February 28th Virtual Worship

February 28, 2021 Pastor Marc Hayden

Music Ministry Team: Kristin Petty, Dwight Huntley, Matthew Leone, Rene Vazquez

Worship Team: Sarah Haas, Marc Hayden

Technology Team: Michael Kendall, Mark Raker, Jerry Weissinger

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Key Notes from the reading & sermon:

Journeying with John; Prepared to Die

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

[Reading above - John 12: 1-8]

It is easy to become too serious and practical in our discipleship. Mary reminds us to allow joyful, generous, and extravagant love to show in our relationship with Christ.

Questions for Reflection:

How is Mary’s act of devotion connected to and informed by the raising of Lazarus in John 11?
Can you name a time and event that resulted in an act of extravagant love in your life?
What are ways at Friedens Church we share in extravagant love?
How are our church’s institutional concerns in conflict with Christ’s expansive vison of grace?
What do you think Jesus had in mind with the comment, “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me”? Could Jesus have offered that comment for that particular moment and group of people, rather than stating something meant for every time and all people?