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 MARK 12:41-44

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

 

 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
II Timothy 2:15

 

 

 

LESSON 1:

Today I want us to begin a study of Mark 12:41-44. This Text records Jesus’ response to a certain widow lady.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

 I’ve been hungering to study this woman and her generosity for quite some time.

 Let’s get started!

 But today we can only notice one verse, the first one.

 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. Mark 12:41, today’s verse.

 There was a certain area in the Temple of Jesus’ day which housed their “offering plates.” Actually they were large trumpet shaped bowls instead of “plates.”

 Nonetheless Jesus has positioned Himself right there, so He could see the worshippers as they came and went, dropping their money into one or more of the receptacles.

 Jesus did not stand either.

 He “sat.”

 If you remember He also “sat” by Jacob’s Well one day, John 4:6, waiting for a certain lady to appear. A lady who had already married five husbands!

 Here He is again watching for a lady, this time a widow. Probably only once married all her life!

 "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much." Mark 12:41

 Notice that Mark says that Jesus was watching “how” people gave to the Temple causes. “Pos” also means “in what way, after what manner.”

 Not “how much,” but “how!”

 And naturally, the wealthy came first!

 They almost always do!

 The verb “cast” is “ballo,” meaning “to throw!

 The word for “money” is “chalkos,” meaning “brass,” likely the metal from which their currency was minted.

 The wealthy, as you would expect, cast in “much!”

 The word is “polus,” an adjective meaning “plentiful.”

 Can you imagine Jesus doing this?

 It’s unusual.

 When the Lord watches me give, when he notices the “how” of my generosity, what will He think?

 With Jesus it is apparently not always “how much” we give or do … but rather “how” we do so!

 Our attitudes are significant to the Lord!

 That’s probably why the Holy Spirit later taught us with these great words.  “So let us give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”  2nd Corinthians 9:7

 Do you give?

 Like you should?

 Do I?

 And do we give joyfully?

 If not, Jesus will notice!

 He is no doubt still watching, even during the offerings!

                                                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 2:

Today we meet her!

The lady who caught Jesus’ attention that day by the treasury.

 “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.” Mark 12:41-42, yesterday’s verse with today’s added.

 The verb “came” is “erchomai,” an aorist participle here. The lady “made an appearance,” in other words. But no one noticed her apparently. All eyes were on the wealthy contributors!

 Well, One Person noticed her!

 Jesus!

 “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.” Mark 12:42

 The adjective “certain” means “the only one,” or “a single one.” I think the implication is that there’s not another lady like her on earth! She is unique!

 “Unnoticed” to the world, even the religious world, but so special to Jesus that she is “one of a kind!”

 Wow!

 She also is a “widow.” The noun is “chera,” derived from “chasma.” It means a wide open hole, empty as it can be!  It metaphorically describes this lady, “empty” of earthly possessions! In need, not filled! Not “fulfilled,” we’d say today.

 But this woman is not only a widow, with all the liabilities that word carries. She is too a “poor” widow! This word is amazing. It does not simply mean “without funds.” It is “prochos,” a person “reduced to beggary!” Abject poverty! Maybe even wondering where the next meal will originate! It’s from “ptosso,” meaning “to bend, to crouch, like a beggar literally does! Then still related, “ptoeo” means “to be afraid!” To be terrified!

 How very sad!

 But she has not come to the Temple that day to be pitied!

 She has come to worship!

 To give to her God, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob!

 She no doubt waits in line, this being Passover week the crowds are big. Taking her turn, she “threw in” her coins. The verb, as expected, is “ballo.”  It’s an aorist verb, representing completed action! She may never give again, her life ebbing away! Poor folks do not live as long, generally speaking.

 “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.” Mark 12:42

 Now, let’s talk about her gift.

 A “mite,” of which she had two, is spelled “lepton.” I am told that it was the smallest coin in circulation in that day! The word actually means “a small brass coin.” It is taken from the root verb “lepo,” meaning “to peel.” That hints at the fact that the “mite” was only a small fraction of the other coinage available. Only a thin “peeling” of the whole economy!

 Even when combined those two mites only equal a “farthing,” which still will not buy a small loaf of bread!

 A “meager” gift!

 But not to Jesus!

 By the way, if Jesus noticed her, he will notice you!

 If He appreciated her sacrifice, He will yours too!

 If He loved her, and He did, He will love you as well!

 If she was that “special,” as plan and common and below average as she appeared, Jesus will “value” you too!

 Do something for Him today!

 No matter how little.

 You will thrill His soul!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 3:

The lady has come.

And given her sacrificial gift.

With Jesus carefully watching!

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing." Mark 12:41-42

Then Mark tells us more.

"And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury." Mark 12:43

There is a lesson in all this. Something Jesus wants His Disciples to know.

That's why He called them, the twelve, to His side.

They needed to learn something abut giving, and money, and worship!

A bunch of preachers!

Preachers needing to be taught the principles of sharing material goods with the Lord!

One would have thought that Preachers already knew such things.

But apparently not so.

Come to think of it, to whom did Paul say those famous words about "the love of money?"

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Plus this warning about riches. "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

And this one, too. "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Yes, all these words, warnings really, were spoken directly to Preachers!

And watch this.

Qualifications for a Man of God, for the Pastor. Among other things, "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous."

It must be very important for the Man of God to be cautious and prudent when it comes to money!

So, Jesus offers classes in that area!

For Preachers!

Including the Disciples!

The Lesson the Disciples are about to receive is important, too. Jesus begins it with one of His famous "verily" statements.  "And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you ...."

