John 12:1-11 Extravagant Love

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Extravagant Love
John 12:1-11
March 21-22, 2026

The events of John 12 take place just before the triumphant entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and the last supper Jesus had with His disciples the night before He was arrested and then crucified.

The back story to this chapter is one of the most amazing stories in the New Testament. Jesus was friends with the sisters, Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus who had fallen deathly ill. Mary and Martha sent an urgent message to Jesus that Lazarus, the friend whom Jesus loved, was sick. Jesus stayed two more days in that place and when he finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany both Martha and Mary said to Him, “If you had been here, our brother would not have died.” Jesus then responded, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha gave a theological answer, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

What we come to understand is that the death of Lazarus was an opportunity for God to reveal the power of God over death and the hope of eternal life. Jesus responded, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus was strengthening their faith by revealing the power of God over death and the hope of the resurrection. Within a just a matter of days, Jesus Himself would be crucified and laid in a tomb very similar to that of Lazarus. He is strengthening their faith so that when they see Jesus Himself raised from the dead, they can take hold of it and believe.

In fact, there is a great scripture that puts it all in right understanding. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10.

Now as we come to John chapter 12, Lazarus has been raised from the dead after being in the grave four days and he is here, in the story, sitting at the table with Jesus having supper.

Mary then took costly perfume made of pure nard and anointed His feet and wiped His feet with her hair. What a great story. What amazing love.

These verses are about extravagant love. The greatest and highest of God’s desire for us is to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. But the reason we love God extravagantly is because of the extravagant love He has poured out to us.

I. Love God Extravagantly

Capturing the scene for a moment, it’s beautiful. Lazarus is seated at the table after being raised from the dead. Martha is serving.
There is some history about that. There was another time when Jesus was sitting while a meal was being prepared. Mary was sitting at His feet listening to His words. Martha was irritated because Mary wouldn’t help. She came up to Jesusand said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
Jesus corrected her, saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Now, here in John 12, Martha is again serving, and we get a sense that she is serving with a good heart.
Mary came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of extremely expensive perfume, which we later hear is worth 300 denarii. That would be the wage for an entire year’s labor. In today’s value, that would be probably $50,000-$60,000; perhaps much more.
In case you’re wondering, yes, there is perfume that expensive today. The Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty Perfume is $215,000 per bottle. Then there is the Opera Prima by Bulgari for $235,000; The Shumukh by Nabeel for $1.29M, and of course, the Le Monde Sur Mesure by Morreale Paris for $1.5M. The price might have something to do with the fact that the bottle is covered with diamonds.
I myself prefer to go with a simple, less expensive, but ruggedly outdoorsy cologne–it’s called Corral Number 5.
After Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume, Judas Iscariot objected, “Why was this perfume not sold and given to the poor?”
And we also know something about his motive. He said this, not because he was concerned for the poor, but because he was a thief who carried the money pouch and used to pilfer what was put into it.

A. Love Him because of His love for you

From the other gospels we know that Jesus had told them in advance that the Son of Man must be handed over to His enemies and delivered up for crucifixion. He said this to them on three separate occasions.
The disciples did not want to hear this and it seems clear that they didn’t fully grasp what He was saying.
But Mary had learned the importance of sitting at His feet and listening to His words. But more than that, I’m convinced she heard His heart. She resolved in her heart, “If You are to be crucified, then I will anoint You now for Your burial.” It was an act of extravagant love.
Why did Mary love extravagantly? Because she knew how much Jesus loved her.
Jesus had just raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead, something far beyond her expectation.
If we could only understand the extravagance of God’s love toward us, it would radically change how we live.

Ephesians 3:18-19, I pray that you may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and the length and the height and the depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

There was another time when Jesus was anointed, but with tears, and there we also learn why we should love extravagantly.

Illus – Jesus spoke of two debtors; one was indebted 500 denarii and the other 50. They were both graciously forgiven, which of them would love more?

Luke 7:36-50 – He who is forgiven much, loves much.

B. Love first; serve second

Judas Iscariot was indignant, saying that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.
Jesus corrected him, “Let her alone. She has done this to prepare Me for the day of My burial. The poor you will always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”
Jesus didn’t say there was anything wrong with helping the poor; in fact, the scriptures encourage us to have a heart of compassion and generosity and a heart to serve others.
Mary understood the importance of loving God first, and loving extravagantly, and then, out of the abundance of the heart, comes a heart to serve.
Mary and Martha both learned this lesson. Mary had learned the importance of sitting at Jesus’s feet which Jesus said was the better part.
When you think about the life that is effective; that accomplishes much, it would be tempting to think that it would be the one who works the hardest; the one who sweats the most. But God gives a better word.

Psalm 127:1-2, Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for it is He who gives to His beloved even while he sleeps.

Illus – When Israel was walking through the desert they faced a terrible enemy, the Amalekites. Joshua was in the battle, commanding the armies of Israel, but Moses stood with his hands lifted to God. It was only in lifting prayers and praise that they were victorious.

James 5:16, The effective of prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Isaiah 40:29, 31, It is He who gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases his power… Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become faint.

II. Be a Sweet Aroma to God

When Mary poured the alabaster jar of perfume upon Jesus, the room was filled with the fragrance.
What a beautiful picture of Mary’s heart. In fact, there is a scripture that says a similar word,” We are a fragrance of Christ to God who manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”

Illus – You smell like what you are near. Fresh air has a distinct smell; cut grass certainly does. When I worked in the restaurant I always came home with a distinct smell on my clothes. Africa had the steady smell of smoke from cooking fires. When I came home, a neighbor was burning leaves, and it immediately made me think of Africa.

