Withholding Nothing

Jul 12, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Breaking Alabaster Jars of Surrender

Mary’s act of pouring out costly perfume wasn’t about practicality but raw devotion. True worship demands giving God our most precious treasures—time, comfort, even reputation. It’s not a transaction but a surrender, trusting that what we pour out to him is never wasted. This kind of worship disrupts expectations, prioritizing intimacy over efficiency. When we hold nothing back, we declare his worthiness louder than our fears. [52:04]

Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” (John 12:3–5, NLT)

Reflection: What “expensive perfume” have you been clinging to—time, control, a relationship—that God is asking you to pour out in surrender? How might releasing it deepen your trust in his worthiness?

Day 2: Hair Down, Walls Down

Mary’s unbound hair wasn’t just a cultural scandal—it symbolized dismantling every barrier between her and Jesus. Worship requires stripping away layers of self-protection, tradition, and pride that insulate us from raw encounter. Like Mary, we’re called to risk vulnerability, letting go of what others deem “proper” to meet God in unguarded honesty. True worship thrives where pretense dies. [54:28]

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2, NIV)

Reflection: What “barrier” (tradition, fear of judgment, perfectionism) keeps you from raw, unguarded worship? How can you intentionally dismantle it this week?

Day 3: Worship’s Fragrance in Faith’s Kitchen

The perfume’s scent lingered long after Mary left the room. Our worship isn’t confined to sanctuaries but seeps into ordinary spaces—workplaces, kitchens, traffic jams. A life poured out to God perfumes every moment with intentionality: patience in frustration, kindness in conflict, joy in mundanity. Worship becomes the air others breathe around us. [58:38]

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)

Reflection: Where does your daily routine feel most disconnected from worship? What one practical step can infuse that space with the “fragrance” of surrender?

Day 4: Whispers vs. Worthiness

Mary ignored Judas’ criticism and the crowd’s whispers because her eyes were fixed on Jesus. Worship demands choosing God’s approval over human applause—or criticism. Every “waste” the world mocks becomes a throne-room offering when given to him. Our calling isn’t to justify our devotion but to let it drown out every voice but his. [01:02:19]

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10, NIV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to obey God because others might misunderstand? How can fixing your gaze on Christ’s worthiness silence those fears today?

Day 5: Courage to Crave the Fire

The preacher confessed choosing obedience over family expectations—a costly worship. True surrender isn’t passive resignation but fierce agreement with God’s refining work. It’s craving the fire that purifies more than the comfort that stagnates. Worship means whispering “yes” to the flame, trusting the Gardener’s shears. [01:19:07]

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another. (Isaiah 48:10–11, NIV)

Reflection: What “refining fire” have you been resisting—forgiveness, repentance, a difficult obedience? How might embracing it deepen your capacity to worship in spirit and truth?

Sermon Summary

The word “run” set the church in motion at the beginning of the year, and God has been equipping the body for the race he has placed before it. God is calling the body into deeper waters, deeper reverence, and deeper understanding. Worship stands at the center of that call, not as a Sunday song only, but as a whole way of living that pleases the Lord because he is holy and righteous.

Jesus’ words to the woman at the well make the time plain: true worshipers must worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Spirit means the whole heart, the whole being, every corner and every crevice offered to God. Truth means worship lines up with the Word of God, not feelings, vibes, goosebumps, bank accounts, or situations. The truth of who God is keeps worship steady when storms, pain, sorrow, and funky finances come.

Mary’s jar of expensive perfume shows what worship looks like when nothing is held back. The perfume cost a year’s wages, and her act of worship cost reputation, comfort, and the approval of people around her. Mary’s hair was her covering, her protection, and she laid even that at the feet of Jesus. Mary’s worship broke tradition and culture because Jesus was worth more than the thing she poured out.

Judas’s complaint exposed the kind of heart that measures worship by usefulness instead of love. The whispers in the room did not stop Mary, because her worship was between her and her God. The church is called to that same place, not worried about the left and the right, but asking what God has said and where God is leading.

The life of worship cannot be reduced to raised hands while the heart stays disengaged. Worship includes obedience, repentance after failure, love for brothers and sisters, and the hard choice to fear displeasing God more than disappointing people. Perfection is not the point. A heart that keeps running back to God is the point.

Romans 12 calls the body to become a living and holy sacrifice, the kind God finds acceptable. Revelation 4 declares why that matters: God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because he created all things. God is worth the time, the job, the plans, the comfort, the control, and the whole life.

