"Her Two Cents" Sermon: Mark 12:41-44

“Her Two Cents”

[Mark 12:41-44]

November 11, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            Today is Stewardship Sunday – the day each year in which we particularly think about the fact that God has given us all that we have and called us to be good stewards of it.  While we are specifically considering financial stewardship this morning, we ought to consider all that God has given us – time, skills, and other gifts – are all to be stewarded well and used – first and foremost – for the spreading of the Gospel and the good of the Church.

            Our Scripture begins with Jesus sitting in the doorway to the Temple watching the people enter and place their offering in the offering box – not unlike our offering plate.  There was a box that people could drop their financial gifts in that would be taken out later by the priests – and Jesus was watching and noting what people were giving.  Consider:  Jesus watches what we put in the offering plate…

            “And [Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box.”

            What was He doing?  What gave Him the right to do it?  Would you have any problem with me – or one of the elders – looking to see what you put in the offering plate?  (Don’t worry; we are not going to start checking what each person puts in the offering plate as you do so, and only those who prepare the deposit have any idea of what you give.)

            Jesus had – and has – the right to know exactly what we give because He is God and calls us to account for our stewardship to Him.  “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13, ESV).  There will come a day when every human being has to account for everything he or she did before our God and Savior – including how we stewarded all that God has given us.  (This has nothing to do with our salvation – which is through Jesus Alone – but there will be a judgment of our works.)

            So Jesus sat down and watched what people were giving – and it was right for Him to do so because He is God in the flesh. 

“Many rich people put in large sums.”

Let us immediately note that there is nothing wrong with being rich.  God blesses people as He wills, and God allows people to have personal property of many sorts.  There is nothing wrong with that. 

As we see in the confrontation between Peter and Ananias and Sapphira – they had come to offer all of the proceeds of the sale of their land to the Temple, but they lied and kept back part of the proceeds.  Peter accused them:  “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God” (Acts 5:4, ESV).  The Scripture is clear that people can rightfully receive blessings from God and enjoy them – the problem was their lying about their offering.  The issue is not about what wealth God blesses a person with, but with the honest stewardship of it – it is a matter of the heart.

So, Jesus noticed that many rich people put in large sums of money.  There is nothing wrong – in fact it is good – that rich people give large amounts of money for the work of the Church, because they have the ability to give large sums.  But there is still the matter of the heart to be considered:

“And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.”

Notice, we are told that the person Jesus is watching is a widow and poor.  She had no support from others – as we see – and she puts two small coins in the offering – which made a penny (as our text calls it).  Actually, it was less than a penny in today’s money.  What the woman gave was about 1/64 of an average laborer’s daily pay.  In today’s money, we are talking about 1/8 of a cent – her two cents, so to speak, would be about 1/8 of a modern penny.

And we might be tempted to say, “Well, that was nothing.  Move along for more rich people to come.  What good is 1/8 of a cent going to do the for work of the Lord?”

But that is not how Jesus looks at it, is it?  No.

“And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you,’”

Jesus calls the disciples over to point out a distinction; He calls them over and begins by saying, “truly, I say to you,” – which is not language we usually use.  Jesus said, “I solemnly declare something of great significance – take note of what I am going to tell you – it is important.”

Notice:  “this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.”

Had Jesus forgotten what all the rich people had given?  Had He looked away and not seen what a pittance she had given – how insignificant her financial offering was?  Of course not. 

So how could she have given more than all the others?

“For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

            What did Jesus mean?

            The rich people (at least some of them) were giving out of their abundance.  What they were giving was nothing to them.  It was as though a millionaire gave fifty dollars in the offering plate.  Fifty dollars would be nice – we don’t often see an offering like that in our offering plate, but fifty dollars is nothing – comparatively – to a millionaire. 

Understand, there is nothing wrong with a millionaire giving fifty dollars, but would that be good stewardship of his or her money?  Certainly Jesus – through His Divine Omniscience – knew that what they were giving was reallly nothing – it was not sacrificial – it was not given in trust – it was not given in faith – it was not given in thanksgiving for all of the blessings that they had received from God.

