And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 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.”—Mark 12:38–44

Introduction

When we were last together in Mark’s Gospel, we had just witnessed two pictures of devotion to God—the first a fake and counterfeit version and the second as the true version. Jesus presented the scribe as a symbol of fake or counterfeit devotion to God (12:38–40), and the poor widow as a symbol of true devotion to God (12:41–44).

We stated the main point of these two stories is that real Christianity is feeding on God by faith. Fake Christianity is using God to feed on others. The scribe tried to live on the approval and acclaim of others. The poor widow gave all she had to live on because she was living on the Lord fully! Let us retrace the profile we saw of the scribe and the widow.

The Scribe

We highlighted that the scribe was like a peacock and a parasite and a predator. He was a peacock because he flaunted his devotion to God—he wanted everyone to see his spiritual showmanship. He was a parasite because lived on the applause and approval of others. He was also a predator because he devoured widows’ houses—probably meaning abusing their generosity and eating them out of house and home. He wanted to be honored in the sight of others, but the irony is that he was dishonored by God in the flesh—by Jesus himself. He became a warning to behold, not a model to emulate. He only pretended to be devoted to God. He actually trusted in himself that he was righteous. He is a picture of trying to live by works and not by faith. Therefore, he used God and was feeding on the approval of others and the honor that they could bestow on him.

The Widow

Second, we saw that the poor widow is a picture of what it looks like to be rich in faith. The world looks upon her with disdain. She is nothing that gets the world’s attention: no immediate family, husband, wealth, status, or fame. But she is the one that the God of the universe highlights and honors. Jesus presents her as the polar opposite of the scribe. She lived by faith and not by works. Her faith (and giving) were hidden and secret, whereas the works of devotion of the scribe were showy and flashy—performed before others so that they could be seen and recognized. We also have a contrast between the greed of the scribes (devouring widows homes and living on their generosity) and the generosity of the widow (living on God by faith).

This week we are going to take that exposition and apply it more thoroughly. I want to start with four general observations/applications from the text and then speak in a more specific and practical way about the journey of generosity. 

Four Observations/General Applications

1. The first observation is that these pictures represent polarities on the spectrum. One could not imagine a much more extreme example of trusting in self like the scribe. It would be hard to imagine a more extreme example of living on God than the widow who gave everything she had to live upon.
   
   So what is the application? Are we all called to empty our bank accounts and give it all to the church so that we can “live only on God?” Do we have to identity with one or the other entirely? If we start with the recognition that they represent the polarities or the ends of the spectrum of devotion, then we can understand that true devotion to God is a journey away from the one and toward the other. It is a journey away from trusting in self to trusting in God. We have to die daily to the inner scribe—feeding upon others for approval and attention and identity. And we have to take steps to move closer to being rich in faith so that in our living we are living upon God and finding our security in him alone. 
   
   
2. The second observation is the link between faith and finances. Jesus makes this connection frequently in his teaching. The poor widow is a model of someone rich in faith. The whole point turns on the distinction between what one gives and what one has left. The widow gave all that she financially had to live on and thus she was living totally on the Lord. Therefore, it is nonsense to separate our finances from our identity in Christ. What we spend and what we keep and what we give say massive things about what our identity is. There is no way that disciples can try to claim that Jesus is Lord of everything except their finances—or that we can trust him with everything except money. He is Lord of all!
   
   
3. The third observation is the recognition that the widow’s giving was a specific expression of faith. We are called to emulate her faith, not copy the specific expression of faith as binding upon everyone. There is no normative pattern imposed on everyone. Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector, got converted and gave away half his money (Luke 19). The rich young ruler was called to give all he had (Mark 10:17–27). All Christians are commanded to give generously and sacrificially. But under no scenario will you find a believer in the New Testament whose wealth does not come under the lordship of Christ as an issue of faith and obedience—trusting and obeying. 

4. The fourth observation is the connection between money and value. We sometimes use the word “treasure” to cover both concepts. What I mean is that all money (the copper coins of the poor widow, the silver and gold of the wealthy, the paper money and coins today) has value as currency by which we exchange it for something we really value. If you value really good food, you value money because it affords you the opportunity to buy more expensive, high quality food. If you value entertainment, you will treasure the fact that money gives you the opportunity to many different entertainment experiences. Money gives us an opportunity to display faith—faith that is a value statement. It shows that we treasure God more than any earthly treasure. We trust in him more than any earthly thing. The widow’s giving expressed the way she valued and treasured and trusted God more than anything her money could have given her.

