Expectations for Jesus’ People

People watching

There are some people who have a hobby of “people watching.”

My dad is one of those people. When my children were little, whether going to a mall or an amusement park, he often would just sit and watch people while the rest of us went into stores or rode rides. When we returned to him, we’d all head to the next spot and he would sit and wait, watching what was happening around.

There is a lot you can learn about people, just by observing.

Posture and gait - reveal a bit about physical abilities

How people interact with others can leave some hints about their relationships and even a bit of what they think about the people they are with (delight, enjoyment, contentment, contempt).

We can learn a lot from observation, and Jesus gives us a little example of that in the passage we’re considering this week.

Turn in your bibles to Luke 20:45.

Leading up to this point in Luke’s gospel, we’ve observed Jesus’ ministry as He moved slowly toward Jerusalem. He finally arrived, and now we find…

Jesus in the Temple

this is the week of his crucifixion.

drove out sellers

confronted by some of the religious leaders.

Yet they became quiet because they couldn’t get at Jesus through His teaching. As much as they hated him, they couldn’t refute him.

So, Jesus, still surrounded by his disciples and other listeners, seems to be observing people - He’s people watching and draws out some conclusions and applications for His listeners and for us.

Luke 20:45–21:4 ESV

And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus points out some contrasts. As we think through these for us today, there are three pairs of contrasts that we will consider:

Responsibility over Recognition

Sacrifice over Surplus

Humility over Honorifics (aadar)

Let’s begin by considering the contrast of…

Responsibility over Recognition

Jesus observes the scribes. Now, they have been one portion of the groups of people that have been confronting Jesus.

But who are these scribes?

Scribes were priests who were also experts in the law, in Scripture. They were highly educated. They helped people understand how the religious law should be applied and would also be called upon to adjudicate some matters of estates. They were essentially responsible to (NBD):

Preserve the law - they did this a by carefully copying the texts in order to preserve them.

gather students to teach the Torah

entrusted with administrating the law

But, I think there is another element to all of this that we need to consider, that is that the culture of Jesus’ day and that of the OT was predominantly an oral culture. In other words, most people could not read, so in order to learn the Word of God, people had to hear it. This was very much a communal act as people gathered together regularly hear the Word of God and hear it explained. We see some examples of this in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as Ezra, who was also a scribe, was called upon to read and teach the word of God. Scribes had an important job, especially since most people did not have access to God’s word. They had a great responsibility. In some ways, that responsibility came with some recognition.

Unfortunately, in Jesus’ observations, He noticed that they seemed to love the blessings that came from the recognition they received. He said that they “like” to wear long robes that noted their importance.

This desire to garner recognition included sitting in the seats of honor and being praised for their long, ornate prayers - which may have become a show of their education or command of language.

They made the show about themselves rather than the Word of God.

Note this - Jesus said that they will receive a greater condemnation.

We need to consider where are we more enamored with titles, or recognition, or show than we are with the responsibilities that our roles give us? Do we feel like we deserve the blessings we have or are we grateful for them? For those of us who are pastors, are we proud of our titles or consumed with the mission that Jesus has for us? For those aspiring to pastor, there may come special recognition with your title and your role - don’t seek that. Enter into the responsibilities of the role seriously and with a clear mind focused on serving Jesus.

James 3:1 ESV

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Where the scribes had been entrusted with a specific responsibility, teaching and explaining the Word of God, what are the responsibilities that God has entrusted to you and to me? Are we being faithful to fulfill what God has called us to? Are we doing the next right or biblical or just thing?

So, as He’s making observations, Jesus then turns his attention to the offering boxes and the people who were putting money in the boxes. His point of application seems to be that He values…

Sacrifice over Surplus

In our church building, we have a simple offering box in the back of the sanctuary. Rather than passing plates during the course of the worship service or having people walk forward to present a gift, offerings are discretely placed in the box. In some ways, this allows people to keep their gift between them and the Lord. I’m not saying that’s how all churches should do that, it’s just one way that our church does it.

For these first century Jews, as they entered the courtyard of the temple, they would see several offering boxes scattered around the courtyard. Sometimes these were boxes with slots in them. Other times they were topped with rams horns. As people came to worship, they would place their money in the boxes. Most of their money was coins. Coins can be noisy. Coins can be heavy.

