Sacrifice

John 12:1-9




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.

In this passage we see a picture of the church. We see a woman in Martha that is busy going and working, then you see Lazarus a dead man made a live by the power of Jesus. You see Lazarus complaining about an act of worship, because he has an agenda. Then finally, you see Martha whom didn't care about anything or anybody just about worship. Today I want to look at Mary and what we can learn from her sacrifice. 

Now in that video its a humorous look at worship, but you see exactly that kinda of argument going on in our churches today. The video does show one thing there are many times of worship and the main thing is sacrifice. Mary gives us a pure picture of sacrifice. The "pure nard" or as the KJV says, "spikenard" is a very expensive form of perfume. So expensive in fact that back in those days it was referred to in Mark 14:4 as a years wages. That would have been a Denarii a day, or three hundred denarii for a years wages. Breaking down this to modern process of thought. Its been claimed that four hundred thousand roses full grown produce one ounce of this perfume. Its three hundred dollars an ounce. With what she used that day this bottle of perfume in today's market would have cost her somewhere in the neighborhood of twelve hundred dollars. Judas was seeing this and was upset that she would even think about doing this. He said it was for the poor, but his heart was not there. He was in the mindset of how much they could have kept for his own agenda. Sin was exposed and often times is when true worship is taking place. When the heart isn't right there is no consideration of worship its more about what everyone else is doing as opposed to your time with God. 

Now I have been guilty of this myself, I have been in the wrong frame of mind at times of worship. It hasn't been about me and Jesus. Its been about what everyone else was doing. Shawn, "are you saying there doesn't need to be order?" Not at all, there always needs to be order, but our opinion of order and God's opinion of order often times are different. Worshiping isn't a state the newest fad, or even the song that is being sang. Worshiping is an act of sacrifice and total submission to God. I will tell you as I have been guilty of looking at others in their worship (what I call a Judas mentality) before, I have been scolded by the Holy Spirit before. I have been told how can I judge someone else's act of worship, because I have no idea what they have been through, or where they have came out of. I know what God delivered me from, and I know there are times that I feel like jumping or dancing. I know there are people that look down on me, but I can't carry that concern. I must in fact do as Mary did, she was worshiping without restraint of "churchy" ways of doing things. Her worship was pure, and it was blessed by Jesus. Look at her testimony here, look at what she had just seen. Her brother was just dead and now he was alive sitting at the table eating with the master.

Now I think we can all learn from this Mary is praising because a relative that was dead is now alive. Many of us pray for unsaved loved ones. When that family member comes to know God often times that family doesn't care about what others are thinking. They know where that family member was (dead) but now he is alive in Christ Jesus. Her sacrifice was completely accepted by the one the sacrifice was being made for. No matter what the Cost no matter what the story, an act of pure worship doesn't confine you to a series of religious exercises. Its a love expressed for Jesus no matter the cost, no matter what others might say. Often times it defies the human standard of logic. Logic is merely a human standard measured by what is right in front of you, based upon human facts. Logic often times is a good source for decision making, but a horrible choice for faith in God. Mary in this case goes outside the realm of logical and gets out in the deep water and immerses herself in the presence of Jesus Christ. 

Where the church has missed it in so many cases is we set back and deliberate what is happening. Why that person is doing that or reacting in that way. We don't know their pain and we don't know what they have been through. John 8:36 says, "so if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Once you have had a real encounter with Jesus you are set free and you don't have those chains that bind you anymore. 

Finally, Mary's sacrifice wasn't accepted by the others in the room, other than Jesus. So lets think about this Martha was too busy to worship, because she was trying to make sure everyone was taken care of. Like many Pastor's we get so busy with the goings on of our church we sometimes program our self right out of a true worship experience at church. Then you have Judas whom is so taken back by her sacrifice, because it doesn't make sense to his sinful state, that he calls it a waste. Then you have Lazarus who doesn't have anything to say during all this he is just reclining at the table with Jesus. In other words he was once dead, but now alive so he is just happy to be in the presence of Jesus. What I love about this is during it all Mary isn't distracted, upset, too busy, or content. She is having a moment of revelation, she has come to the place I pray we all get too. That state of revelation knowledge that I certain ones had throughout that bible that were life altering moments. The centurion who had "great faith" as Jesus just spoke the word and his servant was healed. Peter had a moment where he defied logic and walked on the water. The ten lepers only one came back and laid himself at the feet of Jesus and while the other nine were healed. The one that came back was made whole, or in the Greek the word is sozo or to be restored kept from destruction. He was made complete. These are a few instances  of the many where the revelation of who he was separated their worship from the others. 

With that being said that's the hard thing to do! Its not easy it takes sacrifice. Smith Wigglesworth, one of the modern day prophets would wake up and praise for up to three hours each morning before he would even pray or do anything else. It takes a commitment, one that unfortunately many won't or say they can't give. Many of us are in the boat of Martha, so busy we miss the revelation and the presence of Jesus right in your own home. We are too worried about this and that, then we complain that no one is helping. We aren't sinning per say we are just in a state of missing an opportunity for true revelation. That's why we have to make a sacrifice that no matter what time it is or when it is I have to be sensitive to his presence. When you're hungry you eat, when you're thirsty you drink. Well when you are seeking his presence you will find him. We know that God in habits the praises of his people, and just like Mary when you are willing to sacrifice what you have for a moment with Jesus. That's when true revelation happens, that's when those moments happen to where he can truly have a time with you. Those vulnerable times happen and its in those times that he can truly bless you and help you right where your at. It takes Sacrifice, are you willing?