Pouring Out Love: The Cost of True Devotion
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound act of Mary anointing Jesus with costly ointment, as described in Mark 14:3-9. This act of worship, which some disciples saw as wasteful, was a powerful demonstration of sacrificial love. Mary’s willingness to pour out her most valuable possession on Jesus exemplifies the depth of her devotion and understanding of who He is. This story challenges us to consider what we are willing to sacrifice for our love of Jesus.
We live in a time where God is moving mightily across the globe, and it is crucial for us to listen to His voice and align our lives with His will. This involves obedience, discipline, and taking responsibility for the words God has spoken over our lives and our church. We are called to be active participants in God’s work, not passive observers.
The essence of our faith is not just in serving but in loving Jesus deeply. Our service should flow from our intimacy with Him. Like Mary, we are invited to pour out our lives as an offering to Jesus, holding nothing back. This kind of devotion may seem excessive to those who are lukewarm, but it is the true measure of our love for God.
We must be careful not to let our own lack of passion become a standard for others. Instead, we should surround ourselves with those who are equally passionate about Jesus. Our lives should be a testament to our love for Him, setting the temperature rather than merely measuring it.
As we prepare for the upcoming Grace & Glory Conference and our week of prayer and worship, let us commit to living a life fully devoted to Jesus, willing to sacrifice everything for Him. This is the essence of living the "wasted life"—a life poured out in love and devotion to our Savior.
### Key Takeaways
1. Sacrificial Love: Mary’s act of anointing Jesus with costly ointment teaches us that pure love is always measured by the cost of the sacrifice we make for it. True devotion to Jesus involves giving our best and most valuable to Him, even when others may see it as wasteful. [01:16:44]
2. Obedience and Responsibility: God calls us to live lives of obedience, discipline, and responsibility. We must take ownership of the prophetic words spoken over our lives and our church, aligning our actions with God’s current agenda. This requires us to be proactive and committed to His will. [01:12:16]
3. Intimacy Over Service: While serving Jesus is important, it should never overshadow our intimacy with Him. Our primary call is to sit at Jesus' feet, pouring out our lives in worship. From this place of deep connection, our service becomes an effortless overflow of our love for Him. [01:36:24]
4. Avoiding Lukewarmness: We must guard against becoming lukewarm in our faith. Surrounding ourselves with passionate believers and avoiding critical, complacent influences helps us stay fervent in our devotion to Jesus. Our hunger for God should drive us to deeper levels of commitment and action. [01:28:42]
5. Living the Wasted Life: The concept of living a "wasted life" means dedicating everything to Jesus, holding nothing back. This kind of radical devotion may be misunderstood by others, but it is the true essence of following Christ. Our lives should be a continuous offering, poured out in love and worship. [01:33:18]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:01:08] - Blessing for Austin David
[01:06:17] - Reflections on Holland and France
[01:07:34] - Global Ministry and Influence
[01:08:21] - Upcoming Grace & Glory Conference
[01:08:56] - Humorous Anecdote
[01:09:21] - Reading from Mark 14:3-9
[01:11:06] - Living the Wasted Life
[01:12:16] - Obedience, Discipline, and Responsibility
[01:14:56] - Prophetic Partnership
[01:15:52] - Mary’s Sacrificial Act
[01:17:41] - The Cost of Love
[01:20:22] - Following Jesus on His Terms
[01:23:47] - Sacrificial Love vs. Lukewarmness
[01:26:42] - Judas’ Calculation and Lack of Hunger
[01:28:42] - Avoiding Lukewarm Influences
[01:33:18] - Living the Wasted Life
[01:36:24] - Intimacy Over Service
[01:37:51] - The Trap of Ministry
[01:39:11] - Communion and Dedication
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Mark 14:3-9: "While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, 'Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.' And they rebuked her harshly. 'Leave her alone,' said Jesus. 'Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the reaction of some of the disciples to Mary’s act of anointing Jesus with costly ointment? [01:09:21]
2. How did Jesus respond to the disciples' criticism of Mary’s act? [01:09:21]
3. What does Jesus say about the significance of Mary’s act of anointing Him? [01:09:21]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Mary’s act of anointing Jesus was seen as wasteful by some of the disciples? What does this reveal about their understanding of Jesus and their priorities? [01:09:21]
2. How does Jesus’ defense of Mary’s actions challenge our understanding of what it means to show devotion to Him? [01:09:21]
3. In what ways does the concept of "sacrificial love" as demonstrated by Mary contrast with the attitudes of the disciples who criticized her? [01:09:21]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called to make a significant sacrifice for your faith. How did others react, and how did you respond to their reactions? [01:09:21]
2. Jesus emphasized the importance of intimacy with Him over mere service. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus in your daily life? [01:36:24]
3. The sermon mentioned the danger of becoming lukewarm in our faith. What steps can you take to ensure that your passion for Jesus remains strong and vibrant? [01:28:42]
4. Consider the idea of living a "wasted life" for Jesus, where you hold nothing back in your devotion to Him. What might this look like in your own life, and what changes would you need to make to live this way? [01:33:18]
5. The sermon highlighted the importance of surrounding ourselves with passionate believers. Who in your life inspires you to deepen your faith, and how can you spend more time with them? [01:28:42]
6. Reflect on the upcoming Grace & Glory Conference and the week of prayer and worship. How can you prepare your heart and mind to fully engage in these events and grow in your devotion to Jesus? [01:08:21]
7. Think about the prophetic words spoken over your life and your church. How can you take responsibility for these words and align your actions with God’s current agenda? [01:12:16]
Devotional
Day 1: The Cost of Sacrificial Love
Mary’s act of anointing Jesus with costly ointment teaches us that pure love is always measured by the cost of the sacrifice we make for it. True devotion to Jesus involves giving our best and most valuable to Him, even when others may see it as wasteful. Mary’s willingness to pour out her most valuable possession on Jesus exemplifies the depth of her devotion and understanding of who He is. This story challenges us to consider what we are willing to sacrifice for our love of Jesus. Are we prepared to give up our most treasured possessions, time, or even our reputation for the sake of our devotion to Him? This kind of sacrificial love is a powerful testimony to the world of the value we place on our relationship with Jesus. [01:16:44]
Mark 14:3-4 (ESV): "And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, 'Why was the ointment wasted like that?'"
Reflection: What is one valuable thing in your life that you can offer to Jesus today as a sign of your love and devotion? How can you make this sacrifice in a way that honors Him?
Day 2: Living in Obedience and Responsibility
God calls us to live lives of obedience, discipline, and responsibility. We must take ownership of the prophetic words spoken over our lives and our church, aligning our actions with God’s current agenda. This requires us to be proactive and committed to His will. It is not enough to hear God’s voice; we must also act on it. This involves making daily choices that reflect our commitment to His purposes, even when it is difficult or inconvenient. By living in obedience and taking responsibility for our spiritual growth, we become active participants in God’s work on earth. [01:12:16]
James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."
Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to be more obedient to God’s voice? How can you take a concrete step today to align your actions with His will?
Day 3: Intimacy Over Service
While serving Jesus is important, it should never overshadow our intimacy with Him. Our primary call is to sit at Jesus' feet, pouring out our lives in worship. From this place of deep connection, our service becomes an effortless overflow of our love for Him. It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of ministry and forget the importance of simply being with Jesus. True service flows from a heart that is deeply connected to Him. When we prioritize our relationship with Jesus, our service becomes more effective and meaningful. [01:36:24]
Luke 10:38-42 (ESV): "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'"
Reflection: How can you prioritize your intimacy with Jesus over your service to Him today? What practical steps can you take to ensure that your service flows from a place of deep connection with Him?
Day 4: Guarding Against Lukewarmness
We must guard against becoming lukewarm in our faith. Surrounding ourselves with passionate believers and avoiding critical, complacent influences helps us stay fervent in our devotion to Jesus. Our hunger for God should drive us to deeper levels of commitment and action. It is easy to become complacent in our faith, especially when we are surrounded by others who are lukewarm. By intentionally seeking out relationships with those who are passionate about Jesus, we can encourage one another to stay fervent in our devotion. [01:28:42]
Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV): "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."
Reflection: Who are the people in your life that inspire you to be more passionate about your faith? How can you spend more time with them and less time with those who may be influencing you towards complacency?
Day 5: Living the Wasted Life
The concept of living a "wasted life" means dedicating everything to Jesus, holding nothing back. This kind of radical devotion may be misunderstood by others, but it is the true essence of following Christ. Our lives should be a continuous offering, poured out in love and worship. Living a "wasted life" for Jesus means that we are willing to give up everything for His sake, even if it seems foolish to others. This kind of radical devotion is a powerful testimony to the world of the value we place on our relationship with Jesus. [01:33:18]
Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV): "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
1. "We live in very interesting times at the moment around the globe and it's interesting to watch the signs of what's happening all around the place and there's a whole movement that katherine was talking about last week of prayer and worship as you know as people are leaning into the holy spirit and big events are happening everywhere around the world to lean in and to pray and to intercede for the world and god is moving by his holy spirit it's such a wonderful time and it's so important that we listen to what god is saying to listen to his word." [01:11:06] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Pure love is always measured by the cost of the sacrifice that you make for it. I'll say it one more time. Pure love is always measured by the cost of the sacrifice that you make for it. It was amazing stuff. To make nard, you have to have thousands of beautiful roses. And they were often here, scholars say, were made in most likely Saudi Arabia and maybe in India." [01:16:44] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Love is always measured by the cost you are willing to sacrifice for it. Coming back was really exciting with the kids. We have four kids and it's wonderful to see them. It's, it's amazing what we do for our kids, right? It's, do you know how expensive kids are? Who's got kids, right? Expensive, right? The, our, our, our, our tamariki are expensive." [01:17:41] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You cannot follow Jesus on your own terms. You follow Jesus on his terms. He is the leader. He is the anointed one. You follow him. Why? But he says, yes, you said. If he says jump, you say how high. He is the guy who is in charge of your life, right? It's not about you. It's not this easy life where you do whatever you want. No, you follow Jesus. And our role is to stay in step with Jesus." [01:20:22] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Don't wait for the money to come. Don't wait for everything to come together that is going to be perfect. They'll never be perfect for you. You got to be obedient. Just go. Say, Lord, I want to do what God wants you to do. Our role is to steward the presence of God in our lives. To steward listening to God. To steward what God has told us to do. To steward wanting more of God." [01:22:11] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Sacrifice will always look like access to the one who has not really experienced a full-blown, passionate, first name, first relationship with Jesus. That's the problem. That is the problem in this way. And while Mary is worshiping, and while Martha is serving, Judas is calculating. He was the financial controller of all of the disciples. And he's calculating. What? He says, such a waste of this precious gift that Mary just gave to Jesus." [01:26:05] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "A lack of hunger will always distort what God is doing in your life. And so I believe our church is hungry. Are you hungry? Yes, you are hungry. I'm hungry too for this way. I tell you, I suggest we don't hang out with people who are lukewarm. I mean, Jesus says you spit them out anyway, so you might as well not hang with those. Jesus is spitting those out anyway, so don't hang with those kind of guys." [01:28:42] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Run with people who run like you want to run. Don't run with people who are like behind somewhere, so apathetic, criticizing the church or whatever. Run with people who are hungry like you are. Run with people. Don't get polluted by others around you. It is so easy to get polluted this way. Don't limit your own consecration to the Lord to accommodate other people's lack of devotion." [01:30:01] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "I want to waste my life on him. My whole life I want to waste on him in Jesus' name. I tell you, though, not everybody's going to like you. Not everybody likes our church. You're way over the top. And I say, man, you're way underneath whatever you call this, whatever. Don't start criticizing me that I'm over the top. I'm in love with Jesus. That's all that's important. I don't even care about everything else." [01:33:18] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "When we break, the alabaster flask for ourselves, and we waste our lives on Jesus, and we pour it out on his life, it is amazing what's going to happen in your life. And you will fall so in love with him because he's so worth it. Mary wasted this ointment on him. Everybody else criticized her. Jesus says marry what Mary did. It was worth the waste. It's loving God." [01:35:21] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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