There have been few times in my life when I have done something I would consider extravagant. My husband would tell you that I enjoy saving money. It is kind of a hobby of mine. J Did you know if you take your plastic Speedway cup back to Speedway, your refill is only .94? Just saying! Now I feel the “freedom” to get a fountain drink more often, AND I have a new set of matching cups. J (Plus I get to see Lee Ann every time I go in!)
It’s not that I don’t spend money or that we don’t do things that cost money, but it is usually something planned, something we have a coupon for, or something we need. I just like to pace my spending. Spending “just because” has never been something I have done very often. I’m more sensible than impulsive and more careful to “count the cost” rather than pursue something just out of desire.
But there are moments in life, when a person ought to be extravagant. There are times of honor and celebration, moments of victory and reflection and even moments of difficulty and crisis that call for an air of extravagance to accompany them in order for a person to truly embrace and appreciate the moment.
A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom. She talked them down to $30,000! Seriously!
The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But, don’t you wonder what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back for a discount? Calvin Trillin was the writer of this story. He imagined out loud what the negotiations must have been like: “$100,000 for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You’ve got to be kidding. Give me a break here. $30,000 is my top offer.”
Mark Trotter concluded his rendition of the story with this thoughtful comment: “I suppose there are some here this morning who can identify with the wife in that story, but for some reason I find myself identifying with the husband. I’d like to think if I were in a similar situation, there would be people who would spare no expense to get me back. They wouldn’t haggle over the price. They wouldn’t say, ‘Well, let me think about it.’ I like to think that they would say, ‘We’ll do anything for you.'”
The point of that story is this: sometimes it’s O.K. to be extravagant! Now, that is precisely what this story in the Gospel is all about. Remember the story with me from John 12. (http://www.sermons.com/?vm=r)
John 12:1-11 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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 putting their faith in him.
Silent Prayer
What we have just read is an amazing portrayal of extravagant love. It is understandable why Mary of Bethany would love Jesus. There had been many exchanges with Jesus and her family. He had frequented their home. He had taught her much about what it means to love God. She had been watching His life and saw evidence that He knew what He was talking about. He wasn’t like the other religious men she had observed. Her heart had been changed by His compassion for the poor and outcast. She was drawn to His gift to extend mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Besides all of that, Jesus had raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead! She had encountered Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life. What she did was the way she knew best to tell Him she trusted Him; that she loved Him. Raising Lazarus from the dead may have won Jesus some more followers, but it also gained him more enemies. The chief priests, according to verse 10, were now out to kill Lazarus. Isn’t it like the enemy to try to destroy the people you love in an effort to hurt you as well? Raising Lazarus raised more suspicion and hatred toward Jesus, yet Jesus never thought for one minute about doing things differently. He never regretted the fact that He had put Himself in further danger by demonstrating His love for His friend, Lazarus. That kind of extravagant love had made an impression on Mary. She wanted Jesus to know just how much she loved Him back.
A person of extravagant love gives regardless of who is watching. Mary’s love for Jesus was obvious long before this day. You’ll recall that in Luke 10 Mary had sat at the feet of Jesus learning from Him. She wasn’t one of the twelve, but she was a disciple. At a time when women didn’t have the privilege of sitting at the feet of a Rabbi to learn the Scriptures, Mary found a way. Her hunger for the things of God caused her to pursue her heart’s desires regardless of societal norms and possible reprimands from religious leaders.
Mary’s act of love and devotion wasn’t private. She performed this act of worship in front of her brother and sister and at least one of Jesus’ disciples. Who knows how many more people were present? There was such purity and such an abandon in her efforts that it didn’t matter to her that she and Jesus weren’t alone. It didn’t cross her mind what other people would think about her presentation. Her eyes were on Jesus alone. She was determined to communicate a deep love and gratitude to Him even though others were watching her sacrifice.
How many times are people moved to express their love and devotion to Jesus only to restrain and refrain themselves because of what others might think? Have you ever been moved in your heart to raise a hand, shed a tear, or visit an altar to pray and spend time with Jesus, yet you stopped yourself short and short-circuited an expression of extravagant love?
A person of extravagant love gives regardless of the cost. Showing love is always going to be accompanied by a price. What Mary poured out on Jesus was worth almost a year’s wages. Judas, the disciple who would later betray Jesus, and the one who just happened to be the keeper of the money, wasn’t thrilled with Mary’s decision to love lavishly. He was used to helping himself from time to time from the money that had been entrusted to him, and all he saw when Mary anointed Jesus were dollar signs going out the door. Judas hadn’t learned to love anyone but himself. That’s why the thought of giving something away when he could have personally benefitted from keeping it made no sense to him.
