Giving Series

Giving

Mark 12:41-44

All Scripture Marked NKJV: The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

All Scripture Marked NLT: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997,Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.

This week all the celebrity gossip surrounded a 14 year old girl from Palm Dessert California. The story broke on Thursday, and this morning the buzz on the internet is high. Yahoo! Buzz index marks her mother and the little girl first and second on their top movers for searches with an increase of 750%.

The little girl’s name is Jazmin Grace. She is the newly acknowledged daughter of Prince Albert of Monaco. The name Grace is a tribute to Albert’s mother, the late Princess Grace or we know her as Grace Kelly.

Her mother was a waitress when she went on vacation in the south of France. This is where she met and had a relationship with Prince Albert in 1991, and Jasmin was born in California in 1992.

Jasmin will not in line for the throne, but her marketability has definitely gone up. The results of this announcement will change her way of life forever. (news.google.com)

How would like to wake up one day to find out that your father or mother are a monarch or even a celebrity?

What could you do with all that money? What difference would it make on your daily life?

What would you give to others? Would it make a difference in your giving to the church or to God?

If your first reaction is to say that you would finally be able to give, becoming suddenly rich would not change anything at all.

If your reaction is to say yes, you could finally give more, becoming rich likewise would not make any difference in your giving.

That is because giving is not at all about the amount of your possessions you give away. Giving is about the amount of your heart that you give away.

Look with me at Mark 12: 41-44, found on page 897 in the Red Bibles under your chair.

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mk 12:41-44, NKJV)

Giving is one of those tough topics of the Bible—but one of my favorites, because it frees us of so much when you and I are obedient to God’s command. It is also enjoyable because I truly dislike asking for money and I have a forum here that I can talk about giving freely.

The Army pays me; I will not get a dime of your money from Church funds. Asking you to give to the chapel gives me no financially gain. I’m preaching about it because I believe that it is an important part of the Christian like.

We are in a series of sermons called “From the Heart”, and this is one of those areas that is truly from the depth of my heart, as I believe it was of Jesus.

Looking at the story we see

1. Jesus observes our giving.

Verse 41;

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. (Mk 12:41)

Jesus walked over and sat down to watch the people as they gave in the treasury. He knew their hearts and he knew their motives. The key to this verse, however, is the fact that Jesus took the time to specifically sit and watch.

Giving is important to him.

One thing I don’t want you to take away for here is that Jesus is like a vulcher

waiting to rip you apart. I don’t see Jesus sitting there being the judge of our offerings—that is for another time and place for that.

I see Him simply interested it in what is going on.

I have been reading some personal blogs on the internet lately. I do this, one because it helps me understand trends that are out there and two because they allows me to see the process of the human mind over a period of time—especially if you go all the way back to the begging of the blog. One, I am reading begins in 2002 and has over 1600 entries.

But mainly, I read them because they tell an interesting story of life. Too me, they are interesting.