“..there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark 14:3)
Mark reveals to us what could be the greatest illustration of true worship in the Bible. Today, we have been conditioned to think of worship that only happens on Sundays, between the hours of eleven and twelve. Furthermore, we have been led to believe that worship can only happen when external circumstances are just right; we must have the lighting right and the mood just right or else we cannot really worship.
Let us notice some characteristics of true worship that came from a little Alabaster box.
FIRST—TALKING Wasn’t Enough; She Had to GIVE.
You’ve heard the saying, “Talk is cheap.” That is so true. Anyone can talk about how much they love Jesus. It is easy to stand up in church and sing, “Oh, How I Love Jesus,” but this woman didn’t just talk about it. She evidenced her true devotion to Christ not by talking but by giving; not by what she said but by what she shared. Some talk awful big on Sunday about how much they love Jesus, but come Monday that’s all it was…just talk.
SECOND—CHEAP Wasn’t Enough; She Gave Something COSTLY.
The ointment she gave to Jesus wasn’t cheap perfume she got on discount from the dollar store. No, the Bible says it was “very precious.” Many brag about their service to God. They think that by coming to church they have done God a favor. They think that when they put that dollar bill in the offering plate, the angels in heaven must have folded their wings and stood in awe of their spirituality. But the truth is, what most of us want to offer God, today, is cheap worship. We don’t want to be inconvenienced when it comes to our Christianity.
We have forgotten that our relationship with Jesus isn’t meant to be only a “part” of our lives; it is to be our “entire” life! The apostle Paul said in (Phil. 1:21) “For to me to live is Christ…” This woman wasn’t content with cheap worship. True worship will cost you something. What does your worship cost you?
For some, it will cost them some extra sleep on Sunday mornings. Instead of rolling over in bed, they will get up and get to Sunday School. For others, it will cost them extra time they could have spent on their favorite hobby, instead of being in church. It may cost you a relationship with a person who is not willing to move forward with you closer to Jesus. True worship will cost you something.
Don’t let Satan rob you of true, genuine worship. Sure, it will cost you something, but it is so worth the cost!