John 12:1-11

1. Lazarus- What does Jesus knows about you?

Here are some characteristics of a Lazarus...
Can’t tell you how to get it because he just experienced it 
His/her life is a threat to the religious subculture, v. 9-11
Forgot the score
Has a deep faith that they often cannot explain in ways that makes sense
People appreciate this person from a distance but seldom let them get close
It’s all going to be alright in the end
Lingers long at dinner

2. Martha- What does Jesus need from you? 

 Here are some characteristics of a Martha...
Has one tool, one response and one way of doing things
Typically feels under-appreciated
Busy but rarely joyful
Obsesses over possible outcomes
Cannot score enough points to feel secure enough to sit down on the inside
Can give lip service to the idea of change but rarely changes
Service is like an armor which protects them from the vulnerability of being known 
Cleans up after dinner


3. Mary- What does Jesus want from you?  

“After a certain amount of immersion in public life, I begin to burn out.  And I have noticed that I burn out inwardly long before I do outwardly.  Hence, I must be careful not to become a fanatic bundle of hollow energy, busy among people but devoid of life.  I must learn when to retreat, like Jesus, and experience the recreating power of God.  We are told that Peter tarried in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.  And along our journey we need to discover numerous tarrying places where we can receive heavenly manna.”
-Richard Foster, The Freedom of Simplicity

 Here are some characteristics of a Mary…
Lives with a sense of devotion to who God is and what He is doing
Doesn’t just look to understand but be involved
Engages in behaviors that do not make sense in the moment but makes a big difference in hindsight
They are often misunderstood, seen as different and live with a low grade sense of loneliness and aloneness 
Something about this person that people want to be around
Slow, often seen as a lack of planning skills but in reality this person is not done with the moment when everyone else is done
Doesn’t even know there is a game going on much less the score
Leaves the dinner without anybody noticing

4. Judas- What do you want from Jesus? 

 Here are some characteristics of a Judas...
Has a set of expectations which are to be met and if not then he has another plan.
Keeps the score
Faith is in himself and his plan
Can be a pathological liar who simply sees lying as a means to an end
Motivated by personal gain, “what’s in it for me?”
Evaluates everything but rarely really experiences anything
Life is transactional and never relational 
Pitches a fit over how much the dinner costs


Questions for reflection…

What do you do to relax in God’s presence?
Is there anything that you wish you could quit doing but have yet to figure out how?
Where are your tarrying places?
What are some of the bigger agendas in your life these days and how many of them are necessary?
If you wrote down a one sentence summary of what you take away from this morning, what would that sentence be?