Our Love for God

You can learn a lot from watching people! Phillip Cobb was an elderly gentleman with downs-syndrome but he loved the Lord and it was evident in the way He prayed. “Lord I love you so much!” He taught me to tell God that I loved Him, but saying and doing are two different things. Phillip proved his love over again as I watched him over the years.

In our text we see that Jesus is watching people while in the temple as they give to the treasury and here we find a lesson on loving God with all that we are.

Context: This text must be seen in light of the question asked of Jesus by the scribe in Vs. 28. “What is the greatest command?” Jesus answered, “love the Lord with all that you are and the 2nd is love your neighbor as yourself.” The Scribe agrees with Jesus but is told “you are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

CPS: Our Love for God is not merely an outward appearance but an internal attitude that leads to godly actions. Our love for God is to shine through in the things we do as we trust Him on the basis of faith!

I. Love for God does not promote self (38-40)

If you were to watch the religious of Jesus’ day as they were dressed to the part, they tithed tremendously, fasted often, and prayed long prayers; it would be easy to walk away with the impression that they loved and served the Lord whole heatedly.

In Rev. 3:1 Jesus says “I know your deeds!” Jesus sees through the farces of life and gazes into your inner person. In Chapter 11 He compares Israel and their leaders to a fig tree that appeared to be fruitful but upon closer inspection did not bear fruit.

Outwardly the Scribes looked like they loved God but inwardly they loved themselves. Jesus cursed that fig tree and will like wise will bring judgement on those who don’t love Him.

Jesus says beware of the Scribes, blepō is the Greek verb that means “watch out for.”

ILL: Many years ago my brother in law and I were scouting for deer, as we walked He put his arm in front of me and said “watch out!” I looked down in a small puddle of water and there was a cotton mouth coiled up and ready to strike.

Looks can be deceiving, they looked innocent but were a brood of vipers (Matt. 12:34)! which will lead you astray.

A. They Loved Peculiarity (Long Robes)

They wore distinctive garments to show their piety called a tallith. It was a prayer shawl worn in the synagogues that they had extended in length to show their piety.

ILL: It reminds me of a friend of mine who worked out a lot and would have the sleeves of shirts altered to fit tighter showing off his guns!

They wanted all eyes on them!

B. They loved Popularity (greetings)

They wanted the special greetings in the market place that showed submission to their religious authority.

C. They loved Prominence (best seats)

They desired the most important seats in the synagogue, the benches facing the congregation, just in front of the chest that contained the biblical scrolls.

D. They Loved Priority (places of honor)

They loved priority at the banquets, where they were ushered to seats of honor, the right and left side of the hosts. They wanted to be treated importantly.

F. They loved Possessions (widows houses)

Devour (verb) katesthiō means to eat up or in this context it means to Rob, its the deceitful consumption of a widows. They would persuade widows to give their houses as a temple offering then take it for themselves.

But Jesus said the second greatest command is love your neighbor as yourself! The people of God are to care for those who are in need! James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” If you love God in the way you ought you will love people in the way you ought!

6. They had Mock piety (long prayers)

They prayed long prayers as a show. They wanted everyone to look at them and see how religious they were but deep inside they didn't love God at all, they loved themselves!

They were playing the part and many people today still play the part, they have the outward appearance of sincere godly people who love the Lord and his people but its all a farce. They do things to be seen so they can be recognized and honored!

APP: CHECK YOUR MOTIVES! Why do you do what you do? You can fool people but you can’t fool God He knows your deeds and Jesus said they will receive a greater damnation.

What does He mean? Jesus had been passing judgment on Israel and the temple, their destruction will be more sever than that of Jerusalem and the temple. In AD 70 the temple was utterly destroyed and Jerusalem was left in rubble, theirs will be worse than complete destruction!

Do you love God with all that you are or are you like these scribes who were playing the part and promoting themselves! Love for God does not promote self, it promotes God!

II. Love for God promotes faithfulness (41-44)

Jesus sat in the temple across from the treasury, the 13 collection boxes that ran along the inside wall of the women’s court. Each box was labeled to designate what the offering was for. It was passover time and Jerusalem was full of worshippers and some people were giving tremendous amounts of money.

Notice that Jesus was watching the crowd! Beheld is the Greek verb theōreō, it means to look with interest and perception. He was watching How the people gave, How is the Greek adverb pōs, it is the means in which they gave. Jesus was watching and looking at the attitudes and motives behind the gift. We are called to give according to faith and with joy in our hearts!

We are to be cheerful givers! 2 Cor. 9:6-8 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;”

ILL: A mother wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson. She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church. “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself,” she told the girl. When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given. “Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did.”

You show me a man’s checkbook and I’ll tell you where His heart is.

As the people were dropping in their money Jesus called the a poor widow to the disciples attention. She stands in stark contrast to the scribes Who dressed well and wanted all the attention, she was dressed in widows clothing and stays anonymous yet through out History her act is of Biblical Legend.

As the others were pouring in large sums of money this lady dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. The KJV calls them Mites and two of these make up a farthing. This is the smallest coin in circulation in Palestine, it was one 1/64 of a denarius. Or 1/64 of a days wage. It was worth a fraction of a penny! But it was all she had!

This lady was poor in wealth but rich in love and devotion! Perhaps her house had been robed by the scribes yet she gave with joy and delight. She gave her all and Jesus said that her FREEWILL OFFERING was greater than all the other offerings combined!

Human scales would say she gave little but God uses a different set of Scales, His scales weigh motives.... Her’s was a sacrifice because she gave out of her poverty! Here is a lesson in giving, it is not how much you give that's important, it what you have left!

She gave liberally, sacrificially, and totally. After her offering she had nothing left, perhaps today we need to give all that we have to God in a likewise manner, with pure and undefiled love for God. You see this lady didn't just give God money she gave Him her all!

The Scribe in Verse 34 was told “you are not very far from the kingdom of God” but for this lady, the kingdom was hers. She proved the greatest command in her actions of Giving. She loved the Lord with her totality giving totally all she had trusting in Him for the necessities of life!

App: Her love proved her faithfulness and devotion and likewise God proved His just two days later as Jesus give His all on Calvary's Cross!