Displaying Jesus to a Postmodern World (John 12:1-11)
Uncovering the proclaiming power of being living martyrs and anointing feet
As Charles the third was coronated as king, one of his sovereign titles, like his mother’s before him, became ‘Defender of the Faith’. But as we look over an increasingly post-Christian society here in the West, we can’t help but wonder: By the time William (Charles’ son) is king of England and takes on the title of ‘Defender of the Faith’ himself, will there be a faith left for the king to defend?
With a steady decline of those Australians ticking ‘Christian’, and a rising of the ‘nones’—those who align themselves ‘no religion’—what might it look like for you and I to defend the faith?1 What might it look like for you and I to proclaim Jesus, in a post-Christian world?
At a recent men’s ministry event, some of us present were reflecting on how increasingly challenging it can be to talk to others about our faith in our workplaces and social circles. Perhaps you’ve experienced this challenge too.
One reason things have become more challenging, is over the past few decades, our society has shifted. So what was effective in twentieth-century outreach and evangelism, may not be, in the postmodern society in which we now live.
This is because the modernity of the twentieth-century relied on two main assumptions about the world: ‘The first is that the scientific method results in objective truth. The second is that truth is available through reason.’2
So it made sense that our Christian outreach would appeal to these assumptions, with the popularity of apologetics and logical arguments that pointed us to the truth of Jesus’ existence and why we should believe in him. But in a postmodern society, we’re finding that these modernist assumptions about how we arrive at truth are generally both rejected.
So what might it look like for you and I to proclaim Jesus, in a postmodern, post-Christian world, where objective truth seems hard to come by?
THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘DISPLAYING’ JESUS
Theologian Robert Webber says something really interesting about this. He writes:
‘Postmodern evangelism is not so much an argument but a display. … We display what these words mean in the way we live and worship so that its reality, once displayed, cannot be denied, only rejected or entered into.’3
How might we might display the reality of Jesus to our postmodern society? John 12:1–11 gives us two powerful ways we can do that.
John 12: Setting the scene
Let’s follow the narrative of the passage first.
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
In verse 1, John sets the scene: ‘Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany.’
It was coming very near the end for Jesus. He knew that he would soon die in Jerusalem. He spends that week in Bethany, a town just outside the city.4 Bethany was the hometown of his beloved friends Mary, Martha, and the freshly raised Lazarus.
And on this night, Jesus has been invited to a dinner, a banquet in his honour. So we enter the scene, and Jesus is enjoying a banquet alongside the man whose life has been completely transformed by him. Can you imagine the elation and celebration present in the room?
But then, something unexpected. In walks Mary. And she’s carrying something.
Now back in Luke 10, remember it was Mary who, instead of helping her sister with the housework, sat herself down at Jesus’ feet to learn from him (Luke 10:38–42). And Jesus praised Mary for her devotion.
And once again, here is Mary, this time carrying an alabaster jar. The conversation stops. All eyes are on her. She once again makes her way to Jesus’ feet. To everyone’s surprise, Mary breaks open the jar and slowly starts pouring its fragrant oil all over Jesus’ feet.
As everyone watches, Mary unties her hair in front of Jesus and lets it down. The first-century household would be asking: What is she doing? Women don’t let their hair down in public like this?5 And then to make it even more confronting, Mary starts wiping the expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet; with her own hair! And as she does this dramatic, vulnerable, costly act, John adds: ‘And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.’ (John 12:3)
I wonder if you have ever smelled an odour, and it has taken you straight back to a vivid memory? The smell of a delicious curry, a particular brand of perfume, perhaps an unpleasant smell? I once took someone for a drive in my car. And they accidentally spilt a bottle of Balsamic Vinegar all over the footwell! And now, every time I smell Balsamic Vinegar on a salad, it takes me right back to that moment. It’s so vivid for me. No doubt this aroma would have had the same effect on all those there on that memorable night.
So how does this part of John 12 equip us to display Jesus today? John gives us two ways.
i. Living Martyrs: The power of sharing your Jesus story (John 12:1–2; 9–11)
The first way we can display Jesus to the world is by being ‘living martyrs’. And by that I mean: recognise the power of sharing your ‘Jesus story’.
In the New Testament, the Greek verb μαρτυρέω (martueo), from where we get the word ‘martyr’, simply means to testify or to witness. In a postmodern world where rational, objective truth seems hard to come by, living and telling our story about how Jesus has impacted us, is one of the most powerful and compelling things we can do. And we see this in the life of Lazarus, don’t we?