Key Takeaways

1. Spirit and truth belong together Jesus does not offer worship as a feeling to chase, but as a must, rooted in spirit and in truth. Spirit without truth can become emotion with no anchor, and truth without surrender can become information with no affection. The Word of God steadies the heart when life does not feel good, because God’s character is stronger than the storm. [45:39]
2. Costly worship breaks hidden control Mary’s perfume was not a small token, it was a year’s wages poured out at Jesus’ feet. Costly worship exposes the places where comfort, money, relationships, and personal will have been treated as untouchable. God becomes truly honored when nothing is protected from his Lordship simply because letting go feels hard. [51:46]
3. Tradition must bow to God Mary let down her hair in a culture where that meant something, and her worship went against the grain. Family patterns, holiday habits, and familiar ways of doing things cannot be kept just because they are tradition. If a practice burdens the heart of God, obedience must matter more than being understood. [54:09]
4. Worship keeps going through whispers Mary did not stop when people likely whispered, judged, and misunderstood what she was doing. True worship cannot be ruled by the fear of looking strange to people who do not see what God is doing. The surrendered heart stays focused on God, because the act of worship is not a performance for the room. [60:50]
5. A living sacrifice stays yielded Romans 12 calls the body itself to become an offering, not just the voice in a song. A living sacrifice says yes when God says go, yields when God says stop, and releases what God separates. Worship becomes the daily surrender of control to the One who is holy and worth it.

## [71:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:05] - Worship and Praise
[41:34] - Greeting and Opening Prayer
[42:29] - The Word to Run
[43:23] - Withholding Nothing
[45:16] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
[49:17] - Mary Anoints Jesus
[51:46] - Worship Will Cost Something
[54:09] - Breaking Tradition for God
[56:24] - Choosing God Over People
[58:38] - Worship Beyond Sunday Songs
[60:50] - Ignoring Whispers and Gossip
[64:26] - Pouring Everything Out
[71:08] - Living Sacrifice
[74:02] - Response and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- John 4:23-24 (ESV): "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
- John 12:1-8 (ESV): [The story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume.]
- Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Observation Questions

In John 4:23-24, what two elements does Jesus say are essential for true worship? How does the sermon connect these to daily life? [45:39]
What specific actions did Mary take in John 12:3 that demonstrated her total surrender to Jesus? What cultural norms did her actions challenge? [54:09]
According to Romans 12:1, what does Paul mean by a “living sacrifice”? How does the sermon expand this idea beyond Sunday worship? [01:11:08]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus emphasize both “spirit” and “truth” in worship? What dangers arise if one is prioritized over the other? [46:33]
Judas criticized Mary’s act as wasteful (John 12:5). How does his reaction reveal a mindset that values practicality over devotion? What does this teach about measuring worship? [51:46]
The sermon states, “Tradition must bow to God.” How does Mary’s breaking of cultural norms (letting down her hair) illustrate this principle? What makes obedience to God more important than societal expectations? [54:28]

Application Questions

“Worship is a lifestyle, not just Sunday songs.” What area of your life (e.g., finances, relationships, daily habits) feels “untouchable” or withheld from God’s lordship? How could surrendering it deepen your worship? [52:04]
“Costly worship breaks hidden control.” What is one tradition, habit, or comfort you’ve held onto because it’s familiar, even if it conflicts with God’s Word? What step could you take to align it with His truth? [55:28]
“Worship keeps going through whispers.” When have you hesitated to obey God because you feared others’ opinions? How can focusing on His worthiness help you push past criticism? [01:00:50]
“A living sacrifice stays yielded.” What does daily surrender look like for you right now? Is there a “yes,” “no,” or “wait” God is asking of you that requires releasing control? [01:11:53]
The sermon mentions worship includes repentance, love for others, and fearing God more than people. Which of these feels most challenging to live out? What practical change could you make this week? [58:38]

Sermon Clips

94s

#PourOutYourAll

“She busted that thing open, and she poured everything that she had out. She her covering and gave it to the Lord. God just gave that to me. protection and gave it to the Lord. Some of you guys have a covering and some protection you need to hand over to the Lord. Some things that you're hiding behind. Hallelujah. Jesus. gotta get to a place, church, that we give him everything. Every corner, every crevice. We have to get to a place that we worship him in spirit and in truth. need to get to a place that we worship him in spirit and in truth, which means that we must be in the word of God to know the truth of God. We must be in the word of God to know the truth of God. That is how that is how we can come down here and lay our face in front of him even though the world around us is being destroyed because we know who he is.”

