What Is It You 'Put In'? (Mark 12:41-44, Genesis 3:20-24)
Rev. William L. Barron, April 3, 2022Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The setting of this passage is the week of Passover. Offerings were coins placed in brass containers. There was pride attached with heavy coins making loud clanging noises when the giver put his offering in the container. A widow put in two small, light coins that made hardly a sound. Jesus told His audience that she put in more than anyone else. We are not to be giving for attention. We are to follow the example of the poor widow who was trusting God alone for her support. Her heart was for the Lord. The same could be said of R.G. LeTourneau, who founded and led to prosperity the LeTourneau Earthmoving Equipment Company. He flipped tithing on its head, keeping 10% and giving 90% to the Lord's work. He acknowledged that all he had come from the Lord. God's people have a long history of giving. One instance is in 1 Corinthians 8, where the churches of Macdeonia, in affliction, gave first to the Lord to help Christian brothers in need. They wanted to be part of the work of the church. Adam and Eve received every blessing of Paradise, yet they rebelled against the Lord. Even after the fall, God provided for them: children, clothing, a new home (yet with labor and difficulty), communion and death (as protection from living in sin for eternity). God provides all of our needs, which is meant by our daily bread. We make our sacrifices to God because of our love for Him, acknowledging that God doesn't need what we have. He provides blessings by His grace. God honors all giving in blessing. When Judgment Day comes, all accounts will be squared. We should give in thankfulness for the love of God.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The Believer In Distress | None | Hosanna To The Meek » |
Mark 12:41–44 (Listen)
41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 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. 44 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.”
(ESV)
Genesis 3:20–24 (Listen)
20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
(ESV)