That is the key. The aroma of your character comes from what happens in the inner man. That’s where Christ transforms death into life.

Illus – When you open the door of your heart, you’re inviting Christ into the most personal part of your life. That’s where the aroma, the smell of your character comes from. Will you let the Lord do something about that?

A. Don’t waste your life

In another gospel we know that when Judas objected, he said, “Why this waste?”
From the verses that follow, we come to understand his true motive. He wasn’t concerned about the poor; he was just trying to put a righteous twist on it. But he was a thief and used to pilfer the money.
“Why this waste?” Judas asked. It wasn’t a waste; it was extravagant love. I’ll tell you what was a waste; it was Judas. Judas was himself a waste.
His own eyes had seen so much of what Jesus had done. He was there when Jesus calmed the sea, he was there when Jesus healed 10 lepers at one time, when He cast out a legion of demons by the word of His power — and he was there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
His life was a waste because in spite of all that God had poured out before him, his singular priority was himself.

App – Too many people have only one motivation; themselves.

Philippians 2:3-4, Do nothing from selfishness… regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

God says this for good reason, to focus only on yourself is to poison the soul.

Illus – If a person spent his life pursuing wealth and status, and even achieved it, and then spent the remaining years of his life spending and enjoying all the wealth and status he had accumulated, would we not also say, “What a waste?” “To whom much is given, much is expected,” Jesus said.

Judas’s life takes a turn that will end tragically. He will betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders for money –for 30 pieces of silver. What a waste.

Illus – In the 60s during the drug culture, when a person would get high, they would say he was “wasted.” That generation was rebelling against the culture of the day. They didn’t want to waste their lives on the materialism, the corporate cronyism, and the government corruption of that day. But to “get wasted” and waste their life was no answer either.

Yet also in the 60s, there were others; hippies of that generation, who began to sit at Jesus’s feet and hear God’s Word and listen to His heart and fall in love with Him. They began to teach others and tens of thousands have changed their lives because of those from that generation who did not waste their lives. They used their lives for God’s glory.

B. Have no regrets

Several days later, this same Mary would see Jesus die before her eyes. She would come to see the prophecy of His crucifixion and resurrection fulfilled before her eyes.
Seeing him hanging there on the cross, she would have no regrets for loving Him extravagantly.
In fact, in Matthew Jesus said, “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her.”
What are memorials for? They are for remembering a life well lived, a life well spent. See Mary’s extravagant love and understand that we need to love extravagantly as well.
May you come to the end and know that you spent your life well; that you loved extravagantly and that your life was a memorial and a testament of His love for you.

Illus – In 1904 William Borden graduated from a Chicago high school. Heir to the Borden family fortune, he was born wealthy. For his high school graduation present, his parents gave 16-year-old Borden a trip around the world. As the young man traveled to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, he felt a growing burden for the hurting people of the world. Finally, William Borden wrote home about his “desire to be a missionary.” One friend expressed disbelief that Bill was “throwing himself away as a missionary.”

In response, Borden wrote two words in the back of his Bible; “No reserves.” In other words, “I’m holding nothing back.”

Borden went to Yale and his classmates noticed something unusual about him and it wasn’t that he had lots of money. They saw that he had already given his heart in full surrender to Christ and had truly meant it. He was a man of spiritual strength with a settled purpose in his life.

Upon graduation, Borden received several high-paying job offers, all of which he turned down. In his Bible, he wrote two more words, “No retreats.” In other words; no turning back. No Reserves; No Retreats.

Borden’s missionary call narrowed to the Muslim Kansu people in China. Once he fixed his eyes on that goal, Borden never wavered. Others said of him, “There was true strength in him, and I always felt he was the stuff martyrs were made of, and heroic missionaries of more modern times.”

Because he was hoping to work with Muslims he stopped first in Egypt to study Arabic. While there, he contracted spinal meningitis. Within months, 25-year-old William Borden would be dead. A wave of sorrow went round the world. Was Borden’s life a waste? Not in God’s perspective. Prior to his death, Borden had written two more words in his Bible. This time he wrote his last words, “No regrets.” No Reserves; No Retreats; No Regrets.

Extravagant Love
John 12:1-11
March 21-22, 2026

Joining us online. Hope you're all doing well. It's spring. I'm feeling springy. It's great to see you all. Hey, would you all open your Bibles to John 12:1? As we're heading into the resurrection, we're going to look at this wonderful story. The title of our message is Extravagant Love. Let's pray and receive from God's Word together. Lord, we are so thankful. We know that you send your word after us to show us the way of glory and of life. We open our hearts to receive from you now and pray that you would pour out your Spirit through your word. God, meet us here by your Holy Spirit, we pray in Jesus' name. Everyone said amen.

All right. The events of John 12 take place just before the triumphant entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and the last supper that He had with his disciples there the night before He was betrayed and then arrested, and then later would be crucified. The backstory of this chapter is one of the most amazing stories in the New Testament, and it's this. Jesus was friends with Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. At one point, Lazarus became deathly ill. Mary and Martha sent an urgent message to the Lord that Lazarus, the friend whom Jesus loved, had become deathly sick.

Jesus stayed two more days in that place, and when He finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. Bethany, by the way, is just east of Jerusalem, just on the other side of the Mount of Olives, is very, very near. When Jesus arrives in Bethany, it was Martha that met him first, shortly followed by Mary, and both of them said to the Lord, "If you had been here, our brother would not have died." Now, I don't believe that they said this as a way of accusing, but rather as the cry of their heart, "Oh, if you had been here, our brother would not have died."

