Worthy of It All | John 12 | 09/20/2026

John brings the reader to a dinner in Bethany six days before Passover, where Jesus sits with friends who honor Him even though danger is closing in. Lazarus reclines at the table as living proof that Jesus has power over death. Martha serves, and Martha shows that serving Jesus does not have to be marked by distraction or frustration. Mary comes prepared with a pound of costly spikenard, worth about a year’s wages, because her worship is intentional.

Mary breaks open the perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair. The house fills with the fragrance, and Mary’s worship fills the room with a picture of extravagant affection. Mary gives something costly, but Mary also risks her dignity in a culture where a woman did not let down her hair in public. Mary does not seem concerned with who might stare, criticize, or misunderstand. Jesus is worth it.

Mary’s act is more than emotional devotion. Mary has listened at Jesus’ feet, believed His words, and understood something the disciples still struggled to see. Jesus is going to suffer, die, be buried, and rise again. Mary anoints His body beforehand, and Mary’s worship points to the greater sign beyond Lazarus. Lazarus was raised from the grave, but Jesus will die, be buried, and rise again as the Savior of the world.

Judas sees the same perfume and calls it a waste. Judas uses concern for the poor as spiritual language to cover a selfish heart, because John tells the reader that Judas is a thief. Judas values money more than Christ, criticizes another person’s sacrifice, and gives nothing himself. Judas reveals the danger of a divided heart. A divided heart can follow Jesus outwardly while still holding onto self inwardly, but eventually it must choose between Christ and self.

Jesus tells Judas, “Leave her alone.” Jesus calls Mary’s sacrifice beautiful because it is fitting, loving, and bound up with His coming burial. Jesus does not diminish care for the poor, but Jesus will not allow a false appeal to charity to condemn wholehearted worship. Jesus remains worthy of first love, highest devotion, costly obedience, honest surrender, baptism, faithful service, and every good gift offered to Him.

Christ calls believers to consider what their lives say about His worth. Christ also calls those who remain unsure to seek Him honestly, have another conversation, and reckon seriously with His offer of forgiveness and peace. Christ has been pursuing sinners long before they begin pursuing Him. Jesus is worth everything.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Worship should be intentional and costly Mary did not stumble into this moment. Mary planned to bring the perfume because Jesus mattered more to her than what she could preserve for a later day. Costly worship is not measured merely by dollars, but by whether Christ is truly held above comfort, reputation, control, and personal reserve. [38:21]
• 2. Listening to Jesus changes devotion Mary understood Christ’s coming death because Mary had spent time at His feet. Jesus’ words moved from something heard to something believed and personally embraced. Deep worship grows where disciples stop merely hearing truth and begin letting Christ’s words shape what they value and how they live. [45:07]
• 3. A divided heart eventually chooses Judas followed Jesus in public while serving himself in private. Judas used religious words about the poor to hide greed, proving that outward proximity to Christ does not equal inward surrender. A heart that keeps Christ and self on competing thrones will eventually reveal which one it truly serves. [52:05]
• 4. Jesus calls wholehearted worship beautiful Jesus defended Mary when criticism tried to shame her devotion. Jesus did not call her offering irresponsible, excessive, or wasteful. Christ receives what is given in sincere love, even when others cannot understand why such devotion seems worth the cost. [55:59]
• 5. Christ is worth honest surrender Jesus is worthy of more than agreement with facts about the cross. Christ calls sinners to trust Him with the guilt they cannot remove and the lives they cannot save. Christ also welcomes honest seekers who need to ask more questions, because His pursuit begins before theirs does.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:32] - A Memorable Dinner Experience
• [29:44] - The Dinner at Bethany
• [31:10] - Worthy of It All
• [33:36] - Six Days Before Passover
• [35:18] - A Courageous Dinner for Jesus
• [36:00] - Martha Serves and Lazarus Reclines
• [37:42] - Mary’s Intentional Worship
• [41:35] - Worship That Costs Something
• [44:44] - Mary Understands Jesus’ Burial
• [47:48] - Judas Attacks Extravagant Worship
• [52:05] - The Danger of a Divided Heart
• [55:59] - Jesus Calls It Beautiful
• [56:56] - Questions for Christ Followers
• [60:19] - Christ Is Worth Pursuing

Bible Reading

John 12:1-8
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” [31:10]

Matthew 26:6-13
“Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” [31:00]

Mark 14:3-9
“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like this? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” [31:00]

Observation questions

1. What details in John 12 show the different ways Lazarus, Martha, and Mary responded to Jesus at the dinner in Bethany? [36:06]
2. What does John tell us about the perfume Mary used, the way she used it, and the effect it had on the house? [38:47]
3. What reason did Judas give for objecting to Mary’s offering, and what reason does John give for Judas’s words?
4. How did Jesus respond to Judas’s criticism of Mary, and how do Matthew and Mark describe Jesus’s view of what Mary had done? [56:01]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does Mary’s anointing of Jesus point beyond a generous gift to Jesus’ coming death and burial? How does Lazarus’s presence at the meal strengthen this picture of Jesus’ power over death? [46:23]
2. Martha had once served with frustration, but here she simply serves. What might this show about the difference between serving Jesus out of pressure and serving Him out of love? [36:18]
3. Judas used concern for the poor to criticize Mary, yet John exposes his selfish motives. How can good words or worthwhile causes be used to hide a heart that is really serving self? [50:37]
4. Jesus did not dismiss the poor, but He defended Mary’s wholehearted devotion. What does this scene teach about holding together real compassion for people and sincere worship of Christ?

Application questions

1. Mary’s worship was intentional, not accidental. What is one practical way you could prepare your heart to honor Jesus during the week rather than giving Him only leftover time and attention? [38:21]
2. Costly worship is not only about money; it can involve comfort, reputation, control, or personal plans. What is something you may be tempted to hold back from Jesus, and what makes it difficult to surrender? [41:35]
3. Mary had listened to Jesus and believed His words deeply. What habit could help you move from merely hearing Scripture to trusting it enough for it to shape your choices this week? [45:07]
4. Judas criticized another person’s devotion while protecting his own interests. When have you been tempted to judge someone else’s generosity, service, passion, or obedience? What might that reveal about your own heart? [52:47]
5. A divided heart tries to follow Jesus outwardly while keeping self on the throne inwardly. Where do you sense that struggle most clearly right now—in money, relationships, habits, plans, or something else? [52:09]
6. Jesus called Mary’s offering beautiful even though others saw it as wasteful. Is there an act of obedience Jesus may be inviting you to take that others may not fully understand—such as giving, serving, reconciling, sharing your faith, baptism, or another step of surrender? [55:59]
7. For anyone still considering faith in Christ: what questions, fears, or obstacles are keeping you from trusting Him fully? Would you be willing to take the next honest step of having a conversation and seeking Him further? [01:01:22]