Title: Counting The Cost Of Worship
Text: John 12:1-8
Introduction
James Michener, writing in his book, The Source, tells the story of a man named Urbaal, who was a farmer living about 2200 B.C. He worshiped two gods, one a god of death, the other a goddess of fertility. One day, the temple priests tell Urbaal to bring his young son to the temple for sacrifice--if he wants good crops. Urbaal obeys, and on the appointed day drags his wife and boy to the scene of the boy’s "religious execution" by fire to the god of death. After the sacrifice of Urbaal’s boy the several others, the priests announce that one of the fathers will spend next week in the temple, with a new temple prostitute. Urbaal’s wife is stunned as she notices a desire written more intensely across his face than she had seen before, and she in overwhelmed to see him eagerly lunge forward when his name is called. The ceremony over, she walks out of the temple with her head swimming, concluding that "if he had different gods, he would have been a different man."
John 4:24 states, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Indeed, this is the desire of Christian people all over the world. Our church services are designed for just that very purpose, to worship God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“But what is worship?” one might ask. “How do I worship God in spirit and in truth?” Warren Wiersbe quotes William Temple’s definition of worship.
“Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, p. 119.)
Simply stated, worship is that level of my relationship with God that is attained any time I set aside my own needs and desires, and focus absolutely on the person of Jesus Christ.
I. JESUS CHRIST DESIRES OUR WORSHIP. (John 12:1-2)
Illustration: After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayer, “Dear God, we had a good time at church today – but I wish you had been there!”
A. Worship Is Centered On An Intimate, Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ. (John 12:2)
1. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is what He desires. (John 11:32-36)
2. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ matters above all else.
Note: Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders were out to arrest Him and kill Him (John 11:53, 57), but He still returned to Bethany, only two miles from the very fortress of His enemies. Why? So that He might spend a quiet time with His dear friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 1, Victor Books, 1989, p. 338.)
Illustration: The citizens of Feldkirch, Austria, didn’t know what to do. Napoleon’s massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town, which was situated on the Austrian border. A council of citizens was hastily summoned to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or display the white flag of surrender. It happened to be Easter Sunday, and the people had gathered in the local church. The pastor rose and said, “Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands. We know only our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us.” The council accepted his plan and the church bells rang. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town. Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left. (source unknown)
B. Our Ability To Worship Is Facilitated By Our Willingness To Serve. (John 12:2)
Illustration: If you think the SAT tests are tough, don’t bother applying to the University of Al Azhar in Cairo, Egypt. Though the ancient school has been graduating students for more than a thousand years, the qualifying exam is far more challenging than any devised by the Educational Testing Service. Each year, every incoming freshman is required to recite the entire Koran from memory. The text of this Islamic holy book is nearly as long as the New Testament and takes three days to repeat. But every one of Al Azhar’s 20,000 students has passed the test. (Campus Life, December 1979)
II. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WORSHIP WHEN WE’RE WRAPPED UP WITH SELF. (John 12:3)
A. Genuine Worship Never Counts The Cost.
Note: Spikenard: A valuable and fragrant ointment derived from the dried roots of the herbal plant called nard. By the first century A.D. it was already being imported from its native India in alabaster boxes. Because of its costliness, spikenard was used only for very special occasions. (Jack W. Hayford, general editor; consulting editors, Sam Middlebrook…[et.al.], Spirit filled life study Bible [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1991.)
1. What Mary poured out on Jesus was very expensive.
2. It would have required a year’s wages from a common laborer to purchase that ointment.
B. Genuine Worship Is Never Embarrassed Or Ashamed.
1. When Mary came to the feet of Jesus, she took the place of a slave.
2. When she undid her hair (something Jewish women did not do in public), she humbled herself and laid her glory at His feet (see 1 Corinthians 11:15).
C. Genuine Worship Is The Ultimate Expression Of Our Faith.
John Phillips describes the faith that Mary had.
“At some point Mary, in preparation for His death, bought this rare and costly nard and hid it away. Then Lazarus had died suddenly and unexpectedly, and spices were needed for his burial. Had Mary been tempted to lavish her treasure on her brother’s remains? No, she had not bought this for Lazarus; she had bought it for Jesus. It was not for Lazarus’s burial; it was for Jesus’ burial. Jesus knew she had it and why.
Then one day there was a resurrection! Jesus came to Bethany and raised her brother from the dead. We can imagine that many a time around the supper table Martha would tell her brother and sister what Jesus had said: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Mary hid this saying in her heart.
Then one day the light went on in her soul. Jesus said He was going to be crucified, He was going to be buried, and He was going to rise again. There was to be a resurrection like that of Lazarus. That had to be it. He was the resurrection. Death would not be able to hold Him. He had said He would rise on the third day. As for His body, it would need no spices. David had prophesied: “Thou wilt not…suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). Jesus would not need the spikenard when He was buried after all.
So, she said to herself, I’ll give it to Him the next time He’s here. It was a marvelous demonstration of her faith. She had kept that ointment for His burial, but she gave it to Him a week before – because she now believed in His resurrection. No wonder the house was filled with the fragrance!
Mary of Bethany seems to have been the only one who believed the truth of the resurrection. You won’t find her at the cross or at the tomb. Nor was it cowardice or despair that kept her away. You’ll find Mary, the Lord’s mother, at the cross. You’ll find Mary Magdalene at the tomb. You’ll find Mary the mother of James and Joses at the cross and at the tomb. But not Mary of Bethany. She had not the slightest need to be at either place. She was already standing on resurrection ground.” (John Phillips, Exploring the Gospels: John, Loizeaux Brothers, 1989, p. 227-228.)
III. SATAN WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO HINDER OUR WORSHIP. (John 12:4-8)
A. Growing Closer To God Will Bring Misunderstanding and Criticism. (John 12:4-6)
1. Do you rush, push, shout and become generally unpleasant on Sunday mornings?
2. Do you complain about church?
3. Are you irregular in your attendance?
4. Are you over-conscientious about matters that are not really important?
5. Do you always criticize the pastor, the choir, the length of services and the usher crew?
6. Then don’t be surprised if your children grow up to look at Sundays as the worst day of the week.
Illustration: Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, “If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing.” (Today in the Word, March 10, 1993)
B. When We’re At Odds With The World, Jesus Is Our Defense. (John 12:7-8)
Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Conclusion
Are you a Mary, or are you a Judas?
Illustration: Spiritual Reality
Any of us more than twenty-five years old can probably remember where we were when we first heard of President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
British novelist David Lodge, in the introduction to one of his books, tells where he was--in a theater watching the performance of a satirical revue he had helped write. In one sketch, a character demonstrated his indifference in an interview by holding a transistor radio to his ear. The actor playing the part always tuned in to a real broadcast. Suddenly came the announcement that President Kennedy had been shot. The actor quickly switched it off, but it was too late. Reality had interrupted stage comedy. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/s/spiritual_reality.htm, Brian Powley.)
For many believers, worship, prayer, and Scripture are an unconcerned pretense. They don’t expect anything significant to happen, but suddenly God’s reality breaks through, and they’re shocked. Suddenly, everything that seemed so very important fades into insignificance as we’re faced with the reality of the Living God.
Such was the case on September 11. Some three thousand people died that day as the jets plunged into the Twin Towers. It’s safe to say that probably none of them planned to die.