Jesus then responded, "Your brother will rise again." Martha gave a theological answer. She said, "I know, I know, I know that He will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." What we've come to understand in the story is that the death of Lazarus becomes an opportunity for God to reveal his power over death and the hope of eternal life. Jesus responded, "I am the resurrection, I am the life, and he who believes in me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." Do you believe this? Jesus was strengthening faith by revealing the power of God over death and the hope of the resurrection.

For in just a matter of days, Jesus himself would be crucified, laid in a tomb very similar to that of Lazarus. He's strengthening faith so that when they see Jesus raised from the dead, they can take hold of it and believe. In fact, the significance of that must not be misunderstood. Paul wrote in Romans 10, he said, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

All right, now here, as we come to John 12, Lazarus has now been raised from the dead. After being in the grave four days, he's here now in the story, sitting at the table with Jesus, having supper. Mary is there, Martha is there, the disciples are all there. Then at some point in the meal, Mary took costly perfume made of pure spikenard and anointed his feet, wiped his feet with her hair. This is a beautiful story of amazing love. This is about extravagant love. The greatest and highest desire that God has for us is that we would love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, our mind, and our strength.

The reason to love becomes evident in the story. Let's read it. We're in John 12. We begin reading in verse 1. "Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead." They made a supper for him there, and Martha was serving. Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. "Mary, then, took, therefore, a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard or spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." As you can imagine, filled with the fragrance of this perfume.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was intending to betray him, said, "Why? Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor?" By the way, a denarii is the value of about one full day's wage. Can you imagine 300 days' wage for one bottle of perfume? Now, verse 6, he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and he had the money box, and he used to pilfer what was put into it. He was a treasurer, in other words, and he would help himself to the monies that were in the funds.

Jesus, therefore, said, "Let her alone. It is in order that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor, you have always with you, but you do not always have me. Now, a great multitude, therefore, of the Jews learned that He was there, and they came, but not only for Jesus's sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead." Everybody wanted to see. That's the one that Jesus raised from the dead. He was in the grave four days. He was in the grave so long that he stinketh, and Jesus raised him from the dead. We want to see this one, and they came in great multitude to see him.

I. Love God Extravagantly

Then verse 10 says, "But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus to death also." They had already plotted to take Jesus's life, but now, because of this, they desired to take Lazarus also. "Because, verse 11, on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus." What a beautiful, amazing story that must be seen as being personal and applied to our lives. In other words, love God extravagantly. That is what God is calling us as well. Imagine I capture this scene for a moment. It's so beautiful. Lazarus is seated at the table after being raised from the dead, and it says, "And Martha was serving."

See, I think that it makes special mention of the fact that Martha is serving because there's some history here with Martha and her serving. Many of you know the story that there was another time when Jesus was waiting for a meal to be prepared. Mary was sitting at his feet listening to his words. Martha became irritated because Mary wasn't helping. She came up to Jesus. Now, notice how she says it. She comes up to Jesus and says, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Tell her to help me." Now, I don't know if she said it that bossy, but I think she was bossy.

Jesus corrected her and said, "Martha, Martha." Now, when Jesus says your name twice, you're pretty much in trouble. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things. Only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Now, here in John 12, Martha is again serving, and we get the sense that she's serving with a good heart. Now, Mary then came to Jesus with this jar of extremely expensive perfume. Later, we read, of course, it's worth 300 denarii. That would be approximate to the wage of an entire year's labor. Maybe today $50, $60,000 perhaps, maybe more. Now, in case you are wondering, yes, there is perfume that expensive today. For example, there is the Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty perfume for 215,000 per bottle. Then there's the Opera Prima Bvlgari for 235,000. Then there's the Shumukh by Nabeel for 1.29 million. Of course, there is Le Monde Sur Mesure by Morreale Paris, 1.5 million.

Now, I myself prefer something simple, less expensive, but ruggedly outdoorsy. Something like Chanel No. 5. The certain smell of a webbed horse just manly there. Anyway, back to our story. We know then that after Mary anointed defeat, Judas objected. Why was this perfume not sold, and the money given to the poor? Now he tells us, no, he wasn't concerned about the poor, he was a thief. Speaks to the motive. Ah, the motive. Why do people do what they do? The essence of the question why do people say what they say? Jesus said that the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.

We know now what filled his heart. What was his motive? We also know Mary's motive, love. Oh, the extravagance of her love. Why? Because of what God had done for her. This is such an important understanding. You love God because of His love for you. Scripture says we love God because He loved us first in Jesus Christ. He loved us extravagantly in Jesus name. The other gospels tell us that Jesus told them in advance that the Son of Man must be handed over to His enemies, delivered up for crucifixion. He said this more than once. He said this on three separate occasions.

A. Love Him because of His love for you

Now, the disciples did not want to hear this. It seems clear that they didn't fully grasp what He was saying. Mary had learned to listen to His words. More than that, I'm convinced that she heard His heart when He said, " The Son of Man must be handed over to His enemies and be crucified." She heard the words, took it to heart, and so she said, "Okay. Then, if you are to be crucified, then I will anoint you now for your burial." Why did Mary love so extravagantly? She knew how much that Jesus had loved her. Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. Something far beyond her expectation. Exceedingly, abundantly beyond her expectation, which is a great truth for us today.

