Mark 12:38-44
New International Version (NIV)
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
41 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. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
One Sunday a pastor
told the congregation that the church needed some extra money and asked the
people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra in the offering plate. He
said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After
the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that
someone had placed a $1,000 bill in the offering. He was so excited that he
immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said he'd like to
personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate. A very quiet,
elderly, saintly lady all the way in the back shyly raised her hand. The pastor
asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told
her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in thanksgiving asked her to
pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation,
pointed to the three handsomest men in the building and said, "I'll take
him and him and him!"
We are in our
Stewardship month and today’s New Testament scripture has been used by
preachers for thousands of years in order to have their congregation give more
to the church. Sometimes preachers abuse this scripture and tell their
congregation to give everything.
I once knew a girl who
literally gave everything to the church. Her pastor had used this verse in his
sermon and she had her weekly paycheck with her and signed it over to the
church. Except she had no savings or any funds to draw upon and so she had no
food for the rest of the week and was late on her phone bill. She mentioned it
to the pastor and all he said was that God would reward her for her sacrifice.
Now in this scripture, Jesus
was not telling us to give everything that we have to the church, but was
showing the disciples one of the key aspects of giving. When you give, it
should mean something to you.
There are three other
key aspects of giving that God gave us in the New Testament:
1) In Matthew 6: 2-3
Jesus tells us to give quietly and humbly:
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the
needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” Some
people love to get recognition for a gift. In the TV show “The Big Bang theory”
The character Sheldon Cooper has to get recognition for a gift. When one is
given he has to get an equally valued gift to give back. And when he gives a more expensive gift, he
makes sure to make a spectacle about it. Have you ever met people like that?
But God wants us to humbly and quietly give. To give as He leads you, which
leads to the next key aspect of giving
2) give cheerfully; Saint Paul
that, “let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of
necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” God wants you to think about
what you give and what He is calling you to. He wants you to be a cheerful
giver. You have often heard the phrase, it is better to give than to receive? Sometimes when you give, you feel good. It
feels good to give. In a recent research study, UCLA life scientists find that
giving support offers health benefits -- to the giver.
"Giving to others
has benefits," said UCLA psychology graduate student Tristen Inagaki, the
lead author of the study, who has been awarded National Science Foundation and
Jacob K. Javits fellowships. "We even saw substantially more activity in
these reward brain regions when the women were giving support. It reduces
stress levels and promotes good health. So it actually feels good to give.
Finally, 3) Ephesians
5:9 and 20 tells us, “ Sing and make
music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” We are to be thankful
in everything we do, and when we give it should be with a thankful spirit. God
has given us so much, giving is a way of saying thanks to God. Throughout the
Old Testament the saints worshipped God by giving to Him the first fruits of
the ground and cattle. Thanksgiving is giving thanks to God for another year of
life with family and friends, thanking him for the year of answered prayer, of
comfort when afflicted by illness or grief.
But through it all
giving thanks to God for His Providence
Two men were
shipwrecked near an island. When they landed ashore, one of them began
screaming and yelling, “We’re going to die! We’re going to die! There’s no
food! No water! We’re going to die!” The second man leaned calmly against a
palm tree. When the first man saw how calm his friend was, he went crazy and
shouted, “Don’t you understand?! We’re going to die!!” Undisturbed, the second
man replied, “You don’t understand, I make $100,000 a week.” Dumbfounded, the
first man looked at him and asked, “What difference does that make?!? We’re on
an island with no food and no water! We’re going to DIE!!!” The second man
answered, “You just don’t get it. I make $100,000 a week and I tithe ten
percent on that $100,000 a week. Wherever I am, my pastor will be sure to find
me!”
That man was thankful
for giving!
And as we celebrate
Thanksgiving here in our Fellowship today, Let us give thanks. Thanks to God
for the big things, the small things and the everyday in between.
