Bible Study “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.
Season of Lent. Is a time for spiritual preparation through repentance of our sins and growth in our faith for Easter. It is the time of the Church Year when the suffering and death of our Savior come into focus.
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,[c] but you will not always have me.”
Reflection 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)
- What does Jesus say to Judas? (Verses 7 -8)
Additional questions:
- How do you hear this story?
- What do you think the person that wrote this would say to us today?
- What word or phrase stands out to you when you read this?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on the words or url)
A Different kind of King The Life of Jesus John 12 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKiixjUyr7E
Anointing Feet: John 12:1-8 – Sarah Bryars - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT2qenbdC6U
Song
I Love You Lord - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hyBJwTKmQ8
Activities:
Story Bag: Write something to put in your bag about what you learned from today’s story.
Clay Prize Possessions: Take 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.
Gift Boxes: You will need a small box and some wrapping paper and a bow. Draw a picture of a cross and a heart and write “THE GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE that is FREE but cost JESUS HIS LIFE!” You can also tape the words of “GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE, JESUS, FREE to a piece of bubble gum or candy and place it in the gift box, Then fold the art work up and place it in box and then wrap with the wrapping paper, ribbon and bow. This can be given to someone that you want to tell Jesus about.
Crossword Puzzle: https://sermons4kids.com/giving_him_your_best_crossword.htm?fromSermonId=278
Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/giving_him_your_best_decoder.htm?fromSermonId=278
Word Search: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/3493448/when-to-store-up-and-when-to-pour-out/
Prayer: Thank you, God, for trusting us to make decisions. Guide us as we do your work in the world. Amen.
