Broken and Poured Out

TEXT: Please note with me three texts:

– “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

– “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.”

– “And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

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Point

So, there are three parts of the true believer’s life …

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: Be completely devoted to Jesus because he is infinitely worthy.

1) Salvation – being raised from the spiritual dead

2) Worship – an adoration of Christ that grows out of a love for Him

3) Service – an obedience to the One who raised you to a new spiritual life

Where do you stand on those three things?

As he spilled his blood, we should spill our hearts as an offering -to our King!

CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE SERMON: Be completely devoted to Jesus because he is infinitely worthy.

We are called to be good stewards of what has been entrusted to us. However, scripture also points to the right kind of opennness and generosity of spirit which reflects our love and worship towards God. Summary: This sermon challenges God's people to be completely devoted to Jesus on the basis of his infinite worth.

Rather, Jesus alludes to his worth!

Jesus deserves our utmost love and devotion.

The text shows us the ananointing of Jesus. Mary’s love to Christ displayed at such a cost to herflef - poured itself out!

The value of a gift demonstrates the value of a person.

This woman’s gift demonstrates that Jesus is absolutely worthy!

The text shows us the ananointing of Jesus. Mary’s love to Christ displayed at such a cost to herflef - poured itself out!

The disciples fail to understand Jesus’ worth, but this woman understood that Jesus is worthy of costly devotion.

The text shows us the anointing of Jesus.

Do you demonstrate extravagant devotion to Jesus as you study, as you do your work duties, as you do your assigned ministry or internship?

Mary’s love to Christ displayed at such a cost to herself- poured itself out!

When people oppose you, do you stop yourself from demonstrating your devotion to Christ?

We can never repay Christ for pouring out his precious blood on the cross for our sins.

But we must do whatever best we can do for the Lord.

Jesus is infinitely worthy!

Devotion

Devotion is predicated on true love.

1. Will be found in the measure of love for God and His cause

LOVE'S OFFERING

A. The story of Mary using a pound of spikenard, pouring out the best that she had on the feet of Jesus is very profound:

1. It reveals the nature of true love

2. True love cannot be measured simply by the material things of life.

3.Love requires sacrifice/cost something.

To be a follower of Christ is almost certain to be costly. Many turn from following Christ because they fear what it may cost. They are willing to be religious, but hesitant to embrace a personal relationship.

INTRODUCTION

A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion. Relationship and devotion require a degree of sacrifice, and the extendt to which one sacrafices - demnstates the degree of devotion.

This morning I want to explore her worthy example and come to grips in our life with the principle of extravagant devotion. We are in an age when sacrificial devotion to a cause does not bring admiration but criticism for being too fanatical. Don’t take things so seriously. Don’t go overboard. We need to be reminded once again of a most vital Biblical principle.

A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.

Devotion is about surrender. It’s about laying our lives at the feet of Jesus and declaring we belong to Him. It’s about complete devotion, unhindered praise and a passionate love for our Savior. It’s saying to our God; “I Am Yours”!

Worship is about surrender. It’s about laying our lives at the feet of Jesus and declaring we belong to Him. It’s about complete devotion, unhindered praise and a passionate love for our Savior. It’s saying to our Father God; “I Am Yours”!

If we look back over our lives, we ought to either have a devout love or personal conviction, that brings us to the realization that :There is only One who is worthy of praise. Only One who is worthy to be lifted up and exalted. Only One who deserves our worship, devotion and sacrifice. Nothing else can compare to matchless worth of Jesus. He alone is worthy.

The Setting:

Several days before the Passover inJerusalem. Jews are traveling for Passover Celebration. Some stayed outside the city.

Jesus stayed outside the city in Bethany at the house of his friends - Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. And by some accounts Simon the Leper was also present.

They are hosting a dinner for Jesus. Today he would celebrate BUT - This time a week later -He Would Be Dead.

The Characters:

I. MARTHA THE WHINING WORKER.

In , what we see is that Martha worked because out of sense of DUTY. She was working to prepare a meal for Jesus while Mary was at the feet of Jesus in worship and fellowship. After a while, Martha complained to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her.

Why was Martha complaining?—Because she was more concerned about her WORK FOR the Lord than she was about FELLOWSHIP WITH the Lord. She was serving out of a sense of duty rather than gratefulness—so she complained. We must not love or serve out of DUTY but DEVOTION. when you serve God out of love; out of a desire for fellowship with the Lord, our service becomes joyful and fulfilling, and we won’t be no murmuring.

