Bible Study – Fifth Sunday in Lent “When To Store Up and When To Pour Out”
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come, let us adore him. And what if, during this season of Lent, we sought a deeper understanding of this amazing gospel of grace? Will that image of grace energize us to do the spiritual housekeeping we need to be ready for the "new thing" God is doing in Easter?
The imported perfume was worth a year's wages, and it was poured out on the feet of Jesus. Was it an obscene waste of valuable resources that could have been used to feed the poor? Or an orthodox preparation of a body for burial? How do we become responsible stewards knowing when to store up and when to pour out?
Opening Prayer: Dear God, help us to learn how to make good decisions. Amen
Please open your Bibles to John 12:1-8 and read or read the scriptures below.
John 12:1-8
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b]” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you but you will not always have me.”
Reflection Questions: (Answers Below)
- What did Mary decide to do?
- If we said, "Judas made a good point, but for the wrong reasons;" how would you describe what he really wanted to do with the money? (Verse 6)
- What does Jesus say to Judas? (Verses 7 -8)
Click her for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on the words or url)
Mary Anointing Jesus At Bethany: John 12:1-8 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4A7elvCBpM
Gospel of John Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8
Song: The Servant Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmgpMfnjdU
Activities
Spring Training: Find the bag you made for Spring Training. You will need pieces of paper and a pencil. Open your bag and read what is in there. Now write what you noticed in this story about Mary, Judas and the perfume. Make whatever notes you want and then seal your bag and then place it where it will be remained sealed.
(Remember four weeks ago you designed your own Spring Training kit — for your eyes only. At the end of this activity, you put what you have been writing inside your bags, put our names on the outside, seal the bags, and place it where it will remain sealed until next week. The purpose is to develop individual Spring Training disciplines. Some options: finding a time during the week to read from the Bible, finding time during the week to pray for help with dumping something that is getting between you and God, giving up something that is getting in the way, or that will get you in better shape, etc. Then, write something to put in the bag. When you are finished, you can seal your bag and then place it where it will be remained sealed.)
How We Make Decisions: pretend someone gave you some money to spend. Think about two options: one that will clearly benefit the poor and one that might seem a bit extravagant, but would benefit our church. Once you have decided on two options, describe ways you could make the decision. (Example: "We are going to do this, because I said so!") Or you could consider other options such as:
• Vote - so the majority wins, the minority loses.
• Draw straws (one straw shorter that the rest so the child that draws that straw wins.
• Roll dice, having decided in advance what the "winning" number will be. (Or spin the spinner.)
Can they think of any other way we could reach a decision? There is a process of "consensus" which means that both sides will feel they have been heard, participated in the decision, and own the decision. It might mean that neither option is chosen, but something else instead. Can you reach "consensus" on your options.
Poster Comparison: Mary (Column 1); Judas (Column 2) – Write what you know about each person. For example: Mary – loved Jesus, poured perfume on Jesus’ feet, gave her most prized possession, showed her love by her actions. For example: Judas – didn’t care about the poor, keeper of the money bag, stole from the money bag for his own use, betrayed Jesus.
Clay Prize Possessions: You will need play dough or molding clay to form your own prize possession. Set the “possession in clay” art on a small piece of construction paper to let it dry out. Write on the construction paper what the prized possession is and why it is special to you.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany – Word Shape: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-anointed-at-bethany-5
Jesus Anointed at Bethany - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-anointed-at-bethany-4
Jesus Anointed at Bethany – Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-anointed-at-bethany
Jesus Anointed at Bethany – Fill in the Blank: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-anointed-at-bethany-1
Jesus Anointed at Bethany – Multiple Choice: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/jesus-anointed-at-bethany-3
Prayer: Thank you, God, for trusting us to make decisions. Guide us as we do your work in the world. Amen.
Answers to the above questions:
- What did Mary decide to do? (Wash Jesus' feet, a job usually done by slaves and she used very costly perfume.)
- If we said, "Judas made a good point, but for the wrong reasons;" how would you describe what he really wanted to do with the money? (Verse 6) 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
- What does Jesus say to Judas? (Verses 7 -8) 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you but you will not always have me.”
