Death for our sakes

Jesus knew he was going to die.

He stated it explicitly three times before his death and gave his disciples a special meal that would interpret his death the day before he was nailed to the cross. Not only that but several parables involve the death of the ‘son’ of the master/king. And to make sure we didn’t miss it he enshrines it in a key teaching about discipleship “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

Yet each year around Easter, I hear the painful arguments brought out again; ‘God would never intentionally send his Son to the cross so we must come up with a new theologically understanding that will reinterpret what happened on the cross. The cross as it stands offends our modern enlightened ethics and is a stumbling block to presenting a relevant Christianity to contemporary Australia.’ Dr Francis Macnab even goes so far as to deny Jesus’ divinity as superstitious additions to the story. For him, Jesus was just a very God-aware, spiritual person, so any death he suffered was merely tragic or heroic but not for our sakes.

I understand that sometimes people react to fundamentalist ‘hell fire and brimstone’ preachers who turn the Easter story into a threat of judgement with a convenient ‘out clause’ if you sign up as a terrified believer. But the New Testament writers and the apostles were not like that. And yet these loving passionate disciples spoke openly and often about the wonderful gift that Jesus had given to us all by his death and resurrection.

In our reading today it appears that Mary showed some understanding of Jesus’ purposes where the 12 disciples did not. Jesus is 6 days away from his death and he knows it; how quickly he speaks of his burial even though this was a celebratory feast to acknowledge Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead.

Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the
table with him.
3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume (worth about $30,000;
Graeme); she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume. Judas …objected…
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day
of my burial. (John 12:2-7)

Mary’s actions show us the way to respond to Jesus’ purpose. She didn’t care that the idea of the Messiah dying was cultural and theologically offensive to the best thinkers of her time. Nor was she concerned with how Jesus could die for us all. But she did understand Jesus’ passionate enduring love for her and that somehow this coming death was part of Jesus’ own purpose for himself. She did understand Jesus’ loving intention and she responded at the same level. She wanted Jesus to understand just how dearly she loved him in return. So she poured $30,000 of perfume on his feet and wiped it with her hair. Jesus understood.

How would you show Jesus you were touched by his gift of his death for you?

As we approach Easter will you join Mary in her response to Jesus’ gift? Tell him you love him.
“This is my body broken for you.” Thank you dear Jesus!

Graeme