Beyond Sunday with Pastor Nic
Join me for a more personal look into the weekend sermons, as well as some thoughts on theology, marriage, parenting, and leadership. I will also explore some of your most asked questions throughout the year.
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Beyond Sunday with Pastor Nic
The Fragrance of Sacrifice: Extravagant Worship and Its Cost
Join us as we explore the multi-layered significance of anointing in biblical times and its deep connection to honoring and preparing Jesus for His ultimate sacrifice. Through Mary's powerful example, we are invited to consider the fragrance our own worship leaves behind. Are we offering our best to Christ, even at great personal cost? Tune in for an episode rich with spiritual insights that will challenge and inspire your walk with Christ.
Welcome to Beyond Sunday, where we delve into the depths of Scripture to find insights that shape our walk with Christ. We're continuing our journey through the Gospel of John. Today we find ourselves examining John chapter 12, the first 11 verses focusing on Mary's act of anointing Jesus, a profound gesture of worship and sacrifice that offers us multiple layers of spiritual truth. Let me start with a question today, have you ever been moved to act on something you deeply believe in, despite knowing it might not be understood or appreciated by everyone? What drives that kind of commitment in someone? In John chapter 12, we see Mary of Bethany expressing her devotion to Jesus through a striking and costly gesture pouring expensive perfume on his feet. This scene unfolds rich lessons about the nature of worship, the essence of sacrifice and the reactions they can provoke. This moment with Jesus was such a powerful moment that later in the scriptures it says that wherever the scriptures are preached, wherever the gospel is proclaimed, that Jesus wanted this story repeated. And I think when you and I see something like that, it should make us say why let's dive into this story even more. If Jesus was so moved by this moment, there's got to be some lessons that you and I can learn from it.
Speaker 1:The first thing I want to point out is the act of extravagant worship. Mary's use of this costly nard to anoint Jesus' feet is an act of profound reverence and devotion. She doesn't just give from her surplus, she doesn't just give a little bit, she gives something of great value. How does our worship reflect the depth of our love for Christ? Are we willing to give what is costly to us? I think that's an easy question to skip over, but a hard question to actually process. Is your worship costly? Does it cost you anything? Hopefully it costs you some time. If it doesn't cost you time, then you're not worshiping right. You should be giving up time to worship Christ. But what else is it costing you? Psalm 57, 17 highlights the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. O God, you will not despise. This emphasizes that true worship actually comes from the heart.
Speaker 1:The second thing I want you to see here is Judas's reaction, the misunderstanding of worship. Honestly, judas criticizes Mary's actions as wasteful, revealing his lack of understanding of true worship's value. His reaction represents a practical yet spiritually disconnected viewpoint. So how do we react when confronted with forms of worship or devotion that don't align with our expectations. Are we sometimes more like Judas than we'd like to admit? I think this happens when we see a denomination that's different than ours, that worships in a different way, either more extravagant and exciting or more boring and reserved, and that's how we judge them. I've heard it said that worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It's the quickening of conscience by His holiness, the nourishment of mind with His truth, the purifying of imagination by His beauty and the opening of the heart to His love, the surrender of will to His purpose. That was a quote by William Temple. This definition challenges us to broaden our understanding of what it means to truly worship.
Speaker 1:The third thing I want you to see here is the significance of anointing. I want you to picture what's happening in this house. They're honoring Jesus. This is about a week before he is killed, sometime after he raised Lazarus from the dead and so Jesus comes back to this house and they worship him. They honor him with this dinner and they're sitting around the table. Martha is serving Mary's off doing her thing, lazarus is kicked back at the table talking to Jesus and something incredible happens.
Speaker 1:There's some significance to the anointing. Anointing with oil is a deeply symbolic act. In scripture it's associated with consecration and preparation for burial. Mary's act is prophetic, even though she doesn't understand that, signifying Jesus' approaching death. For just a moment, reflect on the symbolism of anointing in biblical times. How does Mary's act deepen our understanding of Jesus' mission and sacrifice? Mark 14.8,. Jesus said she has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for burial. This underscores the significance of her action in the context of his impending death.
Speaker 1:The fourth thing I want you to see here is that the fragrance fills the house. The aroma of this perfume fills the entire space, symbolizing how true acts of worship and devotion permeate and affect those around us. There wasn't a person in that room that didn't understand what just happened. They may have misunderstood the motives or the significance, but they knew something happened. For just a moment, maybe even pause the podcast for a moment. Consider the aroma of your actions. How do they impact your environment? Is your worship spreading the fragrance of Christ?
Speaker 1:2 Corinthians 2.15 describes us as the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. This metaphor invites us to reflect on the impact of our spiritual lives on others. The last thing I would have you consider is the plot against Lazarus, the end of this passage. In verse 10 and 11, the chief priests plot to kill Lazarus as well, because his resurrection was leading many to believe in Jesus. This response highlights the threat that the genuine acts of faith can pose to establish structures and beliefs. Lazarus became proof of who Jesus was. He was evidence that Jesus had the power from God.
Speaker 1:How does the story of Lazarus remind us of the power and threat of a life transformed by Jesus? What does this teach us about the resistance we might face as followers of Christ? John 15, 18 reminds us if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. This teaches us that opposition can be a part of your journey of faith. It may not be a part you want to have in your journey, but it's a part of the journey.
Speaker 1:As we reflect on these points from John chapter 12, let's challenge ourselves to assess the depth of our devotion and the sincerity of our worship. Are we prepared to offer Jesus what is most precious to us? Are we spreading the fragrance of his love through our actions? Psalm 141.2 says Let my prayer be counted as incense before you and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. May your life and my life reflect this prayer, embodying sacrifice and worship that honors God fully. Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, may your worship be deep, your sacrifices be true and your life be a testament to the love and power of Jesus Christ.