The Journey of Generosity:
4 Points of Practical Guidance

These observations lead to some specific application. I really want to provide some helpful orientation concerning the journey of generosity. I want to be specific enough to be helpful and avoid being so specific that it becomes a straightjacket in which I am playing the Holy Spirit in your life.

Do not hear these words as if giving is merely something you have to do. Joyfully following Jesus means that giving should move from something we have to do to something we want to do. Jesus himself taught us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We are called not just to believe that truth, but to experience it. 

As we preach about giving, it is not because we want to get something from you, but want to give something to you: the joy of generosity and obedience, and being rich in faith, and walking with Jesus.

I’ll speak now to a few different categories of giving at Bethlehem: not giving at all, one-time gift giving, proportional giving, tithing, increasing % 

1. To Those Who Are Not Giving at All (we have no record of giving) ...

• 40% of active households have not given to Bethlehem (to the general operating fund) so far in 2019 (1/1/19 through 5/31/2019): 40% = 1,011
• For member households, this number drops to 28%. That number concerns me even more, because members make covenant promises to this body.

Part of Covenant Pledge #2 says that we pledge “to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.” 

I have to tell you that I am not afraid to speak to you and address you very personally. I think sometimes people are a afraid to talk about money—as if it is awkward or personal. We don’t want to speak too personally or people will feel bad. But that is not love—that is just self-love masquerading as concern for you. I am not afraid of you; I am afraid for you. My fear is that your devotion to Christ is fake because you are not a slave of Christ, but a slave of money. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Jesus said incredibly direct and forceful things to people who just wanted to build bigger and bigger barns, but not be rich toward God (Luke 12:16–21). If you are stiff-arming Jesus in terms of his command to give, then you should have no rest for your soul until you are right with him on this issue. All I am doing is facilitating a conversation that you need to have with him about why you don’t trust him with money. This is a discipleship issue. What part of God’s faithfulness don’t you believe? What part of Christ’s Lordship don’t you embrace? I am calling you to take the next step in the joy of obedience for the good of your soul. 

2. To Those Who Are Not Yet Giving Proportionally ...

Just start with disciplined, consistent giving. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. God is honored in what we do with our wealth. We are commanded to set aside the amount we have purposed to give. I will say here that electronic giving is a huge blessing and help in obeying what the Bible has commanded us to do. What happens when the offering basket goes by and it is empty? You should hold onto it and say a prayer of thanksgiving for what you gave electronically and say a prayer that God would use it for his glory and pray that he would make you even more joyful and thankful in your giving.

3. To Tithers ...

Please do not think of tithing as the holy grail of generosity, or the giving ceiling— it is more like the giving ground floor. We hear many mistaken notions about tithing because of how clear it is in the Old Testament. Despite popular ideas of stewardship today, no New Testament text commands believers to give 10 percent of their income to the church. The tithe commandment came from a paradigm relating to the 12 tribes of Israel. The Levites did not own land like the other the 11 tribes, and thus the tithe was an essential part of ensuring that they could continue to survive and minister. Nehemiah 13:10–12 highlights an example of how much the Levites depended upon the tithe.

The Christian lives under a new paradigm. Paul addresses financial themes frequently, but he never specifies an amount or percentage. He calls the Corinthians to set something aside to give “in keeping with how he prospers” (1 Corinthians 16:2). But Paul does not make reference here to a new paradigm. What is the standard of giving? The most sustained exposition of stewardship in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 8–9) says that the grace of Christ’s sacrifice is the new point of reference (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The New Testament stipulation or ideal is not 10%. That is like the ground floor of giving, not the ceiling. Giving is an obedience issue, not a fixed percentage issue. Give what Jesus puts into your heart to give. And then pray for the capacity to trust God with all of your finances so that money does not have a vice grip on your heart. If God is your security, then giving away money won’t feel like losing your security, but will feel like the wings of faith being extended to fly further.

The difference between the new covenant and the old covenant is important at this point. Paul’s exposition of giving in 2 Corinthians 8–9 addresses the difference.

2 Corinthians 8:10–15

And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

This passage contains the only command found in chapters 8–9. The church had started the work of the collection a year ago (v. 10) and now Paul commands them to finish what they started (v. 11). Paul’s focus is on the attitude of the heart. He wants more than mere completion; he cares about the eager attitude of readiness. He uses this word five times in this section (8:11,12,19; 9:1,2). God’s grace made the Macedonians eager to give (8:3–4) and now Paul wants to see the same readiness and eagerness on the part of the Corinthians. Paul even says that attitude matters more than the amount: the heart attitude of readiness, not the amount, makes the gift acceptable to God (v. 12).

In 8:13–15, Paul gives further rationale (“for”) in his overall call to give eagerly. He does not want the giving to feel forced. He grounds this assertion in the distinction between old covenant manna and new covenant money. The manna story in Exodus 18:14–21 shows that God ensured equality by intervening when hard-hearted people tried to hoard more manna than they needed. The manna that was left would start to smell and get filled with worms. God does not do the same thing in the new covenant. He does not intervene when we have more money than we need by making it moldy and worm-infested. Under the new covenant, he does not change the molecular structure of the money; he changes the heart. Giving is not forced upon us from the outside, but it arises as willing desire from within.

4. Giving Beyond the Tithe–Increasing Percentage ...

Continue to grow in generosity. Do not be like the wealthy who put money into the treasury, but it did not really make a dent in the wealth they had left over. Growth in generosity is growth in faith—leaning more decisively and desperately on God. Get rid of the illusion of independence that says, “I give to God and then I can do what I want with the rest of my money.” Let the language of “my” be gone from our vocabulary. It is his. It is on loan to us. We are kingdom stewards, not worldly masters. This world is not our own. We are citizens of heaven and this world is not our home. We are storing up treasures in heaven. Become a Kingdom steward and investor. That means we are encouraging generosity not just to Bethlehem, but to other Kingdom causes. When you go beyond proportional giving to responsive giving, you become a Kingdom investor. You want the Lord’s money to go to the Lord’s mission and what he is doing in the world. 

If you want to grow in your discipleship in this area and yearn for it to be part of your life message, we want to help you. To that end, we have a practical class (set up for all three campuses) that you can take to receive more detailed, tangible help. We know that some are in debt or financial difficulty, and they have questions about how much to give while they are still in difficult financial scenarios.

Diagnostic Question: What does it look like to trust the Lord in this area? 

We want you to obey the Lord in your giving. So here is an obedience question: How do I know what I am supposed to give? What is the difference between faith and presumption? When we were called to adopt, it was going to cost $38,000. I didn’t even make $30,000 a year at the time. It felt like being financially irresponsible. We had paid cash for all our vehicles and made sure we did not have any debt except for a mortgage. So we wrestled with the difference between faith and presumption.

The difference came down to a push from the Lord. We felt so convicted, and it felt like such an obedience issue. We had to do it—we felt like we would be disobedient with a capital “D” if we didn’t. So we stepped forward in faith and believed that if the push came from the Lord then the provision would come from the Lord as well. And it did. Miracles happened. People got three times the normal amount for a Christmas bonus, and they would tell us, “We knew that it wasn’t for us—we needed to look for someone to give it to—and then we heard about your adoption and we knew the Lord wanted us to give it to you.”

Now why did the Lord do it that way? He wanted us to know his presence—and he wanted to use his people to bless us (and they were blessed as well). We have seen it time and time again. You can live by faith! With the push from the Lord comes the provision from the Lord.

Conclusion

Sam Houston (1793–1863) was a colorful soldier and politician, and he is best known for his role in bringing Texas into the United States. He surprised everyone when he became a Christian. He surprised everyone even more when after his baptism, he said that he wanted to pay half of the local minister’s salary. When someone asked him why, he responded, “My pocketbook was baptized, too.” The conversion of our wallets should be included in our conversion to Christ. Generosity tests whether or not we know the grace of Christ. Sacrificial giving (8:8) flows from the sacrifice of Christ (8:9). Therefore, a call to believe the gospel and a call to give cannot be separated. Dear friends, if our wallets and checkbooks and purses took the witness stand, what would they speak for or against our confession of Christ?

Sermon Discussion Questions

Main Point: Real Christianity is feeding on God by faith. Fake Christianity is using God to feed on others.

Discussion Questions

• Does this text expect every Christian to give away all that they have to live on so that they can live on the Lord completely?
• What is the relationship between faith and finances in this story?
• What is the relationship between money and what we value or treasure?
• Can you name some mile markers on the journey of generosity?
• What is the difference between faith and presumption?

Application Questions

• In the journey of generosity, where are you? What would it look like to follow Jesus and take the next step in that journey?
• Have you experienced and tasted the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive? Share about a specific time you tasted that truth.
• How would you answer the closing question of the sermon: Dear friends, if our wallets and checkbooks and purses took the witness stand, would they speak for or against our confession of Christ?

Prayer Focus
Pray for a grace to take the next step in your journey of generosity.