I tell you, if we could only comprehend, if we could only understand fully the extravagance of God's love toward us, it would radically change who we are. It would radically change how we live. Oh, people, I tell you, this is such an important, great truth. If we could only understand it, comprehend it, I tell you, it would radically change your soul. Paul wrote this in Ephesians 3:18-19, he says, "I pray like this is my prayer for you, that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints the breadth, the length, the height, the depth, and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses understanding that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

Can you imagine your soul being filled up to all of the fullness of God? I tell you what, you want to live, let your soul be filled to all of the fullness of God. You will understand life and the depth of it, because it comes from that great truth. Oh, if you could only comprehend it, He said, the greatness of God's love and to be filled up with the fullness of God, that, my friends, is living. Amen. Can we give God praise and glory?

There is another time, another story, when Jesus was anointed with tears and with perfume. We then have an insight into the depth of why we love. Notice, you can turn there with me if you would like. It's in Luke 7:36. The story unfolds. Now, one of the Pharisees was requesting Jesus to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. Now, behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner.

Now, you got to say it maybe a little different. "There was a woman in the city, and she was a sinner. When she learned that He was reclining at the table at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume. Standing behind him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and kept wiping them with the hair of her head and kissing his feet, and anointing them with the perfume." Now, when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, He wouldn't know who and what sort of person this woman is, who is touching Him, and that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered and said, "Simon, I have something to say to you. 'Say it, teacher.' A certain money lender had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii." Now we already know that is a huge sum of money. Another owed 50. Now, when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Now, which of them, therefore, would love him the more? Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." Jesus said, " You have judged correctly." Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet."

This was a common courtesy of the day. "She has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, common courtesy of the day, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, a common courtesy of the day. She anointed my feet with perfume. For this reason, I say to you that her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much, but he who is forgiven little loves little." Then he said to the woman, "Your sins have been forgiven."

Those who were reclining at the table began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" He said to the woman, "Woman, your faith has saved you. Go in peace." What a beautiful story. When you read that story, you can easily put yourself right in the story. When you begin to understand how much God has done for you, how much God has forgiven. I tell you what, I can look at my life, and I am very, very thankful. Oh, how thankful I am for how much God has loved me, how much God has forgiven me, how much grace He has poured out all my life. I am very, very thankful. Anybody want to join me in this? Amen. Yes, let's give the Lord praise.

B. Love first; serve second

Then you see this in the story, love first, serve second. It comes out of love. The highest, the greatest. Judas, he's indignant. The perfume could have been sold, money given to the poor. Jesus corrects him, "Let her alone. She has done this to prepare me for the day of my burial." The poor you will always have, but you will not always have me. Now, Jesus is not saying there is anything wrong with helping the poor. No, we know God's heart. It's so important to have a heart of generosity and compassion for those less privileged. We understand that. Mary understood the importance of loving God first and loving God extravagantly, and then out of the abundance of that heart comes a heart to serve. Mary understood it. Martha surely now understands it. Mary had learned the importance of sitting at Jesus' feet, and that, Jesus said, was the better part. When you think about how to live your life effective, people want to live their life to be effective, to accomplish much, and you would think it would be to the one who strives more, applies themselves more to it, the one who works the hardest at it. No.

Scripture helps us to understand. No, you love God first. You believe God first. It comes out of that which God is doing in your life. You want to be effective? Start with this greater understanding. For example, Psalm 127. We love these verses. Let these be like life verses for you. Psalm 127, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." If God isn't in it, it's in vain. "Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain." If God isn't in it is in vain. Then He says, it's vain for you. Empty. It's vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors, for it is He who gives to His beloved even while he sleeps.

What a glorious understanding. You want to be effective? It comes out of that faith, that love, that relationship to the Lord. Here's another illustration. When Israel was coming out of Egypt, God saved them out of the oppression and slavery, brought them into the desert. At one point, they encountered an enemy that unjustly attacked them, the Amalekites. Joshua is there in the battle. He's directing the armies of Israel to take on this great battle, but Moses is on the mountain with his hands lifted in prayer. It says that as Moses lifted his hands in prayer, Joshua prevailed in the battle, but as his arms began to grow tired and weakened and began to be lowered, it turned the other way and they went against Joshua.

Aaron and who, who were alongside lifted his arms back up. As he lifted his arms in praise and in prayer, then Joshua prevailed in the battle. Of course, the point and the message is that if God isn't in it will not be a victory. It comes from that first relationship. Love God first. Love God. Believe God. In fact, James 5 is a great verse. The effect of the fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Do you believe in the significance and the power of prayer? He tells us here a great word. The effect of fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.

Then there's Isaiah 40. "It is he who gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might, he increases his power. For those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, and they will walk and not faint." What great promises are those? John 12, going back now to this chapter. Notice this picture of the fragrance filling the room, a picture of Mary's heart. There's a connection that is very important to see from a personal perspective. In other words, be a sweet aroma to God. She pours the alabaster jar of perfume. The room is filled with the fragrance. What a beautiful picture of Mary's heart.

II. Be a Sweet Aroma to God

In the Scriptures, there is a similar word that connects that to the heart, the soul. Notice, he says, "We are a fragrance of Christ to God who manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." Beautiful. Understanding that the soul within, that there's the aroma of Christ, the sweet aroma. Wouldn't that be amazing that people can just smell, you might say, the aroma of Christ? That's glorious. Of course, the opposite is not so good. If they smell like, I don't know, something, there's something, I don't know, something doesn't smell right.

It reminds me of many years ago, we used to live in Aloha. At one point, I came home, and I thought, this house doesn't smell right. I said to Jordi, my wife, "Do you smell something?" Now, when you're in it, you get used to it, you don't want to smell it. She said, "Well, I don't think so. I don't know, maybe. I don't know." The next day I come home, to me it was a little stronger. I said, "No, there's something. I smell something, I'm pretty sure." They said, "Do you smell it?" I said, "I don't know, maybe." The next day I came home, it was like, "Oh, I'm pretty sure I smell something."

