Extravagant Devotion: Being a Person of “One Thing...”
I. LOVING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART
37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew. 22:37-38)
A. The first commandment is the primary thing with which God is concerned. That is precisely what the Holy Spirit is
saying to the Church worldwide. He is cultivating hearts that are abandoned and focused. The pleasure of living for one
thing causes us to become ruined for anything less.
B. In our lives, we have many options (career, lifestyle, ministries, hobbies). In our pursuit of pleasure and relevance, we
seek many different things, usually without devoting ourselves to one direction. This is reflected in our lives and ministries,
as we bounce from one thing to another.
II. THE EXTRAVAGANT DEVOTION OF MARY OF BETHANY
38 He (Jesus) entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was
distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has
left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 41 Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha,
you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good
part, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)
3 Being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman (Mary of Bethany) came
having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard (perfume). Then she broke the flask and poured it on
His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil
wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denari and given to the poor." And they
criticized her sharply. 6 Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.
7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not
have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 I say
to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a
memorial to her." (Mark 14:3-9)
A. God is calling His people to a life of sustained focus on extravagant devotion that loves Him with all of our hearts. We
will pursue Him as our chief joy without allowing ourselves to be distracted by anything less.
4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days
of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD… (Psalm 27:4)
B. The power of devotion: gives us the power to risk our lives. Boldness and perseverance springs from devotion. The
End-Time Church will not fear losing their lives.
11 And they (End-Time saints) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11)
C. We must ask the right question. We must no longer ask, “What is the minimum that is required of me? What can I
get by with?” Rather, we must ask, “What is the most I can give?
III. LIVING WITH EXTRAVAGANT DEVOTION
13 Three of the 30 chief men…came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped
in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then
in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from
the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" (2 Samuel 23:13-15)
A. There were 1.3 million soldiers in David’s army at the peak of his military career (2 Samuel 24:9). From that number,
God highlighted only three examples of exceptional valor and commitment to David. We pay attention to them because they
are a picture of devotion to King Jesus.
B. David and his men were sitting around a fire one night, as David moaned with longing, “Oh, that someone would give
me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” Three men determined to answer this. They knew it
might cost them their lives, but they loved David with extravagance. They are a picture of the passionate loyalty we long to
have for Jesus. They went far beyond the call of duty to answer the longing in their king’s heart.
C. As they approached the Philistine front line, they saw hundreds of enemy soldiers. They faced their fears in
anticipation of giving to David what he desired. These mighty men broke through the Philistine camp to the front line. We
can picture them working their way to the well and fighting for every inch of ground. Two of them probably fought while one
scooped up the water.
16 The three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem
that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it
out to the LORD. 17 And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of
the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. (2 Samuel 23:16-17)
D. David would not drink the water he so desired because of its preciousness. He recognized that the water could have
cost his men everything. They could have lost everything to get me this water. It’s too holy for a man to drink because it
represents your entire life.” David took the water and went before the Lord. The water was one of the most holy gifts that
had ever been given to him, and he poured it out to the Lord and worshiped God
E. The power of devotion: what made those men risk their lives for a few drinks of water? Misplaced bravery? Desire
for fame? Desire for promotion? Did they want a pay raise or time off? No, the courage of David’s mighty men came from
devotion. Their boldness and perseverance sprang from devotion. They didn’t fear losing their lives. We lost our lives we
were joined to Jesus. Love is as strong as death. What can hold true love back?
F. The Lord desires people who go beyond the minimum requirements. He searches for lives of lavish commitment.
Our life goal is to stand before Him on the last day and offer ourselves to Him just as these three men offered the water to
David at the expense of their lives.
IV. PHINEHAS WAS FILLED WITH ZEAL FOR GOD
1 Israel…began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of
their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the
anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. 4 The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people
and hang the offenders…that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel." 6 One…presented to
his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of…the congregation of Israel. 7 When Phinehas the son of
Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his
hand; 8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel,
and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped…9 those who died in the plague were 24,000.
10 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 11 "Phinehas…has turned back My wrath…he was zealous (jealous)
with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say,
'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a
covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God…” (Numbers 25:1-12)
V. FOR THE PRIZE OF KNOWING HIM
6 Set Me (Jesus) as a seal upon your heart…for love is as strong as death…its flames are flames of fire…
7 Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of
his house, it would be utterly despised. (Song 8:6-7)
A. Paul gives us an unusual autobiographical look at what motivated him. He longed to remove all that hindered his
ability to experience Jesus to the fullest possible degree.
8 Indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ… (Philippians 3:8)
B. Abraham experienced God as His exceeding great reward.
1 The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,
your exceedingly great reward." (Genesis 15:1)