service. Will you accept what Christ did and is doing for you and give yourself completely to him as Mary did? Or will you fight against it like Judas. You have to decide! Do you accept Christ's atonement or not? Will you participate in his work to save others or not? If you fail to make the decision or put it off that is a decision to play Judas' role. What role will you be playing when the curtain closes on your life?