But when you become a person of extravagant love, personal benefits take a back seat to providing a benefit for someone else, and it never feels like a sacrifice to give sacrificially or extravagantly. It is a joy to do it. We never get the sense in Scripture that Mary, Martha and Lazarus were wealthy people. This wasn’t a gift out of her excess, but was an extravagant gift for her. Judas wouldn’t have jumped on her the way he did had it not been something lavish. Giving when we have it to give isn’t extravagant giving. Giving when it costs us something personally is when it becomes an expression of extravagant love.
When Jesus visited Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and Zacchaeus’s life was turned upside down by the encounter, he who had robbed tax money from people became an extravagant giver. He had become very wealthy in his profession. After his encounter with Jesus he decided to give half of all of his assets to the poor and with the rest of the half he would track down people he had stolen from and pay them back four times the amount he had taken. Eventually, he would run out of money himself. He was absolutely willing to become poor, even destitute, to follow Jesus.
How about the widow who gave all she had out of her loving obedience to God? Mark 12:41-44 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything–all she had to live on.” Extravagant giving isn’t about an amount. It is about an attitude. What Mary did was similar to what the widow did. By pouring out that expensive perfume on Jesus, Mary, like the widow, was saying, “Jesus, I trust You fully.” You mean more to me than any earthly possession . . . than any earthly relationship. The widow who gave all she had to live on! That meant she didn’t even know for sure where her next meal would come from. She had nothing left with which to support herself, but because of her love for God she couldn’t stand the thought of coming to the temple empty handed. People who love extravagantly are willing to do so even when it requires personal sacrifice.
A person of extravagant love gives of one’s self personally. Mary was all in. She loved God with her heart, soul, mind and strength, and hair. J When a guest was anointed in a home it was on the person’s head, not their feet. But Mary took on the dirtiest part of Jesus’ body, the stinkiest, smelliest job, the lowliest job, the job of a servant, in order to express her love.
Many people gain a sense of satisfaction or self-approval when they give money to a cause. That’s a good deed for sure, but it may not always be an expression of extravagant love. It is when we are willing to get our hands dirty, willing to give of our time and use our hands and feet to show God’s love to others that our love takes on a different dimension.
The fact that Mary used her hair in the process is amazing. Jewish woman didn’t take their hair down in front of people other than family. She wasn’t only willing to get her hands dirty, but she was willing to get her hair dirty as well! J Who knows how long it would take for her to get the oil from the perfume and the dirt from Jesus’ feet out of her hair? A woman covering her head or keeping her hair up may seem odd to us in our western culture, but in that day and time only family could see a woman’s hair. When she revealed her hair to Jesus she revealed something very significant and intimate. She had included Jesus as part of her family. She had taken Him in as Lord. By using her hair, she was expressing to Jesus that she was giving her all to Him.
A person of extravagant love acts before it is too late. Jesus explained to Judas and others watching that Mary was preparing Jesus for His upcoming burial. Anointing someone’s feet was an act done to someone’s body after they had died. So in a very real way, what Mary did was an act of prophetic worship. Through her worship God was revealing what was about to happen to Jesus. I don’t know how much she knew about what was ahead, but she had listened to Jesus long enough to hear Him say things about dying and rising again. She knew people were out to get Him. She knew people were out to kill Lazarus now as well. Perhaps she thought, it was only a matter of time before they succeeded, and she didn’t want it to happen without being able to fully express to Jesus how she felt about Him.
Let me share just an observation; nothing to give too much weight or thought to, but an observation that helps me drive home this point. There were a couple of Mary’s who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body after He died, but Mary of Bethany wasn’t one of them. As much as she loved and respected Jesus, I wonder why she wasn’t in that group that went. Could it be she had already expressed her deep love for Jesus while He was alive and didn’t feel the need to go after His crucifixion as a result? She held nothing back while He was alive, so she didn’t have to express her devotion after the fact.
People who love extravagantly are the kind of people who don’t have regrets . . . at least not where loving people is concerned. They don’t leave people guessing about their love and commitment. They speak those words often. They do the kinds of things that express their love before it’s too late.
However Judas said what he said, it was harsh. I know that because of the way Jesus defended what she did. He told Judas to back up and back off. He told her to leave Mary alone. He knew though He had been a man of humble means, a man with no place to call home, a man with no earthly possessions since He started His ministry, that this wasn’t a time to be skimpy or frugal. This was a moment that called for extravagance, and Jesus wasn’t going to have greedy Judas’ whose motives were impure anyway stand in the way of anyone expressing their love for Him. This was a “once in a lifetime” kind of moment as Jesus told them all that He wasn’t always going to be around. There would be a time when it would be too late for Mary to express her love and devotion with Jesus face to face like this.
Jesus had a need to receive what she was giving Him. A grueling week was ahead. This was a preparatory moment for the most difficult week of His life. Had Mary stopped or only poured out half of the perfume she would have regretted it later. This was an all or nothing moment, and Jesus was going to make sure He accepted her all. Listen, you don’t know how your acts of love and devotion will prepare someone or give someone the courage they need to face what is ahead.
Who knows but what as Jesus endured beating after beating in the next few days and ultimately crucifixion, how much he revisited her act of love and devotion? Who knows but what the memory of that extravagance brought Him great comfort in His greatest hour of need. When His friends deserted Him, perhaps the memory of her generosity and love gave Him added strength. I don’t know, but I believe one thing; Mary never regretted using the whole jar!
Extravagant love makes a lasting impression. The Word says that the fragrance of that perfume Mary used filled the entire house. Everyone in the house got the benefit of the fragrance. And it added such a dimension to the experience that they would never forget what they saw Mary do and how it made Jesus feel as He accepted her sacrifice.
In another one of the Gospels Judas accused Mary of wasting it. Listen, extravagant love is never wasted. What Mary did was far more than physical. It was spiritual, and spiritual experiences of extravagant love will always leave a lasting impression.
As I typed this message the Holy Spirit reminded me of an extravagant love moment that fed my soul. I had just had Joshua, and it was Holy Week. I was going to be home on maternity leave and would miss the Communion/Footwashing on Maundy Thursday and the Tenebrae on Good Friday, all of the stuff I just LOVE to experience as a Christ follower. I was home kind of feeling sad about that, and there was a knock on my door. On the other side was a person I had had some conflict with. There were some things we didn’t see eye to eye on. She showed up with a thermos of hot water, had a basin and a towel and said, “Jesus has sent me to wash your feet.” It was a God-moment like I will never forget because I knew what it had taken for her to prepare for that moment. Her extravagance made a lasting impression on me. I haven’t spoken to her for probably going on ten years, and the way her act of love made me feel came rushing back to me just as if it happened yesterday. What she did, fed my soul, even ten years later.
Did you know II Corinthians 2:15 says we are to be the fragrance of Christ, leaving a lasting impression about the love of God on others, as we go about our lives? When you leave people’s impression do they remember you and is it a positive remembrance? When the Sunday lunch crowd tips and leaves their table does the server say, “They were a blessing to me” or “They were a bunch of hypocrites?”
How extravagant is your love for God? Are you willing to demonstrate it regardless of who is watching? Are you willing to demonstrate it sacrificially? Are you “all in?” Heart, soul, mind, strength and hair? Or are you content just to attend, tip God in the offering plate, and go on your merry way? Are you holding back in showing your love for Him to Him and others or are you living with a sense of urgency that you must communicate your extravagant love to God or someone else before it is “too late?” Is the impression you are leaving on people one of extravagant love or egocentric self?
Prayer: Jesus, help us to want to spend the rest of our lives telling You and showing You how much we love you.”
We learned from John 12 that there are times in a person’s life where they ought to be extravagant.
Mary of Bethany, in an act of extravagant love, poured out a perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. Here were our takeaways:
· A person of extravagant love gives regardless of who is watching. Mary performed her act of devotion in front of her family and one or more of the disciples.
· A person of extravagant love gives regardless of the cost. The perfume Mary poured out on Jesus was worth a year’s wages.
· A person of extravagant love gives of one’s self personally. Mary was all in. She loved God with her heart, soul, mind and strength, and hair. J She wasn’t only willing to get her hands dirty, but she was willing to get her hair dirty as well! J When she revealed her hair to Jesus she revealed something very significant and intimate for a woman in that culture. She had included Jesus as part of her family. She had taken Him in as Lord. By using her hair, she was expressing to Jesus that she was giving her all to Him.
· A person of extravagant love acts before it is too late. Jesus explained to Judas and others watching that Mary was preparing Jesus for His upcoming burial. She wanted to show her devotion and love for Jesus while He was still alive.
· A person of extravagant love makes a lasting impression. The Word says that the fragrance of that perfume Mary used filled the entire house. Everyone in the house got the benefit of the fragrance.
How extravagant is your love for God? Are you willing to demonstrate it regardless of who is watching? Are you willing to demonstrate it sacrificially? Are you “all in?” Heart, soul, mind, strength and hair? Or are you content just to attend, tip God in the offering plate, and go on your merry way? Are you holding back in showing your love for Him to Him and others or are you living with a sense of urgency that you must communicate your extravagant love to God or someone else before it is “too late?” Is the impression you are leaving on people one of extravagant love or egocentric self?
Prayer: Jesus, help us want to spend the rest of our lives telling You and showing You how much we love you and showing others how much You love them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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