Psalm 126 - Weeping and Laughter

John 12:1-8 - Mary anoints Jesus' feet

1. In Psalm 126, the writer remembers the laughter and rejoicing that accompanied God’s deliverance and restoration. How can recalling the great things the Lord has done for us sustain us in difficult times?
2. Can you think of a time when you said, “I made it through that; I can make it through this”?
3. Though we don’t like to say it, it could be easy to become like Judas in John 12:1-8 — an utter outsider to the scene between Jesus and Mary. Mary has surrendered to the love of God that seeks us in Jesus, and she shows it through her extravagant gesture. Meanwhile, Judas can see only the monetary gain he loses out on. What ways can a Judas-like spirit infect our spirits? 1. Our leadership role in the body of Christ is no longer connected to our primary and profound love of God. 2. We start to calculate the cost of discipleship - weighing the costs versus the benefits.
4. John 12:3 tells us, “the house was filled with the fragrance of faith.” What does the “fragrance of faith” look like in our lives? We naturally think of Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
5. What are some ways we can misread Jesus’ words in verse 8, “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me”? Is Jesus prioritizing worship over meeting the needs of the poor? No. Is Jesus saying that poverty is an accepted fact of life? No. Jesus is saying that his followers will always live in close proximity to the poor. It is integral to our identity in Christ.
6. Judas uses the poor as a means to an end. He co-opts the language of solidarity with the least and the last for his purposes. Politicians and the powers-that-be are proficient at Judas’s pious language, too. Do Christians have a responsibility to speak out on behalf of the poor in public spaces? In what ways?
7. Suffering limits our vision; redemption raises our vision. Let’s celebrate the new hope that we have or the constant hope that we remember…So, cast the vision. What is there to laugh about? What joy is within reach? What testimony can we give to redemption, rescue, and hope?
8. In what situation or setting are you called to cast a vision of redemption, rescue, and hope?