The Body of Christ, Given for You
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For April 6, 2025:
The Body of Christ, Given for You
by Mary Austin
John 12:1-8
If this were a movie, the foreboding music would get louder for this scene. John tells us that Passover is approaching, meaning that Jesus’ death is coming closer. More spooky music could set the scene. We can imagine his fatigue and fear, even while he relaxes at Mary and Martha’s home. Mary, aware of the danger Jesus is in, offers him a gift of solace, tending to his exhausted body. The two of them recognize this as a final anointing, even if no one else does.
In our world, many people could use that gift of solace — or simple, decent treatment. Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney, recently detained for two weeks in several ICE facilities, says that she “spent a lot of time observing the guards during my detention and I couldn’t believe how often I saw humans treating other humans with such disregard.” The bodies of people in custody don’t receive the generous care that Mary gives Jesus — instead they receive barely any care at all. The bodies of people in custody are underfed, abused with bright lights and cold temperatures, and treated with no care at all. Mooney says, “ICE detention isn’t just a bureaucratic nightmare. It’s a business. These facilities are privately owned and run for profit. Companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group receive government funding based on the number of people they detain, which is why they lobby for stricter immigration policies. It’s a lucrative business: CoreCivic made over $560m from ICE contracts in a single year. In 2024, GEO Group made more than $763m from ICE contracts. The more detainees, the more money they make.”
These bodies exist only for the US government to make a point, and for companies to make money.
In the News
The US government has been abducting people who have legal paperwork to be in the United States, including Rumeysa Öztürk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University. She was “surrounded on the street by plainclothes immigration agents with covered faces and then detained. A nearby resident whose security camera captured the arrest said, “It looked like a kidnapping,” The Associated Press reports.”
Raha Wala, a lawyer with the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), says, “One thing the Supreme Court has been really clear about is that green card holders, lawful permanent residents, have something akin to the rights of American citizens. And we have seen this administration violating even those norms.”
The Department of Homeland Security reports that in the first fifty days of the Trump administration, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE)… made 32,809 enforcement arrests.” The math comparing arrests under this president to the former president “doesn’t add up.” Even with these large numbers, “White House officials including border czar Tom Homan have expressed frustration with the pace of arrests and removals, and several top ICE officials have already been removed from their posts. The number of immigrants in ICE detention centers climbed this month to more than 43,000, the highest total since before the COVID pandemic during the first Trump administration. This week, ICE announced plans to expand its network of detention centers, including what it called the first new facility to open during the second Trump administration.”
Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney was recently detained in an ICE facility because of confusion over her visa to work in the US. She reports the detention facility has little care for people and their physical health. She shares, “I was taken to a tiny, freezing cement cell with bright fluorescent lights and a toilet. There were five other women lying on their mats with the aluminum sheets wrapped over them, looking like dead bodies. The guard locked the door behind me. For two days, we remained in that cell, only leaving briefly for food. The lights never turned off, we never knew what time it was, and no one answered our questions. No one in the cell spoke English, so I either tried to sleep or meditate to keep from having a breakdown. I didn’t trust the food, so I fasted, assuming I wouldn’t be there long. On the third day, I was finally allowed to make a phone call.”
Mooney, who was eventually allowed to fly home to Canada, says, “To put things into perspective: I had a Canadian passport, lawyers, resources, media attention, friends, family, and even politicians advocating for me. Yet, I was still detained for nearly two weeks. Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there.”
In the Scriptures
In contrast, in this story, Mary takes time to honor the body of Jesus. Even a body on the way to death deserves comfort.
John’s gospel sets this story shortly after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, attending to Lazarus’ physical being and returning it to life. Just before our story, John raises the stakes for Jesus by saying that as Passover is near, everyone is speculating about what Jesus will do for the Passover. Will he come to Jerusalem, or not? Stay in hiding, or come out? People are exchanging information, saying, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” The religious leaders “had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.”
All four gospels record a version of this story — it must have been really shocking to be so well remembered. Only John names the woman doing the anointing as Mary of Bethany. Our story is sandwiched between the death (and resurrection) of Mary’s brother, Lazarus, and the death (and resurrection) of Jesus. Karoline Lewis notes that John takes time to remind us who Lazarus is, so we know we need to interpret this story in light of Lazarus’ new life.
This anointing happens in the intimate setting of a family home. Here Mary takes on the work of an enslaved person or a servant, washing Jesus’ feet herself. Her labor mirrors the ministry of Jesus, who often does the work of a servant, and look ahead to Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in the next chapter. In her own, different tale, Martha also mirrors Jesus’ commandment to be the servant of all. Later in this chapter, Jesus points to service (the Greek word in 12:2, diakoneo): “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” (John 12:26). Both sisters have become full disciples in this story, and Mary assists Jesus to prepare for his death in a way that no one else is able to do.
Soon, the body of Jesus will be dishonored and tortured, and Mary takes this moment to offer a sign of solace.
In the Sermon
Karoline Lewis writes, “This gospel wants us to know that another way to imagine the resurrection is to make it synonymous with life here and now…resurrection lays claim on our lives today.” She adds, “there is a palpable restlessness in the fourth gospel when it comes to making sure the abundant life with God is experienced now.” The sermon could focus on what that abundant life looks like in our lives. When so many bodies are hungry, in danger, and anxious, what does the abundant life look like in our world?
Or, the sermon could explore how we bring that gift to life in our lives. As followers of the resurrected Jesus, we live in a world where our access to health care and nutritious food are unequal. We’re willing to allow people to sleep on the streets. How do we help the tangible gifts of resurrection vitality to get to everyone? How do we spread those signs of resurrection out more widely?
The sermon could also focus on courage, and the courage that Mary exhibits. She’s willing to acknowledge what no one else is saying out loud: that Jesus is near death. She’s willing to endure the public scorn of Judas. What does it take to summon our own courage, and how will we use it?
Or, the sermon could ponder where we are like Judas. Our thinking is small and selfish when we need it to be abundant and expansive. Where do we have a Judas mindset?
As Jesus’ death comes near, Mary reminds him that he’s not alone. As he carries the scent of the nard on his body, he carries the perfume of love with him toward the cross. May we and all people carry this same assurance, by God’s grace.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Behold, New Things!
Dean Feldmeyer
Isaiah 43:16-21
Smallpox, a disease caused by the variola virus, is thought to be the second deadliest disease in human history, second only to the Bubonic plague. Donald Henderson — who directed the WHO’s program to eradicate smallpox worldwide — reports that, during the 20th century alone, “an estimated 300 million people died of the disease.”
He also suggests that in the last hundred years of its existence smallpox killed “at least half a billion people.” Over a century, this translates to around 5 million annual deaths on average.
It need not have been so. In 1796 Edward Jenner introduced the smallpox vaccine but many people were skeptical or outright opposed to it. Concerns ranged from religious objections to fears about safety and effectiveness. Some even spread misinformation, claiming that the vaccine could cause people to develop cow-like features, as it was derived from cowpox.
Eventually, after a long time and many deaths, the smallpox vaccine gained acceptance and became a cornerstone of public health. Over time, it led to the global eradication of smallpox in 1980 nearly 200 years after the creation of the vaccine.
From time to time God works through science or other human agencies to create new things but we who were raised on the words “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb.13:8) are slow to accept the fact that God can and does, from time to time, author change.
In the News/Culture
American adults experience a life altering change at an average rate of one to two per year.
This could include relocating to a new home, starting or ending a relationship, undergoing a significant career shift, or grappling with health challenges. Additionally, societal events — like economic shifts, natural disasters, or even technological advancements — can totally redefine daily life, often in ways we did not choose.
Eduardo Porter, writing in the Washington Post, points out that the first three months of Donald Trump’s presidency have introduced more change to our world than his last six predecessors combined. While some of these changes may turn out to be beneficial for our country and/or for us as individuals, others are already shaking the very foundations of what it means to be America and American in the 21st Century.
