The Reason Underneath

What is your most valuable possession?

Think about this for a moment. What do you have which has more “value” to you than anything else. It does not have to be financial value but could be.

Motives are important.

This does not mean just because someone “meant to” or “didn’t mean to” we just brush off things. But, why we do what we do matters just as much as what we do. How we do thigns matters as much as what we do.

We must allow Scripture to read us!

What do I mean by this? We cannot come to Jesus and see the characters as just someone else but possibly our self. We must be willing to say, who am I most like in this passage?

Mary was extravagant in her worship.

She saved up a bottle of pure nard perfume, roughly one years worth of wages, possibly a family inheritance or what she could use to secure her future security.

Mary was humble in her worship.

It was never about Mary, always about Jesus. Her willingness to let down her hair and wipe Jesus’ feet is important to realize.

Judas was self-centered in his worship.

Judas cared about a few things, even Jesus, but more about himself and what he could get from Him.

Judas was calculated in worship and sounded “reasonable” and “pious”.

This is not necessarily a bad thing but sometimes worshipping Jesus is not going to sound or look reasonable or pious.

We worship Jesus then do good works.

Worship of Jesus must come before any work for Jesus. We do not engage in feeding the poor because it is a good idea or necessary. We do it out of our worship to, for and with Jesus.

How do you worship Jesus? Which one are you?

This is where we may not like the answer. Yet, we must always submit to the Holy Spirit.

What is Jesus saying to you? Who else needs to hear this message? How can the church help?

The church we visit while on vacation, Shoreline Church, asks these questions every week. I think they are great questions. It helps us focus on Jesus, remember others need to hear Jesus’ message, and that we do it together.