CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
May 11, 2025
The story of the other Mary
John 12: 1-3
A couple of weeks
ago I said on Mother’s Day we would take a look at Mary the mother of Jesus. I
am not sure how good your memories are but as I was looking at Mary’s life, I
came to the realization that I shared her story last year. So, this Mother’s
Day we are going to look at Mary of Bethany instead.
In the verses
we read today we see that 6 days before Passover, the Passover right before Jesus
crucifixion, Jesus is in the town near
to Jerusalem of Bethany. We see that some of Jesus closest friends live there and
they provide Jesus with a special dinner. In the 11th chapter of John
is where we see the story of Lazarus. For a little back ground, Mary and her
sister Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother and Jesus good friend was dying,
and Jesus needed to come immediately to save him. We all know the story, that Jesus
stayed 2 more days where he was at before coming to Bethany, Lazarus’s home
town. When Jesus had first reached the outskirts of Bethany he was meet by Martha
who told him that Lazarus was dead. After talking to her for a while he sent
Martha to get her sister, Mary. Ultimately Lazarus was raised from the dead and
Mary’s thoughts about Jesus and his power and authority were forever changed.
So, getting
back to what is happening in the verses we read this morning we see Jesus is having
a meal with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus as well as others. During their time together
Mary gets up and gets some expensive perfume that she had and proceeds to wash Jesus’
feet with the perfume and dry his feet with her hair. Judas, who was the money
keeper for Jesus, thought this a waste of money implying the perfume could have
been sold and could have helped a lot of people. Jesus said in the 7th
verse “leave her alone, it was intended that she should save this perfume for my
burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have
me.”
Jesus was acknowledging
the Love and respect Mary had for him as well as a spiritual understanding God
had revealed to her of what was about to
happen to Jesus even though she didn’t really understand it at the time. Mary was
always the one who would step out in faith and do things that at times others
didn’t understand because she was open to the Holy Spirits leading.
In Luke the 10th
chapter beginning with the 38th verse we read this, “as Jesus and
his disciples were on their way, they came to a village where a woman named Martha
opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s
feet listening to what he said. Martha was distracted by all the preparations that
had to be made. She came to him and asked, Lord, don’t you care that my sister
has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me! Martha, Martha the
Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing
is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”
So, we again
see that Mary is feeling the need to be a part of what Jesus is doing at the time
and even her sister isn’t happy about how things are going at this moment. Whether
these 2 dinners mentioned in Luke and John are the same or different we don’t know.
There are a couple of differences in what is going on. What we see in both is
the fact that Mary has such love and desire to learn from Jesus that she is willing
to risk the anger and frustration of her sister to be in the middle of what is
happening.
Mary is one
of the great women of the Bible because she knew what a life changing man Jesus
was. In many ways her worship and commitment to the Savior of the world was more
powerful and honest than the disciples, who had spent 3 years with Jesus. Mary
is a powerful example to, first of all, every woman of how love and commitment is
always going to be rewarded when your priorities are in the right things and
the right places.
To the mothers
here this morning the examples of sacrifice and love no matter the cost that
Mary examples are obvious in virtually every one of you. It isn’t always easy or
popular to stand up for your family and the values you hold dear but with our Savior
on your side you have the power to do whatever the Lord inspires you to do.
There are many
examples of great mothers and great women in the Bible. Whether it be Moses’ mother
who loved her son so much she was willing to let him go so he could live. Or Ruth
that we read about 2 weeks ago whose love and devotion to her mother-in-law was
so undying she would leave her home to go to a new land and worship the God she
had come to respect from Naomi. Or Mary, Jesus’ mother who answered the call
God placed before her without hesitation saying let it be as you say.
Then we have
today’s example of a woman who did things as she felt led and every time someone
questioned what she was doing Jesus came to her rescue. May each of you women
here today continue to find inspiration and courage from these women who stood
for the Lord even when people questioned them. Your church needs you; your
families need you and your God needs you. Thank you for everything you have done
in the past and are
doing now in
the present. God Bless you may it be said of you what Jesus said of Mary, you
have chosen what is better and it will not be taken from you.
Thank you, may God continue to bless you and may all of you women have a great and blessed Mothers Day.
Pastor Larry
Announcements:
Sunday School 9:00
Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study
May 14 Women’s Fellowship
lunch 12:00—baked potato bar—sign up sheet in the back
May 17 7:00 pm CGHS Graduation
May 18 Council meeting after
worship
June 1 Strawberry Festival—sign
up sheet in back for pie crusts and other food needs
First Sundays: Food Bank donations
Pastor Larry Traxler (217) 454-2362
Keep in Your Prayers
Vallen (Tracy’s
granddaughter); Pat Creviston; Stacie Warren; Doris Morganthaler; Nancy
Fansler; Ruth Siburt; Dorthea Wood; Mike and Kathy Gentry; Steve Needham; Larry
Traxler; Nancy Gorrell; Nora Hanaver; Ron and Kathleen Petersen; Doug Larrick; Louis
& Carol Sulwer; Shirley & Carroll Clarkson; David and Jan Bower; Debbie
Garvey Leibrock; Adiline Young; Mayo and Darlene Hanaver; many unspoken
requests; victims of shootings and of natural disasters; shut-ins; the Nigerian
church; the Haitian church; the CoB in the Democratic Republic of Congo; those
in the middle of war and violence; military and other services and their
families; Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers
