"Extravagance"
Mark 14:1-9
Doesn’t it sometimes seem like everybody and his brother is out to get something from you? At those times, we can react in some strange ways. For instance, it had been a hard winter in the Rockies. The snow piled deeper and deeper, and the temperature dropped below zero and stayed there. People were suffering. The American Red Cross resorted to using helicopters to fly in supplies.
After one long hard day, as they were returning to their base, the rescue team in a helicopter saw a cabin nearly submerged in the snow. A thin wisp of smoke came from the chimney. The men figured the people in that cabin were probably critically short of food, fuel, and medicine. Because of the trees, they had to set down about a mile from the cabin. They put their heavy emergency equipment on their backs, trudged through the deep snow, and reached the cabin exhausted. They pounded on the door, and a thin gaunt mountain woman finally answered. The group leader panted, “Ma’am, we’re from the Red Cross.” The mountain woman stood silent for a moment, and then said, “It’s been a hard long winter, Sonny, and I just don’t think we can give anything this year.”
This Scripture tells the story of a woman giving because of her extravagant love. Although Mark doesn’t mention her name, we know from the Gospel of John that it’s the story of Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Keep in mind that this scene unfolds just three days before Jesus would go to the cross.
People who love Jesus sometimes do some strange things. Mary loved Jesus. Jesus had been a real friend to her. He had filled her life with hope—had been there during some of the most difficult times of her life. Certainly one was when her brother Lazarus died. Jesus miraculously raised him from the dead.
Mary had tasted of Jesus’ wonderful love. Unlike any other man, Jesus could thunder forth words that caused the storms to cease, demons to flee, and the dead to be raised. But He was gentle—powerful, yet gentle. Little children, far from being afraid of Him, loved to run into His arms. And He was wise, always pointing others to God. Yes, He was unlike any other man, yet all that a man ought to be. And He had reached out to her. How could she ever thank Him?
So there they were, having a meal together at Simon the Leper’s house. No doubt, Mary thought this could be her last chance to do something special for her Lord. So she seized the opportunity and took an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, broke it, and anointed Jesus with it. This perfume was worth more than a year’s wages—true extravagance. Why would she do such a thing?
Mary did it out of her devotion to Jesus. In fact, we find her, at another time, sitting at Jesus’ feet hanging on every word while her sister worked in the kitchen. To her, Jesus was the most important person in the world. So nothing was too precious to give Him. She gave Him the very best she had.
Of course, there are several lessons for us here. For one, we learn that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our generosity. We live smack-dab in the middle of a culture where the prevailing philosophy is one of selfishness and getting. But the prevailing philosophy for followers of Jesus should be one of selflessness and giving. The church ought to live in such a way that unbelievers start to ask themselves a series of questions: Like, why would people with already busy lives take additional time to serve God through their church? And, why would they get involved with people—many of whom aren’t even like them—on purpose? And, why would they tithe their income when they’re already taxed enough? And, what is it that causes them to live this way?
If our motivation is right, the answer to all these questions is simple enough: Because we love our Lord. We’re in a relationship with the living God! He loved us, reached out to us, and forgave us, and now He walks with us through even the hardest times of life. All we have we owe to Him. Nothing we could ever do would be enough to repay Him for all He’s done for us. And so it is our love for Him that causes us to live for Him. Love for the Lord is the motivating force. There is nothing too great to do for Him, and nothing too much to give.
Another lesson we learn is that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our gratitude. What Mary gave cost her dearly. There’s no indication that she was wealthy, and yet she gave the best she had. And isn’t that the mark of extravagant love? Shouldn’t that be the mark of Christian giving? Giving of our best is the mark of true gratitude. If our giving never really costs us, then our giving never really means anything. Even though it cost Mary a great deal, she rejoiced in the fact that she had the privilege to give it. It wasn’t a burdensome gift. It was a gift of gratitude.
A third lesson we learn is that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our graciousness. It is so important that our motives be right. Mary offered that costly perfume out of a heart motivated by love, and Jesus knew that. He looks not merely on the outward work, but on the motives of the heart. And if our motives are right, that’s what really counts. For Christian service to really count, it must be done unto the Lord. Christian service that isn’t done because of our love for Christ isn’t truly Christian. But service offered—even imperfect service—because we love the Lord and want to truly do His will, will always be accepted.
So what will you give? How much will you give? In front of the old capitol building in Phoenix stands a statue of a young fighter pilot. His name was Frank Luke, and his tour of duty in World War I was brief but spectacular. Downing eighteen enemy aircraft in less than a month, he became one of only four fighter pilots awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in that war.
In September of 1917, at age twenty, Frank was a handsome, happy-go-lucky guy. Fascinated by the new flying machines as a teenager, he joined the army and was accepted into flight training. At the end of his training, he went to Phoenix to be with his family one last time before going off to war.
One day during his leave, Frank was heading off to pal around with some old classmates. On his way out the door, his mother, Tillie, stopped him. She laid a hand on his arm and said, “Frank, I’ve been meaning to ask you to plant some lily bulbs for me. The weather’s so perfect for it today. Would you mind terribly?” Frank was happy to oblige her. He took the bag of bulbs and spent some time alone in the front yard before leaving to find his friends. A few days later, he shipped out to join the war in France.
