All my Devotion Poured at the Feet of Jesus

Introduction

Jesus We Love You

There is a song by Bethel called “Jesus We Love You” the bridge of that song is taken from the story of the woman who breaks the alabaster box and pours the expensive perfumed oil over the feet of Jesus.

The writers of the song were using that imagery when they wrote the bridge

“Our affections, our devotion, poured out at the feet of Jesus”

I want to jump off from there into our conversation today.

Devotion

What is devotion? What does it mean to be devoted to someone or something?

Oxford Dictionary defines “devotion” - love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause

But those are more feeling words and even in the Bible there is a sense of confusion in the translating of devotion that I believe gets lost in the translation from one culture to another.

Here’s why. When we look at devotion we thing of people who are devout as we should. And devout people aren’t just affectionate or enthusiastic about someone or something. In fact, in Hebrew it is deeper than a feeling.

Devout

A devout person (Heb. ḥeseḏ) is someone who acts in good faith. A better way to translate it is faithfulness of fidelity.

Faithfulness

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Faithful; Faithfulness

FAITHFULNESS [Heb. ʾāman, ʾĕmûnâ, ʾēmûn, ʾĕmeṯ; Aram ʾaman]; AV also TRUTH, TRULY, STEADFAST (Ps. 78:8), ASSUREDLY (Jer. 32:41), “in their office of trust” (2 Ch. 31:15, 18); NEB LOYAL, TRUSTWORTHY, TRUE, TRUTH (FUL), SURE, CERTAIN, WELL-MEANT

Fidelity

faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

there is a definition that I think can also be applied

the degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced.

There is a sense of unwavering commitment to God.

I am reminded of Polycarp when he was tried for his faith and was told to “swear by the genius of caesar (swearing allegiance to Caesar) and he replied

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Polycarp (Person)

For eighty-six years I have served [Christ], and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?”

Christ the Center

This is the reality of God’s lordship in our lives. He must not be the best thing, or the first thing, he must be the only thing, the central thing of which everything else in our lives revolves around.

You can’t have to centers to anything there is only one.

Matthew 6:24 NIV84

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

This is about money but the universal truth here still applies we see the same principle when Jesus says,

Luke 14:26–27 NIV84

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

I’ve said it before and once again, If God is number one in your life there is no number two.

But this is how we try to live. God is important when we must think about him, but we allow our lives to prioritize God’s placement in the rhythm of our lives instead of allowing God to set the rhythm.

When people watch us lead worship they will naturally (most of them) will think wow they must love Jesus, wow they are so in tuned with the flow of the Spirit (Hopefully they will say that)

But I always say that our ministry on the platform is validate by our life off the platform.

What is our Center?

Or who is our center?

You can see around what or whom a person’s life revolves.

Look at their calendar

Look at their bank account

What in your life has taken Jesus’ rightful place as center?

Is it your comfort?

Is it your schedule?

is it your dreams?

Is it someone else?

Is it a ministry or opportunity?

What has occupied the center of your life?

Parable of the Seed

Matthew 13:1–9 NIV84

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Jesus actually gives the meaning of this text a few verses later.

Matthew 13:18–23 NIV84

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

These are people who recieved the word. They believed the Gospel of the Kingdom and took it to heart, but there devotion was placed somewhere else. They allowed the cares of this life to take center place in their lives. And the Gospel was choked out.

Devotion=Submission & Sacrifice

Devotion is attached to both submission and sacrifice (two attributes we have already talked about).

Devotion is unwavering submission and commitment even if it costs you something - it looks like Polycarp.

It takes work, we don’t always feel like following Jesus.

But because of who he is and what He has done, we give Him everything.

Poured Out

That is how Paul considered himself as nothing more than a drink offering being poured out for God.

To what is your life being poured out?

Is it your life a pathway to fame?

Where is your time and money going?

Where are your dreams going?

Where does your energy go?

Why do you do what you do?

I have coached a lot of musicians and worship leaders and most of the time, when they imagine their life, they seem themselves on a platform in front of an ideal audience with a spotlight on themselves.

If that is your dream then you are in the center - what would it look like for you to remove yourself from the center and put Jesus there.

Would you give up your dream if it was the only way for Jesus to be in the center?

I’m not saying that it is, but what does in profit anyone to gain the whole world yet lose their soul.

You can’t have fidelity to two things.

You can’t be commited to two things.

You can’t serve two masters.

Two things cannot occupy the center of your life, there is only enough space for one and that must be Jesus.