Introduction
I. Worship
A. Church talk about it
B. Churches fight about it
C. Churches sometimes even split over it.
II. When it comes to the issue of worship
A. I have heard people say, “I go to that church because of their incredible worship.”
B. I have heard people say, “I stopped going there because they changed the worship.”
C. I have even heard people say, “I would never go there because of their worship.”
III. Drive down the road looking at church signs and often you will see something to the effect
A. Traditional worship at “a certain time” and
B. Contemporary worship at “a certain time.”
IV. When people refer to worship, what exactly are they talking about?
A. Many people say that worship is that part of the service before the sermon, typically the time of music, prayers, offering and the like.
B. We theological types say things like “Worship includes everything that a church does on Sunday morning.”
C. Still other people say, “I don’t need church to worship God at all. I can worship God any place and any time” but then most people that say that don’t worship any place or any time.
V. So what is worship?
VI. Paul put it this way in Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2 - “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed b y the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
VII. True worship is not about receiving from God.
VIII. True worship, worship that counts is about giving ourselves fully to God.
IX. True worship is what we read about in John chapter 12, verses 1 to 11.
True Worship is Planned (vs. 3)
1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at th table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
I. If you were to take your Harmony of the Gospels, you would find that gospel writers Mark and Matthew also include this story.
A. In their story however, they add that this dinner took place in the home of Simon the Leper.
B. It is possible that Mary, Martha and Lazarus were the host, but perhaps the home of Simon was larger or more centrally located or whatever.
C. Or since we know that the Pharisee’s were also plotting to kill Lazarus, maybe having the dinner at someone else’s home seemed safer to them.
D. Whatever the case, this dinner was probably not hosted at the home of the sisters and Lazarus.
II. Now I would ask you to look at verse 3, “Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet or Jesus....”
A. Where did Mary get this perfume?
1. I doubt that she said to herself, “I wonder what Simon might have to honor Jesus with.”
2. I doubt that she went into the bedroom, looked around for the perfume and said, “I know. This would be a great way to worship Jesus.”
B. No; I know I am assuming here, but
1. I assume that Mary must have brought this bottle of perfume from her home to Simon’s home.
2. I am assuming that Mary must have “Planned” to honor Christ by anointing him with the perfume.
III. True worship, which is honoring of Christ is planned.
A. In writing to the Corinthians concerning a special offering Paul said, “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.” (1 Cor. 16:2)
B. He also said to the Corinthians concerning offerings in his second letter, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2nd Cor. 9:7)
C. What I see here, relative to offerings to God is that “worship” should be planned.
IV. Now I know that sometimes worship is also spontaneous.
A. When Moses realized he was in the presence of God, he took off his sandals and worshiped.
B. I don’t think Isaiah in chapter six expected to see the Lord, but when he did, he worshiped.
V. Sometimes worship is spontaneous, but just as often “True Worship”, worship that is acceptable to God is planned beforehand; it is decided in the heart before we enter the “presence” of God.
A. And I am not just talking about money.
B. Worship of God is not limited to our monetary offerings.
1. I need to discover what gifts and abilities God has given me, and then decided how best to utilize them for his glory.
2. I need to discover the personalities of the people God has placed in my life, and then decide how best to interact with them in order to share Christ, or become and example of what Christ is.
VI. True worship is often planned in advance of the actual offering of worship.
True Worship Is Costly (vs. 3)
I. I would like you to notice something else about this perfume from verse three. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
A. It states that the perfume was “very costly.”
B. Judas said that the perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii, that is the equivalent of 300 days wages.
C. And that bottle was not large.
II. In the first century, perfume was typically imported.
A. It was quite costly for even a small amount.
B. Perfume was often seen as an investment, much like a savings account.
III. I know we don’t all make the same salary, but consider a salary in our area here to be around $60,000 per year.
A. Now divide that 60,000 by 365 for a years wage, and you get 164 and change.
B. Now multiply 164 by 300 and you get $49,200.00
C. Even if we say 50,000, you will get over a $40,000.00 offering.
IV. Forty thousand dollars.
A. That is more than many of us have in bank.
B. Forty thousand dollars is even more than some of us earn in a year of hard labor.
C. And here Mary pours it out on the feet of Jesus, essentially pouring it on the ground.
D. No wonder Judas said in effect, “What are you doing?”
V. In the other gospels, Jesus said that she was anointing him for his funeral, but I doubt that Mary knew that at the time; she simply wanted to worship the man that had given life back to her brother.
