Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Extravagant Devotion”
REVIEW
Chapter 2 – Lord over nature and the temple
Chapter 3 – God’s gift of love for salvation
Chapter 4-- Living water springing up to eternal life
Chapter 5 – Father’s obedient Son
Chapter 6 – Bread of Life out of heaven offering life to the hungry
Chapter 7 – Master Teacher and dispatcher of the rivers of water
Chapter 8 – Eternal (I AM) Light of the world who reveals truth that sets the captive free
Chapter 9 – Restorer of sight to the blind
Chapter 10 – the Door and the Good Shepherd who sacrifices his life to offer abundant life and security to the sheep
Shepherd knows the sheep by name.
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
"Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:15-16
Chapter 11 – Resurrection and the life who offers us the sure hope of a resurrected life
Chapter 12 – Anointed King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord
INTRODUCTION
What is the appropriate response to such a great and wonderful God as we have? John 12 records the marvelous response of one of the devoted followers of Jesus.
This morning I want to explore her worthy example and come to grips in our life with the principle of extravagant devotion. We are in an age when sacrificial devotion to a cause does not bring admiration but criticism for being too fanatical. Don’t take things so seriously. Don’t go overboard. We need to be reminded once again of a most vital Biblical principle.
A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.
The degree of sacrifice demonstrates the degree of devotion that determines the degree of eternal reward.
Six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples—the one who would betray him—said, "That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples' funds, and he often took some for his own use.
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer." John 12:1-8
This was a meal to express honor to Jesus. How do you properly honor someone like Jesus? He has everything. He can do anything. He has no needs. He has done so much. He is God. He is the great I AM. He is the resurrection and the life. He is the bread of life. He is the water of life. He is the good shepherd.
Mary took the lead. Mary was unwilling to wait until after death to honor Jesus. It was her desire to demonstrate her deep devotion while she had opportunity. She took a jar filled with very expensive perfume. The estimated value was 300 days wages or just short of a year’s wages. As she broke it and anointed the body of Jesus, the others, beginning with Judas, reacted. The other accounts say they became indignant. What a waste of resources. A year’s wages wasted for one moment in time, one simple gesture. Jesus immediately defends her actions as noble and right. She alone acted on her devoted heart. Jesus announced to the indignant disciples that her devoted act would be remembered wherever the gospel was taught through all time.
How do you justify such extravagance? When its intent is to honor such a magnificent Lord. I would venture to conclude from this and other scripture that until giving becomes sacrificial it remains inconsequential.
Jesus taught the disciples this principle in the temple one day as they were watching a widow come to give her offering to God.
And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." Luke 21:1-4
What conclusion would people draw concerning our devotion to God by our giving habits?
King David was offered a piece of land and the necessary animals and wood to offer sacrifice to honor the Lord. He insisted on paying the full price for a noble reason.
But King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing." 1 Chron. 21:24
David understood the need to express honor through personal sacrifice to God.
He responded to God with all of his might.
He danced before the Ark of the Covenant in worship before the Lord with all his being.
The Church at Corinth understood the meaning of sacrifice for the Kingdom.
Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 2 Cor. 8:1-5
We demonstrate our devotion to God by the giving of ourselves as well as our resources.
A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.
The degree of sacrifice demonstrates the degree of devotion and determines the degree of eternal reward.
God doesn’t need us to sacrificially offer our resources; we need to sacrificially give of our resources for the sake of our own spiritual well being. Why do we need to give sacrificially?
1. Sacrificial giving develops and demonstrates devotion to God.
"You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. "And you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first-born of your herd and your flock, in order that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. Deut. 14:22-23
Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; Proverbs 3:9
and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, 2 Cor. 8:19
This kind of sacrifice honors God and pleases God.
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16
Failure to give to God dishonors him.
"Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed Thee?' In tithes and offerings. "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Mal 3:8-12
God calls for the firstfruits as a demonstration of devotion to him. If you are not giving you are stealing from the Almighty God as sure as if you took money out of the offering plate as it went by.
Failure to give of our best dishonors God.
" 'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Thy name?' "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled Thee?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.' "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. "But now will you not entreat God's favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. "Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from you. Malachi 1:6-10
2. Sacrificial giving to the eternal directs the heart to the eternal.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive. "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' "And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21
If you are not giving toward the things of God you are not rich toward God. You want to know where someone’s heart lies – follow the money. The heart follows the treasure. Buy a particular stock or invest in a particular company and notice how your heart moves.
