Widows Mite
Notes
Transcript
Announcements
Mission and Vision
Grateful to be in the midst of the saints
We are coming to the end of a year.
How many of you feel like you’ve been dealt a bum hand?
I mean, just looking at the past year
Many of us would be justified to feel as though we had less
Less time with family, less money, less opportunities
And because of our humanness… we have the tendency to look at our lack and say well that’s the reason I haven’t done much
Right?
It makes sense. I’ve had less, so I did less
I had less money, so I gave less or not at all...
Or for some the exact same 0 that you were giving before the pandemic
I had less time around people because my scheduled gatherings were canceled so I couldn’t build community
I had less so I did less
But what does the scripture say about that?
Let’s read our passage for today
READ Mark 12:43-44
And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Contextually
Jesus is in his last season. Headed to the cross
he is sitting out in front of an area of the temple that was public
It was where the jews would take their tithes and offerings and place them in these large boxes
This isn’t a parable that Jesus is telling, He’s simply responding to and commenting on what he sees happening right in front of him
As he’s sitting there he sees wealthy people putting in huge amounts of money
These are people who have an abundance and are able to give out of that abundance
Jesus makes it known that these are rich folks
People who you would expect to be able to give
THen walks up a widow
I know in this day and age we miss the weight of the word widow
Being widowed today is hard and my heart goes out to the widows and widowers
But being a widow in 1C palestine was a social class
Being a woman without a husband meant that you had no protection from extortion, from abuse, from people taking advantage of you
You had no income. There was no social security. THere was no retirement plans
If you had no children, then you really were just left to the kindness of others to care for you
This woman who we know is not just a widow, but a poor widow comes to the temple and gives 2 small copper coins. That’s half a penny each
So Jesus seeing this situation play out in front of him calls his disciples over
He points out that this widow has put in more than all those who are contributing before her
More than the rich man who just put the keys to one of his many 1 century merecedes in the offering plate
More than the rich woman who gave her old Coach or Michael Kors purse because she got a new one
This woman, Jesus said, gave out of her poverty
See we get it so backwards sometimes
WE think that the only way we are helpful or participating in the ministry of the Holy Spirit is when we are able to give out of our abundance
But what Jesus comments is that it is not the extra that
we give that makes the difference
The reason is that God doesn’t want your stuff. He want’s your heart
However, we do demonstrate where our heart is by how we use our stuff
Our time, talent, and treasure. Our emotional energy.
What you spend those things on demonstrate where your heart is
The issue in this event is not the amount that the widow was able to give, it was the amount she was willing to give
She gave all that she had
To serve, to be faithful to what she felt called to,
Jesus is showing us that its not about what we lack, but what are we doing with what we have
2020 was rough for so many people. I get that
But Jesus is never going to ask you about what you did with what you lacked?
Right?
We see that in the parable of the Talents from Matthew 25
Master gave 3 different people, 3 different amounts of money and when he comes back he askes them… not what did you do even though you were lacking… but what did you do with what you had
We see this when Moses was called
God doesn’t say, well moses you’re a dirty smelly shepherd. How are you going to speak to the pharoah with so much that you still lack?
No he says, Moses, what is in your hands? And with that staff, God did wonders and freed the people of Israel
So please hear this.
I am not shaming you for what lack this past year has brought you
I’m not here to condemn you for the past at all. For there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
But before we walk into another calendar year where all you can do is talk about how much you lacked, maybe look back and see what you were willing to do with what you had
Maybe you did take a pay cut, yet you still tithed. You still fed thehungry, you still clothed the needy. You have nothing to feel shame about. You gave out of your poverty
Maybe you dealt with blow after blow and you had 0 emotional space. Yet you were still there for that person who reached out and needed to talk. You gave out of your poverty
And maybe you’re hearing this and your feeling convicted because when things got tight, you clammed up
You allowed fear to creep in and direct you to saving your stuff
Not sharing, not giving, not serving.
Maybe you only gave when you felt like you “had it to give”
I want to tell you brother, sister. That fear and lack of trust is the real issue here… not lack of provision
Fear of being without and of being taken advantage of or being left vulnerable has led you to doubt the one who truly provides for you
Fear of what the newsman says, or what the timeline says, has lead you to stop listening to the voice of God who tells you that your mission hasn’t changed
That you are still called to love, and to give, and to serve, and to be in community.
Either way, there is still no condemnation
Conviction isn’t condemnation. Someone needs to hear that today
Conviction is a gift from the Lord that pushes us to surrender. It’s not saying you messed up and now youre done for.
Conviction is saying there is a better way. Turn from where you are headed and join the Lord on his mission. Repent and accept the grace that God is extending to you.
So I want to give you some time to reflect.