Tonight’s sermon continued the alphabet series, ‘The A-Z of Christian Faith,’ looking at the letter E – E is for Extravagance. The story of the woman who anointed Jesus prior to His death (see Mk 14:1-11, Luke 7:36-50, Matt 26:6-13 and John 12:1-9) is a vivid example of extravagance in action.
Jesus was dining at the house of Simon, a formal occasion shattered by the arrival of a woman who broke her alabaster jar of perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet with the costly perfume, weeping over him and wiping his feet with her hair. Such a ‘lack of restraint in spending money or using resources’ as this woman demonstrated drew different responses from all those present and gives us insight into both the characteristics and consequences of extravagance.
God calls us to live in extravagant surrender: ‘I lay me down, I’m not my own, I belong to You alone.’ (‘Lay Me Down’, Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin)
His love and acceptance of us, His lavish forgiveness, His abundant grace need to lead us to the place of extravagance, for ‘love so amazing, so divine demands my life, my soul, my all.’ (‘When I Survey The Wondrous Cross’, Isaac Watts)