Sermon Tone Analysis

Don’t devour, develop

We have just come out of a section where Jesus has denounced the Pharisees and the scribes.

(Mk12:38-40)

Mk12:

What were the scribes doing (v.40)?

There are scriptures in the O.T. that attest to taking care of poor, the fatherless, and the widows.

(Deu47:17-22)

They were not doing that were they?

They, the experts in the law that demanded perfect adherence to the Law were not keeping it themselves.

One of the things Jesus denounced them on previously.

Note the lack of adherence (Mt23:2-4)

So now that gives you a little lead in to our passage today.

Open Story book to (pg.125; Mk12:41-44)

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

So here we have Jesus who now is taking some time to people watch, He sits looks on from the court of women as people come and go and give their offerings into the treasury.

(INSERT SLIDE WITH TRUMPET BOXES)

There were 13 boxes along the wall that were called “the Trumpets” each one had a specific reason someone would drop offerings into.

Some were for purchases of the sacrifices to be given, some were for contributions for expences of the Temple.

Just a little more about the trumpet boxes, 11 of them were for voluntary offerings of money, 2 were for the half-shekel tax.

Trumpet 1-2 were half-shekel Temple tax (tribute) of the current and past year.

Trumpet 3 was for those who had to bring turtle doves for sin offering, they would drop the offering, the cost o the turtle doves into the box.

Trumpet 4 similar to box 3 but was for young pigeons

Trumpet 5 was contributions for the wood used to burn the sacriices

Trumpet 6 was contributions for the incense burned

Trumpet 7 was for the golden vessels in the temple that were used for ministry.

If a man had put aside a certain sum for a sin-offering and had any money left over after it’s purchase it was put into Trumpet 8

Trumpets 9-13 were for what was left over from trespass offerings, bird offerings, offering of the Nazarite, of the cleansed leper and voluntary offerings.

What did Jesus notice while watching the people (vv.41-42)?

Many rich people giving large sums

Poor widow gave two small copper coins

The two coins in the original language says “lepton” which means thin one, this amounted to 1/40th of 1 pence.

What did Jesus do in (v.43)?

Called the disciples over to him.

Remember his public ministry is now over, everything now is for the disciples

He taught them about the nature of the widow’s gift - it was more than “all” the contributions to the treasury

Why do you think Jesus said it was more (v.43)?

(spend a few minutes here, flesh this out, get them engaged)

Now in looking at (v.44)

In (v.44) Jesus tells us the answer

What is the answer to Jesus statement made in (v.43) answer in (v.44)?

They gave from their surplus

She gave from her poverty.

Not only from her poverty but from all she owned; she would have to fully trust and rely on God to provide for her, do we do the same?

God does not care the amount given, but the heart given.

not amount but attitude.

some of the axioms found on this short teaching about giving being measured.

Not by its count, but by its cost

Not by its amount, but its portion

Not by what is given, but by what is kept

not by money, but by spirit

Do you remember Peter’s statement, question back in chapter 10 (Mk10:28-30)?

This is an illustration of such and the end result for them and for the woman was 100% trust in God that He will provide what is needed.

Think of Jesus response to Peter, and would it not be the same to this woman who gave from her poverty?

Now having said that there are a 3 points we can pull out of this section.

I. Giving must be sacrificial

Some points to ponder on when it comes to giving.

The amount of the gift does not matter, the cost of the gift is a matter of heart, it is the sacrifice given.

(2Cor9:7)

Sacrificial giving is cheerful, or in the Greek it was translated as hilarious giving

Sacrificial giving gives until it hurts

Sacrificial giving is giving up something so to give to God (do we really practice sacrificial giving?)

Is our sacrifice really a sacrifice if we are not giving up something?

If there really is no cost to it?

William Barclay says “Few people will do without their pleasures to give a little more to the work of God”

II.

Giving should have no hold back

Notice the woman gave not only from her poverty, she gave all she had, all she owned.

Now think bigger, think Jesus is not just teaching physically He is teaching spiritually too.

Are there parts of our life that we hold back from Jesus, that we keep tucked away?

Maybe like a security line.

Or maybe some activity that we have not surrendered to Him.

She had total faith, total trust in God that He would meet her need.

Jesus taught on that too, didn’t He

Mt6:

She totally surrendered and had faith that God would provide.

Think about this, this woman, this widow, this poor person was recorded for all history as an example of giving.

She totally surrendered and had faith that God would provide.

Think about this, this woman, this widow, this poor person was recorded for all history as an example of giving.

She totally surrendered and had faith that God would provide.

Think about this, this woman, this widow, this poor person was recorded for all history as an example of giving.

One more quote and will end for today “If we put all that we have and are at His disposal, he can do things with it and with us that are beyond our imaginations.

- William Barclay.

Point to ponder The woman gave it all and demonstrated her faith.

Her faith is on display for all to see when they read the Bible, what does your faith say?

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