"All she had"
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro:
Intro:
Sister Helena gave all she could give to make others lives better(Illustrations about the cards)
I. The Widow’s offering
I. The Widow’s offering
41 Sitting across from the temple treasury, he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. 43 Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
(v.41) Jesus was sitting and observing the giving habits of the people and he noticed something.
“Many Rich People were putting in large sums” Jesus seems to be implying that giving had been become a time to flaunt wealth rather than a time of humble of service unto God.
Rich people would dump their money into these metal receptacles and all of the coins they dropped in would make a loud noise alerting everyone in the room how much was given. Notice what Jesus said “he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury”
Why would Jesus be interested in how folks dropped their money into the receptacle?
Because for Jesus he is far more interested in the heart motivation of the gift rather than the size of the gift.
(v.42) “Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little”
Along comes a poor widow who dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Unlike that Rich Folks who dropped in large sums of money. This woman “a poor widow”
Widow or Single Woman in the Jewish society should have been taken care of. There were provision for them so they would not be left destitute.
29 Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
20 When you knock down the fruit from your olive tree, do not go over the branches again. What remains will be for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow.
Notice what was going on with Widows when Jesus arrived:
38 He also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who want greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”
(v.40) The Religious leaders were taking advantage of widows more specifically they were extricating the family lands of widows who could no longer pay for them and keep them up.
I don’t know what happen to this widow but she is definitely between a rock and a hard place, but notice what she does. In the midst of her pain and misfortune she still gives to God her very best. She gave what would be the smallest equivalent of money in the Palestinian System of coins. Some translation say pennies but that is not necessarily most accurate. It is hard to determine the amount but more accurately at was about 50 cent in our time. In our day I don’t think 50cent could buy you anything at a local 7-11 or Speedway gas station. I buy bananas at 7-11 sometimes and they are 75 cent.
The Widows Faith
The Widows Faith
43 Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.”
(v.43) Jesus called all the disciples together to use her faith as a teaching moment. He essentially says to them “Did you see how much she put into the treasury in comparison to those Rich People?” “She has put more into the treasury than all the others”
did Jesus lie? or is he crazy?
How could her little 20c be more than the thousands of dollars for the Rich Folks?
Jesus answered in (v.44)
“For they gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty and has put in everything she had”
They gave more in number but she gave more in proportion to her income.
Her giving said “I trust fully in you Lord”
There giving said “I trust in myself”
IN John 3:16
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Our Lord gave his most prized possession his only Son as an offering for sin. God knows what it means to give all of what you have for the benefit of someone else. God sent his Son who died the death of a criminal so that we could have everlasting life!!!
IF there are any who Don’t know him this would be the day to invite Jesus into your life as he stands at the door and knocks
