In Over Our Heads
Mark 12:38-44
Read Mark 12:41-44 [The Message]
I wish this morning’s message were only about money—it would sure
be a lot easier for everyone
-that’s not to say it would be fun for anyone...but it sure would be
less demanding, and less painful
--I know, because until Friday, I intended to focus solely on the
story of the widow (so the title no longer fits)...it would be
simple, straightforward, a little uncomfortable, sure, but
nothing that we couldn’t forget by the time lunch is over
I even had some quaint little illustrations to drive the point home, too
-I looked forward to telling you about the Sunday morning service
where Eric Hulstrand was pastoring
in
--an elderly woman fainted and whacked her head on the end of
the pew. Immediately, someone called 911 for the now, fully
knocked-out lady.
--as paramedics strapped her to a stretcher and got ready to
head out the door, she regained consciousness
---she motioned for her daughter
---a hush swept over the congregation as they assumed she
was summoning her last ounce of strength to convey what
would be her final words
----her daughter leaned over...and heard her mother
whisper, "My offering is in my purse."
-unfortunately now, because we’re kinda’ going in a different
direction, I won’t
tell you that story
Why the change?
-well, obviously the text does address financial stewardship—there’s
just no getting around that one (even though we’re not in the
middle of our annual stewardship emphasis)...but the context of
this story, I’m convinced, compels us to examine a whole lot more
than our
checkbooks and our quarterly giving statements
Read Mark 12:38-40 [The Message]
If we put these two events together—and we should, because that is
how they occurred—we discover some important things
First of all, religion that’s for show in God’s eyes is disgusting
-Jesus points to the most religious men around...and He condemns
them because their faith had turned into a religious extravaganza
--they wear long, white robes to set them apart from and above
everyone else—they look pure and holy
--when they go slumming with the common folk they are treated
with special honor—the best seats, the most respectable
titles, the front of the line—everybody recognizes how holy
they must be
--in public, they pray long, rambling prayers and, no doubt, use
a lot of big words that regular people can’t understand...all
furthering the impression that they must be on a first name
basis with God—after all, they sound so holy
--and look at how generous they are!
---I mean, this church offering lets everybody know who’s
giving what
----there are no cushioned offering plates...no offering
envelopes...no paper money or checks
---their offering is literally thrown into a large, metal receptacle
making it impossible to ignore the racket—even their
religious
charity is noticeably holy
-still with all of that going for them, Jesus says at the end of v. 40 à
Such men will be punished most severely.
--why? because all forms of religion-for-show are revolting to God
---worship that is actually entertainment or an empty going-
through-the-motions ritual
---discipleship that is actually a form of self-help that little more
than a Lifeway version of “Dr. Phil”
---fellowship that is actually merely business/political networking
---stewardship that is actually a “look-at-me” billboard
Virtually everyone else falls for their act
-virtually everyone else buys into their “get religious quick” scheme
-virtually everyone else is convinced that what they are seeing is
religion at its finest
-and perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the whole deal is that
even the most religious guys around are fooled
--their eyes have been blinded...their hearts have grown cold...
and they have begun to believe their own lies
And before we write it off as just a 1st-century Jewish problem, let’s
remember what Jesus
says to the church at
-Read
Revelation 3:15-17 [The Message]
This isn’t a just a Jewish thing...it’s not only a Catholic or Methodist
thing...it’s a good ol’ Baptist thing...because this is a human thing
-we all tend to do whatever it takes to keep up appearances...we
fight desperately to maintain our spiritual image...even when we
ourselves know it’s just an act
--and tragically, after a while, even we aren’t able to differentiate
between the show and the real thing
-we sound spiritual, look spiritual, and even give like we’re spiritual
--others compliment us on our deep spirituality
--we’re appointed to positions that further reinforce our holy image
--but inside we are far from God
In stark contrast to Judaism’s best and brightest, Jesus directs the
disciples’ attention toward a poor widow
-of course, in 1st-century
--there is hardly any other kind of widow
---widows have little, if any, wage-earning capacity
---they are women
---so they
have no political or social clout whatsoever
-she walks to the collection receptacle, I imagine, with her head
down—not out of shame, but in a godly humility
--and she places 2, very small, copper coins in the bowl...an
amount a laborer in a vineyard would earn in 15 minutes
--the only way she could give a more insignificant amount is if
she would give only one of these very small, copper coins
--and so when she gives, no one notices
---no heads turn in approving admiration
---it’s as if her gift...and she, herself, don’t even count
I don’t know what the disciples are thinking at this point...what they
are expecting Jesus to say about this woman
-however, I suspect they are virtually floored by His glowing
praise...not so much for the gift, but for the woman and her faith
Placed side by side with religious guys, she doesn’t stand a chance
-she doesn’t have the right clothes
-she probably can’t pray long, fancy prayers you learn in seminary
-she gets zero respect in the market...she’s shoved to the back of
the line...she stands in the back corner of the banquet room (if
she’s allowed inside at all)...and now she has the audacity to mock
the sacred, holy
-it would be like picking teams for football, and you could choose
either Trent Green to play quarterback or me...that’s how badly
this poor widow would stack up against any of the Jewish
religious leaders...by anyone’s standards
--anyone’s except God’s...which is why, reflecting God’s
standards, Jesus says, “She’s given more than all the others.”
When you get a check-up, your doctor will poke, prod, and press
various places on
your body
-all
the while asking, "Does this hurt?
How about this?"
If you grimace in pain, 1 of 2 things has happened
-either the doctor's
pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity
-or, more likely,
there's something wrong
--and doctor will say, "We'd better do
some more tests. It's not
supposed to hurt there!"
That's the way it is when pastor preaches on stewardship
-some people cry out
in discomfort, criticizing message/messenger
--perhaps the pastor's pushed too hard
--or more likely there's something wrong and that pain is really due
to the fact
the Holy Spirit convicting them of a spiritual problem
In Scripture, money is more like a symptom rather than a disease
-God pushes on our
money and we scream, "Ouch!"
--but the real issue—the disease—has far more to do with our
priorities
and with lordship (who/what is in charge of life)
I suspect that if we listen to God, more than a few of us
will be
convicted and will say, "Hey! That hurts!"
-that's because the significance of this story is rather plain: what
we give isn't as important as what we keep—and that applies to
all of us regardless
of crop prices, sales, or Social Security
Like I said at the beginning, I wish this morning’s message were only
about money—it would sure be a lot easier for everyone
-that’s not to say it would be fun for anyone...but it sure would be
less demanding, and less painful
-for me, a convicting sermon about giving is relatively easy to hear,
even when God uses it to change my attitude, behavior, heart
--I truly believe the least difficult part of Christian stewardship is
financial giving
Here’s why
-what makes the widow’s actions so frustrating for us, is that she
has two coins...and she gives two coins
--do you see it?
---she has other options—real, legitimate choices
----she can give nothing (and who could blame her?)
----she can give 1 coin (and how many of us are willing
to give 50% of what we have?)
----but she has to go and give it all...and she leaves us
with a living sermon far more effective, and much
more convicting than any shoutin’, Bible-thumping,
pulpit-pounding, Baptist preacher
It’s all because this woman...who was probably acting out of humble
obedience...and a genuine love and gratitude...understands what it
means to love God with all heart, soul, mind, and strength...and to
love her neighbor as she loves herself
-which Jesus had just been teaching (in vv. 29-31)...
-and because it’s so rarely seen...we frankly don’t have a clue how
to react
So Jesus tells us exactly how to react...He points to the widow and
says, “Do what she does...love God like she does.
-forget about the money for a second...and look at your
heart...what are you holding back?
--relationship? career? your willingness to serve Him?
---do you figure you have a right to keep those for yourself?
--or do you pat yourself on the back, and take pride for giving
half of something to God?
Do you have the faith to trust God with everything you are and have?