Expensive Worship

Expensive worship, Mark 14:3-6

August 25, 2002

Eric A. Snyder, Minister, Farwell Church of Christ

Flip Wilson was a popular comedian several years ago, and one of his characters was a Preacher at the “What’s Happening Now Church.” Flip did a Skit where he told about this preacher. He’d shout out:

"IF THIS CHURCH IS GOING TO SERVE GOD IT’S GOT TO GET DOWN ON ITS KNEES AND CRAWL!!!"

And the audience yelled back "Make it crawl preacher, make it crawl!

"AND ONCE THIS CHURCH HAS LEARNED TO CRAWL, IT’S GOT TO GET UP

ON ITS FEET AND WALK!!!"

"Make it walk preacher, make it walk" the audience moaned.

AND ONCE THIS CHURCH HAS LEARNED TO WALK ITS GOT BEGIN TO LEARN TO RUN!!!"

"Make it run, preacher, make it run!"

"AND IN ORDER TO RUN, ITS GOT REACH DEEP DOWN INTO POCKETS AND LEARN TO GIVE!!!"

(pause) "Make it crawl preacher, make it crawl."

Church is very expensive.

You may have looked around our building and noticed that we are not a flashy church. We are not a rich church. We don’t have golden offering baskets, we don’t have a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. We don’t dry our hands on velvet towels. We have been very prudent with the gifts that have been given to the church.

And from someone who is always trying to stretch our area of ministry, what we do here makes sense. But let me ask you this. What would be your reaction if someone Bought all of our elders and deacons brand new $2000 Armani suits? What would you think if someone decided to buy the minister a brand new Cadillac? Well I can tell you what my reaction would be. It’s an extravagance. I don’t need a Cadillac when we are going to hire a youth minister. I don’t need a new car when we need to replace the roof on this building. We could use some more office help. There are other practical ways to spend the money.

Now let me say to those of you who are planning on buying me a new car. I do like the Cadillac Deville.

Our story today is pretty much the same as the illustration that I just gave you. But our story is not just about money. It’s about how people worship with their money.

But it also goes way beyond that it’s not just money, in fact this woman does not even give a contribution here. She just shows up to worship, she brings something of value, but more importantly she brings herself.

Our text today is Mark 14:3-6. and here is what I love about this text.

This woman comes to worship. She heard that Jesus was eating at a house and came to worship. See worship simply means giving worth to God.

It does not matter where or when just as long as you are pouring yourself out in worship. Jesus mat a woman at a well and she was trying to avoid a personal confrontation with Jesus and she asked him “you are a prophet where should my people worship” and Jesus’ response to her is that she “must worship in Spirit and in truth”

That means it does not matter when. It does not matter if you come to a Wednesday worship or an evening worship. It does not matter if you come to a Traditional worship or a contemporary worship.

In the words of doctor Seuss it does not matter if its’ in the rain, on a train, or on a plain. You can worship on in a box with a fox just as long as you cry out instead of the rocks. You can worship on land or at sea, you can worship from a tree just don’t be afraid to get on your knees.

But I want you to catch this next part. The only thing that matters is that you worship with your spirit and truthfully. That you do it honestly.

Max had an excellent communion meditation last week. I hope you were here to listen to the message of God last week but if you chose not to be here for one reason or another, I’ll tell you what I got out of it.

When you come into this place you are here to worship God. We are here to commune with Christ. Pouring ourselves out in worship is such a selfless act that we have no room for ourselves in it. Do I have a preference in style of worship? Yes. But that does not stop me from worshiping in a setting that is not my preference. Because Worship is more important than me. In fact that the whole point of worship. What kind of person says I am going to worship God because He is Great, then decides not to participate because of preference?