The US hegemony, which marked the place of the United States on the world stage and was praised by leaders as different as Hilliary Clinton and Ronald Regan, is gone or nearly so. The world no longer looks to us to lead.
As a result, our allies no longer trust us to have their backs. Our adversaries no longer respect us. Democracy is eroding in countries around the globe, including our own, as political extremes move to claim the center.
It seems like each year we hear of another survey or research project that reaffirms that our congregations are getting older and smaller as young adults no longer find value in what it means to be the church.
In my own denomination, the United Methodist Church, nearly one third of our most conservative congregations packed their bags and walked out to become independent churches or form a new Global Methodist church. No one saw it coming. Year after year, at one General Conference after another, the conservatives got exactly what they wanted written into the Book of Discipline, which defines and codifies what it means to be United Methodist, not the least of which was the condemnation of homosexuality and a prohibition against same sex marriage. Yet, because the vote wasn’t unanimous and the judicatory officials did not move swiftly enough to punish dissenters, they chose to exit the denomination. Go figure.
For years, we had more ordained clergy than we knew what to do with. Now, within just a few years, we don’t have nearly enough. As the Baby Boomer generation retires, there aren’t enough from the upcoming generations to take their place. The title “associate pastor” is disappearing and scores of our churches are going without pastors as we consider a change that will turn back the clock to the 18th century — circuit riders.
Change, serious major change, is ubiquitous almost to the point of becoming a cliché.
My generation can remember telephone party lines even while we go around with cell phones in our pockets. I, personally, poo-poohed the idea that people would actually have computers in their home and, at last count, including our cell phones and tablets, my wife and I have six computers in our home, not including the ones in the cars.
And it doesn’t bother me one bit to realize that many of these changes are offered to us by God through human agents and agencies. Behold! God is doing a new thing. Right now! Wake up and look at it.
In the Scripture
In the part of the book of Isaiah that scholars refer to as Second Isaiah or Isaiah of Babylon, the prophet preaches, offering words of comfort to the children of Israel who are held in exile at the confluence of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers. He uses words to paint a glorious picture of their return to their home in the land of Judah.
As is his custom, after an introduction, he speaks for YHWH in the first person:
Thus says the Lord who opened the Red Sea, who made a road right through the deepest part and who brought Pharoah’s army out onto that road and crushed them as they made their way through it, infantry, cavalry and all. Snuffed them out like you or I would snuff out a candle.
But, hey, forget about that. That was nothing compared to what YHWH is about to do for you.
(Switching, now, to the voice of YHWH.)
I’m about to do an altogether new thing. In fact, I’m already doing it. Do you see it? Wake up! Look again! It’s right in front of you. I’m going to do for you, here in Babylon, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. Only this will be even greater, more awesome than what I did back then.
There won’t be any wandering around in the desert for 40 years, looking over your shoulder for fear that the Egyptian army is coming again, eating tasteless manna and drinking tepid, muddy water, and complaining about the heat. No, I’m going to make springs of clean, cool, freshwater pop right up out of the desert floor.
It will be awesome. Did I already say that? Well, I’m saying it again. Awesome! Spectacular. It will be so amazing that even the wild animals will stand up and take notice.
And you, who have always been my favorite people, will fall to your knees and praise me for my mighty deeds, done on your behalf.
In the Sermon
Years ago, when our kids were in grade school and middle school, we had some very good and close friends, Kevin and Bess, whose kids were the same age as ours. We spent lots of time together, going to festivals and concerts, having cookouts at each other’s homes, just hanging out together.
Then one day they announced to us out of the clear, blue sky that Kevin had received a job offer in another town about sixty or so miles away. They would be moving there in a few months, and we all knew without saying so, that our relationship would be irrevocably changed by the change in geography.
The announcement threw a wet blanket on our cookout and we all agreed that nothing would change, that sixty miles wasn’t really all that far and we’d keep being as close as we ever were, all the time knowing that none of it was true but making us feel good just to say it, anyway.
As they prepared to go home that evening, we all hugged. There was a long pause, then Bess broke the awkward silence by saying, “Well, change is good.” We all nodded in agreement that, yes, change was a good thing, not sure whether we really believed it or not.
A few days later it occurred to me that we Baby Boomers may have been the first generation to believe that change was a good thing in and of itself.
My great grandparents accepted that sometimes thing had to change in order to improve one’s life but change was simply a tool one used to bring about that improvement. One left the old country and moved to the new country, for instance.
My grandparents believed that change was to be avoided at all costs. They honored their parents’ sacrifices by, to the degree that they were able, changing nothing, ever. Safety, comfort, and improvement in life came from maintaining the status quo.
My parents, what Tom Brokaw dubbed “The Greatest Generation” approached change not unlike the way their parents did. They were fixers and improvers. They saw change as a tool to use in fixing and improving the world around them. They left the small, rural town in which they were born and raised and moved to the city where the good paying jobs were. And like they did with everything else, they took change, fixed it, sharpened it, fashioned it, and adapted it to be used in improving the world and their lives in it.
My generation, the Baby Boomers, was the first one to see change as a value in and of itself, a thing to be sought and experienced as an adventure. We saw ourselves as agents of change, as movers of mountains, as getters of things done.
And if the changes we brought about turned out to be not as good as we had hoped, we’d just change them again.
And now, we Baby Boomers are retiring, stepping aside, and leaving the world to the next generations:
• Generation X (Gen X) Born roughly between 1965 and 1980, they grew up during times of economic uncertainty and are known for their independence and adaptability.
• Millennials (Gen Y) Born between 1981 and 1996, they came of age in the digital era and are often associated with a focus on technology, social justice, and changing workplace norms.
• Generation Z (Gen Z) Born roughly from 1997 to 2012, this generation is defined by growing up with the internet, smartphones, and social media as an integral part of life.
• Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) Born from around 2013 to the mid-2020s, this group is still very young and expected to be the most tech-savvy and well-educated generation yet.
Each generation shaped by the cultural, economic, and technological changes of its time will bring their own changes to bear upon the world and have their own way of handling the changes that God asks of and thrusts upon them.
Let us pray that they handle the inevitable changes that lay before them with grace and peace. And let us hope that they accept God’s challenge with energy and positivity, to become co-creators with God of the ever-evolving universe that God has given them.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Tom Willadsen:
Psalm 126
Built-in ambiguity
Psalm 126 has two reversals in it. The first three verses describe the restoration of the people in Zion, or perhaps the return of the exiles to Zion. Happy, happy news. Verse 4 is a reversal for the worshiping community, presumably not the entire nation. The last two verses are a typical, nearly formulaic description of restoration — tears turned to shouts of joy.
The verb tenses are unclear. It could be a description of the joy those returning from exile experienced, or an anticipated, imagined vision of what the return will look and feel like.
* * *
Psalm 126
Bringing in the sheaves
The popular gospel song “Bringing in the Sheaves” was written by Knowles Shaw in 1874, and inspired by Psalm 126:6
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain:
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
It has appeared in many popular entertainments since becoming a standard for Protestants in the 19th century. For example:
• In the 1966 film Batman, this song is played by a marching band as Batman tries to dispose of a bomb.
• The hymn was sung in the 1986 movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 starring Dennis Hopper.
• It has made multiple appearances in The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted television series in history.
– It was sung by Rod and Todd Flanders in the 1992 episode “Bart the Lover.”
– It was whistled by Ned Flanders in the 1994 episode “Homer Loves Flanders,” and partially sung in the 1995 episode “The Springfield Connection.”
– It was also sung by Reverend Lovejoy in the 1994 episode “Bart's Girlfriend.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Anosmic
People who cannot see are blind. People who cannot hear are deaf. Did you know there is a word for people who have neither the ability to taste or smell? It’s anosmic. My people, the Presbyterian Church (USA) worship without giving any attention to the sense of smell. Imagine how shocking it would be if one day, the worship committee spent a third of their annual budget to make the sanctuary smell good!
Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with a pound of pure nard — the footnote in my Jewish Annotated New Testament says, “oil of a plant, the spikenard, the rhizomes of which can be crushed to extract an aromatic oil used as perfume.” A whole pound is a lot! Judas pointed out that the nard Mary used was effectively a year’s wages — allowing for sabbath observance. To put it in modern terms, 300 eight-hour days, at the federal minimum wage, $7.25/hour, puts the nard’s value at $17,400! I am a 61-year-old American man, in my whole life I have spent exactly $0 trying to smell good. John 12:3b says “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Don’t you think Judas has a point about the extravagance of that kind of nard, the extravagance of that much money spent on making the whole house smell good? Wouldn’t your congregation be shocked if one Sunday morning someone put some time, money, and attention into making the joint smell good?
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
About this “new thing”
The first two verses of this reading allude to the Exodus, and God’s very identity connected to it. “The god who”…. is used twice. That same god who acted decisively to set the people free is about to do something new! While it may be tempting to imagine this “new thing” to be a dramatic departure from salvation history for the Jews, it would be preferable to read the newness as a part of God’s character. In the same way the Lord acted in the past to set the people free… God’s got an even more dramatic new thing in mind.
One dramatic way this newness is illustrated is in vv. 16-17, where water is a force for destruction of the Egyptian cavalry, cf. Exodus 15:4-5. In v. 19 the new thing “springs forth,” making a way in the wilderness and a river in the desert. In the next verse water in the wilderness is for the chosen people. The wild animals in the desert are also given water. In the latter half of this reading water is life-giving.
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
Exactly what animals are we talking about here?
The NRSV renders תַּנִּ֖ים “jackals” and יַֽעֲנָ֑ה “ostriches,” but other translations have different renderings of those terms. The Contemporary English Version reads “jackals and owls.” The 1599 Geneva Bible has “dragons” and “ostriches.” King James has “dragons” and “owls.” The Message has “coyotes” and “buzzards.”
The Bible should not be used as a taxonomy textbook. However, these two Hebrew terms are rendered into English, they connote a sense of wilderness danger, another peril that the wanderers encountered in the wilderness, that the Lord promises to subdue. Personally, I plan to go with dragons and buzzards.
* * *
Philippians 3:4b-14, better yet, 3:2b-16
The lectionary text beginning at 4b makes Paul sound like a total braggart and windbag. While he often is those things, in this case, it’s helpful to take a wider look. He’s warning the Philippian Christians against people who may come to town and tell them that it’s essential for Christians to practice all Jewish customs and rituals, among them circumcision. To preempt their argument, Paul trots out his bona fides — circumcised on the eighth day (amazing memory, Paul!), member of the people of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, Pharisee, persecutor of the church, righteous, blameless… thrifty, brave, clean and reverent, wait, no, sorry, those are Boy Scouts of America virtues. Anyway, Paul is thumping his own chest and credentials to discredit those who may come to town and preach a different gospel. It’s all about grace to Paul. Grace that isn’t earned. That’s the point, and it’s better than all the credentials and diplomas he, or anyone, could brag about.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:
Isiah 43:16-21
What’s new?
Lent’s final push begins this week, leaving the preacher and, perhaps, the congregation to wonder whether Isaiah’s words ring true. “Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old,” the prophet cries out in verses 18-19. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” Yet this may be particularly challenging for contemporary congregations. Some of the “things of old” we remember include pews packed on Sunday mornings and youth groups crawling with teenagers. We remember the days when 42% of Americans attended church weekly, or when congregations could breeze their way through pastoral searches. We find ourselves haunted by the ghosts in our pews.
Yet, ironically, the converse is also true. The anxiety prompted by loss often prompts us to use Isaiah 43:19 as a slogan for unchecked innovation. Theologian Andy Root has written extensively about the church’s embrace of innovation. Root believes this is often signs of the church’s entangled wrestling match with modernity. “I don’t see any way to disconnect our concepts of innovation from our conceptions of what modernity is and how it impacts us,” Root explains. “I have a hard time understanding how we could free innovation from being part of neoliberalism. It fits within a certain logic that mobilizes what it means to be in modernity. The danger becomes an escalating pursuit of innovation that is driven by a fear of decline.”
Yet Isaiah’s words point us in a different direction. Here, innovation is not a bright and shiny new marketing gimmick, or some sort of new program designed to rebuild attendance. Instead, Isaiah points us toward the greater movement of God’s transcendent presence emerging in our immanent frame. God provides the newness, not a marketing team, and it is that sense of newness to which Isaiah calls us to pay careful attention.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Open your hand to the poor
John understands that Judas’ condemnation of Mary’s generosity has nothing to do with the betrayer’s social justice concerns. We would do well to avoid the tired argument that Jesus is prioritizing worship above social action. Instead, pay attention to the way Judas’ lack of concern for the poor stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ affinity for the marginalized. Scholars point out that Jesus’ words in verse eight are closely related to Deuteronomy 15:11’s call for attending to the poor. “Since there will never cease to be some need in the earth,” Deuteronomy 15:11 reads, “I therefore command you to open your hand to the poor and needy in your land.”
Too often, however, our hands remain closed to the needs of the poor. Note, for example, that while the Trump administration has promised that Title 1 education funding for poor schools will be preserved, it is actively dismantling the structures used to administer those funds. Early this month, nearly all employees of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the office responsible for determining which districts qualify for Title 1 funding, had been fired. NCES has provided essential information regarding educational funding since 1867, and is considered indispensable in meeting the needs of the poor.
Other moves endorsed by the rightwing Project 2025 initiative would cut Title 1 funding by $47.7 billion — substantially underfunding education for poor and low income students.
Meanwhile, tax cuts benefiting the ultrawealthy would remove $370 billion in revenue over ten years, mostly paid for with cuts to Medicaid, tax breaks for families with children, and eliminating the “head of household” filing status that largely impacts single parents.
Yes, we will always have the poor with us — but that is no invitation to close our hands to their needs.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Frugal extravagance
Mary’s extravagance was motivated by her love and devotion. Her motivation was to offer the best she had in service to God. In contrast, many families believe excessive and expensive purchases of experiences, trips, clothes, and merchandise is the best way to shower their love on children. Tim Price, in a blog post from 2016, noted that the super-abundance of contemporary families has resulted in an imbalance of our priorities. Instead of helping children understand the meaning of placing priorities on people and relationships, we’ve dug deeper into the myths that consumerism will save us. Price notes the stunning amounts of toys, games, gadgets, and clothing stacked around contemporary homes, and then quips, “My grade school daughter is practically making a living between Christmas (money), Easter, and losing teeth.”
Price suggests that many times, our cultural priorities have shifted to cherishing things instead of loving people. In response, he coined the phrase “frugal extravagance,” as a way of encouraging parents to “go over the top on the things that are most important,” yet may not cost a thing. “Frugal extravagance,” says Price, can be demonstrated by being extravagantly present, encouraging, available, thankful, and willingness to teach.
* * *
John 12:1-8
Withholding ointment
Mary’s heartfelt offering is prompted by the astounding gift Jesus has provided in raising her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. Her grief has become the source of her gratitude and has led her to break open the vat of costly ointment as a symbol of her faith.
Instead of withholding her gift, she placed it in service to God. There are times when our faith calls us to acts of extravagance. It’s something to consider, particularly as Holy Week approaches and visitors (hopefully) make their way into our sanctuaries. Have we withheld our precious gifts of hospitality, extravagant welcome, or lavish friendship?
