Many adults have a hard time finding the Ten Commandments in the Bible (they are in Exodus 20). Imagine the looks a Sunday School teacher got when she inquired of their whereabouts in a class for five-year-olds. After a few moments of blank stares, she asked again, “Can anybody tell me where to find the Ten Commandments?” Finally, a little kid offered, “Have you looked them up on Wikipedia?” (Source: King's Treasury of Dynamic Humor, King Duncan)
At times, the modern-day church today shows a similar amount of understanding of the Bible when it comes to our finances. We don’t know where to look in the Bible to learn about God’s view of money, let alone know how to handle our finances biblically! Here is a surprising truth to many: the believer is called to give to the Lord sacrificially in true worship. Let’s take a few minutes to study Mark 12:41-44 and consider the Lord’s take on giving offerings.
The Giving (Mark 12:41)
The Lord probably sat to rest, because He had been standing for a while teaching in the temple court – specifically denouncing the Scribes and Pharisees (beginning in Mark 11:27). The Lord looked up and saw people giving offerings. These were offerings given for the use of the temple, the benefit of the priests, and the needs of the poor. Their alms would be given into one of 13 trumpet shaped boxes (narrow at the top, wider at the bottom). Some of these “trumpets” would be labeled to designate the destination of the offering.
In Mark 12:41, the Bible says the Lord “beheld.” The Greek verb tense here is translated He was beholding; or He was observing. The Lord was observing “how the people cast money into the treasury” …He was observing their motives for giving these offerings – the Lord is the “heart-searcher” (see I Sam. 16:7)! The people were giving tithes and offerings. A tithe is a tenth of our income and an offering is given in addition to the tithe.
The story is told of a man who had a horrible dream. He said, “I dreamed that the Lord took my Sunday offering and multiplied it by ten, and this became my weekly income. In no time I lost my exercise equipment, had to give up my new car and couldn’t make my house payment. After all, how can a guy live on $10 a week? If the Lord took your offering, multiplied it by ten, and made that your weekly income, how much would you make? (Source: Unknown)
Jesus still sees the treasury today! He sees what each person gives. He sees the motives with which we give our tithes and offerings. He can truly see whether we give to be seen of men or we give as from the heart for the Lord. He sees whether we give MEAGERLY or GENEROUSLY.
DON’T MISS THIS: It is the seemingly feeble efforts of the poor (that were actually courageous efforts) that the Lord honors in Mark 12.
The Offering
The rich men gave offerings with some “show.” The poor widow quietly gave an offering that was far more than the rich men! The poor widow gave 2 mites (2 small coins), which equaled a farthing. The word “farthing” literally means “thin pieces.” This would have been the smallest legal offering allowed in the day – it was considered “small” – but in proportion to her ability it was the largest gift! Do not forget this was a free will offering as well…and she gave what she could from what she had!
The Praise
It is also interesting to note that this widow’s gift is noted as complete. In the Greek, there is a distinction in the verb tenses between the widow’s gift “this poor widow cast in more” (complete) and the rich men’s gifts “who are casting in” (continual) – the widow’s gift is complete and more than the others who are still giving. This gift was more from the perspective of the One who sees (not as others can see). The greater gift was not greater in number, but greater in respect of the person who gave it.
The rich men gave out of their abundance, but at little to no cost to their comforts. The widow gave out of her lack, and it was a true sacrifice.
Like the widow’s offering, our tithes and offerings will reflect our relationship with Jesus. I realize some believe tithing is not for the modern-day church and that it was solely practiced under the law (and Christ conquered the law when He died on the cross and rose again from the grave). This is a debated subject throughout the world-wide church today. We must note, however, that Abraham and Melchizedek practiced tithing before the law was given (Gen. 14:18-20)…Jacob promised to give God a tenth of His income in Gen. 28:20-22 (before the law was given) and Jesus Himself lifts up tithing in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42. One thing is doubly certain, the New Testament strongly teaches generosity (which would go beyond a simple 10 percent (Acts 2:44-45; II Cor. 9:7; I Cor. 16:1-2). But for now, let’s look at why we give what we give to the Lord.
