Mary’s Extravagant Worship
Talk about Mary the sister of Lazarus’ worship of Jesus.
Her extravagant worship!
Showed her faith, love, and devotion.
John 12:1-11
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.
A dinner was given in Jesus’ honor.
It was at a pharisee's house Simon the Leper.
This was after Lazarus’ resurrection and he was there also Mary and Martha.
3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Mary the sister of Lazarus (Not magdalene)
John 11:2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)
A worshipful act.
What would you with Jesus if he raised your brother from the dead and forgave your many sins.
Luke 7:37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
Sin is qualitative not quantitative. Do you know the difference?
The threshold is somewhere above the number of sins you’ve done so you’re OK? Right?
Nope is qualitative. You are a sinner or not. You commit one sin and you’re a sinner.
How do you get to heaven if you’re a sinner? Trust Jesus to take away your sins.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Compared with Mary’s worship, how did Judas act? It’s appalling.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,but you will not always have me.”
Jesus praised her for what she did and scolded Judas.
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
The Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus as well.
People saw that Lazarus was raised from the dead and they were losing members and power.
Why wouldn’t they believe?
John 12:37-43
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
So the pharisee’s eyes were blinded and their hearts were hardened.
What is keeping your eyes closed or your heart hard?
Joel 2:12,13
12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
So even though they began to believe in Jesus they wouldn’t openly acknowledge their faith because they might be reprimanded?
Group think - they did not want to be put out of the Synagogue for their beliefs.
Being put out meant to lose everything, status, couldn’t work, you were shunned.
You basically had to leave town to survive.
What is keeping you from believing in Jesus? Family? Job? Friends?
Matthew 10:32-39
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Luke 7:44-48
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Mary had a beautiful worship?
Her worship acknowledged her sins and need for forgiveness.
Her worship acknowledged Jesus’ saving work death, burial, and resurrection.
Simon’s lack of worship showed his hard heart.
His lack of worship showed that he didn’t acknowledge sin nor ask forgiveness.
As a Pharisee he acted religious but didn’t really have a relationship with God.
Matthew 15:7,8
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Luke 11:34-36
34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
She poured out her heart to the Lord!
Circumcise your heart.
Are we aware of our part in Christ’s crucifixion? Our sin put him there.
Has your love grown cold?
Surrender our all to Jesus.
Judas and some others there protested at this. How would your heart have been if you saw this?
Her worship was extravagant!
Is your worship extravagant?
Do you really appreciate all that He has done for you?
Tarnished penny story.
My doc told me to get some walking in.
So while I walk, sometimes I find pennies on the street or parking lot.
Usually, they are tanished and ugly looking pennies.
I used to not bother picking up pennies because they have become so worthless.
You have to gather 100 of them to buy a big gulp at 7-11!
Then, I realized these pennies were like me.
I was was worthless, stomp on, ran over, tarnished, no one thought much of me.
Then when I turned my life over to Jesus, He changed me!
I went from an ugly penny to a polished coin.
The world probably still thinks I’m worthless like this penny,
But God has given me a worth far beyond a million dollars!
God wants to change lives!
Do you feel worthless? Do you feel weighted down by sin?
His yoke is easy and His burden is light!
As He has forgiven you and given you a new life, give Him the
Extravagant worship He deserves!
