A measure of love

A measure of love

Look at the Place

This was herod's temple a great temple it was the one reconstructed by Zerubbabel upon returning from the babyolonia captivity under ezra and nehemiah. It was modest and herod wanted to perpetuate his name through massive building projects and the temple was his masterpiece. He is the one that interestingly enough tried to destroy Jesus.

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At this time it was in building for 46 years. Herod was adding onto it remodeling it and making it grand.

The massive stones and buildings of the temple complex were truly impressive. Herod’s temple had been under construction for almost fifty years, and the Jewish historian Josephus said some of the stones were sixty feet long. Archaeologists have found stones forty-two feet long, eleven feet high, and fourteen feet deep, weighing more than a million pounds.

Very grand place where everyone was in town to celebrate the passover and

This is right before the Lord is arrested and goes to the cross.

Look at the position

He had been at the court of the gentiles and had been having all these conversations with people trying to trip him up the pharisees the sadducees the scribes now he goes inside the last time that he will go in.

He was in the temple at 12 asking questions The devil brought him to the pinnacle of the temple 3 years ago he was in here twice and overthrowing money changers tables

Now he has been here for many days teaching people he leaves the court of the gentiles

And he goes in and sits down

And of all the places he could have sat he sat here

In the court of women were everyone could be

And were the treasury boxes were

2Ki_12:9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.

Now there are 13 of them and

He did not go to the holy of holies look at the ark , the altar of incense table of shewbread he did not go to brazen laver or to watch the sacrifices.

You see that was about man being made right with God that was about man bringing God a sacrifice to put his sins in remission.

He did not go to the inner court

But the Lord was about to end all of that he was to be the sacrifice that ended all sacrifices.

You see this was the only part that was not done away with

The sacrifices were done

But giving to God offering tithes and offerings was not something from the law.

Abrham gave to Melchizedek and I have no idea what he did with it. Before the temple was there and the priesthood was established the way you gave to God was to take what was prescouse and burn it on an alter.

You see it was never about God needing our money. God does not need our money. That is so refreshing. It is not going to go to help God pay down his debt. It is not going to help him buy a new jet to fly around the world. He does not need a jet. He rides on a cherub.

It was something that was never to be a part of justification.

Listen if you are here and you have never been saved giving money will not save you it will not help you. It will not please the Lord.

The only way you can have favor with God is by himself his sacrifice and his payment. YOu do not give to him you let him give you you. Just admit you are a bankrupt sinner on your way to hell and you have nothing to give him and you are doomed but you would love his mercy that is offered to you.

God was not watching them to see who he was going to let into heaven.

He was watching for a different reason.

He was watching and teaching us a lesson about the one thing they did there that would continue into the church.

The offering to God paul in 1 cor 9 says even so now hath God ordained that they wich preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Some people say that tithing is not for us today. It is old testament.

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

I was greatly encouraged by this passage because we just had this missions conference and our church that is you guys gave very generously to the missionaries and committed much more than was ever committed to missions at this church in its history.

And God was watching.

What did he see what was he looking for?

He watched this morning. You know that's a good thing.

Children do that Daddy Daddy watch me why they want me to find pleasure in them. That's why God created us

So what is he looking for ?

Look at the princibles

He Examines the Purppse

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

Not a slam will not loose reward.

How they cast it in 13 trumpet like recepticles they did not have paper money they did not have a nap they couldn't text to give.

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Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in The Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, “You may have them if you pay for them.” As a result, some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and grasping.

They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed: All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons were unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing (), they endured the attacks in silence.

Campbell Morgan tells us that the Pharisees of the day carried silver trumpets, and when they would go out to give money to the poor, they would blow the trumpet. And, when they would blow the trumpet, the needy would come. And, while the people were there watching, then the Pharisees would distribute money to the poor. They would sound a trumpet so everybody could see them doing this thing. There’s nothing wrong with giving to the poor. There is nothing wrong with giving to the poor publicly. There is much wrong with giving to the poor in order to be seen of men, when you have this sort of self-conscious righteousness

Why are you doing it to be seen of men?

What if there was no records kept on earth but only in heaven?

What if you would give and no human would ever know you gave.

Seen take up an offering before put in 1 amen 5 hallelujah 10 praise the lord 20 praise the Lord praise the Lord. 100 praise the Lord 10 times.

Watched a guy put in 700 dollars guy taking offering had shout out 70 times praise the Lord.

Pastors meeting

What is that to be seen of men.

And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Pray to the public not in public

That is what they lived for

How pressure ? to be seen of men ? to be honored ?

