Sample Sermon:

Gratitude for Giving

“Jesus sat down and watched people putting money into the treasury. Many rich folks put in large amounts. A poor widow came and put in two mites. Jesus called his disciples and said to them, ‘This poor widow has put in more than all who were contributing. The others have contributed out of abundance, but she out of poverty has given all she had to live on..”

Mark 12:41-44

“When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Luke 21: 5-6

The plight of widows was especially sensitive to Jesus because his mother was a widow. Since a widow could not inherit her husband’s property, as the first born son, Jesus had probably been responsible for his mother’s welfare. This may be one reason that Jesus’ teachings raised the level of women in society. In today’s story Jesus places the widow ahead of all those who were at the Temple. She gave all she had even out of poverty. He may have been recognizing that most of the time women have a more sensitive and giving nature. Typically, women seem more open to spiritual things. Over the Christian centuries women have been the ones who have led the way in attendance, involvement in church programs and in Christian Stewardship. In most local churches women are the major decision makers when it comes to giving and tithing.

Jesus seems to be recommending the 100% plan; or at least He hopes that we can get to the point where we are willing to give it all up for His Kingdom. The old preachers used to challenge us to be willing to consecrate all we are and all we have to follow Jesus. It is by our willingness to give up our worship of money that we are often entrusted with larger amounts of money that can be used to further the work of Christ’s Church. We are called to give our all as a “Living Sacrifice to God.”

Money in itself is not evil although, just in case, we pray a prayer of sanctification over our offering plates each Sunday. When I worked at a cotton mill one summer between my sophomore and junior years of college I was put on the loading docks to stack heavy cartons onto railroad boxcars along side strong men who had been on the docks for years. I had just been called to preach and wanted to show off my recently acquired knowledge of the Bible. One day I said to a group of men, “You fellows do know that money is the root of all evil.” “No sir!” a retort came back; The Bible says that, ‘The Love of money is the root of all evil.”