Daniel Blackaby, a scholar of Christian aesthetics, suggests that “any time you find yourself standing on the same side as Judas Iscariot, it’s probably time to take a step back and reevaluate.” Blackaby reminds us that when given the choice between a more pragmatic, frugal approach and a lavish display of devotion, Jesus “shockingly sides with the latter.”
He admits it’s perplexing. Does our choice for the lavish mean that poor people will go without food in order that our Lord’s feet will smell better? Yet such a view misses the point and certainly avoids wrestling with Jesus’ profound concern for the poor. “There is no indication that Jesus expected every jar of expensive perfume to be poured on his feet. In fact, that Judas — regardless of his motives — thought it should be sold and the profits given to the poor suggests that pragmatism would have been the more typical response.”
Blackaby points out that in some ways the Reformation’s stripping away of aesthetical aspects of faith and worship was an overcorrection. Our worship centers have traded the ancient sense of transcendence of light filtered through stained glass for glaring fluorescent tubes or computer-aided LED stage lights. Blackaby notes:
“Entering many American churches today feels more like arriving at a coffee shop to sip a quick latte with your good buddy Jesus. The design is often utilitarian rather than extravagant or awe-inspiring. The experience is catered to making churchgoers comfortable rather than pulling them into an otherworldly experience.” While the memory of Mary’s gift still lingers in our theological atmosphere, we have replaced extravagance with either empty pragmatism or an overly orchestrated materialism that fails to reveal the heart of gratitude.
* * * * * *
WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.
All: Happy are those in whose spirit there is no deceit.
One: You are a hiding place for us; you preserve us from trouble.
All: You surround us with glad cries of deliverance.
One: Steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
All: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy.
OR
One: God comes to grant to us the gift of forgiveness.
All: We stand in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy.
One: That gift God grants us but God also gives us more.
All: What more can God give us than forgiveness.
One: God gives us the grace to forgive others.
All: As God’s forgiven, we will offer forgiveness to others.
Hymns and Songs
O Worship the King
UMH: 73
H82: 388
PH: 476
GTG: 41
NNBH: 6
NCH: 26
CH: 17
LBW: 548
ELW: 842
W&P: 2
AMEC: 12
What Wondrous Love Is This
UMH: 292
H82: 439
PH: 85
GTG: 215
NCH: 223
CH: 200
LBW: 385
ELW: 666
W&P: 257
STLT: 18
Renew: 277
All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
UMH: 132
H82: 665
NCH: 408
CH: 88
ELW: 757
My Jesus, I Love Thee
UMH: 172
AAHH: 574
NNBH: 39
CH: 349
W&P: 468
AMEC: 456/457
Renew: 275
Ah, Holy Jesus
UMH: 289
H82: 158
PH: 93
GTG: 218
NCH: 218
CH: 210
LBW: 123
ELW: 349
W&P: 521
Renew: 183
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
UMH: 297
H82: 498
PH: 92
GTG: 216
AAHH: 247
NNBH: 106
NCH: 190
CH: 197
LBW: 107
ELW: 338
W&P: 255
AMEC: 146
Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
UMH: 348
GTG: 418
AAHH: 347
NNBH: 168
NCH: 449
CH: 340
ELW: 608
W&P: 348
AMEC: 261
Renew: 147
Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
UMH: 361
H82: 685
GTG: 438
AAHH: 559
NNBH: 254
NCH: 596
CH: 214
LBW: 327
ELW: 623
W&P: 384
AMEC: 328
Amazing Grace
UMH: 378
H82: 671
PH: 280
GTG: 649
AAHH: 271/272
NNBH: 161/163
NCH: 547/548
CH: 546
LBW: 448
ELW: 779
W&P: 422
AMEC: 226
STLT: 205/206
Renew: 189
Love Divine, All Love’s Excelling
UMH: 384
H82: 657
PH: 376
GTG: 366
AAHH: 440
NNBH: 65
NCH: 43
CH: 517
LBW: 315
ELW: 631
W&P: 358
AMEC: 455
Renew: 196
Change My Heart, O God
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Unity
CCB: 59
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness:
Grant us the wisdom to follow in your example
and forgive those who have hurt us;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are lovingly merciful and graciously forgiving. You do not count our sins but look at us through your eyes of love. Help us to also be forgiving even as we have been forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially when we fail to forgive even when we have been forgiven.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We hold onto our grudges, and we refuse to let go of our hurts. When others treat us in ways we think we do not deserve, we imagine them to be the worst of all people. And yet we gladly accept your forgiveness because we see ourselves as good people who just made a mistake. Forgive us the sin of self-righteousness. Forgive us the sin of judging. Open our hearts so that we may love and forgive as you do. Amen.
One: God is always ready to forgive but to know we are forgiven we must be ready to forgive. Forgiveness must be experienced from both sides. Receive God’s gift as you offer it to others.
Prayers of the People
Glorious are you, O God of love and forgiveness. We bow in awe at the depth of love and compassion you show to all your children.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We hold onto our grudges, and we refuse to let go of our hurts. When others treat us in ways we think we do not deserve, we imagine them to be the worst of all people. And yet we gladly accept your forgiveness because we see ourselves as good people who just made a mistake. Forgive us the sin of self-righteousness. Forgive us the sin of judging. Open our hearts so that we may love and forgive as you do.
We give you thanks for all the way we experience your forgiveness. We thank you for the opportunity to forgive others so that we might be free from the burning anger that destroys us body and soul. We are blessed that others have had the insight and courage to forgive us. Most of all we thank you for Jesus who taught us in words and in his life what true forgiveness looks like.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray for those who have locked anger so deeply into their hearts that they can no longer know peace within. We pray for those who feel they cannot be forgiven by God for things they have done and said. We pray that all your children may know the joy of forgiving and being forgiven.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Taking Care of Jesus and Each Other
by Katy Stenta
John 12:1-8
Object: Soap that smells good.
Today is a story of how Jesus’s friends took care of him.
Jesus was not very close to his family anymore,
so he was visiting some friends who were like family to him.
Does anyone have someone close to them who is like family?
Like a friend so close they call them family?
That seems to be who Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were for Jesus.
Jesus went there to relax one last time before the work of Holy Week.
And while he was there
Mary
washed his stinky feet.
Isn’t that funny?
She washed them so well that the scent she used
called spikenard
wafted throughout the whole room.
Here — I’m going to pass around this soap while I talk
so we can imagine together Jesus’ feet being washed. (Pass around the soap.)
Have you ever have a bubble bath like that?
Where it smelled so good everyone could smell it?
Humans are funny that way.
Smells are associated with memories
and good feelings.
So when you smell good
most people associate it with good things.
Jesus probably felt pretty good.
Now, Judas, who was probably feeling guilty
because he was not a good guy
said that the perfume and soap that Mary washed
Jesus’ feet with could have been sold for the poor.
But Jesus said, “It’s ok, she is preparing me
for the day of my death,” which is kind of a scary thing for him to say.
Jesus must have felt pretty safe to say that.
It was good for him to relax and get clean here.
Jesus said it was good for Mary to wash his feet now
while they still had him around.
And of course, on Maundy Thursday,
Jesus did the same thing and washed the feet of his disciples.
So, we know that it is always good idea to love and take care of each other because that is
what the Bible says to do.
Let’s pray
(Repeat after me)
Jesus
Thank you
For reminding us
To take the time
To Love
And take care
Of our bodies
And each Other
Even when
It’s hard
Or seems
Unimportant.
Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 6, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
- The Body of Christ, Given for You by Mary Austin based on John 12:1-8.
- Second Thoughts: Behold, New Things! by Dean Feldmeyer. God has set us down in an evolving universe and invited us to participate in the evolution of it.
