Prayer
Because the primary goal of our time together is to establish relationships and learn how to walk with one another in all that God has called us to be and do, we’d like to begin by praying for one another. So, does anyone have anything you’d like us to pray for or anything to share regarding how you’ve seen God moving in your life that we can celebrate together?
Opening Question
What is one of your most favorite gifts you have received from a friend, family member, or stranger?
The Extravagance
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 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.
– Matthew 26:6-7
In this passage, the woman breaks an alabaster jar and pours out perfume worth a year’s wages. This wasn’t just a polite gesture; it was a total, costly, and public display of devotion.
Given the setting (the home of a leper) and the value of the gift, what does this woman’s action tell us about her view of Jesus compared to the other guests?
Have you ever felt “extravagant” in your worship or your giving? What stops us from giving God our “best” or our “most expensive” things (time, money, or reputation)?
This woman didn’t ask for anything in return; she simply gave. How does her approach to Jesus differ from how we often approach Him with our needs and requests?
The Indignation
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
– Matthew 26:8-9
The disciples viewed the perfume as a resource to be managed, not a gift of worship due their Savior. They saw “waste” where Jesus saw “beauty.”
When has “being practical” or “being efficient” gotten in the way of your spiritual life or your ability to love others?
The disciples were “indignant,” seeing her offering as not making logical sense. How do acts of generosity defy logic and reason?
Our culture values productivity above almost everything else. How does this story elevate time spent worshiping Jesus as valuable?
The Beautiful Thing
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
– Matthew 26:10-13
Jesus links her act of love directly to His coming death and the global spread of the Gospel. He calls her sacrifice “a beautiful thing.”
Jesus says she was preparing Him for burial. How has a proper understanding of the cross reprioritized what you value in life?
Jesus links this woman’s story of generous worship to the gospel forever. How is the eternal impact of our generosity an invitation to join what God is already doing in the world?
What is one area of your life where you feel called to do a “beautiful thing” for Jesus this week, even if it doesn’t make “sense” to the world around you?
Closing Thought
In your final time together, pray for the courage to be “extravagant” in your love for Christ. Ask God to help the group see opportunities to offer Him “beautiful things” through serving others and living with open hands.