THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF EXTRAVAGANT WORSHIP

The Gospel of Mark #45

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

(Mark 14:1–9, NLT) “It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.” Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

1.  MOVE FROM THE PRACTICAL TO THE BEAUTIFUL.

(Mark 14:3–5, NLT) “Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.”

a.  JESUS SEES THE BEAUTY OF MARY’S DEVOTION.

(Mark 14:6–9, NIV) “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

(Genesis 2:9, NLT) “The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit.”

i.  Worth is not limited to practicality.

ii.  Some things are simply to be adored.

(Psalm 27:4, Message) “I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.”

2. TRUST THE EXTRAVAGANT PROMPTINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

(Mark 14:3, NLT) “While he [Jesus] was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.”  See also John 12:3

(Mark 14:6, Amplified) “Jesus said, Let her alone; why are you troubling her? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me [praiseworthy and noble].”

3. WORSHIP CONFRONTS AND DEFEATS THE SINFULNESS OF THIS WORLD.

(Mark 14:9, NLT) “I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

a.  Worship and warfare in the heavens.

(Isaiah 14:13, NLT) “I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.”

b.  Worship and warfare on the earth.

(Ephesians 6:12, NLT) “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

(Revelation 12:11, NLT) “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”

GROWTHWORK

1.  I WANT TO LIVE AN EXTRAVAGANT LIFE OF WORSHIP BY “CELEBRATING GOD’S LOVE BY PERSUADING PEOPLE TO BE PASSIONATE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.”

• Celebrate – love, devotion, worship of the Lord Jesus Christ!

• God’s love – the Good News.

• Persuading – sharing the Good News by boldly expressing God’s love to all.

• Passionate followers – fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.

2.  SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ONLY COME ONCE.

3.  I WANT TO FOCUS MORE ON PEOPLE LIKE MARY RATHER THAN JUDAS.

4.  I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAR AND HOW GREATLY GOD WILL USE MY GIFTS TO HIM.