- Sermon illustrations by Tom Willadsen and Chris Keating.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children’s sermon: Taking Care of Jesus and Each Other by Katy Stenta based on John 12:1-8.
The Body of Christ, Given for Youby Mary Austin
John 12:1-8
If this were a movie, the foreboding music would get louder for this scene. John tells us that Passover is approaching, meaning that Jesus’ death is coming closer. More spooky music could set the scene. We can imagine his fatigue and fear, even while he relaxes at Mary and Martha’s home. Mary, aware of the danger Jesus is in, offers him a gift of solace, tending to his exhausted body. The two of them recognize this as a final anointing, even if no one else does.
In our world, many people could use that gift of solace — or simple, decent treatment. Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney, recently detained for two weeks in several ICE facilities, says that she “spent a lot of time observing the guards during my detention and I couldn’t believe how often I saw humans treating other humans with such disregard.” The bodies of people in custody don’t receive the generous care that Mary gives Jesus — instead they receive barely any care at all. The bodies of people in custody are underfed, abused with bright lights and cold temperatures, and treated with no care at all. Mooney says, “ICE detention isn’t just a bureaucratic nightmare. It’s a business. These facilities are privately owned and run for profit. Companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group receive government funding based on the number of people they detain, which is why they lobby for stricter immigration policies. It’s a lucrative business: CoreCivic made over $560m from ICE contracts in a single year. In 2024, GEO Group made more than $763m from ICE contracts. The more detainees, the more money they make.”
These bodies exist only for the US government to make a point, and for companies to make money.
In the News
The US government has been abducting people who have legal paperwork to be in the United States, including Rumeysa Öztürk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University. She was “surrounded on the street by plainclothes immigration agents with covered faces and then detained. A nearby resident whose security camera captured the arrest said, “It looked like a kidnapping,” The Associated Press reports.”
Raha Wala, a lawyer with the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), says, “One thing the Supreme Court has been really clear about is that green card holders, lawful permanent residents, have something akin to the rights of American citizens. And we have seen this administration violating even those norms.”
The Department of Homeland Security reports that in the first fifty days of the Trump administration, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE)… made 32,809 enforcement arrests.” The math comparing arrests under this president to the former president “doesn’t add up.” Even with these large numbers, “White House officials including border czar Tom Homan have expressed frustration with the pace of arrests and removals, and several top ICE officials have already been removed from their posts. The number of immigrants in ICE detention centers climbed this month to more than 43,000, the highest total since before the COVID pandemic during the first Trump administration. This week, ICE announced plans to expand its network of detention centers, including what it called the first new facility to open during the second Trump administration.”
Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney was recently detained in an ICE facility because of confusion over her visa to work in the US. She reports the detention facility has little care for people and their physical health. She shares, “I was taken to a tiny, freezing cement cell with bright fluorescent lights and a toilet. There were five other women lying on their mats with the aluminum sheets wrapped over them, looking like dead bodies. The guard locked the door behind me. For two days, we remained in that cell, only leaving briefly for food. The lights never turned off, we never knew what time it was, and no one answered our questions. No one in the cell spoke English, so I either tried to sleep or meditate to keep from having a breakdown. I didn’t trust the food, so I fasted, assuming I wouldn’t be there long. On the third day, I was finally allowed to make a phone call.”
Mooney, who was eventually allowed to fly home to Canada, says, “To put things into perspective: I had a Canadian passport, lawyers, resources, media attention, friends, family, and even politicians advocating for me. Yet, I was still detained for nearly two weeks. Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there.”
In the Scriptures
In contrast, in this story, Mary takes time to honor the body of Jesus. Even a body on the way to death deserves comfort.
John’s gospel sets this story shortly after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, attending to Lazarus’ physical being and returning it to life. Just before our story, John raises the stakes for Jesus by saying that as Passover is near, everyone is speculating about what Jesus will do for the Passover. Will he come to Jerusalem, or not? Stay in hiding, or come out? People are exchanging information, saying, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” The religious leaders “had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.”
All four gospels record a version of this story — it must have been really shocking to be so well remembered. Only John names the woman doing the anointing as Mary of Bethany. Our story is sandwiched between the death (and resurrection) of Mary’s brother, Lazarus, and the death (and resurrection) of Jesus. Karoline Lewis notes that John takes time to remind us who Lazarus is, so we know we need to interpret this story in light of Lazarus’ new life.
This anointing happens in the intimate setting of a family home. Here Mary takes on the work of an enslaved person or a servant, washing Jesus’ feet herself. Her labor mirrors the ministry of Jesus, who often does the work of a servant, and look ahead to Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in the next chapter. In her own, different tale, Martha also mirrors Jesus’ commandment to be the servant of all. Later in this chapter, Jesus points to service (the Greek word in 12:2, diakoneo): “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” (John 12:26). Both sisters have become full disciples in this story, and Mary assists Jesus to prepare for his death in a way that no one else is able to do.
Soon, the body of Jesus will be dishonored and tortured, and Mary takes this moment to offer a sign of solace.
In the Sermon
Karoline Lewis writes, “This gospel wants us to know that another way to imagine the resurrection is to make it synonymous with life here and now…resurrection lays claim on our lives today.” She adds, “there is a palpable restlessness in the fourth gospel when it comes to making sure the abundant life with God is experienced now.” The sermon could focus on what that abundant life looks like in our lives. When so many bodies are hungry, in danger, and anxious, what does the abundant life look like in our world?
Or, the sermon could explore how we bring that gift to life in our lives. As followers of the resurrected Jesus, we live in a world where our access to health care and nutritious food are unequal. We’re willing to allow people to sleep on the streets. How do we help the tangible gifts of resurrection vitality to get to everyone? How do we spread those signs of resurrection out more widely?
The sermon could also focus on courage, and the courage that Mary exhibits. She’s willing to acknowledge what no one else is saying out loud: that Jesus is near death. She’s willing to endure the public scorn of Judas. What does it take to summon our own courage, and how will we use it?
Or, the sermon could ponder where we are like Judas. Our thinking is small and selfish when we need it to be abundant and expansive. Where do we have a Judas mindset?
As Jesus’ death comes near, Mary reminds him that he’s not alone. As he carries the scent of the nard on his body, he carries the perfume of love with him toward the cross. May we and all people carry this same assurance, by God’s grace.
SECOND THOUGHTSBehold, New Things!
Dean Feldmeyer
Isaiah 43:16-21
Smallpox, a disease caused by the variola virus, is thought to be the second deadliest disease in human history, second only to the Bubonic plague. Donald Henderson — who directed the WHO’s program to eradicate smallpox worldwide — reports that, during the 20th century alone, “an estimated 300 million people died of the disease.”
He also suggests that in the last hundred years of its existence smallpox killed “at least half a billion people.” Over a century, this translates to around 5 million annual deaths on average.
It need not have been so. In 1796 Edward Jenner introduced the smallpox vaccine but many people were skeptical or outright opposed to it. Concerns ranged from religious objections to fears about safety and effectiveness. Some even spread misinformation, claiming that the vaccine could cause people to develop cow-like features, as it was derived from cowpox.
Eventually, after a long time and many deaths, the smallpox vaccine gained acceptance and became a cornerstone of public health. Over time, it led to the global eradication of smallpox in 1980 nearly 200 years after the creation of the vaccine.
From time to time God works through science or other human agencies to create new things but we who were raised on the words “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb.13:8) are slow to accept the fact that God can and does, from time to time, author change.
In the News/Culture
American adults experience a life altering change at an average rate of one to two per year.
This could include relocating to a new home, starting or ending a relationship, undergoing a significant career shift, or grappling with health challenges. Additionally, societal events — like economic shifts, natural disasters, or even technological advancements — can totally redefine daily life, often in ways we did not choose.