VI. “True worship” worship that is acceptable to Christ is often planned,
VII. True worship is also often costly.
VIII. Now understand, when I say costly I am not simply speaking of the financial worth of the gift.
A. Not all of us have the same gifts.
B. Not all of us earn the same amount of money.
C. Not all of us have the same amount of time.
D. But all of us have some and all of us have something and all of us have been given gifts and abilities by the hand of God.
IX. The “cost” of your worship will be different than the cost of someone else, but consider how to many people decide what they will give to God in way of worship.
A. I will give God a percentage of what is left in my check book, after I get what I want.
B. I will give God a percentage of my time, as long as I can have the recreational time I want.
C. I will give God this type of service, as long as I don’t have to come out to too many meetings.
X. Let me ask you,
A. What have you planned in your heart to give to God in worship; is it truly representative of what God has done for you?
B. What has your offering of worship cost you; a little bit; anything?
XI. “True worship” worship that is honoring to God is worship that is planned.
XII. True worship, worship that is honoring to God is costly, on one level or another. True Worship Is Sensed/Experienced By Others (vs. 3)
I. I ask you to look at verse three yet once again, - Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
II. Mary had planned to bring the perfume to honor and worship Christ.
III. Mary had planned to bring a costly sacrifice, that may well have been her life savings to that point, in order to worship Christ.
IV. Then notice that Mary knelt before Christ, poured the costly perfume on his feet, and as she wiped it with her hair, it’s fragrance filled not only the room, but the text states that “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
A. Every person in the house knew that something extraordinary had just taken place.
B. Certainly Judas knew, but then he also was reclining at the table; he couldn’t miss it.
C. Certainly the other disciples knew, they also were reclining at the table, enjoying the meal.
D. But also, throughout the house, people knew that something special had just taken place.
V. In fact verse 9 states that a large crowd had gathered when they learned that Jesus was present.
A. As they approached the home, is it possible that the sweet aroma of perfume would be making it’s way to their senses.
B. Not everyone present would have known that Mary had just worshiped Christ with the perfume, but everyone within the walls of the home, and everyone that got close enough to pick up the sent would have known that something special had taken place that day; something quite unexpected.
VI. “True Worship,” worship that is God honoring is planned before hand.
VII. “True Worship,” worship that is God honoring is costly, it cost you something.
VIII. “True Worship,” worship that is God honoring will be noticed and sense by others.
IX. And the last thing I want to share this morning,
A. True Worship
B. Worship that is God honoring is protected, noticed, defended by God. True Worship is Christ Focused (vs. 7-8)
7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
I. Mary has planned to worship and honor Christ with a costly perfume, and that worship has been noticed by all that were present.
II. Mary has focused her energies and desires on the worship of the one that has given life to her brother, ignoring everyone else that is there.
III. Mary has been noticed by Judas, who had his own agenda, and does not hesitate to confront this enormous waste of resources.
IV. Can you imagine what could have gone through Mary’s mind in that moment?
A. Maybe, “He’s right. Who do I think I am to disturb this setting?”
B. Maybe, “He’s right. This would could have been put to better use than pouring it on the ground.”
C. Maybe, “O no. Everyone has seen me. Don’t I look foolish.”
D. Maybe, just maybe, “All I wanted to do was say ‘thank you’ to Jesus.”
V. And notice as well that Jesus does not hesitate to jump to the defense of an action that was done to honor him.
A. Leave her alone, she has sensed more about me than you who have walked so closely with me these past years.
B. In the other gospels, “Leave her alone. She has done all that she could.”
C. Leave her alone. You’ve got enough to worry about within yourself.
D. Leave her alone. She is focused on giving to me, while your focus is only on what you can get out of your relationship with me.
VI. “True worship”, worship that is truly honoring to Christ is Christ focused, and Christ himself will defend our worship.
A. My worship may look different than yours,
B. My worship may emphasize something different than yours.
C. The real question is not “What will I receive from this time of worship time.”
D. The real question is, “What can I give during this time of worship.”
VII. As we close this morning, ask yourself these questions,
A. How have I planned to worship Jesus Christ?
B. What has my worship of Christ really cost me?
C. Does my worship create a fragrance that is noticed by others?
D. When I worship, am I truly focused on Christ?
VIII. “I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it. I’ll sing you more than a song.”