Well, we were having guests coming over for dinner. I thought, we can't have guests coming over with the house smelling like this. I had to know for sure. I thought, I'm going to call our neighbors, the Huggins, they go to our church now. I called them. I said, "Hey, Dean, can I borrow your nose? I need you to come over to my house because you have a fresh sense of smell. I want you to come over to my house. I want you to just smell my house and tell me if it doesn't smell right." He goes, "Well, sure. What are neighbors for?" He came and walked in the front door. Just a few steps in, he goes, "Oh, yes, something died." Oh, no. What possibly could it be?

Then I just thought, I know it has to be this. Some possum decided to leave this mortal earth by crawling underneath my house and giving up his life, and leaving his carcass there under my house. I had to put on my hazmat suit, go into the house, and the closer I got, the more it smelled like death. I know. It was bad. I know. The smell of death, most unpleasant. You smell like that which you are near. You take on the smells of that which you are near. If you go outside and then come in, you will smell like outside. Outside has a smell. If you mow the lawn, you'll come in smelling like you mowed the lawn.

I remember when I was in the restaurant business, every day I'd come home, I'd smell like the restaurant. You smell like that which you are near. There's, of course, a tremendous, important spiritual application. The aroma of your character comes from the inner man, that which transforms death into life, that which is transforming that which is ugly and smelly to that which is beautiful. The transforming work of God is such that He transforms the soul such that people can see it. There's the aroma of it. They can see that you've been changed.

A. Don’t waste your life

They can see the effect that God has had, this grace that you have, this peace that you have, this residing joy, this kindness in you. It's beautiful. It's wonderful. It is that which God does upon the soul. When you open the door of your heart, you are letting, you are inviting Christ into the most personal part of who you are, the soul within. There is the aroma, the fragrance of the beautiful soul that God does upon it. Then we read this, we understand this, when we look at John 12, don't waste your life. In another gospel, we know that when Judas objected, he said, "Why this waste?" No. Of course, we understand his true motive. It wasn't because he was concerned about the poor. He wanted an opportunity to pilfer from it. "Why this waste?" Judas confronted. It wasn't a waste. It was extravagant love. I'll tell you what was a waste, Judas. That was a waste. Judas had seen with his own eyes. Can you imagine all that Judas saw? With his own eyes, he was there when Jesus calmed the wind and the waves at the word of His command. He was there when Jesus healed 10 lepers at one time. He was there when He cast out demons by the word of His power. He was there when He healed blind Bartimaeus. He was there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Yet, after all that God has shown him, his singular priority was himself. What a waste.

Oh, how many people have been caught in that, that their singular priority is themselves. Ah, that is the condition in which man is born. The singular priority of self will poison the soul. Philippians 2:3-4, do nothing from selfishness. Ah, this is the condition in which man is born. Selfish. Do nothing from selfishness, but regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not mainly look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

He goes on to say, "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who humbled himself to the point of death, even death on the cross, such that God highly exalted him and gave him a name that is above every other name, that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Yes, let's get the little praise exactly right.

He says this for a very good reason. To focus on oneself, to make singular priority on self, is to poison the soul. If a person spent their life pursuing wealth or status and then achieved it, and then spent the rest of their life singularly prioritizing self and indulging their own desires, would we not say, what a waste? What a waste. To whom much is given, much is expected. Judas's life takes a tragic turn. He will betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders for money. We know how much. Thirty pieces of silver for money. What a waste. In the 60s, during the drug culture of the day, when a person would get high, they would say he was wasted. Oh, so-and-so got wasted last time.

That generation was rebelling against the culture of the day. They didn't want to waste their lives on materialism or corporate cronyism or government corruption. To get wasted and to waste your life is no answer either. There were others in the 60s, hippies of that generation, who sat at Jesus' feet, heard His words, listened to His heart, fell in love with Him, began to take hold of a glorious purpose. Begin to teach others in such that tens of thousands have been transformed because of those from that generation who did not waste their lives, but used their lives for God's glorious purpose.

B. Have no regrets

You want to do something with your life, live it with God's glorious purpose. Don't waste your life. In other words, have no regrets. Several days later, Mary would be there seeing Jesus on the cross, seeing His words fulfilled. Son of Man would be given over to His enemies and be crucified. She saw Him there hanging on the cross. I cement that when she saw Him there that day, that she had no regrets over loving Him extravagantly. I'm so glad I anointed Him when I could. In fact, Jesus says, we read it in Matthew, He says, "Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her."

What are memorials for? They are for remembering a life well lived, a life well spent. God gave you your life to spend it well. You see Mary's extravagant love. I'm so thankful I loved so extravagantly, never regretted. May you come to the end and know that you spent your life well, that you loved God extravagantly, that your life was a memorial and a testament of His love for you. A life well lived, a life well spent. How will you spend it? How will you live it? May you long to hear those words, "Well done, well lived. My good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master."

You know, when I think about this, I think about this man, William Borden, who was heir to the Borden family fortune, born wealthy. In 1904, he graduated from high school and his parents, for his graduation gift, gave him a trip around the world. As the young man traveled Asia and Middle East, and Europe, he saw people hurting everywhere he went. Something stirred in his heart for these hurting people. He wrote home that he wanted to give his life or to be a missionary. One friend expressed disbelief. "You would throw your life away as a missionary?"

