Worshiping God with Our Gifts

Scripture Reading: 34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Offertory Prayer: Father God, we thank you for another week, and we thank you for this Lord’s Day. We thank you for the church family with whom we worship with today. We thank you for the presence of Christ, who promised to be with those who come together in his name. Accept our tithes and offerings as expressions of our love for you. Bless them to the end that others will know of your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Text: Mark 12:41–44 (NIV)

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Introduction:

In the Old Testament we are encouraged to honor God by bringing the firstfruits of our labors to him as an act of worship (Prov. 3: 9).

We see the beginning of this in Genesis 4:2-3 with Cain and Abel.

In the New Testament we find Jesus honoring a person who worshiped God by bringing her generous gift to the temple.

He did not honor the quantity of her gift but the quality.

Jesus sat across from the place where people were offering their gifts, and he watched as they made their contributions.

(Speak here about people watching)

The only person Jesus honored on this occasion was a poor widow who demonstrated a good spirit with her giving.

Jesus continues to honor those who give.

The basis of his honors is not the size of the gift but the spirit of the gift.

Jesus wants to honor our giving.

How can he do this?

Let us look at some ways that Jesus honors giving.

Jesus honors an interest in the treasury.

Interest in the treasury represents an interest in the Lord himself.

The widow did not go to the temple to pay a bill but to honor her God.

All through biblical history people have expressed an interest in the Lord through their giving.

Even Cain and Abel made offerings to God.

In the tabernacle, temple, and the synagogues God was worshiped by means of the treasury.

Interest in the treasury represents a concern for the Lord’s work.

The widow evidently went periodically to the temple, and she gave.

When she gave, she knew that it was for the Lord’s personnel, for temple upkeep, and for provision for the sacrifices.

One prominent reason for interest in the treasury is the advancement and continuation of the Lord’s work.

Churches are involved in the Lord’s work, and people give to advance it.

The Lord honors an interest in the treasury.

We should periodically ask ourselves, “How interested am I in the treasury?”

Our record of giving discloses our interest.

Jesus honors a proper motive toward the treasury.

Jesus examines the motives of those who give.

The Lord had a good place for observing the givers.

He saw those who wanted to be seen for their giving.

These people probably hit the “trumpets,” trumpet-shaped offering receptacles down which coins rattled, so that others would know that a large contribution had been made.

Jesus saw those who gave; but more than merely observing who gave, he saw why they gave.

A poor widow made an acceptable gift. Its acceptance was not on the basis of its size but of its spirit.

She gave because she wanted to honor the Lord, not to be seen or heard by others.

Jesus continues to examine motives for giving.

He sees those who give out of guilt, self-righteousness, or ostentation. He is not pleased.

The proper motive is to give out of love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving from the proper motive satisfies the giver.

People who give for any reason other than selflessness can never be satisfied.

Those who think they can buy God never feel they have paid their bills.

Those who parade their giving must work harder to have a bigger show next time.

Jesus honors unselfish giving. The rich as well as the poor can give honorably.

Remember that it is not the size but the spirit of the gift that counts.

3. Jesus honors a sacrifice for the treasury.

Sacrificial giving originates with a great desire to give.

No one prompted the woman to put in the mite.

The thought of giving began in her heart.

She had a giving spirit before she ever gave a gift.

If you study sacrifice, you will see that one who sacrifices has a genuine desire to help others.

Look at the Lord. He sacrificed his glory in heaven. Why? He had a deep desire to help others.

Sacrificial giving results in personal relinquishment.

When the woman gave to the treasury, her giving was costly.

“She of her want did cast in all that she had, even all of her living” (Mark 12: 44).

John MacArthur writes this in his study notes:

The two copper coins that she put in were the smallest denomination in use. It was worth about a eighth of a cent.

“A cent”, for the benefit of his Roman audience Mark related the “smallest copper coin” to this smallest denomination of Roman coinage.

A “cent” was equal to 1/64 of a denarius , and a denarius was the equivalent of a days wage.

Conclusion I didn’t prepare this message to gain a collection or to raise a budget, or to make any one feel guilty. I prepared and delivered it to develop honorable givers. God will bless those who give honorably. Resolve this day that you are going to follow the example of the poor widow. Take an interest in the treasury. Develop the right spirit in giving and then sacrifice to the treasury. God desires honorable givers.

Crabtree, T. T.. The Zondervan 2024 Pastor's Annual (pp. 32-33). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.