As Mary is turning heads inside the house, outside we see there is a crowd forming, verse 9. Why are they here? Well the crowd wants to see Jesus, but notice that they’re also wanting to see Lazarus. Why? Because Lazarus is a living, breathing, testament to the work of Jesus. And his story was compelling, it was undeniable, and in verse 11, John ends our passage by saying that many of the Jews were believing in Jesus… because of Lazarus.
And what I love about John’s Gospel is that Lazarus’ witness is just one of many examples of this:
The woman at the well in John 4 encountered Jesus and went on to lead people to him (John 4:39–42).
The man born blind and healed by Jesus in John 9 went on to tell everyone he met about what Jesus had done for him, even the Pharisees (John 9:25, 27).
And later in John 12, those men and women who were witnesses of Jesus’ work in Lazarus, they too in John 12:17 went on to μαρτυρέω, to witness, to tell their story.
They all continued to display Jesus to a watching world.
A story of healing
Last month at a thanksgiving service, amongst the many encouraging stories of Jesus working in people’s lives, I remember hearing one person share their story about being diagnosed with a terminal illness, then receiving prayer for healing in Jesus’ name, and now living free from illness. In their words: ‘I was sick. Now I'm not. And all that was in between is Jesus.’
Stories like this are powerful, living displays of Jesus. The power of a story about Jesus is that they ‘cannot be denied, only rejected or entered into.’6
Your story
Maybe Jesus’ work in your life may not feel as dramatic as a miraculous healing. But if you are a Christian, we all have a powerful story to share, and we all are called to ‘be prepared to [share] the reason for the hope that you have.’ (1 Peter 3:15). Reach out to a mature Christian in your circles if you would like help thinking through your Jesus story, and how to share it.
ii. Anointing Feet: The power of costly devotion to Jesus (12:3–8)
A second way we can display Jesus to the world is by ‘anointing feet’. By ‘anointing feet’ I mean, expressing our costly devotion to Jesus.
We live in a society where we will happily spend money on things we believe are important. We can spend tens of thousands of dollars on that once-in-a-lifetime holiday. The average cost of a wedding in Australia is something like $50,000. The fireworks in Melbourne on New Year’s Eve cost $4.5 million. We happily spend lots of money on things which we believe are important.
What would it look like if we displayed and showcased the importance of Jesus, by our costly devotion to him? What would it look like for our witness if we were more like Mary? I appreciate what Josh Moody says about this. He writes:
‘Worship of Jesus… is to be fulsome and to express the value that Jesus has as the One above all other values.’7
Mary got this. Whether or not she fully realised in how imminent Jesus’ death would be as she anointed his body, Jesus’ response to Mary’s devotion was full of praise.
In Jesus’ eyes, Mary’s costly investment in Jesus was fitting for who he was; it was fitting for this unique moment in salvation history; it was fitting for the infinite value of what Jesus was about to give on the cross. I love that in Jesus’ eyes, no genuine act of devotion is wasted (see Matthew 26:13; Mark 14:9). As far as I can tell, this is the first time in John that Jesus begins speaking openly about his death. Jesus used Mary’s act of extravagant generosity, to introduce his own costly giving of himself.
So what might ‘anointing feet’ look like for you and I today?
Extravagant financial generosity
Given the financial cost of the perfume, displaying our devotion to Jesus by our willingness to be extravagantly generous with our money is surely the most obvious application for us.
Some time ago someone was trying to sell their car. And there was a member of their church who, rather suddenly, had their car break down in an almost irreparable way. They needed a car to get to work and drop the kids off at school. Knowing that someone in the church was selling their car, another member of the church reached out to them privately and said, ‘If this person would like your car, I would like to pay you whatever amount you are wanting for it, so you can offer your car to them as a gift.’
I am also greatly encouraged by Christians that invest in giving extravagantly to building projects and other financial ministry appeals. It’s generosity motivated by a love of Jesus and making his church as welcoming as it can be. It demonstrates that Christians are people sacrificially devoted to the ministry and purposes of Jesus in their church.
Allegiance: Baptism
But it’s not just money that carries value, is it? One of the wonderful actions that carry value is that of Christian baptism. In coming forward for baptism, it is an undeniable act where Christians proclaim that in a pluralistic world vying for our allegiance, we declare, ‘Jesus, we want you to be first in our lives.’ This costly act of allegiance to Jesus is something worth celebrating. And for those who might be witnesses of someone’s baptism who are not sure what they think about Jesus themselves, baptism is an invitation to ask: ‘What kind of a person must Jesus be, for people around the world to joyfully devote themselves to following him?’
