Thankfullness
Notes
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WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Waking up this morning,
we see a new day has dawned.
Let us raise our hands in thanksgiving
for the wonders of being alive,
for the 24 brand-new hours in which we are now living,
and the possibility of so many, many more.
HYMN
Lord for the years your love has kept and guided (STF 470)
PRAYERS
Wonderful God,
thank you for the sensations of sacred breath,
your miraculous gift of life to each one of us.
We lift our hearts to you.
Our souls sing with joy.
May we know your presence in all our challenges,
and may our thankfulness pour out of our lives.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Creator God, loving Saviour, living Spirit,
we celebrate your generosity
in receiving all that we would give you.
We rejoice in your generosity
as you pour out, you’re blessing on all you have made.
We commit ourselves to reflecting your generosity in our lives,
by giving the best of all we have and are wherever there is need. Amen.
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Please, forgive us, faithful God,
when we fill the rooms we enter with negativity, not warmth.
Forgive us, and bless us
Forgive us when we justify our reluctance to give and share.
Forgive us, and bless us
Forgive us when we are slow to express gratitude,
and take what we have for granted.
Forgive us, and bless us
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Ever-giving God,
we sometimes close our hearts to you and to others;
but your heart is always open,
pouring out your grace and love,
filling our lives with the fragrance of forgiveness
and friendship,
wiping away our fears and our regrets,
and receiving the thanks we would offer you.
May the trickle of our praise become a torrent,
and may the whole world be filled with your truth.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
THE Lord’s Prayer
HYMN
Take my life and let it be (STF 566)
READINGS
Isaiah 43: 16-21
John 12: 1-8
HYMN
Love divine, all love excelling (STF 503)
SERMON
There is an old story about a young couple who had no money I mean they were flat broke; it was coming up to Christmas and they wanted to celebrate their love for one another. The only thing Jane had of any value was her lovely long hair as at the time there was a need for human hair to make wigs. So, she sold it to buy Tom a chain to go with his pocket watch. When she got home, she obviously had to tell Tom what she had done.
Then it was Tom’s turn to look shyly at her and hand over a couple of really nice slides for hair! How did he afford them he sold his watch!
I bet they fell about laughing and although the gifts were now of no immediate use, they were defiantly an example of sacrifice and thankfulness for one another, and the preciousness of their relationship.
Thanksgiving is extremely important in the Old and New Testament we see time and again the best things are given to God in thankfulness for all God has provided. From the very beginning we see an example of true giving from Able compared to the gift of Cain that God rejected it is the attitude that counts.
We often celebrate important family events. We invite friends and relatives to enjoy the food and festivities. It usually costs, and sometimes it cost a lot! The average wedding cost around 25K!
Celebration is a way of saying a big thank you for a blessing we don’t want to take for granted.
Saying grace before a meal is a smaller, and for some people daily, ritual of thanksgiving, a pause in the daily routine to say thank you to God for the means of life. and we renew our intention to share our own blessings with others.
The point is, being thankful, and giving thanks to God is the right response to the blessings we have.
In this chapter of John’s Gospel, John permits us to feel the tension building as Jesus leaves his retreat at Ephraim and begins his final march on Jerusalem. It’s just over a week before the Passover and Jesus chooses to break his journey at Bethany. The place of his recent miracle in raising Lazarus, it will provide him with further encouragement as he prepares for the fearful trial ahead. So, Jesus arrived at Bethany.
A public meal is being held in his honour, with Martha, predictably severing, and Lazarus is among the guests. We can recall how John showed us at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, which began at the wedding feast in Cana when Jesus performed his first miracle. And now as he moves to the close of his ministry on earth we are at another social occasion at Bethany. The mood though is strikingly different. At Cana, Jesus and the disciples had attended the launch of his mission, the bringing of the new wine of the kingdom. The mood was a celebration of a happy couple’s wedding. But today here the tone is different. A bit darker, heavy clouds are massing on the horizon; there is a burden in the heart of Jesus. The celebration is a little muted. The talk is about burial rather than renewal.
The meal is interrupted as Mary comes up behind Jesus as he reclines, his head close to the low central table where the food was laid. In an act of moving devotion, she approaches Jesus and, breaking open a bottle of very expensive perfume, anoints his feet. Nard is an oil-like perfume extracted from the root and spike of the nard plant, grown in India; definitely not one of the cheap brands sold at the Bethany supermarket!
With the reading fresh in our minds, I would like us to think about living thankfully and what it means to us.
If you look, we have a table set up for a meal. We have bread and grapes laid before us.
Now imagine yourself in the room of. We are all invited to this special meal. Just imagine you where there when Lazarus was raised from the grave and now, we are enjoying a celebration meal, we see Lazarus laughing and hear the disciples chatting. Everyone is having a great time.
Now we see Mary go to the jar of perfume. She kneels in front of Jesus. As we watch she takes off his shoes. She anoints his feet and wipes them with her hair. It is quite shocking, but also tender. Notice how the room has gone quiet; everyone is staring in astonishment. Imagine you can you smell the perfume? Her action creates a stir how would you feel, embarrassed? Are you with those recoiling? Are there tears?
Point to the chair. Now focus your attention on Jesus. What do you see him do? What does Mary do? Imagine if you can you see Judas standing up? He is complaining about the waste of money. It is harsh. How does that make you feel? Often when faced with a situation like this, we sometimes turn away. Maybe in some way can we agree that the use of the perfume was such a waste.
Point to the chair again. But look again at Jesus. Notice his reaction to Mary’s action.
