2011-02-05 Mark 12:41-44 The Heart of Giving

Were continuing our series on what it means to be a Christian. This morning, as you have probably already deduced from the sermon title and the passage, were going to look at the area of giving. It is necessary because we can very easily lose sight of the heart of giving. Pastor Matt Chandler, from the Village Church in Dallas, Texas was preaching on the topic of Irreverent, Silly Myths. His example went like this: You can teach one idea that leads people to godliness or you can teach one idea that is irreverent and silly. His example happens to work well for a sermon on the heart of giving. He imagines a multi-staff church. The lead pastor says, because theres a recession, we need to teach people about debt. The series is called, Debt is Dumb. Music leader, I need you to write a song about how debt is dumb. Well produce bracelets and bumper stickers. Okay, go. So Sunday comes and the worship leader comes up and introduces the new song, singing it for the congregation, If you have four dollars, but spend seven, thats dumb. Then the pastor comes up and begins to preach. Debt is dumb. Let me tell you why debt is dumb. Debt brings stress into your marriage. You dont want stress in your marriage, do you? Debt robs you of happiness. You want to be happy, right? If you have debt, youre not happy! Debt is dumb!
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Debt means you might not be able to make your payments, so creditors might come and take your car, your camper, your house. You dont want to have your stuff taken away? You dont want to have to move back home? Youre 30 years old, do you want your mom to have to drive you around? Debt is dumb. As you leave this morning, we have something for you to remember that debt is dumb. Okay, now Bleekers going to come up and sing for us again, If you have four dollars and spend seven, thats dumb. The problem with that, while it may be true, is that it is Christless! It doesnt get to the heart of the problem. The heart of the problem is that Christ has saved us from being socially constrained to follow the world. Christ has broken down the need to fall into the hierarchical structure of the world. Christs death on the cross has set us free from the bondage to be the best, to be first, to have the most, to compare ourselves to others. In Christ, we are set free from the tyranny of finding our identity in things. In Christ, were set free to use Gods creation properly, for the purposes of advancing his kingdom, sharing the good news of Jesus death on the cross, forever setting people free from bondage to the things the world holds as important. Look again at our passage. Notice what Jesus does. He sat down opposite the temple treasury and watched the people worship by giving. A poor widow came and put in next to nothing. Jesus called the disciples to him and said, Listen! This is terribly

important. I am declaring the truth to you. This widow has given more than all the others. They gave out of their abundance, she gave everything she had. What is Jesus teaching us here? Is he telling us to give everything we have to the church? Is he telling us that generous giving out of wealth is wrong? Is he telling us that we can get away with only putting a few pennies in the collection? Jesus is teaching us about the attitude we must have in our hearts. This attitude is counter-cultural. This attitude is radical. This attitude can only come from Christ. It is the attitude that Christ himself had. Jesus, before he was born of the virgin whose name was Mary, had everything. Cherubim and seraphim praised him constantly. All power and authority was his. The entire universe was at his disposal. Think Bill Gates was rich, he had nothing on Jesus, nothing! Compared to Jesus, Bill was poorer than the widow. Jesus gave it all up. He humbled himself. He willingly became a slave to sinners. He gave up his very life, though he was the creator of the universe, though everything that was made was made through him, he died in order to give life. Paul says, Let your attitude be like that of Christ. Imitate Christ. Let your attitude toward everything be governed by how Christ viewed everything. Christ sought to glorify the Father in everything. Christ loved the Father. Christ wanted to enjoy the Father. His greatest delight was pointing to the Father. He lived his life for the Father.

Jesus prayed, Glorify me. In the cross, on the cross, as I give up my life, as I give you all the glory, glorify me. And the Father did, by raising Jesus from death to life. That proved that Jesus glorification of the Father was perfect. For Jesus gave up everything he had, for the Father. everything he had before the incarnation. incarnation. He withheld nothing. That is to be our attitude! The woman that Jesus shows the disciples had the heart of Christ. She trusted in the Father to provide for all her needs. She gave everything, because she knew that everything she had, even her life, even her breath is Gods already. So, she didnt cling to it. She didnt try to keep what she did have for herself. What she gave, in her offering was a true expression of worship. God is her greatest satisfaction. The coins, though they are all she has in this life, all she has to live on, are nothing to her, they are nothing compared to knowing and enjoying God. Do you not know that your life is not your own? You were bought at a price. Jesus shed his precious blood to redeem you, to make you his own! Do you know that? You are not free to do as you want. You are free to do as God wants. He literally gave up

He gave up everything he had in the