Extreme Devotion - Study 6/28/13
Extreme Devotion
We are now in the world of extremes – the extreme reality shows, the extreme makeovers and the extreme -- you name it. How about extreme, radical devotion to Jesus? All of us can be great casts and characters in this real life reality show - Devotion to Christ. Why not?
I like yard/garage or moving sales. I went to a moving sale in my neighborhood this past weekend. This elegant lady (probably in early 70s) owns the stuff. I imagine the husband had passed away and she had been living and maintaining this big house. It is now time to down size and move to an assisted living apartment with less care on her part. I once saw her and complimented her on the impeccable and well maintained grounds/lawn of her property. She replied and said “thank you, I am just trying”. She was tired and I saw it in her face and response. Now most of her precious possessions (lots of jewelry, expensive fur coats, dresses, shoes, and household items) are marked with $10, $5, or less and spread all over the garage and her front lawn for sale.
Is that where it all ends? Yes and eventually in the trash dump. We struggle and work so hard just to acquire all these stuff and more stuff and many more stuff, and stuff and stuff. Don’t laugh at my neighbor because your stuff and my stuff will soon end up at the garage sale and eventually in the trash dump.
Let’s meet Mary, Martha and Lazarus who used their time and stuff for Jesus. They were extremely devoted to Jesus. We must be extremely devoted to our Lord and Savior who died for us.
John 12: 1-11
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,[a] whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept[c] this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus - these three siblings loved Jesus very much. More so, Jesus loved them very much and they understood it. “5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5). As a result Jesus spent most time within His three year public ministry in their house. Jesus was always welcomed in Bethany in the house of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
They each had something to offer Jesus. Martha had her service to offer. In today’s world she would be one of the best gourmet Chef on TV with her own cooking program. It says, “they made Him a supper; and Martha served”. Lazarus offered his friendship to Jesus and had the privilege to be raised from dead. As a result of being raised from dead, Lazarus is now a “God glory carrier”. He attracts people to believe in Jesus. 11 “because on account of him (Lazarus) many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus”. Not without its consequences. When you carry God’s glory you become a target for persecution and/or even possible death. “the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death”.
Here is Mary, another example of extreme devotion to Jesus. It says, “Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”. We do not know if it was Mary (or the three siblings) who bought the perfume but she stooped so low to anoint the feet of Jesus. She proceeds to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair. That is total abandonment and loyalty because in the Jewish culture a woman would not expose and let her hair down in public. Usually it was the servant in the house who washed the feet of guests. I believe they were rich enough to have servants but Mary assumed the duty of a servant to wash the feet of Jesus. Mary did not care of any humiliation or jokes and caricature to be made of her. She was bent of ministering to her Lord and Savior before death. Let’s serve people while they live and not after they die which is too late.
How did Mary get to this point? Well if you recall, she has spent most time at the feet of Jesus to listen to Him. “She (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’[k] feet and heard His word” Luke 10:39. She understood Jesus and knew that this was His last week before crucifixion and burial (see verse 7). As a result she served and was devoted to Jesus out of deep love and knowledge of the Lord (His Words). “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” Luke 10:42). It was at the feet of Jesus that she received the most love without any condemnation and judgment of others. The Love of God has been poured abroad on her heart, so she can love Him back. We love because He first loved us.
Notice the price of the perfume. It was a year’s worth of wages. Think of it. Your pay check for the entire year spent on a spice/perfume that is poured on Jesus’ feet. This is extreme devotion. Would you and I do it? What are we using our money for? Just buying stuff and more stuff that will end in a garage sale and eventually in trash dump?
Here comes the critic Judas. He wanted the perfume sold and the money given to the poor. We are told he was a thief helping himself. Watch out for the critics around you. They are there to criticize every good deed you do and analyze it but they will not do any themselves. The critics may come even from your own household but don’t be discouraged as long as you are doing it in the name of Jesus.
How can you and I be extreme in our devotion to God? We are not talking about earning enough points to please God so that we can be saved. He has already loved us unto salvation if we by faith believe in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as guaranteeing our salvation. We are talking about understanding the “so great a salvation” we have received and all our sins forgiven and we are reconciled to a Holy God. In appreciation, we love Him back with the love that He has given us. When Mary showed her love to Jesus, “the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”. People will smell the sweet fragrance of our devotion to Jesus and be attracted to Jesus.
I do not know all that is involved to be extreme in devotion but Jesus gives us His Words to this regard. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:23-25). Jesus also said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’[h] and ‘your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10:27. This is extreme devotion to Jesus.
There is no checklist of things to do for Jesus. I believe the key is being like Mary, sitting at His feet, listening to His Words, clarifying in prayer and doing what we hear. This is extreme devotion. We may hear things we need to stop doing or things we have never done before. It may be as simple as giving a drink of water to the thirsty; or forgiving the one that has hurt us so much. Jesus was mocked and rejected by even his own half- brothers. Is Jesus (and people rejected by society) welcomed in our houses like Mary’s? Can we invite someone who is not like us to our home for a dinner? Try it.
It will cost us. What will change in your life and mine as a result of Jesus’ Words and our learning from Mary and her siblings? May it never be business as usual! Ask God to help you be extremely devoted to Him. Lord, make me over for your glory. Help me to make the necessary adjustments in my life for your glory and honor. Lord, help me to love you back. You said your sheep hear your voice and they obey, for obedience is better than sacrifice. Help me to hear you and obey you. Amen
Now let’s be extreme in our devotion to Jesus and pray for the LBGT community in light of the US Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. Lord we pray for the gay and lesbian community for their salvation. Lord, in your judgment remember mercy. Lord have mercy and pour out your special grace on these people you died for; that the eyes of their understanding may be opened to see you the Truth, the Way and the Life. Lord forgive the sins of America and all of us and have mercy on us. Lord we also pray for the marriages that you ordained between a man and a woman. Lord strengthen these marriages and families to live out your glory to the world. Lord help my marriage to honor you. Also Lord strengthen the single adults as they wait on you and for a spouse. Lord also strengthen the single parents and help us all to honor you in our ways. Amen.
We are now in the world of extremes – the extreme reality shows, the extreme makeovers and the extreme -- you name it. How about extreme, radical devotion to Jesus? All of us can be great casts and characters in this real life reality show - Devotion to Christ. Why not?
I like yard/garage or moving sales. I went to a moving sale in my neighborhood this past weekend. This elegant lady (probably in early 70s) owns the stuff. I imagine the husband had passed away and she had been living and maintaining this big house. It is now time to down size and move to an assisted living apartment with less care on her part. I once saw her and complimented her on the impeccable and well maintained grounds/lawn of her property. She replied and said “thank you, I am just trying”. She was tired and I saw it in her face and response. Now most of her precious possessions (lots of jewelry, expensive fur coats, dresses, shoes, and household items) are marked with $10, $5, or less and spread all over the garage and her front lawn for sale.
Is that where it all ends? Yes and eventually in the trash dump. We struggle and work so hard just to acquire all these stuff and more stuff and many more stuff, and stuff and stuff. Don’t laugh at my neighbor because your stuff and my stuff will soon end up at the garage sale and eventually in the trash dump.
Let’s meet Mary, Martha and Lazarus who used their time and stuff for Jesus. They were extremely devoted to Jesus. We must be extremely devoted to our Lord and Savior who died for us.
John 12: 1-11
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,[a] whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept[c] this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Mary, Martha and Lazarus - these three siblings loved Jesus very much. More so, Jesus loved them very much and they understood it. “5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5). As a result Jesus spent most time within His three year public ministry in their house. Jesus was always welcomed in Bethany in the house of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
They each had something to offer Jesus. Martha had her service to offer. In today’s world she would be one of the best gourmet Chef on TV with her own cooking program. It says, “they made Him a supper; and Martha served”. Lazarus offered his friendship to Jesus and had the privilege to be raised from dead. As a result of being raised from dead, Lazarus is now a “God glory carrier”. He attracts people to believe in Jesus. 11 “because on account of him (Lazarus) many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus”. Not without its consequences. When you carry God’s glory you become a target for persecution and/or even possible death. “the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death”.
Here is Mary, another example of extreme devotion to Jesus. It says, “Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”. We do not know if it was Mary (or the three siblings) who bought the perfume but she stooped so low to anoint the feet of Jesus. She proceeds to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair. That is total abandonment and loyalty because in the Jewish culture a woman would not expose and let her hair down in public. Usually it was the servant in the house who washed the feet of guests. I believe they were rich enough to have servants but Mary assumed the duty of a servant to wash the feet of Jesus. Mary did not care of any humiliation or jokes and caricature to be made of her. She was bent of ministering to her Lord and Savior before death. Let’s serve people while they live and not after they die which is too late.
How did Mary get to this point? Well if you recall, she has spent most time at the feet of Jesus to listen to Him. “She (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’[k] feet and heard His word” Luke 10:39. She understood Jesus and knew that this was His last week before crucifixion and burial (see verse 7). As a result she served and was devoted to Jesus out of deep love and knowledge of the Lord (His Words). “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” Luke 10:42). It was at the feet of Jesus that she received the most love without any condemnation and judgment of others. The Love of God has been poured abroad on her heart, so she can love Him back. We love because He first loved us.
Notice the price of the perfume. It was a year’s worth of wages. Think of it. Your pay check for the entire year spent on a spice/perfume that is poured on Jesus’ feet. This is extreme devotion. Would you and I do it? What are we using our money for? Just buying stuff and more stuff that will end in a garage sale and eventually in trash dump?
Here comes the critic Judas. He wanted the perfume sold and the money given to the poor. We are told he was a thief helping himself. Watch out for the critics around you. They are there to criticize every good deed you do and analyze it but they will not do any themselves. The critics may come even from your own household but don’t be discouraged as long as you are doing it in the name of Jesus.
How can you and I be extreme in our devotion to God? We are not talking about earning enough points to please God so that we can be saved. He has already loved us unto salvation if we by faith believe in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as guaranteeing our salvation. We are talking about understanding the “so great a salvation” we have received and all our sins forgiven and we are reconciled to a Holy God. In appreciation, we love Him back with the love that He has given us. When Mary showed her love to Jesus, “the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”. People will smell the sweet fragrance of our devotion to Jesus and be attracted to Jesus.
I do not know all that is involved to be extreme in devotion but Jesus gives us His Words to this regard. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:23-25). Jesus also said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’[h] and ‘your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10:27. This is extreme devotion to Jesus.
There is no checklist of things to do for Jesus. I believe the key is being like Mary, sitting at His feet, listening to His Words, clarifying in prayer and doing what we hear. This is extreme devotion. We may hear things we need to stop doing or things we have never done before. It may be as simple as giving a drink of water to the thirsty; or forgiving the one that has hurt us so much. Jesus was mocked and rejected by even his own half- brothers. Is Jesus (and people rejected by society) welcomed in our houses like Mary’s? Can we invite someone who is not like us to our home for a dinner? Try it.
It will cost us. What will change in your life and mine as a result of Jesus’ Words and our learning from Mary and her siblings? May it never be business as usual! Ask God to help you be extremely devoted to Him. Lord, make me over for your glory. Help me to make the necessary adjustments in my life for your glory and honor. Lord, help me to love you back. You said your sheep hear your voice and they obey, for obedience is better than sacrifice. Help me to hear you and obey you. Amen
Now let’s be extreme in our devotion to Jesus and pray for the LBGT community in light of the US Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. Lord we pray for the gay and lesbian community for their salvation. Lord, in your judgment remember mercy. Lord have mercy and pour out your special grace on these people you died for; that the eyes of their understanding may be opened to see you the Truth, the Way and the Life. Lord forgive the sins of America and all of us and have mercy on us. Lord we also pray for the marriages that you ordained between a man and a woman. Lord strengthen these marriages and families to live out your glory to the world. Lord help my marriage to honor you. Also Lord strengthen the single adults as they wait on you and for a spouse. Lord also strengthen the single parents and help us all to honor you in our ways. Amen.
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