Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. (Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1)
Jesus had just finished His last sermon and had grieved over Jerusalem refusal to accept Him as the Christ, the Son of God. (see THE GOSPEL: Jesus Last Sermon; THE GOSPEL: Jesus Last Plea to Unbelievers) Afterwards, he and the disciples remained in the temple, and He observed how the people brought and gave their offerings. This way of giving offerings for God, putting money into the treasury was established over 800 years prior, when the temple was being repaired by King Jehoash. Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord; and the priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the Lord. (II Kings 12:9)
And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 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 [*offerings for God]; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:42-44; *Luke 21:2-4) Jesus made a comparison between two types of givers. The rich put in much because they had much. For example, if a person has $100 and gives $10, they have given their tithes, but they still have $90. BUT if a person only has $1 and gives that $1, they've given more than their tithes; they've given all that they had.
The Apostle Paul explains this by using the Macedonia church as an example. Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (II Corinthians 8:1-4)
And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. (II Corinthians 8:5) Can we give enough to secure our salvation? NO! Yet many people believe if they send money to church or even send their tithes, that they will go to heaven. A person actually said, "I make sure I send my 'dues' to my family church every month..." And? What benefit is that to this person in eternity? We have to take care of the spiritual responsibility first, before we can benefit from the physical sacrifice. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)
We have to give ourselves to the Lord, first! Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) Once we have accepted Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God fills us with His Holy Spirit. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17) But to stay within the context of this lesson, ...prepare your generous gift beforehand,... that it may be ... a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (II Corinthians 9:5-8)
There's an old hymn "You Can't Beat God's Giving", and one of the verses states, "The more you give, the more He'll give to you. So keep on giving, because it's really true that you can't beat God's giving, no matter how you try." That is so true! Give our offerings; give our tithes; but MOST important, first give ourselves to the Lord! And then to others by the will of God! Then we'll be moved to sow bountifully, giving as we purpose in our "clean" heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
No comments:
Post a Comment