Extravagant Love
A sermon by Pastor Darrell Reeck, Ph.D.
March 28, 2004
"Extravagant Love" has to be exercised in a world of hate.
Prayer. God, your scriptures are so deep, your Word so full. May the word of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts Be worthy in your sight.
When Jesus appeared, Mary poured out a valuable perfume called nard. According to one of our Bible scholars, nard is an aromatic tea, made in Himalayas, reduced to perfume. It was very expensive, probably imported to Palestine from India by camel caravan.
Mary poured out a large volume of nard as an act of extravagant love, love that failed to count the conventional consequences. Judas raised the question of consequences: why not sell it for a large amount and then use the proceeds for the poor?
Jesus was not discounting service to the poor, nor to other good causes. He was merely saying, follow me to the grave and the cross, and you'll have a sound, enduring reason to serve the poor.
Why perfume? To honor. Just like you give perfume or cologne to show your love, or to honor an occasion.
JESUS APPEARED and MARY POURED OUT HER LOVE
Why poured out? "Pouring" is a traditional way of honor. Like honoring the ancestors in Africa through the pouring of a libation. There's something extravagant about the act of pouring out a precious liquid.
For Mary, it was an expression of spiritual growth and extravagant love.
JESUS APPEARED and MARY POURED OUT HER LOVE
Jesus himself is the perfect embodiment of extravagant love for the world, for you, for all. In a few days we'll recall that JESUS POURED OUT HIS LIFE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD.
Extravagant faith: the response to extravagant love.
Turn to Philippians 3: 8: "I suffered the loss of all things in order that I may gain Christ. . .not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ. . .from God based on faith."
Paul's great conversion experience sprang from the outpouring of God's extravagant love, seen on the road to Damascus as a great light. The response: extravagant faith. Martin Luther rekindled extravagant faith 1,500 years later. Salvation comes through faith alone, sola fide.
THE RISEN CHRIST APPEARED, AND PAUL RESPONDED WITH EXTRAVAGANT FAITH
Paul and Luther show the link between extravagant love and extravagant faith.
Now, back to the Mary and Martha story.
Jesus Appeared and Mary poured out her love. The pouring out of perfume foreshadows Jesus' act of pouring out his life for the whole world.
"Does God love me?" For an answer, just contemplate the pouring out of Jesus' very life for you.
Amazing love,
extravagant love,
so divine.
The best response could be a life of faith and love-capturing two of the three primary Christian virtues, the third being hope.
Unfortunately, not everyone reacts this way. When Jesus arrives, some take it as an occasion to pour out their HATE. It was Christians who hated the Jews. It was Christians who hated Africans to the extent of torturing, enslaving, importing, buying and selling. And it may be Christians who will shower hate messages on you for the love you show to the marginalized, the weak, and the poor.
How do we best demonstrate love to those who hate?
I don't like to see the American flag dragged on the sidewalk and burned, and especially not by my fellow Americans! You may see something like that or worse, perhaps on Easter Day, 2004 in Ellensburg.
In an outpouring of love, and with the confidence of Martin Luther King Jr. in the power of extravagant love, we will celebrate joyfully the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter. We will enter our church without fear. We will not honor hate by paying attention to it. We will depreciate hate by not responding in kind, not talking back, not even making eye contact.
Haters have picketed churches, school districts, city administrations, even Billy Graham rallies. Haters seek to goad you into a shouting match or shoving match and then sue you for damages.
Yes, extravagant love knows trials and tribulations as well as exaltation and freedom. We know that from the life of the Master.
We'll lose if we respond in kind. We'll win if we keep our focus on Jesus, his death and resurrection, and celebrate Easter with special joy.
JESUS APPEARED and MARY POURED OUT HER LOVE
What will be your response to Jesus?
Your response to Jesus' outpouring of his life could be to trust...
To accept extravagant love with extravagant faith.
To place your life and self in his care.
To rest in the palm of God's hand.
To find your eternal home.
Amen.
Copyright by Darrell Reeck, 2004. All rights reserved.
Feedback invited at dreeck@msn.com