Pure Extravagant Love

Pure Extravagant Love

Mark 14:1-9

1. Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him;

2. for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people.”

3. While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

4. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?

5. “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.

6. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.

7. “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.

8. “She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.

9. “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” (Mark 14:1-9)

When the unbelieving world looks at the Christian, they have a difficult time figuring us out. In terms of their own world view, the way we Christians live doesn't make a lot of sense. But that's because the world's philosophy is one of selfishness and getting, while the Christian's philosophy is one of selflessness and giving. God-centered people in a man-centered world are indeed difficult to understand.

Why would people with already busy lives take additional time to render service to God through their church? Why would they become involved with people, many of whom are not like them, on purpose? Why would they tithe their income when we are already taxed enough? Why would they choose to deny themselves any pleasure at all when life is so short? These things don't make a lot of sense to those who don't know Jesus.

But other things make even less sense. When people in the world see Christians in the middle of horribly trying circumstances refusing to be devastated by them, but rather, turning to God in faith, they don't understand. When Christians should be cursing God in their view, but yet they are praising Him, the world doesn't understand. When Christians take it on the chin and respond in love, the world simply scratches its head in amazement. What kind of people are these Christians? What motivates them? What is it about them that causes them to live this way?

A simple answer to that question would be that our love for Jesus causes us to live that way. We have come into a relationship with the living God. He loved us, reached out to us and forgave us, and now He walks with us through even the hardest times of life. He has given meaning and purpose to life. All we have we owe to Him. And nothing we could ever do would be enough to repay Him for all He has done for us. He lives in us, and empowers us by His Spirit to face life and to face it successfully. So our love for Him causes us to live for Him. Love for Jesus is the motivating force. The longer we know Him the more we love Him, and the more we want to love Him. Our love for Him becomes an extravagant love. There is nothing too great to do for Him; nothing too much to give.

Our passage of Scripture for this morning tells the story of an extravagant love. Mark does not give us this woman’s name, but we know who she is from John's gospel, we know that this is the story of Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. The scene unfolds days before the Passover, which would be Jesus' last.

And while He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "For what purpose has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. For the poor you always have with you, and whenever you wish, you can do them good; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, that also which this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her." (Mark 14:3-9)