True Worship Costs Something
Do I ever honor God in a way that costs something?
This morning I was reading in the Gospel of Matthew, the story of the woman anointing Jesus with expensive ointment. It is a story I’ve passed over many times as simply a secondary detail in a more important story. But today it was the only section of my bible plan, I was forced to think about it more deeply.
If you’ve never read the story or need a refresh, the story of Jesus’ life on earth is progressing and his time of death is nearing. All of a sudden, Jesus is at the home of a leper (which is unheard of) and a woman, Mary, comes to Him. She gets out a box of perfume and anoints Jesus’ head with it. A symbol of deep respect and adoration.
The disciples became indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” (Matthew 26:9")
Jesus responds: “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”
What are we to make of this story?
Context
Here are some contextual points that will help set the scene for you:
Oils/perfumes in that time period were used as a solemn act of devotion. “Anointing with oil” would have been a common practice. In more common households, cheaper oils would have been used.
The perfume Mary used was worth more than “300 denarii” according to Mark 14:5. This translates into a year’s wage for the average worker. We could estimate around $40,000-55,000 for today.
Does the context help explain why the disciples freak out? This isn’t something she hurriedly picked up on the corner mart as a last-minute gift idea; this is a significant sacrifice of money. I can understand why they think this seems like a waste of money.
Worship
The question remains for us. Do we ever offer anything of ourselves to Christ that feels costly? More time in prayer? More devotion to our church as an act of service? More Bible reading? More graciousness and love to others as a reflection of His love towards us? More patience with hard people, as we have been dealt with patience?
We are not to do these things out of guilt. Did Mary anoint the feet of Jesus out of guilt? No. She did it out of worship. Out of seeing how beautiful and magnificent Jesus Christ was and what He was about to do on the cross.
So we, as we consider what Christ has done for us on the cross, we respond in worship. Costly worship.
Mary’s cost was financial. But it illustrates the point for us and gets at the heart we are after, wholehearted devotion. Most of us, the most costly worship we do will not be with our wallets, but with our time.
When was the last time your worship cost you something?
Considering with you,
Josh.