Time and service
Josh Moody writes:
‘For many of us in the West, time is the most costly item we have to offer: time spent serving Jesus, whether in children’s ministries or in the world of business, whether in preaching, or in evangelizing, whether as a leader of a committee or a cleaner of floors. And all of the time we pour out for Jesus, as we pour it into serving him, is a pleasing aroma to our Lord and Master.’8
I keep a digital timesheet. In this technological, productivity-driven age, I could quite easily ask AI to write me a sermon or article on John 12. That would certainly save me a lot of time. But one of the ways that I choose to serve Jesus and his people is with my time. Time spent prayerfully studying his word, time spent reading and listening to others, time spent reflecting and preparing, and then time spent editing it down so it’s as concise as it needs to be.
I love hearing people share their experiences when they return from Summer Missions and Red Frogs. One of the frequent things I hear is a sense of intrigue when the young people engaged with in these ministries realise that these Christians are freely, joyfully, volunteering to be there. (Or rather, paying money, to be there to serve them!) It inevitably raises the question in their mind: ‘Why? Why would you volunteer to spend a week with us? What is so important in your life that you would happily give away a week or more to be with us?’
The ways we intentionally invest our time, our values, and our finances, are all ways that we can display Jesus to a watching world.
iii. Be Ready: Criticism from inside (12:4–6); Persecution from outside (12:10–11)
But amongst the beaty of anointing feet and story sharing, John is also clear that we shouldn’t be surprised when we face opposition. John’s effectively saying: ‘When you proclaim Jesus, be ready for criticism from inside the church, and be ready for persecution from outside.
Criticism from inside
Did you notice in John 12, no sooner did Mary pour out the perfume, did Judas pipe up and criticise her for it. ‘Mary, what are you doing?! Do you have any idea how much that cost? Think of all the useful things you could have used that money for! Think of the poor and the needy that you could have supported instead?’
Christian Superbowl Ad: Wise or Waste?
You may have heard about the Christian ads aired during the American Super Bow the other week. And given how much money was invested to broadcast in that expensive time slot, it’s no surprise that other Christians have reacted using almost exactly the same words as Judas in our passage:
‘Millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads promoting Jesus would have been better spent on housing those sleeping outdoors and feeding those who are hungry.’9
Now I will leave it up to you to decide whether this ad was a wise investment or a waste, but we shouldn’t be surprised when costly investment in the name of Jesus attracts criticism—whether it’s a Super Bowl ad or a multi-million dollar church building project.
What’s the motivation of the heart?
The fact that Jesus praises Mary for the intention behind her costly devotion, shows us that when it comes to sacrificially giving for Jesus (with our finances, our allegiance, our time, etc), what matters most, is the intention of our heart. Ask yourself, am I motivated by a desire to love and please and proclaim Jesus with my actions? Could it be that an action that appears wasteful from my perspective, appears that way because I don’t know the heart of the person being generous?
Persecution from outside
Of course, criticism from within isn’t the only thing we face when proclaiming Jesus. John highlights that Lazarus himself faced persecution for his boldness to testify about his saviour. And you and I know all too well, the hardship, imprisonment, or worse that the worldwide church faces for the sake of the gospel.
Don’t give up!
Yes, we live in a postmodern, post-Christian society. Proclaiming Christ can be hard. Yes, we will face criticism from inside. Yes, we will experience persecution from outside. But let’s not shy away from proclaiming and displaying Christ in our world.
As we’ve seen in John 12, let’s display Jesus to the world. Displaying Jesus, both in our willingness to be living martyrs like Lazarus: being living witnesses who openly speak about Jesus’ work in our lives. And by expressing our costly devotion like Mary: being sacrificially generous with our finances, with our time, and with our decisions to a world that’s looking on.
You and I can’t know what the future holds for Christianity in Australia. But as we move towards the events of Good Friday and Easter, let’s remember the words of G. K. Chesterton who said:
‘Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.’10
If you are a Christian, you and I follow the one who is ‘the resurrection and the life’ (John 11:25). The one who is building his church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).
May Christ give us what we need to keep displaying him in our world today. May he use our words and our actions to bring people to himself.
Steve McAlpine, Will There Be a Faith Left For the New King to Defend?, December 2022, https://stephenmcalpine.com/will-there-be-a-faith-left-for-the-new-king-to-defend/
Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007), 62.
Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism, 63.
William Barclay, The Gospel of John: Volume 2 Chapters 8-21, Revised Edition. (Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press, 1975), 108–109.
Tom Wright, John for Everyone: Part 2, chapters 11-21 (London: SPCK Publishing, 2014), 23.
Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism, 63.
Josh Moody, John 1-12 For You (Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2017), 187.
Moody, John 1-12 For You, 188–189.
Solomon Missouri, What those behind the ‘He Gets Us’ Super Bowl ads seem not to get about Jesus (MSNBC, 13 February 2024), https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/he-gets-us-superbowl-ad-jesus-rcna138435
G. K. Chesterton, https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2420302-the-everlasting-man