Two readings, two very similar characters. That s the radical nature of God s grace that

Transcription

1 24 th Sunday after Pentecost Year B Mark 12:38-44 Jesus Is Always Enough Goal: That the hearers would understand that our Lord does not look at the size of the gift, but at the sincerity of the heart. Two readings, two very similar characters. That s the radical nature of God s grace that we encounter today from two poor widows. In 1 Kings 17, we have heard the account of Elijah and the widow at Zarepath. She listened to the word of the prophet, even though she had but one meal left for herself and her son. She trusted that the Word of the Lord was true. The result was a miraculous gift of God. She, her son, and Elijah had enough to eat, because the oil and flour did not run out. This unnamed widow trusted in God s promise to provide. The Gospel account from Mark 12 is the very familiar story of the widow who gave all she had as a temple offering to God. It s come to be known as The Widow s Mite. She, too, trusted God to provide, even as she gave her last coins. Indeed, the Lord grants daily bread to all people. But as Christian believers we know that it is the Lord who is providing for all our needs. By faith, we give Him thanks for this and pray knowing that we will never be found wanting. (Pause) The two poor widows express trust in similar ways. They are faithful stewards or managers of material goods. The application for Christian stewardship is unmistakable and fully intended. I want you to hear clearly that Mark 12 is not just about giving or contributing to the Lord s work. This word of God teaches us the proper perspective on living as His people. Jesus

2 shows us that this poor widow gave more than either the pompous scribes or people of great wealth. Her gift was truly the greater gift because the Lord knows what s in our hearts. Notice the contrast between the scribes and the poor widow. It was both outward and inward. Outwardly, the scribes set themselves apart from the rest of the people (38-39). They wore long robes to be seen and liked to pray long prayers. They delighted in having the best seats in the synagogue and at feasts. The widow would have been easily ignored (41-42). She would have been dressed in the clothing of the poor. Her gift of two small copper coins a penny seemed too small to even count. Inwardly, Jesus condemned the scribes for the deception and hypocrisy in their hearts (38a, 40). They pretended to be pious, but what was on the inside was completely different. Jesus said they would receive the greater condemnation. In the heart of the poor widow was a sincere trust in the Lord. She had nothing, but she gave everything. She was commended by Jesus for her generosity (43-44). The words of Proverbs 16:2 fit her perfectly All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. (Pause) Human logic tells us that if your last supper is on the way, don t give it away. Again, human logic tells us that if you re down to your last penny, don t give it away. That s how we think, isn t it? We will even justify it in our minds saying, Certainly God understands the nature of scarcity. Yes, He does. But, the problem isn t with God; it s with us! Our logical way of thinking is to trust in abundance. Remember, for example, a few Sundays ago: Mark 10 told the story of the rich young man. After conversing with Jesus and

3 certain that he had done everything necessary to inherit eternal life by what he had done, he went away sad because his heart and trust were in what he owned. Today s stories about the two widows teach the same lesson God calls us to trust Him. God calls us to have absolute dependence on Him. He gives. We thank and praise in return. You see, the use of our God-given possessions is of greater importance, and the Bible teaches us much about the use of our possessions. To be sure, the widow s gift was from the heart a heart filled with faith and love. The basic contrast we see between the widow and the scribes is that of faith and hypocrisy. Though poor, the widow was rich beyond belief! (Pause) We must all confess our sin and our failures in our attitude of giving. Jesus does not and is not calling you to empty your bank account. He invites you to give Him yourself. He desires absolute trust and dependence in Him. When this happens, everything else will flow. Why? Because in Jesus Christ, we have an even greater gift. Jesus is God s Son who has been sent to die and rise for us for the forgiveness of all our sins. By faith in Christ crucified and Him risen for our salvation, our lives reflect true stewardship. The widow s gift was not tiny in the eyes of Christ. Calling together His disciples they had a lesson to learn even as we do. Jesus didn t ask that the woman do such a thing He s the Son of God who can look into the hearts of all. Psalm 139:1-4 says this: O Lord, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

4 Jesus knew the hypocrisy of the scribes and their deceptiveness. He knew what was in the poor widow s heart. Jesus knows right now what is in our hearts. You see, God has been using scarcity to lead His people to trust for a long time. He provided manna in the desert (Exo. 16). He provided water from a rock (Exo. 17). With just 5 loaves and 2 fish, He fed thousands (Lk 9:10-17). In fact, there was such a great abundance given they even had leftovers, because with Jesus there is always enough. Yes, with Jesus, there is always enough. This is a lesson that we struggle to learn, but it is one that time and again points us to the salvation given by the Redeemer. Think about this Jesus came to be enough enough to pay the full price of our sin. His ministry was not about multiplying food to fill our stomachs, but about ransom and restoration to free our souls and fill us to overflowing with grace and forgiveness. Jesus became poor, so that we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). He left His heavenly throne to come down to this earth to become as one of us sinners. He emptied Himself even to the point of death upon a Cross. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that Christ came to be enough. Hebrews 9:26, (Christ) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Through His loving, redeeming work, we are forgiven. We are set free from sin, death, and Satan. By His bodily resurrection from the tomb on the Third Day, by which we have been joined to through the waters of our Baptism, He has guaranteed that our graves shall one day be empty too. Jesus is always enough! (Pause) What is our response to God who gives us more than enough in Jesus? Perhaps the next time you find yourself hurt, wondering if you have enough to forgive, remember that

5 with Christ there is always enough. Or perhaps you re down to the last dollar in your wallet and come across someone who is truly in need. Remember that with Christ there is always enough. Because of what Christ has first done in our stead, our hearts cannot help but to now overflow with love for Him and His Word. Because of what Christ has first done in our stead, our hearts cannot help but to now overflow with love toward others. Jesus wanted the disciples to learn back then and us today that gifts are acceptable only if they come from hearts filled with love and trust. Who has the greater riches? It is the one who has a heart of faith in the Lord. It is the one who receives His gifts with joy and gladness and now eagerly desires to return a proportionate share to the Lord. The simplicity of the poor widow and her giving out of her poverty all she had is an important message to us. Jesus invites us to give Him ourselves and with that invitation comes trust in Him. Do we recognize what God has done for us in the past? Do we trust He ll be there for us in the future? God has given us all that we have. Most of all, He has given us a Savior, through whom He ll continue to provide and save. To Him be the glory. Amen.