Matthew 26

What does your worship cost you? Many times when we think about "worship," we think about the music during the worship service.  We think about it as a specific action we take at a specific time.  But really, worship is any thought, word or action, which attributes our admiration and respect for something.   Usually we associate worship with religion, but really you can worship anything.  You can dedicate your time, money, and emotional energy to all kinds of things you value.

While we may sing songs on Sunday about how much worship we give to God, if you were to audit your time, spending, priorities, and emotional investment, would anyone guess that God is the true recipient of your worship?

When Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace came out, rabid life-long Star Wars fans flocked ot the theates in droves; their value of Star Wars actually measurable.  It is estimated that 2.2 million full-time employees did not appear for work to attend the film, resulting in $293 million in lost productivity. According to The Wall Street Journal, so many workers announced plans to view premiere screenings that many companies shut down on the opening day. Lines formed outside cinema theaters over a month in advance of ticket sales.  There were people who literally gave up a month of their life just to get the best seats in town for the earliest showing of a movie (which is particularly sad since must of us were pretty disappointed by the film).  They valued Star Wars so much they sacrificed their time and money at it's alter.

So what does your worship of God cost you?

Matthew 26

6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

This story is recorded in several of the gospels.  Elsewhere we learn that this jar of perfume was worth a year's wages!  Imagine that!  All the money you earn in a given year spent in single act of worship.  Most likely this was a family heirloom.  Gone in a single act!

What would you think?

• What are you doing?
• Why this waste?
• Couldn't that have been sold and used for a more practical purpose?
• Couldn't we have done something GOOD with the money we could have received?

The problem with this each of these thoughts is that they assume that there is anything more valuable we could be doing than worshipping our Lord and Savior.  

10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

This woman realized something crucial. Jesus was worthy of everything!  There was no act of worship, which was too great.  No act of worship towards Jesus was wasteful.

While the disciples didn't understand this before the resurrection, there lives after the resurrection displayed this same total abandon to Christ.  They might not have wealthy to give; they offered their lives as a living sacrifice to their Lord. 

• What can you offer Jesus today?
• When was the last time your worship was uncomfortable?
• Do you really believe that Jesus + Nothing = everything?

Sean Chandler | Associate Pastor

Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012, and their second, Chloe, was born in 2014.

He blogs regularly at seanchandler.net.