Eduardo Porter, writing in the Washington Post, points out that the first three months of Donald Trump’s presidency have introduced more change to our world than his last six predecessors combined. While some of these changes may turn out to be beneficial for our country and/or for us as individuals, others are already shaking the very foundations of what it means to be America and American in the 21st Century.
The US hegemony, which marked the place of the United States on the world stage and was praised by leaders as different as Hilliary Clinton and Ronald Regan, is gone or nearly so. The world no longer looks to us to lead.
As a result, our allies no longer trust us to have their backs. Our adversaries no longer respect us. Democracy is eroding in countries around the globe, including our own, as political extremes move to claim the center.
It seems like each year we hear of another survey or research project that reaffirms that our congregations are getting older and smaller as young adults no longer find value in what it means to be the church.
In my own denomination, the United Methodist Church, nearly one third of our most conservative congregations packed their bags and walked out to become independent churches or form a new Global Methodist church. No one saw it coming. Year after year, at one General Conference after another, the conservatives got exactly what they wanted written into the Book of Discipline, which defines and codifies what it means to be United Methodist, not the least of which was the condemnation of homosexuality and a prohibition against same sex marriage. Yet, because the vote wasn’t unanimous and the judicatory officials did not move swiftly enough to punish dissenters, they chose to exit the denomination. Go figure.
For years, we had more ordained clergy than we knew what to do with. Now, within just a few years, we don’t have nearly enough. As the Baby Boomer generation retires, there aren’t enough from the upcoming generations to take their place. The title “associate pastor” is disappearing and scores of our churches are going without pastors as we consider a change that will turn back the clock to the 18th century — circuit riders.
Change, serious major change, is ubiquitous almost to the point of becoming a cliché.
My generation can remember telephone party lines even while we go around with cell phones in our pockets. I, personally, poo-poohed the idea that people would actually have computers in their home and, at last count, including our cell phones and tablets, my wife and I have six computers in our home, not including the ones in the cars.
And it doesn’t bother me one bit to realize that many of these changes are offered to us by God through human agents and agencies. Behold! God is doing a new thing. Right now! Wake up and look at it.
In the Scripture
In the part of the book of Isaiah that scholars refer to as Second Isaiah or Isaiah of Babylon, the prophet preaches, offering words of comfort to the children of Israel who are held in exile at the confluence of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers. He uses words to paint a glorious picture of their return to their home in the land of Judah.
As is his custom, after an introduction, he speaks for YHWH in the first person:
Thus says the Lord who opened the Red Sea, who made a road right through the deepest part and who brought Pharoah’s army out onto that road and crushed them as they made their way through it, infantry, cavalry and all. Snuffed them out like you or I would snuff out a candle.
But, hey, forget about that. That was nothing compared to what YHWH is about to do for you.
(Switching, now, to the voice of YHWH.)
I’m about to do an altogether new thing. In fact, I’m already doing it. Do you see it? Wake up! Look again! It’s right in front of you. I’m going to do for you, here in Babylon, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. Only this will be even greater, more awesome than what I did back then.
There won’t be any wandering around in the desert for 40 years, looking over your shoulder for fear that the Egyptian army is coming again, eating tasteless manna and drinking tepid, muddy water, and complaining about the heat. No, I’m going to make springs of clean, cool, freshwater pop right up out of the desert floor.
It will be awesome. Did I already say that? Well, I’m saying it again. Awesome! Spectacular. It will be so amazing that even the wild animals will stand up and take notice.
And you, who have always been my favorite people, will fall to your knees and praise me for my mighty deeds, done on your behalf.
In the Sermon
Years ago, when our kids were in grade school and middle school, we had some very good and close friends, Kevin and Bess, whose kids were the same age as ours. We spent lots of time together, going to festivals and concerts, having cookouts at each other’s homes, just hanging out together.
Then one day they announced to us out of the clear, blue sky that Kevin had received a job offer in another town about sixty or so miles away. They would be moving there in a few months, and we all knew without saying so, that our relationship would be irrevocably changed by the change in geography.
The announcement threw a wet blanket on our cookout and we all agreed that nothing would change, that sixty miles wasn’t really all that far and we’d keep being as close as we ever were, all the time knowing that none of it was true but making us feel good just to say it, anyway.
As they prepared to go home that evening, we all hugged. There was a long pause, then Bess broke the awkward silence by saying, “Well, change is good.” We all nodded in agreement that, yes, change was a good thing, not sure whether we really believed it or not.
A few days later it occurred to me that we Baby Boomers may have been the first generation to believe that change was a good thing in and of itself.
My great grandparents accepted that sometimes thing had to change in order to improve one’s life but change was simply a tool one used to bring about that improvement. One left the old country and moved to the new country, for instance.
My grandparents believed that change was to be avoided at all costs. They honored their parents’ sacrifices by, to the degree that they were able, changing nothing, ever. Safety, comfort, and improvement in life came from maintaining the status quo.
My parents, what Tom Brokaw dubbed “The Greatest Generation” approached change not unlike the way their parents did. They were fixers and improvers. They saw change as a tool to use in fixing and improving the world around them. They left the small, rural town in which they were born and raised and moved to the city where the good paying jobs were. And like they did with everything else, they took change, fixed it, sharpened it, fashioned it, and adapted it to be used in improving the world and their lives in it.
My generation, the Baby Boomers, was the first one to see change as a value in and of itself, a thing to be sought and experienced as an adventure. We saw ourselves as agents of change, as movers of mountains, as getters of things done.
And if the changes we brought about turned out to be not as good as we had hoped, we’d just change them again.
And now, we Baby Boomers are retiring, stepping aside, and leaving the world to the next generations:
• Generation X (Gen X) Born roughly between 1965 and 1980, they grew up during times of economic uncertainty and are known for their independence and adaptability.
• Millennials (Gen Y) Born between 1981 and 1996, they came of age in the digital era and are often associated with a focus on technology, social justice, and changing workplace norms.
• Generation Z (Gen Z) Born roughly from 1997 to 2012, this generation is defined by growing up with the internet, smartphones, and social media as an integral part of life.
• Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) Born from around 2013 to the mid-2020s, this group is still very young and expected to be the most tech-savvy and well-educated generation yet.
Each generation shaped by the cultural, economic, and technological changes of its time will bring their own changes to bear upon the world and have their own way of handling the changes that God asks of and thrusts upon them.
Let us pray that they handle the inevitable changes that lay before them with grace and peace. And let us hope that they accept God’s challenge with energy and positivity, to become co-creators with God of the ever-evolving universe that God has given them.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Tom Willadsen:Psalm 126
Built-in ambiguity
Psalm 126 has two reversals in it. The first three verses describe the restoration of the people in Zion, or perhaps the return of the exiles to Zion. Happy, happy news. Verse 4 is a reversal for the worshiping community, presumably not the entire nation. The last two verses are a typical, nearly formulaic description of restoration — tears turned to shouts of joy.
The verb tenses are unclear. It could be a description of the joy those returning from exile experienced, or an anticipated, imagined vision of what the return will look and feel like.
* * *
Psalm 126
Bringing in the sheaves
The popular gospel song “Bringing in the Sheaves” was written by Knowles Shaw in 1874, and inspired by Psalm 126:6
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain:
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
It has appeared in many popular entertainments since becoming a standard for Protestants in the 19th century. For example:
• In the 1966 film Batman, this song is played by a marching band as Batman tries to dispose of a bomb.
• The hymn was sung in the 1986 movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 starring Dennis Hopper.
• It has made multiple appearances in The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted television series in history.
– It was sung by Rod and Todd Flanders in the 1992 episode “Bart the Lover.”
– It was whistled by Ned Flanders in the 1994 episode “Homer Loves Flanders,” and partially sung in the 1995 episode “The Springfield Connection.”
