Unnamed Women & Unhindered Worship

Worship Breaks Open a Heart of Generosity

Mk14:3-9 “Jesus was at Bethany visiting the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. During dinner, a woman came in with a vase made of alabaster and containing very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke open the vase and poured the perfume on his head. Some grew angry. They said to each other, “Why waste the perfume? This perfume could have been sold for almost a year’s pay and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. You always have the poor with you; and whenever you want, you can do something good for them. But you won’t always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body ahead of time for burial. I tell you the truth that, wherever in the whole world the good news is announced, what she’s done will also be told in memory of her.””

Luke 21:1-4 “Looking up, Jesus saw rich people throwing their gifts into the collection box for the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow throw in two small copper coins worth a penny. He said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than them all. All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had to live on.””

An Unnamed Woman

It’s interesting in Scripture that when Jesus wanted to point to examples of giving he pointed out two women that no one else thought to even catch their name!

One was likely a regular follower of Jesus who worshipped Jesus with her life’s saving (value of a year’s salary)

the other was a widow who didn’t have the money for a loaf of bread, but she gave everything she had as an act of worship.

He doesn’t point to a wealthy ruler, or a successful businessman, or a pastor, or a big donor....he chose two women who tapped into the REAL TRUTH behind giving....

TRUTH: Giving is not about what I am going to get back (although God is faithful), it’s not about God getting something from me....GIVING IS ABOUT a HEART of WORSHIP.

Woman with the Alabaster Box

Unnamed by the author

Uninvited by the host

Unwelcome by the disciples

But…

Uninhibited in her faith

Unashamed in her worship

Unwavering in her obedience

When I make my giving about worship, my gift becomes an aroma that fills the room....the aroma goes up, and God’s provision and peace come down!!

Last week Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain “to worship”....and God’s provision came down in the form of a ram caught in the thicket....

The perfume from this woman’s alabaster box filled the room and settled on Jesus!! …and her sacrifice unlocked a door to the Kingdom of God. (she was getting in on Jesus’ resurrection!!)

Whenever you determine in your heart to worship with your giving, the aroma of your offering settles on Jesus and UNLOCKS his PROMISES over your life and over your family.

Principle: When it comes to TOTAL OBEDIENCE in our finances, there is never a CONVENIENT time.

Conventional Wisdom says it doesn’t make sense to Give when it’s not convenient or when it doesn’t advance our position in the economy of this world.

It didn’t make sense to the disciples to pour out a year’s worth of salary as an act of worship....

But what this woman knew that no one else in the room knew was this....YOUR WORSHIP BRINGS GOD’S PEACE and PROVISION INTO YOUR PLACE OF BROKENNESS

Her act of worship jeopardized her financial position…but it advanced her into the throne room of God!!

Her gift of worship was not just extravagant…to others it seemed like a shocking waste (not conventional, not practical, not self-advancing)!

When money becomes your focus rather than worship, you become blinded to the ways it can steal your peace.

...this kind of thinking keeps you bound and will rob you of peace

Haggai 1:5–6 (ESV)

5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

Haggai 1:9 (ESV)

9 ...Why? Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.

TRUTH: Jesus came to make you free from anything that would keep you from worship….including the crippling fear surrounding money.

5 Ways God’s Economy differs from Ours

Our Economy: $ is a means to an end; it’s about wealth & possessions

God’s Economy: $ is an avenue of worship; it’s about provision & love

Our Economy: $ is connected to happiness

God’s Economy: $ will reveal my source of happiness & joy

Psalms 16:5-6 “You, Lord, are my portion, my cup; you control my destiny. The property lines have fallen beautifully for me; yes, I have a lovely home.”

Our Economy: $ makes me successful

God’s Economy: Following Jesus makes me successful in life, not following $

Matt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Our Economy: $ is about ownership

God’s Economy: $ is about stewardship

Our Economy: $ creates anxiety, fear, and abuse

God’s Economy: $ belongs to God. He provides for all my needs

(2 Peter 1:3 “By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory.”)

Jeff Madison Testimony

What is Hindering Your Worship?

How has your paradigm on money kept you bound in a system designed to keep you in anxiety, fear, and abuse?