They want men to think them as spiritual

They live in such a way as living for the Lord but at the same time stealing glory from him.

They looked at themselves one way but God looked at them another way

Let me ask you how you view yourself lineup with how God views you?

When Alfred’s brother Ludwig died in 1888, a French newspaper mistakenly published Alfred’s obituary. Reading his own obituary Nobel was disgusted to find out his public image. The newspaper condemned Nobel for inventing dynamite, giving him the infamous nickname Le marchand de la mort est mort (“The merchant of death is dead”) and went on to say “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.”

To Alfred, this obituary was a warning. He spent his lifetime alone inventing things and was deeply disturbed and concerned with how he would be remembered. This unfortunate event inspired him to make alterations in his will, to improve his public image, and to be remembered for a good cause.

In 1895, one year before his death, Nobel composed the last will which specified that his fortune be used to create a series for prises for those who confer the “greatest benefit on mankind” in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. To widespread astonishment, Dr. Alfred Nobel bequeathed 94% of his total assets, 31 million SEK (c. US$186 million, €150 million in 2008), to establish the five Nobel Prizes.

He had the rare opportunity to see what his life was like in the eyes of men. What does your life look like in the eyes of God.

1Sa_16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

One day you will see what God sees

God has a different perspective than we do.

They gave to be seen of men

She gave to bee seen of God

She gave to show the Lord she loved him.

look at the picture

It is embarrassing to go were all these gifts are given that are big and nice and men are well dressed and showing off their money.

To walk up and put in your offering that amounts to nothing in these eyes of all of them.

It was discounted. It was dismissed it was overlooked.

She felt out of place

No amens for her two mites

She felt like she did not belong.

But she went up and gave.

Why she loved God

I remember when I was a little boy in Tn I went to an amish wedding the amish guy was marrying the girl of his dreams. And they were starting off with nothing they eloped and their family did not help them get started. So they had an event and people came to give to them and help them get started.

And this little boy that really looked up to this guy he took him hunting to shoot his first deer was wanting to give him a gift but he had nothing he was from a poor family and so he gave him what he had a bike tire and a bottle of corn syrup. And every one was snickering and laughing. But the man took it said to the boy thank you this means the most to me out of these other gifts. Why did he need the bike tie or was the corn syrup going to help him in his new marriage ? No he did not need that it was the reason he gave it. It was how he gave it.

Why she loved God.

She had the right attitude.

When we gave top missions it was love for god

He Examines the Proportion

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

God is more interested in proportion than the proportion

They that were rich cast in much

This is not a referendum on being rich

He does not say anything negative about the rich persons gift

Look at it again

Thank the Lord for it

Remember the Lord saw that gift as well.

We are the rich you know that. I have never met a poor person in my life from a biblical standard.

Listen men look at the sizer of the gift but not the Lord.

He looks at the sacrifice.

He looks at what is left when you are done giving

He looks at what it cost you to give.

Sacrifice makes us uncomfortable.

Sacrifice bothers us.

Because we do not understand it think water lemon from billion dollar treatment facility

I remember one time preacher Dan came and preached on the Rose. And how worthy God is and there was here with us at the time a man dying of cancer precious man named Gilbert frias he is dead now he was the one that put in these air conditioners one of the Last Jobs he did before he died. And he came up to me crying before the service and gave me 60 bucks and said give this to the preacher I was going to eat with the family after church but I want him to have this. I got uncomfortable I knew he was not in a good position financially and I knew he did not have a lot of time left. But I am thankful I took it and gave it to the preacher because now he is dead and the meal would have been forgotten but the sacrifice will never be forgotten.

What was the sacrifice worth farthing a 4th of a penny and it is worth about 7 cents 14 cents together.

A piece of bread a handful of grain a meal possible.

God did not stop her.

He let her do it.

He is worth sacrificing to.

They gave out of their abundance

She gave out of her poverty.

They gave extra she gave everything

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Sacrifice does not think of itself.

Sacrifice says God first.

Go get something to eat no I rather give it to God.

You know what gets in the way of sacrifice ?

And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

What do they need that for ?

What do they need my two mites 14 cents

Look at that why isnt that money taken instead of buying those pews and chandeliers and why is it not given to the poor?

Jesus accepted the sacrifice from a poor widow in a place of wealth were there were stones overlaid with God.

Oh my we have a problem with that.

We think it is to the church

Why Is God not worthy ?

They will misuse it.

They did in fact do that.

Pilate stole it to build an aqueduct according to josephus.

The priest started fighting and so they went out to the farms and collected the tithe there for themselves and the old priests that depended on it starved to death because it was mismanaged.

633. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. 64And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

They would put the money in and it went for to take care of the priests but sometimes it would be stolen. And the older priests died for want of food.

The Lord judged them for that destroyed the temple

But he said that women cast in more than they all.

She did not see the wealth of the temple

She saw the worthy lamb

You know what that is it is just and excuse.

She did not make that excuse.

You know what the bible says

She did not think of herself

Heb_7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

She did not notice the clothing of the scribes and pharisees

She did not care what the money was used to try to control it.

It is God’s money it is his business.

We try to be good stewards and every dollar is accounted for and there is oversight and accountability.

There was not here and she was not worried about that.

The problem is we think of so many excuses. We don't realize we are talking ourselves out of a blessing. We are talking ourselves out of sacrificing to God.

I listen to people complain about the buildings and the preachers and all of that And I ask them let's say you wanted to give to God and you wanted to give him everything how would you do it ?

They just know how not to do it.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Sacrifice a years wages gone in one evening

God said it was good. He said you are not going to fix poverty that is not your job.

You know what that money could have been used to pay judas for betrayal.

She gave it to God and that was all he saw.

She took care of those that God commanded her to care for but she had no inheritance.

She did not notice the shortcomings of the priests she noticed God.

She put God's business before her business

She was not offended about the court of women

The best place to serve God from is a place of disadvantage a place of want.

In God's economy everyone can get a good reward and please him no matter their aptitude and their wealth the thing that holds us back is ehne we despise our aptitude and we despise our wealth.

He does not despise it so you do not despise it either

You know why most of them do n to give is because what are these among so many ?

What can I do with all these rich people.

Instead of focussing on God you are focused on yourself.

If your child lay dying you would not think that I am not a doctor let them do it you be there beside his bed crying and

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

The people that give the most make less than 20,000 per year as a percentage of their income

Romanian pastor doctor 39 dollars a month under communism

Clock pray

95 % of people face persecution pass the test 95 % of people face prosperity fail the test.

Lest you be full and forget

The greater the mass the greater the hold the greater the things we have the more they hold us

100 lbs on earth equals 17 lbs moon and 253 lbs on jupiter

Help us to hold them lightly.

Deu 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

Deu 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

Deu 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

Deu 8:13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

Deu 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Deu 8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

Deu 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

Deu 8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

Deu 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

I wish I had given him more

He sees the proportion not the portion.

Look it is not wasted. I want to encourage you if you gave it to God he noticed it.

You know what I believe the children will get just as great a reward as the parents.

Those cards some were children pledging to give a certain amount of cents per day.

Listen do not despise your want your lack your little give it to God no matter what it may be

And it will turn the lack to value.

By and by when I look on His face,

beautiful face, thorn shadowed face.

By and by when I look on His face,

I’ll wish I had given Him more.

By and by when He holds out His hands,

welcoming hands, nail riven hands.

By and by when He holds out His hands,

I’ll wish I had given Him more.

In the light of that heavenly place,

light from His face, beautiful face.

In the light of that heavenly place,

I’ll wish I had given Him more.

More, so much more,

more of my life than I ever gave before.

By and by when I look on His face,

I’ll wish I had given Him more.

When you become a parent at some point you have to give them money so they can go get a present for you. So you give them a certain amount of money so they can go get a present for you.

You know what money is ? it is compressed. You spend your time making money and than you give it to the Lord.

He gave us this life which is so precious what is better than giving it back to him?

In Other Words, a publication of the Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently told a story about Sadie Sieker, who served for many years as a house-parent for missionaries’ children in the Philippines.

Sadie loved books. Though she gladly loaned out some, others she treasured in a footlocker under her bed. Once, in the quiet of the night, Sadie heard a faint gnawing sound. After searching all around her room, she discovered that the noise was coming from her footlocker. When she opened it, she found nothing but an enormous pile of dust. All the books she had kept to herself had been lost to termites.

What we give away, we keep. What we hoard, we lose.

I hope you understand I just think the Lord is worthy of giving to him what is most precious

I think the only way to preserve your life is to give it to him.

She was counting on him

Bible says without faith it is impossible to please him.

She said God you will feed me I trust you.

show preacher why did you preach this message? We've been through a season of generosity and I want to encourage you don't regret your gift the Lord sees it and he is worthy of the sacrifice.

Jesus called his disciples and said look at what this woman did. And she has challenged the heart of God's people for over 2000 years.

How would you like to be remembered on the basis of what you have given?

The Lord spoke to her heart and he's speaking to our heart today. Why don't you talk to him let's pray.