Back in Phoenix, the family read about Frank’s brave exploits in the newspapers. But on September 29, his mother stepped into the front yard to find an amazing sight. The lilies Frank had planted on leave had suddenly burst into bloom—strangely out of season. But that wasn’t all. Once blooming, it was clear that they formed a cross-like shape. Family members gathered and exclaimed at the sight, saying those lilies should have bloomed in June, not September! And how like Frank it was to plant them in some special way. Word of the marvel spread. A photographer came to the house and that week the Sunday paper ran a photo of Tillie standing beside the cross of lilies.
But from the first moment she saw them, Tillie’s response to the flowers was one of sorrow. She brushed away tears, certain that something must be wrong with Frank. On November 25, two weeks after the Armistice ended the war, Tillie’s fears were realized. The family received notification that Frank was missing in action. They would learn much later that Frank had single-handedly shot down three German observation balloons on his last mission. He was wounded in flight and managed to land without crashing in Murvaux. But his wounds were severe, and later that day, he died. Frank Luke had made that final heroic flight on September 29—the day the lilies bloomed in his mother’s front yard.
I wanted you to hear this story because it illustrates that your life is the most extravagant gift you can present to the Lord, and it is the only gift that Jesus asks of you. A woman rushed up to famed violinist Fritz Kreisler after a concert one time and cried, “I’d give my life to play as beautifully as you do.” Kriesler replied, “I did.”
God is calling all of us to give ourselves to Him. Our challenge is not so much to be willing to die for Him, but to be willing to live for Him. In actuality, to live for Him takes a greater commitment. But that’s where commitment really counts. The question of living for Jesus revolves around the simple question of what we can do—of what we can give. God has gifted each of one of us. He has given everyone different abilities. What do you have? What can you do well? Offer your gifts and talents—and your very lives, the most extravagant gift of all—to the Lord.
Respond to Him today by offering yourself; place yourself in the offering that is taken for Him. Then offer whatever gifts you can toward His service. He’ll not only accept them, He’ll rejoice over them. And into your life will come the joy that belongs to all those who know Him not only as Savior, but also as Lord.
Let us pray: Thank you, Lord, for loving us, for reaching out to us, for forgiving us, for walking with us through hard times. You gave Your all for us; You gave Your blood and sacrificed Your life so that we might receive the promise of eternal life. Now all we have we owe to You. May our love for You lead us to truly live for You. May our love for You be our motivating force. In Your name, we pray.
Mark 14:1-9
Doesn’t it sometimes seem like everybody and his brother is out to get something from you? At those times, we can react in some strange ways. For instance, it had been a hard winter in the Rockies. The snow piled deeper and deeper, and the temperature dropped below zero and stayed there. People were suffering. The American Red Cross resorted to using helicopters to fly in supplies.
After one long hard day, as they were returning to their base, the rescue team in a helicopter saw a cabin nearly submerged in the snow. A thin wisp of smoke came from the chimney. The men figured the people in that cabin were probably critically short of food, fuel, and medicine. Because of the trees, they had to set down about a mile from the cabin. They put their heavy emergency equipment on their backs, trudged through the deep snow, and reached the cabin exhausted. They pounded on the door, and a thin gaunt mountain woman finally answered. The group leader panted, “Ma’am, we’re from the Red Cross.” The mountain woman stood silent for a moment, and then said, “It’s been a hard long winter, Sonny, and I just don’t think we can give anything this year.”
This Scripture tells the story of a woman giving because of her extravagant love. Although Mark doesn’t mention her name, we know from the Gospel of John that it’s the story of Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Keep in mind that this scene unfolds just three days before Jesus would go to the cross.
People who love Jesus sometimes do some strange things. Mary loved Jesus. Jesus had been a real friend to her. He had filled her life with hope—had been there during some of the most difficult times of her life. Certainly one was when her brother Lazarus died. Jesus miraculously raised him from the dead.
Mary had tasted of Jesus’ wonderful love. Unlike any other man, Jesus could thunder forth words that caused the storms to cease, demons to flee, and the dead to be raised. But He was gentle—powerful, yet gentle. Little children, far from being afraid of Him, loved to run into His arms. And He was wise, always pointing others to God. Yes, He was unlike any other man, yet all that a man ought to be. And He had reached out to her. How could she ever thank Him?
So there they were, having a meal together at Simon the Leper’s house. No doubt, Mary thought this could be her last chance to do something special for her Lord. So she seized the opportunity and took an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, broke it, and anointed Jesus with it. This perfume was worth more than a year’s wages—true extravagance. Why would she do such a thing?
Mary did it out of her devotion to Jesus. In fact, we find her, at another time, sitting at Jesus’ feet hanging on every word while her sister worked in the kitchen. To her, Jesus was the most important person in the world. So nothing was too precious to give Him. She gave Him the very best she had.
Of course, there are several lessons for us here. For one, we learn that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our generosity. We live smack-dab in the middle of a culture where the prevailing philosophy is one of selfishness and getting. But the prevailing philosophy for followers of Jesus should be one of selflessness and giving. The church ought to live in such a way that unbelievers start to ask themselves a series of questions: Like, why would people with already busy lives take additional time to serve God through their church? And, why would they get involved with people—many of whom aren’t even like them—on purpose? And, why would they tithe their income when they’re already taxed enough? And, what is it that causes them to live this way?
If our motivation is right, the answer to all these questions is simple enough: Because we love our Lord. We’re in a relationship with the living God! He loved us, reached out to us, and forgave us, and now He walks with us through even the hardest times of life. All we have we owe to Him. Nothing we could ever do would be enough to repay Him for all He’s done for us. And so it is our love for Him that causes us to live for Him. Love for the Lord is the motivating force. There is nothing too great to do for Him, and nothing too much to give.
Another lesson we learn is that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our gratitude. What Mary gave cost her dearly. There’s no indication that she was wealthy, and yet she gave the best she had. And isn’t that the mark of extravagant love? Shouldn’t that be the mark of Christian giving? Giving of our best is the mark of true gratitude. If our giving never really costs us, then our giving never really means anything. Even though it cost Mary a great deal, she rejoiced in the fact that she had the privilege to give it. It wasn’t a burdensome gift. It was a gift of gratitude.
A third lesson we learn is that it is a good thing to be extravagant in our graciousness. It is so important that our motives be right. Mary offered that costly perfume out of a heart motivated by love, and Jesus knew that. He looks not merely on the outward work, but on the motives of the heart. And if our motives are right, that’s what really counts. For Christian service to really count, it must be done unto the Lord. Christian service that isn’t done because of our love for Christ isn’t truly Christian. But service offered—even imperfect service—because we love the Lord and want to truly do His will, will always be accepted.
So what will you give? How much will you give? In front of the old capitol building in Phoenix stands a statue of a young fighter pilot. His name was Frank Luke, and his tour of duty in World War I was brief but spectacular. Downing eighteen enemy aircraft in less than a month, he became one of only four fighter pilots awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in that war.
In September of 1917, at age twenty, Frank was a handsome, happy-go-lucky guy. Fascinated by the new flying machines as a teenager, he joined the army and was accepted into flight training. At the end of his training, he went to Phoenix to be with his family one last time before going off to war.
One day during his leave, Frank was heading off to pal around with some old classmates. On his way out the door, his mother, Tillie, stopped him. She laid a hand on his arm and said, “Frank, I’ve been meaning to ask you to plant some lily bulbs for me. The weather’s so perfect for it today. Would you mind terribly?” Frank was happy to oblige her. He took the bag of bulbs and spent some time alone in the front yard before leaving to find his friends. A few days later, he shipped out to join the war in France.
Back in Phoenix, the family read about Frank’s brave exploits in the newspapers. But on September 29, his mother stepped into the front yard to find an amazing sight. The lilies Frank had planted on leave had suddenly burst into bloom—strangely out of season. But that wasn’t all. Once blooming, it was clear that they formed a cross-like shape. Family members gathered and exclaimed at the sight, saying those lilies should have bloomed in June, not September! And how like Frank it was to plant them in some special way. Word of the marvel spread. A photographer came to the house and that week the Sunday paper ran a photo of Tillie standing beside the cross of lilies.
But from the first moment she saw them, Tillie’s response to the flowers was one of sorrow. She brushed away tears, certain that something must be wrong with Frank. On November 25, two weeks after the Armistice ended the war, Tillie’s fears were realized. The family received notification that Frank was missing in action. They would learn much later that Frank had single-handedly shot down three German observation balloons on his last mission. He was wounded in flight and managed to land without crashing in Murvaux. But his wounds were severe, and later that day, he died. Frank Luke had made that final heroic flight on September 29—the day the lilies bloomed in his mother’s front yard.
I wanted you to hear this story because it illustrates that your life is the most extravagant gift you can present to the Lord, and it is the only gift that Jesus asks of you. A woman rushed up to famed violinist Fritz Kreisler after a concert one time and cried, “I’d give my life to play as beautifully as you do.” Kriesler replied, “I did.”
God is calling all of us to give ourselves to Him. Our challenge is not so much to be willing to die for Him, but to be willing to live for Him. In actuality, to live for Him takes a greater commitment. But that’s where commitment really counts. The question of living for Jesus revolves around the simple question of what we can do—of what we can give. God has gifted each of one of us. He has given everyone different abilities. What do you have? What can you do well? Offer your gifts and talents—and your very lives, the most extravagant gift of all—to the Lord.
Respond to Him today by offering yourself; place yourself in the offering that is taken for Him. Then offer whatever gifts you can toward His service. He’ll not only accept them, He’ll rejoice over them. And into your life will come the joy that belongs to all those who know Him not only as Savior, but also as Lord.
Let us pray: Thank you, Lord, for loving us, for reaching out to us, for forgiving us, for walking with us through hard times. You gave Your all for us; You gave Your blood and sacrificed Your life so that we might receive the promise of eternal life. Now all we have we owe to You. May our love for You lead us to truly live for You. May our love for You be our motivating force. In Your name, we pray.
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