Transformation: Splurging For The Savior

Have you ever splurged for someone you care about? You know: ‘pulled out all the stops,’ ‘broke the bank,’ ‘spared no effort’ – in an extravagant, over-flowing expression of love?

Maybe it was when you filled your spouse’s dresser-drawer chock-full of Hershey Kisses, and Hershey Hugs. Maybe it was when you got a pilot to fly high and sky-write ‘I love you, Sweetheart’ across your home-town sky. Maybe it was when you surprised your best friend with a gift certificate, to not just any restaurant, but the very best restaurant.

As we enter Mark 14, extravagant, ‘spare no effort’ love overflows.

It happens during dinner at the home of Simon the Leper, in the village of Bethany, two miles outside of Jerusalem. Why, Jesus is eating away when suddenly, an unidentified woman comes and pours perfume all over his head (Mark 14:3).

Now frankly, the woman’s approach would not have surprised folks. It was a common Jewish practice to pour a few drops of perfume on the head of the guest of honor at a social function. But this woman ‘pulls out all the stops,’ ‘giving everything’ to the guest of honor -- to Jesus.

The extravagance of the woman’s giving is accented by the quality of the perfume she offers. Why this is no ordinary perfume, but imported perfume, a perfume called nard from India. So this woman is ‘sparing no effort’ – giving to Jesus in radical ways.

We need to give to Jesus in radical ways. For radical, challenging times require radical, challenging devotion to Jesus. And so rather than ‘giving everything’ to a hobby, or a job, or an earthly relationship -- we’re to ‘give everything’ to Jesus. As Charles Spurgeon once challenged:

“If Christ is anything, He must be everything. Do not rest until love and faith in Jesus are the master passions of your soul.”

Summertime is a season of rest, but not resting from our pursuit of Jesus. And so even during these more leisurely months, let us excel, nevertheless, in extravagant abandonment, extravagant giving -- to Christ and Christ alone.

Moving through Mark 14, Mark coaches us on how to do that; how to grow in extravagant devotion to Jesus. For starters...

Realize: Radical Love, Is Costly Love.

You can’t ‘give everything’ to Jesus without ‘paying a price,’ ‘making a sacrifice.’

Mark accents this by emphasizing the perfume used by the woman was not just quality perfume, but pricey perfume: the “…woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume…” (Mark 14:3) – Mark tells us.

Bible scholars surmise the alabaster jar was actually an exquisite vase, a family heirloom, worth about 300 denarii, or in today’s currency, about $10,000. Normally the perfume vase was never broken open and shared, but passed on in a family, as an investment or nest egg. But sure enough, the woman breaks open the vase, giving away her nest egg -- giving her all -- to Jesus.

Unbelievable.

A while back, historians documented that Michelangelo was not only Catholic – but utterly devout – devoted to Jesus intimately, as Master and Rescuer. (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/episodes/michelangelo-revealed/226/) There’s no greater example of Michelangelo’s devotion, than his paintings in the Sistine Chapel, created to portray humanity’s need for a covenant with God, through Jesus. But Michelangelo ‘paid a price’ to tell that story, taking four long years to tell that story!

The Sistine Chapel ceiling is especially amazing. Why Michelangelo tilted his head upward, in a confined space, on scaffolding, 60 feet off the ground, for years, to paint that exquisite, extravagant work of art. And then there were the demands of Michelangelo’s painting technique -- the fresco technique – that required him to paint on wet plaster, that initially – get this -- was infiltrated with mold, eating away at what Michelangelo painted, requiring him to re-paint – time and time again!

But Michelangelo persevered – ‘giving his all.’

And the result is one of the most inspiring, daring expressions of God’s glory and Christ’s promise ever revealed!

We’re called to reveal daring expressions of God glory and Christ’s promise, as well. And it happens as we too, like Michelangelo -- ‘pay the price’ – tilting our heads upward, at great sacrifice – doing exquisite – extravagant things – for Jesus!

But here’s the rub: don’t expect everyone to appreciate your effort. In fact...

Expect To Be Criticized and Misunderstood.

It’s ironic: you’d assume after the woman’s exquisite, extravagant act, she’d receive an affirming, positive response from those around her. Well, she did from Jesus (we’ll get to Jesus in a moment), but from others at the dinner, she was chastised big time. Why they said...

“…indignantly to one another. Why this waste of perfume. It could have been sold…and…given to the poor. And they rebuked her harshly.” (Mark 14:4-5).

