A Heart that Worships

Introduction:

Matthew 26:6–13 ESV

6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Pray

1. Her Worship Was Costly (vv. 6-9)

The flask was a very expensive oil

John 12:4-5 and Mark 14:5 tells us how expensive it was

John 12:4–5 ESV

4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

300 denarii is about 300 days of wages

More than most women could earn

This means that this was most likely a family heirloom

The oil would have been saved for very special occasions like burials or weddings

The woman poured it on Jesus’s head and feet when we combine the record of all of the 3 gospel accounts

She did not give some of it, but gave it all and kept nothing back for herself

2. Her Worship Was Limited (v. 7-8)

She only had a limited amount of oil in the flask

We only have a limited amount of worship that we can give

Anytime we give it to another, we steal praise and glory from God

3. Her Worship Was Misunderstood (v.8-9)

The Disciples considered what she was doing as a waste

They scolded her (Mark 14:5)

Mark 14:5 ESV

5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

The world will not understand Christ-centered worship because it will not look like the worship of the world

Humanitarian aid is a byproduct of a Christian walk, but it is not the aim or goal

Cartoon:

If modern methods of evangelism were employed that seek humanitarian aid above all else, the prodigal would never have seen his true condition and returned to the father to be saved

4. Her Worship Was Focused on Christ (vv. 10-13)

She poured out, or anointed, Jesus with the oil

As mentioned above, the oil that was poured out pointed to the Messiah

Messiah means anointed one

She poured out all she had and then began to wipe Jesus’s feet with her hair

Her hair was her glory - 1 Cor. 11:15

1 Corinthians 11:15 ESV

15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

She took her glory and debased herself to become lower than even a servant

A servant might wash the feet of a master, but would use a towel. They were never instructed to use their hair.

Her hair reflected the giving up of all of her own glory for Jesus’s sake.

Christ-centered worship is not about the person giving worship, but on the object of worship - Jesus

Most people will try to worship like the rest of the world does

The greatest, most enjoyable worship service ever recorded in the Bible that was the most fun and entertaining was the worship that took place before the golden calf at Mt. Sinai

Ex 32:1-10

Ex 32:25-30

People are created to worship and our heart will find something to worship.

John Calvin: “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.”

When you look at the pantheon of false gods this world has set up over the centuries, you will see that they are mostly crafted after the image of man. They have our weaknesses and our sinful urges and desires.

God has crafted man after His own image, but the fall has marred that image to that of the fallen creature.

Where is your worship directed?

Is it based on your preferences or God’s divine instruction in His word?

Is it focused on how you feel or how God feels about it?

Is it focused on what you do or what Christ has done?

Is it holy or is hedonistic?

Application

This may anger some of you.

You may say, that’s not fair.

You may say, but I like to do this or that.

That’s the very point I’m making. Worship is not about what you like it’s about what God has said.

Most Christians have good intentions, but they have no idea the amount of mass-marketing and psychological research that goes into the mainstream worship movements of today.

The reason the mega churches are mega is because they focus on man and not on God. They have hype and energy and positive vibes. So did the Israelites at Mt. Sinai.

This does not mean that Christ-centered worship is not exciting, but the excitement comes from a heart that has been saved out of hell and not simply because it feels good or sounds good.

Paul could have employed all of the tricks of the theater to wow the crowds when he preached, but instead he relied on the Holy Spirit and wrote this

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 ESV

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Conclusion

The woman esteemed that Christ was worth more than anything she had or ever could have.

He is the Pearl of Great Price

He is the Treasure in the Field

If not now when?

Syro. Phoenician woman

Heal daughter

Even the crumbs that fall from the table

Stray dogs

Make the best pets

They know what life was like when they were lost

Know what they have now in a good master

We are like the stray dogs. We must come home to the father and receive the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation

To do this, we must give up everything and follow Christ