Please, let us be clear:  Jesus could be critical of their offering because He is the Omniscient God Who can see the heart of the giver.  You and I do not have the ability to unknowingly criticize someone’s giving.  There are exceptions – for example, when the annual report comes out, you know how much money I have received (in large part), so we could make some assumptions based on what the Scripture teaches about how much I should have given as my offering – at minimum.

The widow gave the most because she gave out of her poverty and gave everything she had.  She gave her last two cents to the Church – to the work of God in the Temple in Jerusalem.  Was that good stewardship?  If she truly had nothing else and no one to rely one – no other income to provide for her and her needs?  Jesus commends her, so – in this case – yes. 

That does not mean that everyone needs to give everything that they make to the Church.  It is also not an indication that God rewards based on the percentage of income that a person gives to the work of God.  It is possible to be rich and greedy, and it is possible to be poor and greedy.

How then do we judge?  Is there a line – a minimum that we can base our giving on?  There is – and Jesus affirms it in His condemnation of the Pharisees:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matthew 23:23-24, ESV).

The Pharisees understood that the minimum financial offering that God calls His people to give is ten percent of their gross income.  Ten percent of our gross salary.  Ten percent of our interest.  Ten percent of our Social Security.  Ten percent of our pension.  Etc.  Ten percent of every income that we receive.  The Pharisees we so exacting that they gave ten percent of the herbs of their gardens for use in the Temple and for the people of God.  And that Jesus affirms them for:  “These you ought to have done!”  Jesus commands us to give ten percent of our gross income – as the starting point of our giving – to the Church.  That does not include the giving of our time and gifts and financial gifts to others – that is over and above – as we are so pleased and able to do so.  And our giving to the Church above ten percent of our gross income is according to the joy that it gives us to do so.

The problem the Pharisees had – in this passage – is that they were keeping the letter of the Law about tithing – giving ten percent of their gross income – but they were not being just – they were not being merciful – they were not being faithful in other ways.

And we may notice that Jesus calls justice, mercy, and faithfulness the weightier matters of the Law and think, “Well, they are more important – if I am just and merciful and faithful, then it doesn’t matter so much if I actually give the tithe to the Church.”

            But what does Jesus say?  “These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”  We do not have the option of being partially obedient.  It’s like being partially pregnant – you either are or you are not.

            The widow gave everything she had – and in this case we know it was the right thing for her to do, because Jesus praised her for it.  We are not all called to give everything we have, but we are called to be obedient – to be trusting – to give sacrificially for the sake of the work of God and in thanksgiving to Him.

            So, if it’s not wrong to be rich, and it’s not wrong to be poor, and it’s not wrong to keep and enjoy some of the blessings that God has given us, how do we determine what we should give?

            Well, it is clear that we are to give ten percent of our gross income.  It is also clear that if God calls everyone to give ten percent of their gross income to the Church that God has provided enough – through the other ninety percent – and helps as God wills to provide them – to provide for all of our needs.  Everyone has enough to give ten percent of their gross income to the Church in thanksgiving to God and for the work being done in the Church.  If we say we do not have enough money to give ten percent of our gross income to the Church, then we have not been good stewards – we have used money inappropriately – perhaps on things we don’t need, but just want and desire – or, God help us, we are calling God a liar.

            Consider what Paul writes:    

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:6-15, ESV).

What is Paul telling us?

First, we steward our money rightly when we give thankfully and not under compulsion.  People have tried to use the “God loves a cheerful giver” as an excuse not to give, but Paul’s point to the Corinthians was to remind them that they had promised to give a certain amount, and he wanted them to be ready for when he came – that they would have their gift ready and not be taken by surprise – but be ready and cheerful about their giving, just as they were when they made their promise to give.  The widow certainly came of her own decision and gave all she had in thankfulness and not under compulsion.  So, we are to be ready to give and to give thankfully and cheerfully, because we desire to give in thanksgiving for what God has done and how God has blessed us.