Have some ever been rebuked harshly? Have persons ever criticized your best effort?

There’s a story about two taxidermists (you know, the folks who stuff animals) named Hank and Harry. Well, one day Hank and Harry stopped in front of a window where an owl was on display. And boy, were they harsh and critical! Why Hank criticized the way the owl was perched and positioned. Then Harry complained that the owl’s eyes were fake and glassy. Then Hank fumed that owl’s wings were too big, out of proportion with its head. Then Harry growled the owl’s feathers were too yellow, not life-like. Finally, Hank snorted: ‘there’s too much stuffing in the owl’s tummy, far from natural.’ And with that, the taxidermists stopped, so proud of their rebuke and criticism! But not before the wise old owl – turned – and winked in their direction!

Wink in the direction of your critics! For even your best efforts, your most authentic efforts will be ‘torn apart.’ So expect it! But be confident, wink, anticipating the defense of Jesus. I mean when criticized, especially when espousing Kingdom values, when ‘giving all’ to Jesus, visualize, realize, Jesus rising-up in your favor.

“Leave her alone” – Jesus snaps at the woman’s critics. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me…” (Mark 14:6).

Ultimately there’s only one advocate you need ‘in your corner,’ and that is the strength and support of Jesus.

If ever there was someone criticized it was Apostle Paul. As Paul notes in 2 Corinthians 10:10...

“…Some say, [my] letters are weighty and forceful, but in person [I am] unimpressive and my speaking amounts to nothing…” (2 Corinthians 10:10).

But is Paul fazed by such harshness? Not really. Why in Galatians 1:10 he declares --

“I am not trying to please people. I want to please God. Do you think I am trying to please people? If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, Contemporary English Version)

Translated: I wouldn’t be giving all to Jesus.

And so be mindful of criticism – learn what you can from criticism – but don’t be consumed by criticism. As the popular clique challenges: "there are over 7 billion people on Earth and you’re going to let one person ruin your day?"

Rather -- let Jesus 'make your day,' as you're consumed by Him, who takes all things – even harsh, difficult, damning things – and works them together for good.

And so you can’t lose!

Sure in the short-run, it appears you come up short. But in the long-run -- giving all to Jesus, pleasing Jesus – accelerates and advances life. And so...

Take Comfort: Only What’s Done For Jesus Will Last.

Translated: bank accounts eventually are depleted. Careers are over. People die. But what’s done for Jesus – never dies! And so C.T. Studds, concludes:

"...Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn; Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last..." (emphasis added). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Studd

The extravagant woman in our text models this conviction, for as Jesus notes, she “…has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body…” Jesus notes in Mark 14:9. And because of such sacrifice, such devotion...

“…You may be sure that…people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.” (Mark 14:9, Contemporary English Version, emphasis added).

You see, there’s something lingering, lasting, enduring about what’s done for Jesus.

Though it’s not in the text, we can infer the woman’s perfume stayed with Jesus for a long time. After all, she poured the whole contents of her vase all over Jesus’ head, saturating His whole being.

And so that aroma of extravagant, exquisite love didn’t just linger for a while, but for an extended time, reminding Jesus of the love He would continue to give to others – the extravagant, exquisite love -- expressed ultimately in the Cross – the very love of God – the love that never let's go – the love that always lingers!

I still remember the smells and aromas of my old home-place, the house I grew up in, in Halfway, MD. I remember the musty, wet scent of our dirt cellar – I remember the sweet, juicy aroma of our grape-arbor out-back -- and most of all I remember: the delicious – delectable – scrumptious – smells of our kitchen – especially when my mother was cooking the all-time Mundey family favorite: hog maw – with extra, extra onions.

But though varied, there was actually a common aroma throughout all those aromas, it was the aroma, the fragrance of love. For though we had our rough times -- the rough times worked together to produce good things – creating a beautiful legacy for our family, a legacy of devotion and love.

God wants us to know a beautiful legacy of devotion and love. God wants His aroma to dominate all other aromas – the aroma, the fragrance of Holy – Righteous – Saving – Redeeming -- Jesus-love!

Allow Jesus-love to dominate. Splurge for the Savior!

Strive to please Jesus, primarily, and not others.
Submit everything to Jesus and His Lordship -- and not some other non-Kingdom pursuit, be it material, vocational, or relational.
Break open your life, giving all to God's full Reign, found in Christ.