II. MARY THE WILLING WORSHIPER.

– Here we see Mary WORSHIPING Jesus.

“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor [fragrance] of the ointment.”

The passage tells us that Mary brought the ointment in an alabaster box, which she broke open and poured on Jesus’ head, and then, according to the passage, she poured it on Jesus’ feet. The ointment was spikenard, a fragrant oil prepared from the roots and stems of an aromatic herb from northern India. It was a very expensive perfume, imported in sealed alabaster boxes or flasks which were opened only on special occasions. In both passages it states that the value of the spikenard was three hundred pence, which represented more than a year’s wages for an average wage earner!

POINT: Notice that it cost something for Mary to worship and serve God.

First, notice that it cost something for Mary to worship and serve God.

It’ll cost YOU to worship and serve God too. There’s no such thing as a costless Christianity.

This was the most valuable thing she owned, but she offered her gift of worship lovingly, willingly and unhesitatingly. True worship and heart service to God always a sacrifice.

a) It will mean a sacrifice of you TIME.

It takes time to read God’s Word every day. It takes time to be faithful to church and homegroup every week. It takes time to go out of your way and show love and kindness to others as Jesus did.It takes time to serve in a church ministry.

b) It will also mean a sacrifice of YOUR WEALTH to serve God.

God wants you to have a part in His work through the giving of tithes and offerings. David was appalled that Araunah offered to give him for free a threshing-floor to build an altar to God and also offered to give him the animals for David to sacrifice on that altar. David intended to buy the threshing-floor with his own money and to pay for the animals he would sacrifice himself.

He replied to Araunah’s offer in by saying this: “No; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.”

c) It may very well cost you ridicule and rejection to worship and serve God.

c) And I’ll tell you something else, it may very well cost you ridicule and rejection to worship and serve God. – I’ll talk more of that in a moment.

POINT: Mary she humbled herself.

The second truth I see in Mary’s extravagant display is that she humbled herself.

Did you know that if you’re proud, you set yourself against God, no matter how much you love the Lord?

POINT: The final thing we can learn from Mary’s love for the Lord is that every time we see Mary, others criticized her.

Martha criticized her and Judas criticized her. You probably won’t worship and serve the Lord without some criticism from somebody! Some will say that your going too far, and othrs will say that you haven’t gone far enough.

But you just can’t please everybody! You have to determine what GOD wants you to do and just follow God’s lead.

I’ve got to get my mind straight for what may sound crazy. And everybody can;’t go with me into this worship.

Some folks might hear what I’ve got to do and not be mature enough to handle what I’ve got to do.

And I know it won’t take much to get talked out of it.

So I’ve got to sepearet myself from some people who can talk me out of doing what God wants me to do.

You’ve got some people in your life who don’t mean you no harm, but they love you so much that they will harm or are hurting you!

Becasue they will try to keep you from doing things that don’t make sense to them… But God told you to stay in the marriage - but other folks telling you to “walk away.” BUT YOU KNOW God told you to stay!

God told you to stay on that job although your family and frineds see your struggle and tell you - you ain’t got to put up with that.

But you’ve got to get them to shut up, shut them out , or turn them off until you get your heart set to do what God told you to do.

III. LAZARUS THE WALKING WITNESS.

III. THE FINAL CHARACTER WE SEE IN THESE TEXTS IS LAZARUS THE WALKING WITNESS.

Remember that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead in the previous chapter. He had been in the grave three days and had already begun to stink because his body had begun to decompose.

In – “Much people [Many] of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.”

Now look with me at – “Much people [Many] of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.”

The people didn’t come just to see Jesus; they wanted to see Lazarus too! They came to see who came back from the grave. They wanted to see what a man who had risen from the dead looked like! You remember when they thought that you were down and out, down for the count, would not bounce back, never recover. But Every day of your life, your a living witness to the power of God.

And when the people came to see Lazarus, where did they find him?—They found him SEATED NEXT TO JESUS! From that day forward, Lazarus was associated with Jesus and his life was never the same again. Every day of his life, Lazarus was a living witness to the power of God.

says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

You and I ought to be like Lazarus—walking witnesses of the power of God. Every day we ought to show people what it’s like to be given new life in Christ. Our life, our lips, our testimony, our responses, our actions and our Reactions—all ought to be evidences of the power of God.

Point

So, there are three parts of the true believer’s life …

1) Salvation – being raised from the spiritual dead

2) Worship – an adoration of Christ that grows out of a love for Him

3) Service – an obedience to the One who raised you to a new spiritual life

Where do you stand on those three things?