After a pause. What is God’s word of life for you in this story? How would you like to respond? Is, there some action God wants you take to say thank you?
Mary’s act of kindness strengthened Jesus for what was to come in a few days. Sometimes pride, or fear of being vulnerable, to allow others to give to us can turn out to be a barrier. The stiff upper lip syndrome, daring to show your weakness.
The idea of being in Christ’s body is one of inter-dependence not self-sufficiency. Jesus wants us to willingly to receive from others as well as us to give unstintingly.
As we know the Old Testament is full of rules and regulations mainly to keep the chosen people pure but too much legalistic rules can be a burden reading in Isaiah 43.18, we find that when Paster John Robinson was heading to America, we are reminded that we need to open to God’s leading: ‘Do not remember the former things. Ideas that have nourished our understanding can also hold us captive. When he preached to his congregation before they set sail in 1620, he encouraged them not to get stuck in their beliefs, not even in sticking to what he had taught them, ‘…for I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from His Holy Word. A response of genuine thankfulness also brings openness, not simply fierce loyalty to the past.
In following Jesus there is a need, for personal acts of kindness to show we care in our actions, not just words. Personal acts of caring give insight into what is really needed in a situation. There is also a need to stand up for those who are desperate. But if we only act on the level of personal kindness, we can be overwhelmed. Our actions can lack insight and sensitivity. We need to hold onto compassion and justice to allow ‘God in us’ to serve ‘God in others.
In the following verses we note the two-edged effect of the miracle of the raising of Lazarus. For many it brought new grounds for believing (11). For the chief priests it extended their ‘hit list’, as Lazarus also becomes a target of their prejudiced minds (10). First Jesus must die, then Lazarus, later Stephen, and then James. It has been said that he who would drink with the devil had best ensure he is drinking with an exceedingly long straw. ‘Everyone who sins’ becomes ‘a slave to sin’ (8:34).
This action of Mary represents a model for service to Jesus in every generation. It is in the first place the fruit of a humble spirit. To anoint Jesus’ feet, she put herself in the position of servant. It’s interesting to see, Mary is mentioned three times in the gospels and always in association with Jesus’ feet. She ‘sat at the Lord’s feet’ (Lk. 10:39), to listen to his teaching; she ‘fell at [Jesus’] feet’ (Jn. 11:32), she then anoints Jesus’ feet to express her devotion. True service for Jesus comes from a whole-hearted commitment to him. The feet of Jesus is where service for him begins.
Secondly, Mary shows a perceptive heart. Although the full significance of her action is possibly hidden from her, it was ‘right’ because she understood something of the mind of Jesus. Despite the festive nature of the occasion Mary senses his true spirit. The truth of Mary’s insight is that. She ‘sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said’ (Lk. 10:39)
Thirdly, Mary’s was a timely act. It was intended (7) that the perfume be kept for this moment. Life is full of uncertainties; we ‘do not even know what will happen tomorrow’ (Jas. 4:13f.). So ‘as we have opportunity, let us do good’ (Gal. 6:10), or, in Jesus’ own words, ‘We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work’ (9:4, RSV). William Barclay tells the poignant story of Thomas Carlyle and his remorse at failing to appreciate his long-suffering wife while she was alive. ‘If only I could see her but once more, were it but for five minutes, to let her know that I always loved her. She never did know it, never.
Fourthly, Mary’s action was sharply criticized. There is a note of realism here. While Jesus may approve, others may not—even among the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples. The opposition may come from hearts which follow this present world values, and like Judas, some would consider our Christian work and ministry a sheer waste.
Fifthly, perhaps the most notable quality of Mary’s action was its extravagance. It was an amazingly generous gift Mary, however, gave it away; poured it all out for her Master.
Finally, Mary’s service was fruitful. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (3). Sincere service to Jesus, however much it may face opposition, has a capacity to touch and bless other lives, a capacity which is missing from acts of merely legalistic piety. Others will be blessed when we serve Jesus; perhaps, as in Mary’s case, far beyond our dreams. For what is done for Christ, however humble, becomes blessed. ‘Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward’
The incident of the anointing at Bethany has a message for all of us.
The real challenge we have in Jesus’ statement about Mary, is motivation. Our giving to the poor, or for the preaching of the gospel, is pointless if it comes from a desire to gain merit from God. What Jesus brings is the idea of gratitude. His journey to Jerusalem to offer himself for sinners brings the free gift of salvation.
HYMN
Just as I am without one plea (STF 556)
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION
For the unselfconscious outpouring of Mary’s love:
For the generous receiving of her beautiful gift by Jesus:
For the opportunities we must give to others:
For friends and family who give to us:
For your love and for the promise of eternal life:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
we praise you!
Amen.
Let us pray for all who serve their neighbours: we remember those who put their lives at risk in providing emergency services
– ambulance, fire brigade, police, coastguard, medical, and others. Uphold and strengthen them, loving Lord.
Let us pray for all who serve their neighbours: we remember those so often taken for granted
– those working in shops, cafes, and restaurants. May they know that they are honoured and valued, generous God.
Let us pray for all who serve their neighbours: we remember those who travel overseas to work for aid agencies
and charities. Give them wisdom and compassion, gracious God.
Let us pray for all who serve their neighbours: we remember those whom you call to serve you in the Church.
May they be sustained by your unending love, anointing Lord.
Hear our prayers, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
HYMN
And can it be (STF 345)
BLESSING
Amazing God,
we are so thankful for the gift of being alive!
May our thankfulness to you pour out in our actions,
in our choices, in our dealings with other people,
in all that we do. Amen.
END