Four Thoughts From the Story of Mary’s Extravagant Worship:
1. Gratitude, worship + generosity are always the right response to God’s extravagant grace (vs 1-2).
Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served + Lazarus was among those who ate with him. —John 12:1-2 NLT
According to John 12:1-2, Martha, Mary + Lazarus hosted a dinner party in honor of Jesus, because this little family was overwhelmed with gratitude for what Jesus had done for their brother, Lazarus.
Thankfulness, gratitude, worship + generosity flow out of a heart that sees all of a life as a gift. The only alternative to a life of gratitude, worship + generosity is a heart that is chronically self-centered, selfish, discontent, dissatisfied, complaining + judgmental.
2. Extravagant grace inspires extravagant worship + radical generosity (v 3).
Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard + she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. —John 12:3 NLT
There was nothing “safe” or “conservative” about Mary’s act of worship. She went “all in.”
Her act was beautiful. It was historical. We’re still talking about it 2,000 years later!
It’s even possible that her act of giving + worship was part of what God used to create a culture of radical generosity + extravagant worship in the first-century church.
Have you ever considered that?
The first-century church made an impact by out-loving + out-serving everyone around them! Somehow, they knew + understood that the only appropriate response to extravagant grace is extravagant worship + radical generosity.
3. The enemy of radical generosity + extravagant worship is a preoccupation with self (vs 4-6).
But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold + the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief + since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself. —John 12:4-6 NLT
In his excellent book, Money, Possessions + Eternity, Randy Alcorn writes this about giving:
“The act of giving is a vivid reminder that our life is all about God, not about us. It says, ‘I am not the point, God is the point. He does not exist for me. I exist for him . . .’ Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater Person + a greater agenda. Giving affirms Christ’s lordship. It dethrones me + exalts him. It breaks the chains of [money] that would enslave me + transfers my center of gravity to heaven.” [1]
Whether we become increasingly generous + extravagant in our worship, or increasingly self-centered + selfish, depends on what has captured + what continues to captivate our hearts.
4. Extravagant worship + radical generosity always gets the attention of God (vs 7-8).
Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” —John 12:7-8 NLT
Jesus was basically saying, “You will have many opportunities to help the poor, but you will not always have Me.”
Jesus seemed to be the magnificent obsession of Mary’s life.
Some time before the extravagant act of worship we read about in John 12, Martha hosted another dinner party for Jesus in her home.
39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus + said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come + help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried + upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it + it will not be taken away from her.”—Luke 10:39-42 NLT
Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” —John 12:7-8 NLT
This likely took place on Friday or Saturday—approximately one week before Jesus’ arrest + crucifixion.
A second anointing would take place only four days later (See Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9). [2]
Today’s Verse: Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. —Luke 10:39 NLT
Today’s Prompt: Have there been times when you were too busy to listen to Jesus?
Today’s Gratitude: I am grateful that I don’t have to do works in order to please Jesus, but I can sit at His feet + listen as He talks to + teaches me.
Today’s Prayer: Father, help me to be “all in.” Help me to be extravagantly generous, so I am always aware that my life is all about You + not about me. Lead me in a way that Jesus is the magnificent obsession of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
[1] Randy Alcorn (2011-11-13). Money, Possessions + Eternity (Kindle Locations 4312-4315). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
[2] Jesus was likely anointed three times during His ministry. The first takes place in Luke 7:36-50, early on in His ministry. The second takes place here + the third will take place four days later (See Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9).