ATTACK THE TEXT

Read : For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

Jesus is not being indifferent to the poor as he quotes in .

Rather, Jesus alludes to his worth!

Rather, Jesus alludes to his worth!

Jesus deserves our utmost love and devotion.

The value of a gift demonstrates the value of a person.

This woman’s gift demonstrates that Jesus is absolutely worthy!

The disciples fail to understand Jesus’ worth, but this woman understood that Jesus is worthy of costly devotion.

ATTACK THE TEXT

Wastefulness

Luke 15:13 LEB

And after not many days, the younger son gathered everything and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth by living wastefully.

See also ;

Drunkenness and gluttony

Proverbs 23:20 LEB

Do not be among drinkers of wine, among gluttonous eaters of their meat.

See also ; ;

The results of sinful extravagance

Wastefulness leads to poverty

Luke 15:14–17 LEB

And after he had spent everything, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need. And he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to tend pigs. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have an abundance of food, and I am dying here from hunger!

See also ; ;

Extravagant living leads to spiritual complacency

Luke 12:19–20 LEB

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many possessions stored up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, celebrate!” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your life is demanded from you, and the things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

See also ; ; ; ;

The alternative to sinful extravagance

Thankful enjoyment of God’s gifts

1 Timothy 4:3–4 LEB

who forbid marrying and insist on abstaining from foods that God created for sharing in with thankfulness by those who believe and who know the truth, because everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thankfulness,

Mary anointed Jesus’s feet or poured the ointment over his head.

See also ;

Stewardship of God’s blessings

Ezekiel 34:18–19 LEB

Is it not enough for you that you feed on the good pasture? And still you must trample the remainder of your pasture with your feet, and clear water you drink, and the leftover water you must make muddy with your feet. And my flock must graze the pasture treaded upon by your feet, and must drink the mud puddle stirred up by your feet.”

The feet would be easy to do, as people reclined at the dinner table.

See also ; ; ;

This means the head would be close to the table and the feet away from the table.

Discipline and self-control

There is emphasis on the feet as this was a fomr of humility.

On the other hand, anointing the head was the anointing of a king. The Greek “Christos” which in similar to the Hebrew “Messiach” is roughly translated “Anointed One.”

1 Corinthians 9:25–27 LEB

And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things. Thus those do so in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Therefore I run in this way, not as running aimlessly; I box in this way, not as beating the air. But I discipline my body and subjugate it, lest somehow after preaching to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Mary took a liter of pure perfume of nard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it and then wiped his feet with her hair.

See also ; fasting; abstinence from certain foods; temporary abstinence from sexual relationships

Examples of commendable extravagance in worship

Mark 14:3–5 LEB

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining for a meal, a woman came holding an alabaster flask of very costly perfumed oil of genuine nard. After breaking the alabaster flask, she poured it out on his head. But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? For this perfumed oil could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor!” And they began to scold her.

See also gifts for the tabernacle; David dancing before the ark

Gifts for the temple:

Mary took a liter of pure perfume of nard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it and then wiped his feet with her hair. Mark adds that it was contained in an alabaster box. Spikenard had to be imported from India, and Romans used it to anoint the head. Mark, who was half Roman and may have written to the Romans notices this. But John mentions the feet. He also mentions that Mary wiped the feet with her hair. It is important that neither Mark nor John uses the Greek “Xrio” from which we get “Christ” to describe this anointing. What Jesus says about it in Mark is that she “anointed” the body for burial. The verb for anointed here is “murizo” which means to put myrrh which is a burial spice around a dead body. It is interesting that “myrrh” appears in verse 3, literally “myrrh of spikenard. Myrrh does indeed also have a generic meaning of ointment or perfume, but as John is fond of double meanings, there may be more here than just its generic meaning. One could think of spikenard in an alabaster box as the perfume saved up for a well-to-do bride’s wedding day. But here, it is the smell of death. The smell filled the house. Mary’s hair smelled as the bride awaiting her groom. But instead of a wedding, it was the stench of decay. But John uses the metaphor of wedding throughout his gospel. There is not only death, but there is resurrection as well. There will be a wedding. The church on earth, in like matter, has to live among death. It has to carry crosses. It will suffer persecution. But at the end of it all, the final end is that we will be raised from the dead to be the eternal and spotless bride of Christ. The myrrh of death will be replaced by the spikenard of the wedding.

