Published: September 24, 2023 | Speaker: Mark Freitag | Series: Gospel of Mark - Part 85 | Scripture: Mark 12:41-44
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we're looking at Mark chapter 12 again this morning this morning we're looking at the last verses of chapter 12. 41 through 44.
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and he sat down opposite the treasury and began observing how the multitude were putting money into the treasury and many people who were putting in large sums large sums and a poor Widow came and put in two
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small copper coins which amount to a cent and calling his disciples to him he said to them truly I say to you
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this poor Widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury for they all put in out of their Surplus but she out of her poverty put in all
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she owned all she had to live on let us pray
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father again we do ask that you would open our hearts and Minds to receive your word your word we pray for the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts and our minds that we might see wonderful things out of your word and
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behold the things that you would teach us this morning we pray that we would walk in them walk in a manner that pleases you in them and we do ask that above all that we as your
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Saints would continue to rejoice in you and continue to honor you with our lives in Christ's name we pray amen
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for Jesus it had been a long day by my accounting it's still Tuesday of what many people call passion week
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and here at the end of this day we see Jesus do something that he very rarely does at least from our the telling of the evangelists
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he sat down the Sanhedrin had come to him when he arrived at the temple the
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morning as I can understand it of this Tuesday and they began a long string of those who came to ask him questions to put him to a test to see if he
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could answer to their satisfaction the Sanhedrin knew things about him they knew what he did but in their unbelief question his right his authority to
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actually do them the Pharisees and the herodians attempted to trap him into denying his own messiahship
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the Sadducees tried to twist him around with a twisted question of their own about immorality resurrection and spiritual life spiritual life and then a scribe comes up and asks what you would think it would be
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a question that would have no good answer because he asked what is the greatest commandment perhaps hoping that Jesus would say Well they're all important
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and so again to test him even though Jesus says of him you're you're not far from the kingdom and Jesus had his own questions for them
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how is it that David in the spirit described his son as his
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and finally we read in the scriptures that the antagonist had been completely shut down they asked him nothing more they had nothing more to say
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to say even though the crowd enjoyed hearing him teach him teach and Jesus says of this spiritual battle that he sees around him on that day
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Beware of the scribes beware of these lovers of greetings lovers of Honor lovers of their own pretenses of long
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prayers and flowing robes but the day was not finished
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and Mark writes and he sat down opposite the treasury after it's dark tense battle with these unbelieving
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rulers the crowds pressing in on him as we see the words used by Mark here are the multitudes they're coming for the Passover but they also were pressing him
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and crowding around him ever since he had traveled had traveled up to Jerusalem he sat down
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but not without purpose he didn't just sit down to rest he didn't just sit down as a as a kind of a disappearing act but he sat down as Mark tells us and
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began observing began observing he began watching the crowd he began watching the people coming to the
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perhaps as he looks around at this I would describe a desert of humanity sheep without a shepherd perhaps he Longs for one just one
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scene of faith that will satisfy his heart and his soul
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what was Jesus observing well Mark tells us and he began observing how the multitude were putting money into the treasury
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he's sitting on the steps of what I again can understand is the women's Court in the temple and it was next to the men's court and some described that there were these
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steps where you left one court and then entered the other court and there were these receptacles they were they were 13 I'm told of these
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trumpet-shaped reciprocals receptacles so if you can imagine uh the perhaps the ancient Edison phonograph with the the
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big horn the end of a tuba or something that kind of thing so that it channels the the coins down into the box perhaps made of metal
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I don't know for sure but people were and we see them casting in um literally throwing in the coins
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into these receptacles and the money they put in was for the temple upkeep and for the temple tax that they was
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required by the Jews and Jesus is observing closely and again notice the words observing how
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the multitude we're putting money into the treasury the treasury now he's not just looking to see if they toss it underhand or whether someone
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does a behind the back toss or overhand obviously what he's looking at here is the attitude
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how they cast money not as to the outward appearance but as to what he can see as to the attitude of
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the heart the heart to be sure some of us put our money in and the attitude with which we do our offering tells a lot about that you know
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or do I come with a downcast face but Jesus alone is looking at the heart how they approach giving
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it says the many rich the multitude and the many Rich were putting in large Psalms the many Rich putting in large sums did
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catch his attention there's no sound coming from this page but can you imagine someone with a large thumb tossing in
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those coins into a metal trumpet the sound that that would make my grandparents when we would go visit them they played a game
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called pitch and you would pitch the pennies into this little Bowl as part of the game the game and my dad inscribed on that and I don't
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know if it's true German I'd have to ask somebody the clingo boy told and I don't know if klingle is a sound to the German ear of money but that's what I think of can you hear it
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and again we we've learned about the pretense of some of these folks right the the more the more it sound it makes the more attention they're going to
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gather and I'm reading in etersheim and he's saying that yeah well sometimes there would be men standing there watching people toss the money in and praising
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them for the amount that they put in and so some of these people undoubtedly as we've read in the previous three verses or so wanted that praise they wanted that
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audible yeah that a boy that oh that's good and so listen to the scriptures the coins clinking and plinking as they go
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but there was another person there that Jesus noticed Jesus noticed that I doubt many other people noticed a poor Widow literally a popper Widow
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the poorest of the poor came and put in two small copper coins they were called lepta they were the two
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smallest coins I think also in in appearance in size but also in value
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he saw her not just in the act of putting it in but I think Paul Mark writes in here the Widow came that he saw her coming up to the receptacle up to the trumpet
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before she put in her coins he studies her appearance he sees her cast in the two small coins
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and he does know the value as they disappear down the trumpet
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and calling his disciples to him he said to them truly or verily or of a truth he is calling them because if something Gravely important that he needs to tell