57s

#WithholdNothing

“She kept worshiping. She kept worshiping. She kept worshiping. She didn't let the gossip. She didn't she didn't allow the misunderstanding. She didn't allow those things stopping her because it was her and her God. It was about her withholding nothing. Amen. She withheld nothing back from the Messiah. Nothing back. She didn't care about culture. She didn't care about tradition. She didn't care what people said. She didn't care what it cost. She didn't get she didn't care. She wanted her Lord to know that she loved him. Yes. And that she honored him. And that she adored him. It wasn't about him. It wasn't about her. It was about her and him. Hallelujah.”

62s

#TruthSetsYouFree

“Not what the world says, not what our our bank account says, not what our feelings say, not what our situation says, but this is the truth. That's right. And the Lord says in his word, the truth you must he is looking for people that will worship in spirit and in truth. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. When we know the truth of God, we are not afraid to withhold nothing. When we know the truth of God, we are not afraid to let go. When we know the truth of God, we are not afraid to go out into deep waters. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Because we know the truth. And the truth shall set you free. Hallelujah.”

92s

#GraceFilledWorship

“I guarantee you that if you truly realized and came to the understanding of who he is, you would want to worship the Lord. You would want to honor him with all you do. You would wanna live a life that is pleasing. I make so many mistakes, but I'm gonna tell you right now, my heart wants what the Lord wants for me. I wanna please him. Yeah. Come on. Yeah. I don't want him to be disappointed in me. But you know what the word says? That he's not disappointed in me. That when he sees me, he sees the blood of Jesus. I'm sure God a couple times has been like, oh, what is she doing? Oh, oh my God. There she goes again. But it doesn't change the way he feels about me. It doesn't change what he has for me. It doesn't change the way he looks at me because my life, I pray every day, is a life of worship.”

74s

#KnowTheWord

“If we don't know the truth of God, all we're gonna be doing is worshiping in spirit. But God has called us to worship spirit and in truth. He has called us to know his word. He has called us to know who he is. He has called us to stand on who he is. It says it in his word that we must again, going back to the basics, relationship, spending time with him, opening our book, spirit and in truth. This is the truth. is the truth. Not what the world says, not what our our bank account says, not what our feelings say, not what our situation says, but this is the truth. That's right. And the Lord says in his word, the truth you must he is looking for people that will worship in spirit and in truth. Hallelujah.”

63s

#LetGoLetGod

“It's gonna cost us some things, church. And I think sometimes that's one of the hardest things, man. Yeah. That's one of the hardest things. I don't wanna let them go. I don't wanna let that go. But that feels good. I'm comfortable there. But we have to get to a place that he means so much, that we trust him so much, that we honor him so much, that our lives it's not us. It's not about us that we say, God, do what you gotta do. Yeah. So good. I will let go and let God. Hallelujah. Not because of what my life looks like, but because I know that you are holy. Because I know that you are worth it. Because I know that you are good. Yes. Hallelujah.”

82s

#WorshipThroughLove

“The way we obey, the way we repent when we mess up. God, I don't wanna be like this. Help me, God. I I I'm sorry. Because it's not about perfection. Living a life that is pleasing to God is not perfection. It is about when you mess up, you're willing to come running back. When you mess up, it doesn't feel good. And God, I don't wanna be there. Right. Help me, God. I messed up. It's the heart. God knows we're gonna mess up. Living a life of worship is how we treat others. We can't be in here on Sundays and hate people. Good. It's good. It's good. We cannot we cannot be in here with our hands raised high talking about, Lord, I am worshiping you. You are all that that you are everything that I need. You are good. You are faithful. I love you. I am your disciple, but I hate you for what you're wearing, for what you're doing, for what you believe. That is not what it is. We can't hate people. Amen.”

87s

#GroundedInTruth

“If we are grounded in the truth of God, we know that he has never left us nor forsaken us. We know that we fight from a place of victory. We know his character. We know who he is, which means that we can worship him in spirit and in truth. Because I'm here to tell you, church, sometimes when we're worshiping the Lord, sometimes we don't feel good. Sometimes we don't get goosebumps and vibes and all these other things. Yeah. Sometimes we have to worship him through a storm, through pain, through sorrow. Hallelujah. Spirit and in truth. Yes. If we don't know the truth of God, all we're gonna be doing is worshiping in spirit. But God has called us to worship spirit and in truth. He has called us to know his word. He has called us to know who he is. He has called us to stand on who he is. It says it in his word that we must again, going back to the basics, relationship, spending time with him, opening our book, spirit and in truth. This is the truth.”

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Withholding Nothing

Devotional

Day 1: Breaking Alabaster Jars of Surrender

Day 2: Hair Down, Walls Down

Day 3: Worship’s Fragrance in Faith’s Kitchen

Day 4: Whispers vs. Worthiness

Day 5: Courage to Crave the Fire

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Withholding Nothing

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