Spikenard an imported, expesinve oil, used to embalm the dead or as perfume for the weel-to-do brideswedding day. she “anointed” the body for burial. The verb for anointed here is “murizo” which means to put myrrh which is a burial spice around a dead body.

;

Extravagance in praise and thanksgiving:

; ;

But here, it is the smell of death. The smell filled the house. Mary’s hair smelled as the bride awaiting her groom. But instead of a wedding, it was the stench of decay.

The widow’s offering:

He will have to live among the dead. He will have to carry his cross. It will suffer persecution.

Mark 12:41–44 LEB

And he sat down opposite the contribution box and was observing how the crowd was putting coins into the contribution box. And many rich people were putting in many coins. And one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins (that is, a penny). And summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all those who put offerings into the contribution box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in everything she had, her whole means of subsistence.”

But at the end of it all, the final end is that we will be raised from the dead to be the eternal and spotless bride of Christ. The myrrh of death will be replaced by the spikenard of the wedding.

CLOSE

race

See also

Other examples of commendable extravagance

Extravagance in caring for others

2 Corinthians 8:2–4 LEB

that with a great ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and the extreme depth of their poverty have overflowed to the wealth of their generosity. I testify that they gave according to their ability, and beyond their ability, by their own choice, requesting of us with much exhortation the favor and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints,

See also ; ;

Extravagance in forgiveness

Matthew 18:21–22 LEB

Then Peter came up to him and said, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!

See also ; the king’s generosity in forgiving his servant’s debt; celebrations at the return of the prodigal son

Warnings against failing to be extravagant towards God and others

Stinginess cheats God:

; ;

Stinginess denies others:

;

Stinginess results in personal loss:

; ; ;

The extravagance of God’s grace

The gift of his Son

The blessings of God’s salvation

The blessings of God’s salvation

The blessings of God’s salvation

Romans 8:32 LEB

Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things?

The abundance of God’s provision

God’s blessings promised to the generous

Malachi 3:10 LEB

Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this,” says Yahweh of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you an overflowing blessing.

CLOSE

CLOSE

Are we willing to honor God extravagantly?

CONCLUSION

Are we willing to honor God extravagantly?

Giving is a matter of the heart.

Giving is a matter of obedience.

Are we willing to honor God extravagantly?

A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.

Where is the sacrifice? Sacrifice demonstrates the depth of devotion.

So devoted that he made a payment for you and me.

LOVE'SOFFERING

By being broken and pouring out himself.

His blood was poured out on the cross.

When the cup of God’s wrath could have been poured out on us — JESUS TOOK THE CUP.

LOVE'SOFFERING

A. Love's offering has its origin in Heaven - in the heart of God. 1. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" -

1. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" -

2. The Son of God gave His life for me because He loved me .

But at the end of the day the value of my box/contents will never repay the value of his sacrifice.

But at the end of the day the value of my box/contents will never repay the value of his sacrifice.

The relationship doesn’t have to be complicated:

I’ve got to pour out of myself.

Even in my brokenness

I’ve got to be more committed.

I’ve got to be more commmitted to him. In relationship or It’s complicated?

I’ve got to worship him,

I surrender my all.

Some folks might hear what I’ve got to do and not be mature enough to handle what I’ve got to do.

I won’t hold back.

And I know it won’t take much to get talked out of it.

So I’ve got to sepearet myself from some people who can talk me out of doing what God wants me to do.

Today is the day!

You’ve got some people in your life who don’t mean you no harm, but they love you so much that they will harm or are hurting you!

Now Is the Time!

Becasue they will try to keep you from doing things that don’t make sense to them… But God told you to stay in the marriage - but other folks telling you to “walk away.” BUT YOU KNOW God told you to stay!

This is the place!

God told you to stay on that job although your family and frineds see your struggle and tell you - you ain’t got to put up with that.

With all that I am..

But you’ve got to get them to shut up, shut them out , or tunr them off until you get your heart set to do what God told you to do.

With All that I’m not.

I’ll shout your name!

I’ll give you the praise!

I offer you my life

Because you came down through 40 and 2 generations, JUST TO GIVE YOUR LIFE - TO SAVE MY LIFE!

There is no greater love, Jesus went to Calvary, to save a wretch like me - no greater love.

You thought I was worth saving, so you came and changed my life!

You thought I was worth keeping, so you cleaned me up inside.

You thought I was to die for - So you sacrificed your life.

So I could be free - So I could be whole.

And I could tell everyone I know -