The gospel story tells us that the journey of Jesus is almost complete. It is six days before the Passover, six days before he was betrayed, only a week before his crucifixion. But today he is in Bethany, enjoying the hospitality of Lazarus and Mary and Martha. During the meal Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume, as if he was already dead. Perhaps some of the other disciples knew that Jesus was about to die, but it was Mary who shared his sufferings during the meal at Bethany. Judas, thinking of the budget, is horrified at the expense. But Jesus is past caring about budgets, for he is within a day’s journey from Jerusalem. And it is in Jerusalem where he will die. He knows it, and Mary knows and we know, that he will be welcomed on Palm Sunday with shouts of joy. But on Good Friday he will be crucified amidst the jeers of the crowd.

Then, on the third day, the first day of the week, the first day of the new covenant of God, the first day of the Christian faith and the first day of the church, there will be the Resurrection.

Now, we’re going to celebrate all these things. We will try to walk with Christ from Bethany to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We will share the last Supper on Maundy Thursday, and on Good Friday we go with Christ to the Cross at Golgotha. In the darkness of Easter Eve we will light the New Fire and on Easter Day we celebrate the Resurrection.

We are Christians and followers of Christ. Over the next two weeks we will follow Christ through his welcome to Jerusalem, his betrayal, his death and burial. At last we will come to Christ’s resurrection. We do this to remind ourselves that Christ walks with us when we are welcomed, when we are betrayed and when we die. We remind ourselves that death is not the end. There is always the Resurrection ahead of us.

And the lesson today is from St Paul. Hear his words, “If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more. For I was circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” St Paul has done all the right things according to his religion. I might find myself saying exactly the same thing. Look, here is my baptism certificate, my confirmation certificate to show that I am a true member of the church. Here is my degree in theology to show how hard I have studied. Here is my certificate of ordination as a Deacon and as a Priest, and my licence as Rector of this Parish.

But it’s all rubbish, worthless pieces of paper, meaningless scribble.

And why? Listen to St Paul again. “I regard these things as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul has set aside all his religious and personal past so that he can know Jesus. In the same way Mary disregarded the cost of the perfume. Jesus’ feet had to be anointed for his death. Mary and Paul both understood that they had to be as close as possible to Jesus Christ in his sufferings and in his death. St Paul wants to know Christ and the power of the resurrection so that he, Paul, may experience resurrection himself. Mary did not write her feelings down, but by her actions showed that the only thing she wanted to do was to be as close to Christ as life and death and whatever lay beyond that first Good Friday.

So where does that leave us? We are Christians, we are Anglicans and member of this congregation, and in a little while we will commission our Parish Councillors and Wardens. Some of us are full of joy because children have been born. Some of us grieve for those whose lives have been cruelly cut short. Some of us are working hard with heavy burdens to bear, and some of us are looking forward to holidays. We all have different needs and we are all at different places in our journey of life.

But today and each Sunday our first aim is to know the power and love of God brought to us through Jesus Christ. Without this hope our lives are wasted. St Paul told the Corinthian church that all his work was useless without the love of God. All the missionary journeys and church planting and letter writing had to be part of his faith, part of his struggle to know Christ in the same way as Christ knew him, to own Christ in the same way that Christ owned him.

This is the way we should live too. Over the last few Sundays I have spoken of God’s commitment to love us; no matter what. I have spoken of the opportunities that God provides for us to share, rejoice and grow in new life. Today I am talking about our determination to be true followers of Christ. None of us are perfect. I know that I have made many mistakes and I have often behaved badly. But I thank God that I these can be set aside, I can start again, I can be reconciled, and by God’s grace I can grow in the knowledge and love of God.

Every day is a test of my determination, every day brings challenges. Each morning I can take time to remind myself of God’s grace and mercy and every day I can renew my determination to be a true Christian.

Lent is the season of the year when God’s love and Christ’s commitment are brought into our minds. The events of Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter bring our life with Christ to a sharp focus. Let us pray that our faith will be strengthened and our lives renewed. Let us work together with God to change our lives and our world.