Extravagant Love

Mark 14:3–9

“While He was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have Me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on My body beforehand to prepare for My burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Is not God’s love for us extravagant? Bible commentator Matthew Henry expounds, “did Christ pour out His soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for Him? Do we give Him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love Him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; and remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particular acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's pious attention to the notice of believers in all ages. Those who honour Christ he will honour.” Indeed, we can only scarcely imagine the pain of the Father’s loss by sending the Second Person of the Trinity to this broken earth to suffer and die in the dirty hands of His fallen rebellious creation just like the wicked tenants, the landowner “sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance!’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him…” (Matt 21:37–39). This Heavenly Father of ours howevever knew that the cost of our creation was Christ, the Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the cosmos (Rev 5:12) and He possesses this extravagant love, part of His divine character that earnestly looks for and welcomes each and every wayward son or daughter, like each of us when we come to the realisation, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your child.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him/her. Put a ring on his/her finger and sandals on her/his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this child of mine was dead and is alive again; was lost and is found.' So we celebrate (Luke 15:21–24)! We were still far away, like the prodigal while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20), God indeed “proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). One poor widow came and threw in two mites in the temple treasury, which make a quadrans. So Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood (Mark 12:42–44).” Like this woman of costly perfume she poured out her precious unto Christ, like the widow with all she had, like King David, like the Apostles, let us love and offer ourselves as living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) completely unto Christ. King David replied to Araunah who offered his land, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing (I Chr 21:24, II Sam 24:24).” God’s love cost Him much, following Him may cost us much, but may He be our most precious love that no cost is too great, and may that love for Him inspire and direct our lives.