Extravagant Worship

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17

   If He hears that cracking tinkle when you break your alabaster jar of personal treasures.  If He notices the rustling sound as you bow low to dismantle your own glory; you are going to stop Him right in the middle of whatever He’s doing because God cannot, will not pass by a broken and contrite heart, He will move Heaven and earth just to come where you are.

   How many of you are familiar with the story about the woman with the alabaster jar?  In the book of Matthew the scripture gives an account of this woman and what she did for Jesus. Because of what this woman did, Jesus said wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what this woman has done will be told also in memory of her. As we study this woman and what she did, we’ll begin to understand what it truly means to worship.

   We will also understand the price of the anointing and why we may be mocked and even criticized for carrying it. When Jesus came back to Bethany and was in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to Him with an alabaster bottle of very precious and costly perfume and she poured it on His head as He rested at the table and that ain't all...oh my...our bad girl held nothing back. She pressed her lips to His feet, “kissing them over and over. Not just once in shy affection, but with an abundance born of passion and pure adulation. Now in those days it was customary to kiss a man’s hand or cheek or the hem of his garment. But this woman kissed His dusty, stone-bruised feet.

 Now when the disciples saw this, they became self righteous saying among themselves, “For what purpose is all this waste, this perfume could have been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor.” Jesus, knowing what was in their minds and what they said answered them,  “Why are you criticizing this woman? What she has done to Me is a beautiful thing! You will always have the poor among you but you won’t always have Me. In pouring this perfume on My body, she has done something to prepare Me for burial. Truly I tell you wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has just done will be told in memory of her.”

  I especially love this part...“Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44) Simon, look at her, really see her but all Simon saw was a prostitute, period. He didn’t see her as a person, nor had he “noticed” her acts of worship for what they were.  But Jesus missed nothing. He saw her. He saw her sordid past, her humble present, and her glorious future. Just as when He looks at you or I...He doesn't see us as we are but what we can be.  He looked beyond her fault and saw her need!  Hallelujah!  How often has He done that for me, for you.

   This scripture in Matthew talks about a woman whose name is never mentioned and although tradition identifies her with Mary Magdalene there is nothing in the text to suggest it was her. One translation tells us she was a sinner. She could be any one of us.  I would dare say that every woman in here has been where this woman was at one time or the other. I know…I have!

   We’re not sure how she knew Jesus was there but somehow she found out He was at Simon’s house. She came alone, bearing a small alabaster vial of perfume. Did she intend to give the Lord this “flask of ointment” (AMP), this “jar of fragrant oil” (HCSB)? Or did she mean simply to anoint His head, a common gesture of respect?

Whatever her plans, they flew out the window the moment she saw Him.  Jesus.

 Speechless, she drew closer, then “stood behind Him at His feet weeping” (Luke 7:38). Little wonder. Tears often spring to my eyes when I sense the Lord’s presence. Tears of sorrow for my sins. Tears of gratitude for His goodness.  Perhaps she felt the same. Perhaps you’ve been there as well. 

 She came with her most precious possession and she meant to pour it out on Jesus. However while she did this, others around her became critical and self righteous. They said it was a waste, foolish and they had a better idea on how the money could have been spent.

   This woman had heard somehow that Jesus was at the house of Simon. Simon was not only known as a leper but he practiced witchcraft, a well known sorcerer.  She had to have known this but she went anyway. She went to see Jesus and she didn’t go empty handed. She came with her best gift and she poured it out. This perfume was costly yet she poured it out. It is said that this perfume cost her a entire year’s salary, the same perfume she wore to advertise her services. So much for slipping under the radar at Simon’s gathering but she didn’t care. I believe she recognized who she was pouring it on and she meant to follow through whatever the cost. 

  She cried so hard that “her tears began to wet His feet “(Luke 7:38). You know she must have been mortified. But she couldn’t stop her tears..not when her heart was filled to overflowing. She sank to her knees, then bowed her head so low it touched the ground. She could have used her sleeves to dry His tear-drenched feet. Instead, “she wiped them with the hair of her head”. Far more personal, more humble, more sacrificial.  We call what she did worship but what she really poured out over His feet was love. Her tears, her hair, her kisses, her perfume all was love, love, love, and more love! 

    When we know where to find Jesus, we’ll go to Him and we’ll bring our best gifts and we’ll lavish them on Him! This oil (perfume) was a form of worship! This perfume was costly but she didn’t care, she wanted to present it to Jesus!  I think sometimes regardless of the cost, we’ll make the sacrifice to worship the Lord. When you can worship when your child is laying ill or dying in the hospital or when you stand over the grave of a loved one or when your spouse tells you he’s found someone else and wants a divorce. Or when the doctors tell you, you have cancer and you come to church and worship and not just worship but lead worship then your worship becomes a sacrifice, becomes as a sweet savor in the nostrils of our Beloved.  Becomes extravagant worship! 