Luke understates what Jesus observes, but the parallel passages in Matthew and Mark’s gospels give some indication that there were people who were making a big show of their offerings.

Here in Luke’s gospel, Jesus doesn’t seem to condemn the wealthy.

How does he know they are wealthy?

I think He can tell by their wardrobe. I think He can tell by the sounds of their gifts - clattering around in the box or swirling it’s way down the horn. Again, He doesn’t condemn them, He simply comments about the difference between the sacrificial, all-in offering of the widow and the large gifts which represent the surpluses of the privileged.

He doesn’t comment about the wisdom or prudence of this woman giving her last two coins, but rather the sacrificial act of worship that she presents to the Lord.

The OT standard was a tithe to give (10%) from the first fruits and generosity on top of that. The NT standard is less rigid but more generous.

I guess the question becomes, in our finances, are we giving to the Lord sacrificially or are we giving to Him from our leftovers? In my family, we have made a practice of giving 10% first and then supporting other missionaries and projects on top of that.

This attitude of sacrifice and can also enter into our service, are we giving our lives to him sacrificially, or are we wasting time in meaningless pursuits? Are we willing to give all for Him or are we giving Him only what is left over?

Whether we give a lot or a little, I think His encouragement is that we have been entrusted with much from the Lord so that we can be a blessing to the Lord and to others with what he has given to us. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus even urged that our right hand should not know what our left hand is doing. It’s all as unto the Lord.

So, as Jesus is observing the happenings in the temple, He seems to be encouraging responsibility over recognition and sacrifice over surplus. I think there is one final point that we should consider - because it encapsulates both of these points and echoes what Jesus taught elsewhere, and summarizes how Jesus lived - that is...

Humility over Honorifics (aadar)

For Jesus, it seems like His instruction for the Scribes is that they should teach the Word of God and any honors they received as a result were blessings and not expectations. I think He viewed Scribes as servants and not Masters. Frankly, I think He views pastors that same way! The best seats, the best greetings, the best titles, the best clothes are not the goals of scribes or pastors or priests or teachers or missionaries.

Jesus modeled this life of humility for us. He modeled a life of responsibility to God, God’s word, God’s people and the world at large as He taught and loved and lived and cared for others.

Think about this - how many kings or presidents or Prime ministers or elected leaders like to go around virtually unnoticed? Often, they have a crowd of people around them as they go and give speeches or serve the needy. Often, they want to make sure that lots of people see them. How many would simply prefer to BE who God called them to be rather than receive the honors that accompanied the roles that God called them to play? It seems like in our day important people want attention, important people hunger for honorifics.

And yet Jesus, the second person of the Trinity (as if we can truly understand that) was born in a barn, lived with humility and taught with authenticity. He told people not to talk about what He did when he healed them. He pushed the attention away from Himself. The only One of all the humans that ever walked the face of the earth who deserved honors did not want it. He pushed it away. As Paul writes:

Philippians 2:6–11 (NLT)

Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Brothers, understand that this is the person we follow. This is the person we worship. This is the person we serve. This is the One we imitate. Paul told the Corinthians 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” I hope that this is the aim of every Christian - that we would be worthy of imitation, or because of how great we are, but because of the One that we are imitating. I know I will fall short. However this is something we all should strive for. Where I honor Christ, imitate me. Where I don’t, I hope that you’ll give me grace and still follow Christ. Where others follow Christ - imitate them. Look to Jesus - He is the originator and the perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). The rest of us will fall short, but we are striving to live with the same humility that He did and shun the same honorifics that He did!

Brothers, pride is an allure that we all must shun. As the Westminster catechism notes - we are called to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. As John Piper has noted in his book Desiring God, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” Our lives are about Him - not about us. May we serve Him responsibly in the roles He has called us to play. May we sacrifice for Him joyfully with the blessings that He has gifted to us. May we walk through life with humility - recognizing, as my previous pastor once said, that “it’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s all about Him!” (Bob Schmidt)

Let’s pray.

Sources:

Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.

Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.

Feinberg, C. L. “Scribes.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.

Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.

Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.

Taylor, J. B. “Cornerstone.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.

Wiseman, D. J. “Scribe.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, and J. I. Packer. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.

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