People who neglect investment in the eternal, loose interest in the eternal.
Where is your heart? Where is your treasure?
3. Sacrificial giving releases the heart to fully serve God.
The rich young ruler kept all the commandments except one. He did not love the Lord his God with all his heart.
From the sad example of this young man Jesus taught a very important lesson.
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property.
And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:21-26
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
Who are the rich? How does one decide? What is the criteria classifying us as rich or poor? The Biblical understanding of what it meant to be rich differs greatly from ours. According to Biblical criteria anyone who had food at the beginning of the day and a change of clothes was rich. Rich people have a difficult time maintaining a heart fully devoted to God. They tend to be self-centered and self-sufficient.
What happened to the church at Laodocia when they lost their sense of need?
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Rev. 3:14-18
God warned the Israelites about self-satisfaction
"Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you shall eat and be satisfied, then watch yourself, lest you forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him, and swear by His name. Deut. 6:10-13
"Beware lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; lest, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart becomes proud, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. "In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. "Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deu. 8:11-18
They way to keep your heart from following after temporal things is to invest temporal things in eternal things. We are all extremely rich. Unless we are giving sacrificially we will continue to serve superficially. Giving sacrificially is the only way to keep our heart focused on the eternal.
A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.
The degree of sacrifice demonstrates the degree of devotion and determines the degree of eternal reward.
4. Sacrificial giving to the eternal brings eternal reward
Even if there were no other benefits than the satisfaction of putting a smile on the face of God it would be enough. But God clearly promises a multitude of rewards and benefits to the one who sacrificially gives to Him out of a grateful heart.
The disciples were assured of reward for their sacrifice.
Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You." Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:28-30
God invited the Israelites to test whether He would bless them for their commitment.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts. "And all the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:10-12
Jesus invited the people to give liberally
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." Luke 6:38
Paul urged the Galatians to give to eternal things and wait for the eternal reward rather than investing in the fleshly.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:7-9
Solomon taught about the rewards of sacrificial giving.
Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce;
So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10
There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more,
and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want.
The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25
Paul taught the Corinthians about liberal giving.
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written,
"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 2 Cor. 9:6-14
Reward may not always be monetary here but God Himself assures the spiritual eternal blessing that comes from a heart of obedience and sacrificial devotion to Him. I know it seems illogical, but God instituted the principle of giving. God laid out the means by which we can put a smile on His face and unlock the heavenly storehouse of blessing.
Testimony after testimony can be giving as to God’s faithful
Tithing Surprises (Unknown source)
The Christian who tithes will be surprised:
(1) At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s work,
(2) At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying the tithe,
(3) At the ease in meeting his own obligation with the nine-tenths,
(4) At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger percentage,
(5) At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining,
(6) At himself for not adopting the plan sooner!
CONCLUSION
Giving keeps your heart focused on Him.
Giving is a matter of the heart.
Giving is a matter of obedience.
Are we willing to honor God extravagantly?
A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.
Where is the sacrifice? Sacrifice demonstrates the depth of devotion.
When Nehemiah lead a revival of the people and restored not only the walls but also the worship in Jerusalem he lead them to dedicate themselves to dedicate their resources once again to the ministry of the temple.
When God urges the Israelites to repent and return to Him, he calls them to first return to giving tithes and offerings.
"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?' "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed Thee?' In tithes and offerings. "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Malachi 3:7-10
You say I can’t afford to give. If you want a close walk with God, you can’t afford not to give. You can’t serve God and money. Your walk with God will never rise above your sacrificial giving to God. It is a barometer of the healthy heart.
Jesus said if one were not faithful in the investment in money, neither would he be faithful in spiritual matters.
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? Luke 16:10-12
The blessing cannot always be measured in earthly terms.
Who should I give to? How much should I give? How often should I give? What should be my attitude? These are all questions we will deal with next time.
Today?
A decision to repent from robbing God and commit to return by giving to Him.
Remembering that:
A magnificent God deserves extravagant devotion.
The degree of sacrifice demonstrates the degree of devotion and determines the degree of eternal reward.
NOTES
What did God say to me today?
What does he want me to Know, feel, do?