In response, Borden took out his Bible and turned to the back of it. He wrote two words, "No reserves." In other words, "I'm holding nothing back. I give it my all." He went on to go to Yale. His classmates saw in him that he wrote something unusual, a full surrender to Christ, a man of spiritual strength, a settled purpose in his life. When he graduated then from college university, he received several high-paying job offers, which he turned down. Opened his Bible again and wrote two more words, "No retreats." In other words, "No turning back. I have decided."

His missionary call narrowed to the Muslim Gansu people of China, so once he fixed his eyes on that goal, he never wavered. Others said of him, there was a true strength in him, always felt that he was the stuff martyrs are made of, heroic missionaries of our modern time. Because his work was to be with Muslims, he stopped first in Egypt to study Arabic. While there, he contracted meningitis, and within months, 25-year-old Borden would be dead. A wave of sorrow went around the world. Was his life a waste? Not in God's eyes, not in God's view. Ah, a life well lived.

In fact, before his death, he wrote two more words in his Bible, "No regrets. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets." You will never regret loving God extravagantly and living your life well to His glory. Let's pray. Lord, we are truly so thankful for this beautiful story that helps us to understand that all that God has done for us in Jesus Christ has won our hearts. You've won us, Lord, in such that we want to live for Your glory. We want to know what it means to love God extravagantly, to live well. We want to hear those words. Well done. Well lived. You loved God extravagantly. You served Him to His glory. Well done. Church, how many would pray that as we're praying together? How many would just make that declaration to the Lord, "God, I want to love You extravagantly. I want to live to Your glory. I want to spend my life well." Is that You? Would you raise your hand unto the Lord just to declare it? Just to say to the Lord, I want to live my life well. Lord, I want to love you with all my heart. I want to love you extravagantly. God, we are so, so thankful for all that you've done in us. We give you glory and praise and honor in Jesus' name. Everyone said, give God all--

John 12:1-11 NASB

1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” 9 only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

Amor extravagante
Juan 12:1-11
21-22 de marzo de 2026

Los acontecimientos narrados en Juan 12 tienen lugar justo antes de la entrada triunfal del Señor en Jerusalén, y de la última cena que Jesús compartió con sus discípulos, la noche anterior a su arresto y posterior crucifixión.

La historia que da pie a este capítulo es una de las más asombrosas del Nuevo Testamento. Jesús era amigo de las hermanas María y Marta, y de su hermano Lázaro, quien se había enfermado gravemente. María y Marta enviaron un mensaje urgente a Jesús para informarle que Lázaro, el amigo al que Jesús amaba, estaba enfermo. Jesús permaneció dos días más en aquel lugar y, cuando finalmente llegó a Betania, Lázaro llevaba cuatro días muerto.

Cuando Jesús llegó a Betania, Marta y María le dijeron: “Si hubieras estado aquí, nuestro hermano no habría muerto”. Jesús les respondió: “Tu hermano resucitará”. Marta dió una respuesta teológica: “Sé que resucitará en la resurrección del último día”.

Lo que llegamos a comprender es que la muerte de Lázaro fue una oportunidad para que Dios revelara su poder sobre la muerte y la esperanza de la vida eterna. Jesús respondió: “Yo soy la resurrección y la vida; el que cree en mí, aunque muera, vivirá; y todo aquel que vive y cree en mí no morirá jamás. ¿Crees esto?”.

Jesús fortalecía su fe al revelarles el poder de Dios sobre la muerte y la esperanza de la resurrección. En cuestión de días, Jesús mismo sería crucificado y sepultado en una tumba muy parecida a la de Lázaro. Él fortalecía su fe para que, al verlo resucitado, pudieran aferrarse a ella y creer.

De hecho, hay un pasaje bíblico que lo explica todo con claridad: “Si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de entre los muertos, serás salvo; porque con el corazón se cree para justicia, y con la boca se confiesa para salvación”. Romanos 10:9-10.

Ahora, al llegar al capítulo 12 de Juan, vemos que Lázaro ha resucitado después de estar cuatro días en la tumba y que, según la historia, está sentado a la mesa con Jesús cenando.

Entonces María tomó un costoso perfume de nardo puro, ungió los pies de Jesús y los secó con su cabello. ¡Qué gran historia! ¡Qué amor tan asombroso!

Estos versículos hablan del amor desbordante. El mayor y más elevado deseo de Dios para nosotros es que lo amemos con todo nuestro corazón, alma, mente y fuerzas. Pero la razón por la que amamos a Dios desbordantemente es por el amor desbordante que Él nos ha brindado.

Amo a Dios de manera extravagante.

Capturar la escena por un instante es hermoso. Lázaro está sentado a la mesa después de haber resucitado. Marta está sirviendo.
Hay una historia sobre eso. En otra ocasión, Jesús estaba sentado mientras se preparaba una comida. María estaba sentada a sus pies escuchando sus palabras. Marta estaba irritada porque María no la ayudaba. Se acercó a Jesús y le dijo: “Señor, ¿no te importa que mi hermana me haya dejado sola con todo el servicio? Dile que me ayude”.
Jesús la corrigió, diciendo: “Marta, Marta, te preocupas y te inquietas por muchas cosas; pero solo una cosa es necesaria, María ha escogido la mejor parte, la cual no le será quitada”.
Ahora bien, aquí en Juan 12, Marta está sirviendo de nuevo, y tenemos la sensación de que lo hace con buen corazón.
María se acercó a Jesús con un frasco de alabastro lleno de un perfume carísimo, cuyo valor, según se cuenta más tarde, ascendía a 300 denarios. Ese sería el salario de un año entero de trabajo. En términos actuales, equivaldría probablemente a entre $50,000 y $60,000 dólares; quizás mucho más.
Por si te lo preguntabas, sí, hoy en día existen perfumes tan caros. El perfume ‘Imperial Majesty de Clive Christian’ cuesta $215,000 dólares la botella. También está ‘Opera Prima de Bulgari’, que cuesta $235,000 dólares; ‘Shumukh de Nabeel’, $1.29 millones de dólares, y, por supuesto, ‘Le Monde Sur Mesure de Morreale Paris’, que cuesta $1.5 millones de dólares. El precio podría deberse a que la botella está cubierta de diamantes.
Personalmente, prefiero usar una colonia sencilla, menos costosa, pero con un toque rústico y aventurero; se llama ‘Corral Number 5’.
Después de que María ungió los pies de Jesús con un perfume costoso, Judas Iscariote objetó: “¿Por qué no se vendió este perfume y se dio a los pobres?”.
Y también sabemos algo sobre su motivación. Dijo esto, no porque le preocuparan los pobres, sino porque era un ladrón que llevaba la bolsa del dinero y solía robar lo que se guardaba en ella.

Ámalo por su amor por ti.

Por los otros evangelios, sabemos que Jesús les había dicho de antemano, que el Hijo del Hombre debía ser entregado a sus enemigos y crucificado. Se lo dijo en tres ocasiones distintas.
Los discípulos no querían oír esto y parece claro que no comprendieron del todo lo que les estaba diciendo.
Pero María había aprendido la importancia de sentarse a sus pies y escuchar sus palabras. Más aún, estoy convencido de que escuchó su corazón. Decidió en su interior: “Si has de ser crucificado, entonces te ungiré ahora para tu sepultura”. Fue un acto de amor desbordante.
¿Por qué María amó con tanta intensidad? Porque sabía cuánto la amaba Jesús.
Jesús acababa de resucitar a su hermano Lázaro, algo que superaba con creces sus expectativas.
Si tan solo pudiéramos comprender la inmensidad del amor de Dios hacia nosotros: cambiaría radicalmente nuestra forma de vivir.

Efesios 3:18-19, “Ruego que puedan comprender, junto con todos los santos, cuál es la anchura, la longitud, la altura y la profundidad, y conocer el amor de Cristo, que excede a todo conocimiento, para que sean llenos de toda la plenitud de Dios”.

Hubo otra ocasión en que Jesús fue ungido, pero con lágrimas, y ahí también aprendemos por qué debemos amar con generosidad.

ILUSTRACIÓN (ILUS): Jesús habló de dos deudores; uno debía 500 denarios y el otro 50. Ambos fueron perdonados generosamente. ¿Cuál de ellos amaría más?

Lucas 7: 36-50 – “A quien mucho se le perdona, mucho ama”…

Primero el amor; después el servicio.

Judas Iscariote se indignó, diciendo que el perfume podría haberse vendido y el dinero haberse dado a los pobres.
Jesús lo corrigió: “Déjala en paz. Ella ha hecho esto para prepararme para el día de mi sepultura. A los pobres siempre los tendrás contigo, pero a mí no siempre me tendrás”.
Jesús no dijo que hubiera nada malo en ayudar a los pobres; de hecho, las Escrituras nos animan a tener un corazón compasivo y generoso, y un corazón dispuesto a servir a los demás.
María comprendió la importancia de amar primero a Dios, y amar con generosidad, y luego, de la abundancia del corazón, surge un corazón dispuesto a servir.
María y Marta aprendieron esta lección. María había aprendido la importancia de sentarse a los pies de Jesús, lo cual, según Jesús, era lo mejor.
Cuando pensamos en una vida plena y eficaz, una vida que logra mucho, podríamos pensar que se trata de la persona que más trabaja, la que más se esfuerza. Pero Dios nos da una respuesta mejor.

Salmo 127:1-2, “Si Jehová no edifica la casa, en vano trabajan los que la edifican; si Jehová no guarda la ciudad, en vano velan los centinelas . En vano madrugas, y te acuestas tarde, y comes el pan de penosos trabajos; porque es Él quien da a sus amados aun mientras duermen”.

ILUS: Cuando Israel caminaba por el desierto, se enfrentó a un enemigo terrible: los Amalecitas. Josué estaba en la batalla, al mando de los ejércitos de Israel, pero Moisés permaneció con las manos alzadas hacia Dios. Solo elevando oraciones y alabanzas lograron la victoria.

Santiago 5:16, “La oración eficaz del justo puede lograr mucho”.

Isaías 40:29, 31, “Él es quien da fuerzas al cansado, y al que carece de vigor aumenta su poder… Los que esperan en el Señor renovarán sus fuerzas, levantarán alas como las águilas, correrán y no se cansarán, caminarán y no desfallecerán”.

Sé un dulce aroma para Dios.

Cuando María vertió el frasco de alabastro con perfume sobre Jesús, la habitación se llenó de la fragancia.
¡Qué hermosa imagen del corazón de María! De hecho, hay un pasaje bíblico que expresa algo similar: “Somos para Dios un aroma de Cristo, que por medio de nosotros da a conocer en todo lugar su presencia”.

ILUS: Tu olor refleja lo que te rodea. El aire fresco tiene un aroma característico; el césped recién cortado, sin duda. Cuando trabajaba en el restaurante, siempre llegaba a casa con un olor peculiar en la ropa. En África se percibía el olor constante del humo de las fogatas. Al llegar a casa, un vecino estaba quemando hojas, y eso me hizo pensar inmediatamente en África.

Esa es la clave. El aroma de tu carácter proviene de lo que sucede en tu interior. Ahí es donde Cristo transforma la muerte en vida.

ILUS: Cuando abres la puerta de tu corazón, invitas a Cristo a la parte más íntima de tu vida. De ahí proviene la esencia de tu carácter. ¿Dejarás que el Señor obre en ello?

No desperdicies tu vida

En otro evangelio, sabemos que cuando Judas protestó, dijo: “¿Por qué este derroche?”
A partir de los versículos que siguen, comprendemos su verdadera motivación. No le preocupaban los pobres; simplemente intentaba darles un aire de justicia. Pero era un ladrón y solía robar dinero.
“¿Por qué este derroche?”, preguntó Judas. No era un derroche; era un amor extravagante. Les diré lo que sí fue un derroche: Judas. Judas mismo era un derroche.
Sus propios ojos habían visto mucho de lo que Jesús había hecho. Estuvo allí cuando Jesús calmó el mar, estuvo allí cuando Jesús sanó a diez leprosos a la vez, cuando expulsó una legión de demonios con la palabra de su poder, y estuvo allí cuando Jesús resucitó a Lázaro de entre los muertos.
Su vida fue un desperdicio porque, a pesar de todo lo que Dios había derramado ante él, su única prioridad era él mismo.

APLICACIÓN (APL): Demasiadas personas tienen una sola motivación: ellas mismas.

Filipenses 2:3-4, “No hagan nada por egoísmo… consideren a los demás como superiores a ustedes mismos; no busquen solo sus propios intereses, sino también los intereses de los demás”.

Dios dice esto por una buena razón: centrarse solo en uno mismo es envenenar el alma.

ILUS: Si una persona dedicara su vida a perseguir riqueza y estatus, e incluso lo lograra, y luego pasara los años restantes de su vida gastando y disfrutando de toda la riqueza y el estatus que había acumulado, ¿No diríamos también: “¡Qué desperdicio!”? “A quien mucho se le da, mucho se le exige”, dijo Jesús.

La vida de Judas da un giro que tendrá un final trágico. Traicionará a Jesús a los líderes judíos por dinero: treinta monedas de plata. ¡Qué desperdicio!

ILUS: En los años 60, durante la época de la cultura de las drogas, cuando alguien se drogaba, se decía que estaba “colocado”. Esa generación se rebelaba contra la cultura de la época. No querían malgastar sus vidas en el materialismo, el amiguismo corporativo y la corrupción gubernamental de entonces. Pero “colocarse” y malgastar su vida tampoco era la solución.

Pero también en los años 60, hubo otros; los hippies de esa generación, que comenzaron a sentarse a los pies de Jesús, a escuchar la Palabra de Dios, a comprender su corazón y a enamorarse de Él. Empezaron a enseñar a otros y decenas de miles han transformado sus vidas gracias a aquellos de esa generación que no desperdiciaron sus vidas. Las emplearon para la gloria de Dios.

No te arrepientas de nada.

Varios días después, esta misma María vería morir a Jesús ante sus ojos. Presenciaría el cumplimiento de la profecía de su crucifixión y resurrección.
Al verlo colgado allí en la cruz, no se arrepentiría de haberlo amado con tanta intensidad.
De hecho, en Mateo Jesús dijo: “Dondequiera que se predique este evangelio en todo el mundo, se hablará de lo que esta mujer ha hecho, en memoria de ella”.
¿Para qué sirven los monumentos conmemorativos? Sirven para recordar una vida bien vivida, una vida plena. Contemplen el amor incondicional de María y comprendan que nosotros también debemos amar con la misma intensidad.
Que al final de tu vida sepas que viviste bien; que amaste con intensidad y que tu vida fue un monumento y un testimonio de Su amor por ti.

ILUS: En 1904, William Borden se graduó de una escuela secundaria en Chicago. Heredero de la fortuna familiar Borden, nació en una familia adinerada. Como regalo de graduación, sus padres le obsequiaron a Borden, de 16 años, un viaje alrededor del mundo. Mientras el joven viajaba por Asia, Oriente Medio y Europa, sintió una creciente preocupación por las personas que sufrían en el mundo. Finalmente, William Borden escribió a casa expresando su deseo de ser misionero. Un amigo se mostró incrédulo ante la idea de que Bill se dedicara a la labor misionera.

En respuesta, Borden escribió dos palabras en la parte posterior de su Biblia: “Sin reservas”. En otras palabras, “No me guardo nada”.

Borden fue a Yale y sus compañeros notaron algo inusual en él, y no era que tuviera mucho dinero. Vieron que ya había entregado su corazón por completo a Cristo y que lo decía de corazón. Era un hombre de gran fortaleza espiritual con un propósito claro en la vida, de trabajo bien remunerado , las cuales rechazó todas. En su Biblia, escribió dos palabras más: “Sin retroceso”. En otras palabras: no había vuelta atrás. Sin reservas; sin retiradas.

Borden se centró en el pueblo musulmán de Kansu, en China. Una vez que fijó su mirada en ese objetivo, Borden jamás vaciló. Otros decían de él: “Tenía una fuerza inquebrantable, y siempre sentí que estaba hecho de la misma pasta que los mártires y los misioneros heroicos de tiempos más modernos”.

Como esperaba trabajar con musulmanes, primero se detuvo en Egipto para estudiar árabe. Allí contrajo meningitis espinal. A los pocos meses, William Borden, de 25 años, falleció. Una ola de tristeza recorrió el mundo. ¿Acaso la vida de Borden fue un desperdicio? Desde la perspectiva de Dios, no. Antes de morir, Borden había escrito dos palabras más en su Biblia. Esta vez, escribió sus últimas palabras: “Sin remordimientos”. Sin reservas; sin retiradas; sin arrepentimientos.

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