5 Foundational Motives Behind a God-Honoring Offering:
Humility & Devotion
Our offering ought to be given privately and quietly. The widow in Mark 12 does not make a big show of her offering. Her offering was given quietly and not given out of obligation!
A little boy in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed around the offering plates. When they came near his pew, the boy said loudly, “Don’t pay for me, Daddy, I’m under five.” (Source: Unknown)
We don’t give to God out of obligation. We give to God out of love and count it a privilege!
Faith
She believed God would supply her need as she gave to the One who was worthy of it all!
Worship
The widow recognized that all she had was entrusted to her by God. So, she acknowledges God’s greatness and responds with an act of service and sacrifice. In short, the widow worships the Lord with her offering. Worship always includes giving to the Lord. We worship God when we give Him praise in our prayers and with our singing. We worship God when we give Him our yielded hearts in response to the preaching. We worship God when we give Him our talents as we serve in the church nursery, or on the AV Team, or on the hospitality team, or on the music team. We also worship God when we give Him our tithes and offerings.
Generosity
A little boy and his father were playing store. The father offered to pay a nickel for a set of binoculars, and the boy said, “Dad we’re playing store, we’re not playing church!” (Source: Unknown)
The rich men gave out of their surplus, but the widow gives out of her poverty. The widow’s offering is an incredible sacrificial offering that is rich with generosity. The Lord has given to the church to the highest degree of generosity. Jesus has given promises to answered prayer, the Holy Spirit to indwell us, His grace to empower us, He freed us from our bondage to sin, He shed His own blood to cover our sin, and He made possible a home in heaven for all eternity! Jesus Christ has been and continues to be more than generous with His church! What does our generosity to the Lord look like? Francis Havergal wrote an old gospel song that says it this way, “I gave my life for thee, what hast thou done for me?”
Sacrifice (Mark 12:44)
She gave at great personal sacrifice. In fact, Mark 12:44 says she gave all she had!
Does this mean we should give all that we have? Not necessarily. The point of this passage is that the widow gave willingly and trusted the Lord to take care of her needs. In other words, the point is the motive of generosity. Consider these other examples from scripture:
Remember when the Lord struck Ananias and Sapphira down in Acts 5:1-11? They didn’t lose their lives because they only gave a portion of the proceeds from their sold property. They lost their lives because they lied about it! Their offering was about pride, not worship of God.
Remember the rich young ruler who was told to sell all that he has to gain eternal life (Mark 10:17-22)? The Lord was not saying a rich person cannot be saved. The Lord’s stipulation was about idolatry, not poverty.
The Macedonian believers in poverty also gave a generous sacrificial offering in II Cor. 8:1-3.
In one church that had a special need the people came to the front with their offering. One young girl gave a ring. Later, the Pastor brought it back to her and she said, “But I gave it to the Lord, not to you” (Source: Unknown). Is my offering to the Lord described with humility and devotion, faith, worship, generosity, and sacrifice?
Christ's standard of an honorable offering is not merely our abundance, it’s actually our deficiency.
The rich men gave what will never be missed. The widow gave something that cost her greatly. Anything of great value will require great sacrifice! The widow is the one the Lord lifts up because of her yielded heart to worship God with sacrifice (it cost her everything…and what the Lord has given us cost Him everything on this earth). The money is not the emphasis of this passage! The emphasis of this passage is the widow’s desire to surrender all for the Lord.
You see, financial biblical giving does not begin with the offering plate. Biblical giving BEGINS WITH MY HEART’S CONDITION BEFORE GOD! Giving is at the beginning of our walk with God (John 3:16) and continues all throughout our daily walk with God (I Cor. 4:2). Finances are indeed a very personal subject. So, WHEN WE GIVE A TITHE OR AN OFFERING, WE ARE GIVING A PART OF OURSELVES! This is why biblical giving begins with the heart!
This will cost us some real sacrifice! The believer is called to give to the Lord generously and sacrificially in true worship.