Just in Case

Fifth Sabbath in Lent

Readings:
Isaiah 43:16-21
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8

In Woody Allen’s movie Love and Death, an elderly Russian Jewish woman peasant approaches a neighbor who has just been hit by lightning. She looks down on a pile of steaming ashes and pronounces “Old Nahampkin, you’re not looking so good ….”

I guess we might have said the same for Lazarus, dead in the tomb for four days before Jesus arrives to set the world topsy-turvy …. Again, as Pastor Johnson points out:

Whenever you’re traveling with Jesus, things are NOT normal ….. things you thought could or would never happen, WILL happen …. Unbelievable, wonderful things!

Because Jesus is the ultimate leader and the ultimate model of servant hood; in fact, as Pastor Johnson has pointed out repeatedly, He leads by serving!! Pastor Johnson very distinctly points out that the story of Lazarus Returns is a metaphor for The Last Supper where Jesus prepares a meal for his friends. Jesus serves his friends in preparing them a meal, in lowering himself to wash their very feet, in being in the very presence of one who will defeat death and restore life abundant, and in showcasing characters, such as Mary, who KNOW when they are in the presence of The Holy. This model for service is one Jesus presents analogies for again and again.

Laurie Beth Jones in her book, Jesus CEO, brings the same point home more than once: Jesus served the very best wine first! She pines that

“We so often save for a rainy day and only bestow affection in small droplets for people …. Perhaps knowing he wouldn’t be here long is what caused him to serve the best wine first. He poured out the best of himself to all he encountered …. So many Bible stories show God, the ultimate leader, preparing banquets, throwing parties, and bringing out the best wine to celebrate the return of an errant child, even a Good Samaritan who takes time out from his mission to assist a battered enemy on the road, saying “Anything else that this man needs, put it on my account.”

This reminded me of a story told by Pastor Johnson some years ago. He was traveling in a neighborhood near Detroit with his good friend, Dick Martzoff. Dick was approached by a beggar on the street who asked for money. Dick took out ALL the change he had in his pocket, held it out to the man, saying “Take what you need”. The beggar took it all. A few blocks later, Dick realized he had not saved out enough change to make a necessary phone call. He went back and asked the beggar for money. The man held out a handful of money, saying “Take what you need”. Dick took enough for the phone call and continued on. He did NOT hold back enough initially “just in case”.

Pastor Johnson eloquently described that we so often hold back from the extravagance shown to Jesus by Mary, always keeping some perfume in reserve, “just in case”. He also points out that whenever we’re extravagant, there’s ALWAYS somebody who’s uncomfortable with lavishness – a voice that says “not too much …. Just in case”.

Do you live in the Land of Just in Case??

When we travel with Jesus, we do not live in this Land. He understands that there will always be loaves and fish enough for all if we’ll only believe. Give first, serve first, ask questions later.

Recently, when a string of tornadoes hit Alabama, many residents were left homeless while only 150 miles away, hundreds of FEMA trailers were left unused because the federal government had not declared the tornado-stricken path a federal disaster area. Government officials were quoted as saying “the trailers could not be sent because they might be needed for more dire circumstances (yet to occur)”. How must this have sounded to those struggling with no roof over their heads, that relief, that service was being “held back …. just in case”?

As Pastor Johnson clearly points out, his favorite verse in the text is that, having had Mary pour out all the perfume extravagantly on Jesus’ feet,

“The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume”

A place to which we have been invited that had once been overwhelmed with the stench of rottenness and death …. and now exudes the sweet smell of perfume, extravagantly poured out in open admission of being in the presence of The Holy. The perfume IS the love of God. It can and does overpower even the stench of death … if you dole it out lavishly and don’t hold back that reserve “just in case”.

Anoint extravagantly with the costly perfume, serve the best wine first, give from your plenty, not your reserve … and offer it all with these words ‘Take what you need’ and hold back nothing ‘just in case’ …… because Jesus does not live in the Land of Just in Case. If you want to know what it is like to travel that road with Him, that road less traveled, that road en route to Emmaus, outside of Detroit or in Wauwatosa, you have to give it all.

Or, as Pastor Johnson said it:

“When God asks you to serve, how are you going to smell? Are you going to give it all … or are you going to go to ‘The Land of Just in Case’ "??