Lent 05: The Extravagant Love of God

After talking about Mary’s over-the-top and unreasonably lavish display of love for Jesus in John 12, Tim said that this text invites us to think about what opportunities would have been missed if Mary had cared about all the social taboos she was ignoring in her actions, and had not anointed Jesus’ feet.  Take a minute to really think through the scene and the moment. What do you think would have been missed? For Mary? For Jesus? For those who witnessed the moment? For us and others who read of it all these years later? You might address those scenarios one-at-a-time in your discussion.

Tim shared a slide that read, “we face the same choice all the time, between playing it safe…or having the courage to love lavishly, generously, holding nothing back.”  In what areas, relationships, or spaces do you need this reminder most? Where is it most difficult for you to love and demonstrate your love without holding back? With family? Friends? The marginalized? Your partner? Someone else?  In which contexts, if any, do you find it easier to demonstrate your love in lavish and generous ways?  Why do you think it is that the places that feel easier feel that way, and that the spaces in which it feels harder feel as they do? Do you see themes or commonalities in your responses that could help you become more aware of the places you hit resistance and restraint?

As he closed his sermon, Tim reminded us that every single person out there in the world is fighting really hard battles and is “armored up” as they try not to get hurt. Christians, he said, are the ones who should be out piercing through those coats of armor with love.  What do you think about this idea? What does it look like? How does it work?  What armor do you tend to wear as you live your daily life? Have you had experiences in which someone else has helped to pierce your own armor? If so, how did they do it?  Can you think of people in your spheres who you sense need someone to help pierce their own self-protective armor? What would it look like for you to begin to do that with your love? What barriers might you encounter?