  Jesus didn’t pull away, He didn’t scold her, He didn’t make her feel foolish. No, He gladly received the baptism of her tears, recognizing this heartfelt expression for what it was...worship, pure and holy.

   However, those around her said it was foolish and wasteful. They even went as far as to say that they had a better use for what she had. It’s interesting how the enemy will come with a judgmental, critical, religious spirit when you want to submit your heart to God. The enemy doesn’t want you to give Him your best. He’ll tell you there’s a better way, a less costly way but his intentions are evil and will lead you away from the plans and purposes of God. Can I tell you something….anything you give to God is never a waste!

    This woman went where most folks wouldn’t go and she went uninvited.  (I love how we don’t need an invitation to come to God, don’t you.)  This man was known as Simon the Leper; now rather he actually had leprosy or not, I don’t know.  He may have been the one Jesus healed and folks still called him by that title but the Word does tell us he was a sorcerer and practiced witchcraft. By going there, she opened herself up to all kinds of things but she went with good intentions and all she found was accusations, slander and false humility. It’s interesting how Jesus set them all straight. He asked why they were saying those things and then He basically rebuked them. He also gave them a message but because they weren’t paying attention, they missed it. When we purpose in our hearts to go after the things of God and submit our will to Him, the enemy will always come with a voice that is critical and judgmental. It will sound good and may even look good however the end result will not bring forth fruit. The enemy will always bring confusion to the picture and cause it to be distorted.

   When you use your gifts for Jesus and attach the plan and purpose to them, it’ll cost you something. It may even cost you your dignity! King David said in 1 Chronicles that he would not give to God that which cost him nothing. True worship throws pride to the wind and pushes self aside.  Folks, true worship will cost you something, sometimes it may cost you everything!  When she poured out that oil, she was pouring out her soul! 

   She didn’t care that mascara would run down her face with her tears. She didn’t care that her eyes would be all red and swollen. She didn’t care what the others in the room would think of her. She didn’t care about the whispers behind her back. She had come to get close to Jesus and she just didn’t care about anyone else or anything. Scripture tells us that this woman let her hair down. This just wasn’t done in those days! It was considered shameful for a woman to wear her hair loose. When you decide to throw caution to the wind and ‘let your hair down’ and worship with all that is within you people will talk about you, point fingers and whisper behind your back.

   One other thing about this woman, she gave Him her best! The most precious thing she had was a jar of every expensive perfume. And I noticed something else, she didn’t open the jar of perfume, she broke it! She came to Jesus broken! Scripture tells us that a broken and contrite heart He’ll not turn away. She came before Him broken and she anointed Him with the oil of her brokenness.

   If God has anointed you, pour it back on Him. If God has gifted you, give it back! He gave His all and He wants your all, even in your worship. Did Christ pour out His soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for Him? Do we give Him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love Him with all the heart. Let us give Him our all!

   Can I tell you something….she came before Him broken but she left His presence whole and so will you! Oh how I wish I could get a witness! He can heal your brokenness! He can take your broken places, heal you and make you whole.  This woman didn't speak her faith, no verbal confession, no sinner’s prayer was recorded here but she certainly demonstrated her love for a God who forgives completely. May we go and do the same. 

   Whatever you need can be found on the other side of your worship. You need a miracle in your life? Start worshiping! You need healing in your body? Start worshiping!
“And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle again the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah (praise) shall go up first. ” Judges 20:18

   The Word tells us that the flesh is weak but the spirit is willing. If we fail to recognize the plan and purpose of God we will never understand the purpose of our gifts. The greatest gift we can give to others is the one He gave to us and that is eternal life. He wants us to pour out what we have inside us and give it to others. When we carry God’s anointing, His plan and purpose will burn in our hearts. We will see things the way He does and we’ll purpose it in our hearts to go after what’s in His heart, the lost.

   I don’t know bout you but I want my heart to be His heart I want the things that break His heart to break mine! God is searching the world for those who allow His fire to burn on the inside of them and take it to a lost and dying world. Time is running out and we all have a decision to make. What will you do with what He has put on the inside of you? There’s a fire that will burn on the inside of those that see the purpose and plan of God and they will know beyond a shadow of doubt what to do with it! 

   And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

  In His love,

Elizabeth