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them about something that they will need to remember as they move into their ministry as his disciples his ministers on Earth
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on Earth truly I I your lord say this to you this poor Widow put in more
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than all the contributors to the
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this is of importance not just to the disciples personally disciples personally but I think it's important to disciples corporately because he's giving them
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the contrast between what he saw of the many rich many rich and the poor Widow
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the many Rich throwing in much the poor Widow threw in little the many Rich put in their Surplus the poor Widow put in
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all she owned the many Rich put in much monitor of monetary value
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the poor Widow put in more than all the many Rich combined Jesus
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the masked hostility that he has seen this day this day the mass hostility toward himself that day stacked on a balance
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could not outweigh the more the more that this poor Widow put in one significant Act
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of faith of faith an act of trust in God by one of the as the scriptures might say one of the least of these
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what lessons do we learn from this unnamed Widow unnamed Widow well first let's go back to that spiritual tournament that I describe the Sanhedrin the herodians the Pharisees the scribes as they came to him
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they all challenged Jesus on his authority because of their unbelief but the Widow never seemed to question the authority of God she was obedient
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she did what she was supposed to do she put in put in her offering to God The Scribe heard what was the greatest
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commandment and we see in the scripture that he even agreed with it yeah you answered really good Jesus
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but the Widow showed not only that she knew the Commandment but she was practicing the Commandment she loved God above herself God above all
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The Scribe even heard Jesus State the second greatest commandment love your neighbor as yourself well the Widow the Widow out of her poverty practice that
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what were some of the temple proceeds supposed to do support the poor give to those in need she sacrificed her needs in order to
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fulfill others needs the rich gave what they could give out of and some of your Bibles say
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abundance I don't like that I don't think that word captures it let me say it that way what the Greek means out of their Surplus
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their Surplus out of what was the least effort for them to give they they'd never miss it in other words if they gave a whole bunch it wouldn't
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change the way they lived the lifestyle they LED what they did but she gave from her want she gave from her lack or as I can understand it she
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gave from what was actually insufficient for her own support
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she placed herself in God's care knowing that his care was better than any Psalm that she could imagine having I don't know if these are the things that went through her head at that time
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we don't know if she even noticed that Jesus was there we don't know what happened to her after this
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yeah but I can imagine that she had an attitude that said I'll give because God wants me to give expects me to give
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because he is God why should I be afraid we just sang it you know first hymn we sang this morning did we not from Psalm
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23 do we believe the words that we sang the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want if the Lord is my shepherd why do I feel
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that want when it comes to money when it comes to my wealth the scripture says that God is generous in First Corinthians Paul is is looking
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at them and saying you you have all this stuff what do you have that you did not receive we we need to remember that
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we we read from the psalm Psalm 65 this morning David says all that I have came from your hand why do we get upset why do we start to
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clam up when it comes to giving God rejoices to give to you Luke 12. Jesus says to his disciples do not be
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afraid Little Flock because your father has chosen to give you the kingdom why are you worried about what you will
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have to eat what you will have to wear what you will have tomorrow
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worldly wisdom and I have read some of that worldly wisdom and even in some of the commentaries the commentaries worldly wisdom says why didn't you just keep it keep it I mean it's such a small amount these
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two little things and it doesn't matter what it's worth today you know it's like 196th of a penny
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it's too small of a mount the temple they'll never know whether you put it in or not it won't even be missed I've been told that when Jerusalem was sacked and they went into the temple they found
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thousands if not millions of pounds worth of sterling silver just stored
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I mean here's the porous of the poor poverty could have been a curse to her she could have had anxious care she could have been worrying all the time she could have been a murmurer
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she could have been murmuring with discontent with God why have you made me this way why have I been chosen to be poor it could have been an act of
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desperation she could have been suicidal or she could have turned to the other side to thievery and to a dishonest gain
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but those two little coins that Jesus saw leave her hand and disappear down that trumpet began at that instant to earn an eternal interest in the lives
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of others of others for two thousand years what she has done has been spoken of her as has been spoken of at least one other
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the lives of people have been changed by her act her act people have been led to live by faith to be willing to give sacrificially be willing to look and see the needs of others
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began to do as Jesus instructed his disciples sell your possessions and give to the poor but note that Jesus doesn't say sell all
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your possessions he says sell your possessions why because you're looking at what somebody needs and they can't they in our day you can't barter with an
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old microwave old microwave but if you had that money you could do something with it there were those who had nothing to barter with so the disciples were too instructed to sell possessions so that
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they could liquidate those things so they could give to those who could then spend them
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and what reminders does Scripture give us in this regard well you know the story of the Gathering where where Paul tells about the the gift that was to be given
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in Jerusalem and he's telling the Corinthians you need to imitate these people listen each one must do as he has decided in his heart
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he's after the heart he's after the quality of the gift not the quantity whether it's too small lepta or it's a great handful of silver coins he you
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must have decided in your heart not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver and God is able
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is able see God is able to make all Grace overflow to you so that always having all sufficiency in
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why should I worry this is what our Holy Spirit has given us to listen to always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good
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need Good Deed Good Deed in Acts 20 we read remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ that he himself said it is more blessed to give
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than to receive I'm told that the Bible has more verses and people who catalog these things more
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verses about money than it does about money is significant in our lives it's because it represents value
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it's it's how we trade things it's how we get things we exchange money for things that we value
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if I could paraphrase that world maybe it's in some movie that I've never seen but there's a phrase we use don't we follow the money well the scripture says follow the money in Luke 12.