Second, as we see with the poor widow, we steward our money rightly when we give sacrificially.  We start with God’s mandate of ten percent of our gross and then give as God makes us joyful to give.  However, let us not be confused when Paul says that the one who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and the one who sows bountifully will reap bountifully.  That is not a guarantee that if you give much to the Church, you will be rich, and if you don’t, you will be poor.  Just as a farmer does not eat everything that he grows, so the person who gives much (percentage wise) ought not to expect to get a big check back, but to see that “sowing” – that generous stewardship – flourish as God uses it for His Work.  For example, there have been people in this congregation who have given more than ten percent of their gross income to this church, and none of them have become wealthy because of their doing so.  However, I pray, that their giving has been useful in ways that would not have occurred otherwise in proclaiming the Gospel from Second Reformed.

Third, we steward our money rightly when we give trusting in God’s provision.  Where was the poor widow going to get the funds she needed to survive on?  We’re not told, but by her example, we see that she trusted in God for her provision by giving everything she had.  And Paul tells us in the Scripture I just quoted, God will provide for our every need – and as we are generous, God will give us more to be generous with that we might be even more thankful to God!  Again, don’t be confused by the false teaching that if you give to the Church God will give you more for you – that is not to be found in the Bible.  But God will give us more to steward well as we prove ourselves to be good stewards.  Paul even tells thieves:  “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV).  Part of the reason we work is so we will have enough to give – not just to God – but to others in need.

Fourth, we steward our money rightly when we give regularly and obediently.  We can assume that for the widow to act in the way she did, obedient worship and giving were a regular part of her life.  We have already noted that God calls us to give a minimum of ten percent of our gross income to the Church, but we also need to note that we are called to give regularly.  What does “regularly” mean?  It certainly means that whenever we gather for worship, we should give, because part of what the stewarding of our money means is worship – we are giving because we believe that God is Worthy – that Jesus is God the Savior and we want the Gospel to go out from the Church to the world.  Does that mean if we only worship once a month then we only have to give once a month – can we keep the ten percent of the other three weeks of earnings that we would have given if we had worshipped in the Church?  Of course not – we are to give ten percent of our total income and blessings and giftedness – period.  The primary issue here in the regularity of giving is that of obedience and worship, but there is also the very real fact that just as you have bills every week, so does the church.  Do not misunderstand me:  your offering ought never to be seen as merely paying your part of the bills – it is an act of worship and obedience and faith and trust – yet, part of the money that is given is used to pay the various bills that exist.

Some of us are saying, “I’m still not going to give ten percent of my gross income – and I’m certainly not going to give everything I have.  I can hardly get by on what I have now, and I need to save for my future and my children and grandchildren and pets.”

I urge you to consider the poor widow again who is praised by Jesus for giving thankfully, obediently, sacrificially, and regularly, trusting in God to the point of giving – on that occasion – her last two cents.

Are you concerned about where to cut?  Pray that God will increase your trust in Him.  Pray that God will help you to see where you can give more in thanksgiving for all the blessings you have.  Pray that you will be filled with joy as you see more opportunities to use what God has given through all of us to proclaim His Gospel to the world.

And remember the words of Paul, as he wrote to the Philippians, thanking them for the gift that they gave him:  “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:10-13, ESV).

We are fond of quoting then end of that text, but notice that the context is in what Paul had – especially with regards to his finances.  Our problem – especially in America – is not so much that we do not have enough, but that we are not satisfied – we are not content with what God has given us.  We want more – we don’t even recognize our needs anymore – we just want more.  God calls us to be satisfied.

Can you be satisfied with what God has given you?  Can you be thankful for what God has given you?  Do you believe that God has given you enough – enough to give ten percent of your gross income to the Church – and more, as God gives you joy?  Do you have the faith of a poor widow?

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for supplying all of our needs and for also overflowing us with thanksgiving in recognizing Your Provision.  We thank You for giving us the opportunity to give in joy and in worship.  We ask that You would increase our trust and faith and obedience such that the world will look at Your Church and give glory to You.  For all things are Yours.  Lord, make us faithful stewards like that poor widow, and make us ever thankful for Your Inexpressible Gift of Jesus.  For it is in His Name, we pray, Amen.