– It was also sung by Reverend Lovejoy in the 1994 episode “Bart's Girlfriend.”
* * *
John 12:1-8
Anosmic
People who cannot see are blind. People who cannot hear are deaf. Did you know there is a word for people who have neither the ability to taste or smell? It’s anosmic. My people, the Presbyterian Church (USA) worship without giving any attention to the sense of smell. Imagine how shocking it would be if one day, the worship committee spent a third of their annual budget to make the sanctuary smell good!
Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with a pound of pure nard — the footnote in my Jewish Annotated New Testament says, “oil of a plant, the spikenard, the rhizomes of which can be crushed to extract an aromatic oil used as perfume.” A whole pound is a lot! Judas pointed out that the nard Mary used was effectively a year’s wages — allowing for sabbath observance. To put it in modern terms, 300 eight-hour days, at the federal minimum wage, $7.25/hour, puts the nard’s value at $17,400! I am a 61-year-old American man, in my whole life I have spent exactly $0 trying to smell good. John 12:3b says “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Don’t you think Judas has a point about the extravagance of that kind of nard, the extravagance of that much money spent on making the whole house smell good? Wouldn’t your congregation be shocked if one Sunday morning someone put some time, money, and attention into making the joint smell good?
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
About this “new thing”
The first two verses of this reading allude to the Exodus, and God’s very identity connected to it. “The god who”…. is used twice. That same god who acted decisively to set the people free is about to do something new! While it may be tempting to imagine this “new thing” to be a dramatic departure from salvation history for the Jews, it would be preferable to read the newness as a part of God’s character. In the same way the Lord acted in the past to set the people free… God’s got an even more dramatic new thing in mind.
One dramatic way this newness is illustrated is in vv. 16-17, where water is a force for destruction of the Egyptian cavalry, cf. Exodus 15:4-5. In v. 19 the new thing “springs forth,” making a way in the wilderness and a river in the desert. In the next verse water in the wilderness is for the chosen people. The wild animals in the desert are also given water. In the latter half of this reading water is life-giving.
* * *
Isaiah 43:16-21
Exactly what animals are we talking about here?
The NRSV renders תַּנִּ֖ים “jackals” and יַֽעֲנָ֑ה “ostriches,” but other translations have different renderings of those terms. The Contemporary English Version reads “jackals and owls.” The 1599 Geneva Bible has “dragons” and “ostriches.” King James has “dragons” and “owls.” The Message has “coyotes” and “buzzards.”
The Bible should not be used as a taxonomy textbook. However, these two Hebrew terms are rendered into English, they connote a sense of wilderness danger, another peril that the wanderers encountered in the wilderness, that the Lord promises to subdue. Personally, I plan to go with dragons and buzzards.
* * *
Philippians 3:4b-14, better yet, 3:2b-16
The lectionary text beginning at 4b makes Paul sound like a total braggart and windbag. While he often is those things, in this case, it’s helpful to take a wider look. He’s warning the Philippian Christians against people who may come to town and tell them that it’s essential for Christians to practice all Jewish customs and rituals, among them circumcision. To preempt their argument, Paul trots out his bona fides — circumcised on the eighth day (amazing memory, Paul!), member of the people of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, Pharisee, persecutor of the church, righteous, blameless… thrifty, brave, clean and reverent, wait, no, sorry, those are Boy Scouts of America virtues. Anyway, Paul is thumping his own chest and credentials to discredit those who may come to town and preach a different gospel. It’s all about grace to Paul. Grace that isn’t earned. That’s the point, and it’s better than all the credentials and diplomas he, or anyone, could brag about.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:Isiah 43:16-21
What’s new?
Lent’s final push begins this week, leaving the preacher and, perhaps, the congregation to wonder whether Isaiah’s words ring true. “Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old,” the prophet cries out in verses 18-19. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” Yet this may be particularly challenging for contemporary congregations. Some of the “things of old” we remember include pews packed on Sunday mornings and youth groups crawling with teenagers. We remember the days when 42% of Americans attended church weekly, or when congregations could breeze their way through pastoral searches. We find ourselves haunted by the ghosts in our pews.
Yet, ironically, the converse is also true. The anxiety prompted by loss often prompts us to use Isaiah 43:19 as a slogan for unchecked innovation. Theologian Andy Root has written extensively about the church’s embrace of innovation. Root believes this is often signs of the church’s entangled wrestling match with modernity. “I don’t see any way to disconnect our concepts of innovation from our conceptions of what modernity is and how it impacts us,” Root explains. “I have a hard time understanding how we could free innovation from being part of neoliberalism. It fits within a certain logic that mobilizes what it means to be in modernity. The danger becomes an escalating pursuit of innovation that is driven by a fear of decline.”
Yet Isaiah’s words point us in a different direction. Here, innovation is not a bright and shiny new marketing gimmick, or some sort of new program designed to rebuild attendance. Instead, Isaiah points us toward the greater movement of God’s transcendent presence emerging in our immanent frame. God provides the newness, not a marketing team, and it is that sense of newness to which Isaiah calls us to pay careful attention.
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John 12:1-8
Open your hand to the poor
John understands that Judas’ condemnation of Mary’s generosity has nothing to do with the betrayer’s social justice concerns. We would do well to avoid the tired argument that Jesus is prioritizing worship above social action. Instead, pay attention to the way Judas’ lack of concern for the poor stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ affinity for the marginalized. Scholars point out that Jesus’ words in verse eight are closely related to Deuteronomy 15:11’s call for attending to the poor. “Since there will never cease to be some need in the earth,” Deuteronomy 15:11 reads, “I therefore command you to open your hand to the poor and needy in your land.”
Too often, however, our hands remain closed to the needs of the poor. Note, for example, that while the Trump administration has promised that Title 1 education funding for poor schools will be preserved, it is actively dismantling the structures used to administer those funds. Early this month, nearly all employees of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the office responsible for determining which districts qualify for Title 1 funding, had been fired. NCES has provided essential information regarding educational funding since 1867, and is considered indispensable in meeting the needs of the poor.
Other moves endorsed by the rightwing Project 2025 initiative would cut Title 1 funding by $47.7 billion — substantially underfunding education for poor and low income students.
Meanwhile, tax cuts benefiting the ultrawealthy would remove $370 billion in revenue over ten years, mostly paid for with cuts to Medicaid, tax breaks for families with children, and eliminating the “head of household” filing status that largely impacts single parents.
Yes, we will always have the poor with us — but that is no invitation to close our hands to their needs.
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John 12:1-8
Frugal extravagance
Mary’s extravagance was motivated by her love and devotion. Her motivation was to offer the best she had in service to God. In contrast, many families believe excessive and expensive purchases of experiences, trips, clothes, and merchandise is the best way to shower their love on children. Tim Price, in a blog post from 2016, noted that the super-abundance of contemporary families has resulted in an imbalance of our priorities. Instead of helping children understand the meaning of placing priorities on people and relationships, we’ve dug deeper into the myths that consumerism will save us. Price notes the stunning amounts of toys, games, gadgets, and clothing stacked around contemporary homes, and then quips, “My grade school daughter is practically making a living between Christmas (money), Easter, and losing teeth.”
Price suggests that many times, our cultural priorities have shifted to cherishing things instead of loving people. In response, he coined the phrase “frugal extravagance,” as a way of encouraging parents to “go over the top on the things that are most important,” yet may not cost a thing. “Frugal extravagance,” says Price, can be demonstrated by being extravagantly present, encouraging, available, thankful, and willingness to teach.
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John 12:1-8
Withholding ointment
Mary’s heartfelt offering is prompted by the astounding gift Jesus has provided in raising her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. Her grief has become the source of her gratitude and has led her to break open the vat of costly ointment as a symbol of her faith.
Instead of withholding her gift, she placed it in service to God. There are times when our faith calls us to acts of extravagance. It’s something to consider, particularly as Holy Week approaches and visitors (hopefully) make their way into our sanctuaries. Have we withheld our precious gifts of hospitality, extravagant welcome, or lavish friendship?
Daniel Blackaby, a scholar of Christian aesthetics, suggests that “any time you find yourself standing on the same side as Judas Iscariot, it’s probably time to take a step back and reevaluate.” Blackaby reminds us that when given the choice between a more pragmatic, frugal approach and a lavish display of devotion, Jesus “shockingly sides with the latter.”
He admits it’s perplexing. Does our choice for the lavish mean that poor people will go without food in order that our Lord’s feet will smell better? Yet such a view misses the point and certainly avoids wrestling with Jesus’ profound concern for the poor. “There is no indication that Jesus expected every jar of expensive perfume to be poured on his feet. In fact, that Judas — regardless of his motives — thought it should be sold and the profits given to the poor suggests that pragmatism would have been the more typical response.”
Blackaby points out that in some ways the Reformation’s stripping away of aesthetical aspects of faith and worship was an overcorrection. Our worship centers have traded the ancient sense of transcendence of light filtered through stained glass for glaring fluorescent tubes or computer-aided LED stage lights. Blackaby notes:
“Entering many American churches today feels more like arriving at a coffee shop to sip a quick latte with your good buddy Jesus. The design is often utilitarian rather than extravagant or awe-inspiring. The experience is catered to making churchgoers comfortable rather than pulling them into an otherworldly experience.” While the memory of Mary’s gift still lingers in our theological atmosphere, we have replaced extravagance with either empty pragmatism or an overly orchestrated materialism that fails to reveal the heart of gratitude.
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WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.
All: Happy are those in whose spirit there is no deceit.
One: You are a hiding place for us; you preserve us from trouble.
All: You surround us with glad cries of deliverance.
One: Steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
All: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy.
OR
One: God comes to grant to us the gift of forgiveness.
All: We stand in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy.
One: That gift God grants us but God also gives us more.
All: What more can God give us than forgiveness.
One: God gives us the grace to forgive others.
All: As God’s forgiven, we will offer forgiveness to others.
Hymns and Songs
O Worship the King
UMH: 73
H82: 388
PH: 476
GTG: 41
NNBH: 6
NCH: 26
CH: 17
LBW: 548
ELW: 842
W&P: 2
AMEC: 12
What Wondrous Love Is This
UMH: 292
H82: 439
PH: 85
GTG: 215
NCH: 223
CH: 200
LBW: 385
ELW: 666
W&P: 257
STLT: 18
Renew: 277
All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
UMH: 132
H82: 665
NCH: 408
CH: 88
ELW: 757
My Jesus, I Love Thee
UMH: 172
AAHH: 574
NNBH: 39
CH: 349
W&P: 468
AMEC: 456/457
Renew: 275
Ah, Holy Jesus
UMH: 289
H82: 158
PH: 93
GTG: 218
NCH: 218
CH: 210
LBW: 123
ELW: 349
W&P: 521
Renew: 183
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
UMH: 297
H82: 498
PH: 92
GTG: 216
AAHH: 247
NNBH: 106
NCH: 190
CH: 197
LBW: 107
ELW: 338
W&P: 255
AMEC: 146
Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
UMH: 348
GTG: 418
AAHH: 347
NNBH: 168
NCH: 449
CH: 340
ELW: 608
W&P: 348
AMEC: 261
Renew: 147
Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
UMH: 361
H82: 685
GTG: 438
AAHH: 559
NNBH: 254
NCH: 596
CH: 214
LBW: 327
ELW: 623
W&P: 384
AMEC: 328
Amazing Grace
UMH: 378
H82: 671
PH: 280
GTG: 649
AAHH: 271/272
NNBH: 161/163
NCH: 547/548
CH: 546
LBW: 448
ELW: 779
W&P: 422
AMEC: 226
STLT: 205/206
Renew: 189
Love Divine, All Love’s Excelling
UMH: 384
H82: 657
PH: 376
GTG: 366
AAHH: 440
NNBH: 65
NCH: 43
CH: 517
LBW: 315
ELW: 631
W&P: 358
AMEC: 455
Renew: 196
Change My Heart, O God
CCB: 56
Renew: 143
Unity
CCB: 59
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness:
Grant us the wisdom to follow in your example
and forgive those who have hurt us;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are lovingly merciful and graciously forgiving. You do not count our sins but look at us through your eyes of love. Help us to also be forgiving even as we have been forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially when we fail to forgive even when we have been forgiven.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We hold onto our grudges, and we refuse to let go of our hurts. When others treat us in ways we think we do not deserve, we imagine them to be the worst of all people. And yet we gladly accept your forgiveness because we see ourselves as good people who just made a mistake. Forgive us the sin of self-righteousness. Forgive us the sin of judging. Open our hearts so that we may love and forgive as you do. Amen.
One: God is always ready to forgive but to know we are forgiven we must be ready to forgive. Forgiveness must be experienced from both sides. Receive God’s gift as you offer it to others.
Prayers of the People
Glorious are you, O God of love and forgiveness. We bow in awe at the depth of love and compassion you show to all your children.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We hold onto our grudges, and we refuse to let go of our hurts. When others treat us in ways we think we do not deserve, we imagine them to be the worst of all people. And yet we gladly accept your forgiveness because we see ourselves as good people who just made a mistake. Forgive us the sin of self-righteousness. Forgive us the sin of judging. Open our hearts so that we may love and forgive as you do.
We give you thanks for all the way we experience your forgiveness. We thank you for the opportunity to forgive others so that we might be free from the burning anger that destroys us body and soul. We are blessed that others have had the insight and courage to forgive us. Most of all we thank you for Jesus who taught us in words and in his life what true forgiveness looks like.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray for those who have locked anger so deeply into their hearts that they can no longer know peace within. We pray for those who feel they cannot be forgiven by God for things they have done and said. We pray that all your children may know the joy of forgiving and being forgiven.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMONTaking Care of Jesus and Each Other
by Katy Stenta
John 12:1-8
Object: Soap that smells good.
Today is a story of how Jesus’s friends took care of him.
Jesus was not very close to his family anymore,
so he was visiting some friends who were like family to him.
Does anyone have someone close to them who is like family?
Like a friend so close they call them family?
That seems to be who Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were for Jesus.
Jesus went there to relax one last time before the work of Holy Week.
And while he was there
Mary
washed his stinky feet.
Isn’t that funny?
She washed them so well that the scent she used
called spikenard
wafted throughout the whole room.
Here — I’m going to pass around this soap while I talk
so we can imagine together Jesus’ feet being washed. (Pass around the soap.)
Have you ever have a bubble bath like that?
Where it smelled so good everyone could smell it?
Humans are funny that way.
Smells are associated with memories
and good feelings.
So when you smell good
most people associate it with good things.
Jesus probably felt pretty good.
Now, Judas, who was probably feeling guilty
because he was not a good guy
said that the perfume and soap that Mary washed
Jesus’ feet with could have been sold for the poor.
But Jesus said, “It’s ok, she is preparing me
for the day of my death,” which is kind of a scary thing for him to say.
Jesus must have felt pretty safe to say that.
It was good for him to relax and get clean here.
Jesus said it was good for Mary to wash his feet now
while they still had him around.
And of course, on Maundy Thursday,
Jesus did the same thing and washed the feet of his disciples.
So, we know that it is always good idea to love and take care of each other because that is
what the Bible says to do.
Let’s pray
(Repeat after me)
Jesus
Thank you
For reminding us
To take the time
To Love
And take care
Of our bodies
And each Other
Even when
It’s hard
Or seems
Unimportant.
Amen.
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The Immediate Word, April 6, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