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for where your treasure is there your heart will be also where your treasure is there will your heart be where your heart is that's
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where we'll find your treasure follow the money the money follow your money
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food clothing education clothing education entertainment Ministry entertainment Ministry your neighbors your neighbors so what do you value
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do you value God more than things or things more than God in Luke 12 it's a long discussion by Jesus
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concerning money and their attitude toward it he says beware and be on your guard I mean again we read it here Jesus called his
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disciples aside and said this is important here we he's using this this language beware be on your guard against every form of greed for not even when one has
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abundance does his life consist of his possessions see it's priorities it's attitude it's heart it's how we look at things what do
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you value you value in that same chapter he talks about the the rich man a certain rich man he uses this parable about this man and he calls
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him very productive he he his farm is just producing all of this stuff and he's saying I need to build bigger Barns and places to store
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all this stuff and I need more and I need more because it's just I'm successful and Jesus says to him this night
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your soul is required of you but he's not saying it's required because you're successful he calls him very productive and he doesn't cut him
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down for that but what does he cut him down for
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is because he was not rich toward God was not his Supreme treasure he was going after Mammon he was going after that which he
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had produced that which had come to him and he was not rich toward God
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but our souls were not made for things our souls were created for God is our treasure
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for where your treasure is there will your heart be also is God your treasure first of all it it has to do with worship we're joking in Sunday school we're
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talking about worship and why do we do what we do but there but there it has to do with how we worship our attitude toward worship how we spend our
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money tells us how we worship again follow the money scripture warns us about money and wealth does it not it can be good it can be used for the
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needs of others and to in further Ministry but when Jesus talks about the parable of the seeds being sown and the seed that is thrown among the
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Thorns he says beware of of the plants coming up and choking the word and he calls it the deceitfulness of wealth
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chokes the word money can deceive us how how does money deceive us it lies
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it lies money lies to you it says if you lose me you lose what I can do for you and what I can be for you get money and you'll
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get life money says get me and you'll have it made
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and I create this God when I worship money or when I do treasure money and things above God what I do is I create a god with two heads little G God
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I create a God who gives me whatever I want and I create a God who takes away and keeps me away from everything I fear
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he gives me everything I want money stuff the houses cars stuff and he keeps me from Fear
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the fear of losing all of that and having nothing
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get money get life wealth says wealth says but what is life well Jesus defined it in John 17 and this is life eternal that they may know you
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the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent Paul tells Timothy instruct them to do good to be rich in Good Works to be
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generous and ready to share soaring up from themselves The Treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that which is truly
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see it's totally opposed to what the world says the worldly wisdom ah they'll never miss it miss it but Christ looks at the heart
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Jesus sees us as we prepare to give Jesus sees our attitude he studies our attitude just as he studied those people coming to the treasury in Jerusalem Jerusalem long ago he studies the
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attitude of the heart toward giving of from the scriptures
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of two men who took this to Heart and practiced it one was King David remember when he went to the threshing floor of ornan or sometimes called Aruna
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and he said I need to buy this threshing floor because I need to make an altar so that God will take away the plague from my people
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my people and the jebusite said uh King I'll give it to you all that you see is yours I give it to you I honor you with this gift and what does David said
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no no but I will certainly buy it from you for a price for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing
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me nothing they knew it was the attitude of the heart he knew that it had to be from him that his thanksgivings had to be from hidden self
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there are those who would say you know if I just win the lottery then I I could give the church all this money and I could support all these missionaries and I could
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I will not offer that to the Lord which cost me nothing and in Philippians 3 we hear the attitude of the Apostle Paul but whatever things were gained to me
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these things I have counted as loss because of Christ more than that I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value
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of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord that is real question what is it that you value do I value things above God or is God my
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treasure let us pray our heavenly father we do again ask that you would cause us to meditate on these things cause us to
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to go to our prayer closets and kneel before you before you and to seek you to ask you that question that the psalmist asks see if there be anything
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within me within me that does not honor you that does not give you glory in this area and we ask that you would teach us ask that you
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would build us into a church that worships you in spirit and Truth into a church that truly honors and glorifies your name we ask these things in Jesus
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name amen
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from Philippians Paul writes Paul writes and my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus