By: Pastor David Grousnick

Intentional Acts of True Devotion

Mark Trotter once told a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. Kidnappers called his wife demanding $100,000 ransom. She talked them down to $30,000. The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail.

But don’t you wonder what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back for a discount? Calvin Trillin wrote about this incident.

He imagined what the negotiations must have been like: “$100,000 for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You’ve got to be kidding. Give me a break here. $30,000 is my top offer.”

Mark Trotter concludes his story with this thoughtful comment:

“I suppose there are some who can identify with the wife in that story, but for some reason I identify with the husband. I’d like to think there would be people who would spare no expense to get me back. They wouldn’t haggle. They wouldn’t say, ‘Let me think about it.’ I like to think that they would say, ‘We’ll do anything for you.’”

The point is this: sometimes it’s O.K. to be extravagant! Now, that is precisely what John 12:1-11 is all about.

This is the fifth and final Sunday in Lent. It is the Saturday night before a crowd lined the streets of Jerusalem to give Jesus a parade, lay palm branches in his path, and sing, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (v. 13).

In spite of that enthusiastic welcome, by the following Friday night, Jesus was in a grave.

In the previous few weeks, it was increasingly evident that things were headed in that direction. There had been serious run-ins with the religious authorities. Jesus had predicted his death and John told us there was already a plan to make his death a reality (8:21-30; 11:45-56).

On this Saturday evening, however, Jesus and the disciples took a break from worry. They accepted an invitation to dinner in Bethany, a small crossroads village only two miles from Jerusalem (John 11:28).

The dinner was at the home of Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. All the people at the party were already acquainted with one another. The evening promised to be one of rest, relaxation, food, and fellowship. Lazarus is an old friend not only of Jesus, but at least a few of the disciples (John 11:31).

Not all that long ago, Jesus resuscitated Lazarus from the dead. On a different occasion, Jesus stopped for lunch at Martha’s house and had a wonderful afternoon of conversation with Mary (Luke 10:38-42).

The evening delivered on its promises. The food Martha prepared was delicious. The service was impeccable. The conversation was uplifting. It was a great evening. Before Jesus and the apostles said their “good-byes,”

Mary slipped out of the room, returning with an incredibly expensive jar of perfume. It was said to be worth nearly a full year’s wages. Mary opens the jar, knells before Jesus, and washes his feet with the perfume. The gospel tells us the fragrance of the perfume filled the house.

That is no benign observation. This is an IATDs!

IATDs are what this passage is all about. People were becoming more and more devoted to Jesus, and were expressing it openly in ever increasing ways. They even started doing IATDs – Intentional Acts of True Devotion.

Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave and he came out struggling in the bondage of his grave clothing. But he came out, he had new life! Jesus had power even over death!

The result was IATDs! People started following Jesus.

Not only did they start following him. They become devoted to him, and their devotion was radical! Those who saw this resurrection put their faith in Jesus. People without reservation, without growing into it, at this one miracle put all their faith in him.

And it showed in IATDs. At one time the Jews had been devoted to the Pharisees and the law. Now, crowds were turning to Jesus, becoming devoted, radically devoted to him with the kind of devotion that is dangerous:

“He’ll upset the applecart! We can’t have that around here! We’ll lose our place and our power!”

That was the thinking of the Pharisees, so they plotted to take Jesus’ life. We often think it was Jesus who got himself in trouble with the Pharisees, but the Pharisees wouldn’t have cared a bit if he didn’t have these followers with their IATDs.

Their IATDs got him in trouble, too.

Intentional Acts of True Devotion – they’re powerful, they’re dangerous, and they mark the lives of those who put their faith in Jesus.

How about you in your living? Are you doing IATDs?

Have a great weekend!

David Grousnick, is the Pastor at the First Christian Church in Artesia.