"Verily" is the Greek word "amen," meaning "firm" or "true" of "stable."

Jesus always uses it for emphasis, to highlight critically important statements!

The comes the great Sermon about generosity!

Jesus used this Widow lady with her two coins, two mites, as an example to twelve Preachers!

Preachers who at times anyway were more interested in "receiving" than "giving!"

Like back in Matthew 18:1. "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Not a lot of generosity here!

Or James and John's Mother: "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom." Matthew 20:20-21

No giving here either!

Maybe all Preachers, we who so often receive blessing after blessing and gift after gift from God's precious people, need to stop and learn from Jesus' words in Acts 20:35. "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Wow!

Those to whom we preach will never learn to give graciously until we first set the example!

Lord, help us these days to learn from this dear Widow the lessons we so urgently need!

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44, the whole Text!

Preachers especially, take heed!

And then to those of you who read here so often, I salute you today.

You, some of you anyway, need to be writing this Lesson, for sure!

You are among the most generous of God's children!

We Preachers would be well advised to learn form you!

In 2nd Corinthians 8:7 Paul calls generosity or just plain old Christian giving a "grace!"

Giving, one of the graces of the Christian experience!

"Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also." 2nd Corinthians 8:7, where "this grace" is a reference to their unselfish giving!

You, our dear friends, have excelled in this grace!

Your generosity and kindness and liberality are beautiful to behold!

You, much like the Widow lady of our Mark 12:41-44 Text, have taught many by your example!

Thank you sincerely.

                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 4:

The Text this week is short enough to reprint at the beginning of each lesson.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44

I wish in a way that I could preach Texts this short all the time! But often I charge into ten, twelve, even fifteen verse Passages, even more sometimes!

No wonder they call me a long-winded preacher.

And everyone does not mean that as a compliment! Perhaps rightly so. But I'm not changing a thing, until or unless the Lord says so.

Listen to what Jesus says to His Disciples, about this poor widow lady and her giving. "This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury." Mark 12:43

Wow!

No doubt the wealthy worshippers had given vast sums of money! They are not past giving "as a show," some of them anyway. Here's how we know. "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men."  Matthew 6:2

How then can Jesus say this lady has given "more" than the rest of that day's donors?

The adjective is "pleon," meaning "more" in this sense: "the greater part!"

The wealthy no doubt placed far more money, in monetary value, in the receptacles that day! They had thirteen different containers in which the funds could be placed. Some were for Temple upkeep, some for the priests, some for the poor, and of course other causes too.

But no matter how very much that respectable "in crowd" gave, generous as they may have been, their totals would have still only been a relatively small percentage of their overall worth.

No doubt!

But this lady gave "more" in that her two mites equaled a higher percentile of her worth!

Much higher!

The crowds most likely gave somewhere around 10% of their income. That's all that was commanded, really.

But the widow gave more.

How much more?

Get ready!

Around 90% more!

That's right, she gave her all!

Exactly 100%, Jesus said!

Now the larger gifts can certainly get more done for the Temple and the priests!

Money spends!

The more you have, the more you can buy.

But the "little" gift from the lady somehow became "more" with Jesus, "much more" it appears!

More than all the others!

This is a classic example of proportionate giving!

How much of what you have belongs to Jesus?

Half?

Three quarters?

Less?

Maybe even up to nine tenths!

I comment you on your generosity, sincerely so.

Whatever you're giving to the Lord and His Causes.

Praise His Name!

But, occasionally, and Jesus knows just who and when, a person comes along who gives Him her all!

This widow is one such person!

"And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury."

And the Lord Jesus never forgot it!

Never forgot her!

He is thrilled when we place Him that high on our priority list!

Jesus, all I have is yours!

Jesus, all I am is yours!

Jesus, be Lord of everything in my life!

Now that's worship!

And that's what this widow lady did.

Anyone want to join her?

                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 5:

The Lord is teaching His Disciples about giving!

They had earlier asked Him to tutor them in the discipline of prayer, but not giving! That fact alone is interesting.

Jesus, for this Lesson anyway, is using a lady as an object lesson, a godly widow.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44

We don't know for sure what characteristic of this woman so impressed the Lord. But I think it's found in the last verse of our Text.

"For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:44

The word "abundance" is "perisseuo" in Greek, a present participle. It's like this: "They all cast in their things 'overflowing!'" The Pharisees and Scribes and other wealthy worshippers gave out of their "excess," out of their "surplus." Which is a good thing to do, of course.

But this widow gave out of her "want." This noun is "husteresis," actually meaning "the things in which she was behind!" In context that would be her financial status, her poverty.

They gave our of their "savings," so to speak.

She gave her "grocery money," so to speak.

They gave a "portion."

She gave her "all."

Jesus remarks on that. "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

The adjective "all" translates "holos," the "whole" thing! The "entire" lot! Once the King James has it "every whit."

And the noun "living" is "bios," surprisingly! I would have suspected "zoe." Scripture may be telling us that she, after giving her offering that day, planned to go home and "die!"

Her very "biological" systems quit working!

When Jesus said she gave "all her living," the expression does  not mean she cancelled her "hair appointment" for next week!

It means she had no more food at home.

Or means of getting any, either.

She truly gave all her living!

I don't think Jesus had ever seen anything like this before! Or maybe since then either! Unless it would be the martyrs of all the ages.

So what?

Here's what.

Jesus saw this woman give her "all" for Him.

Now He, and soon too, is going to go to the Cross and give His "all" for her!

This word "all," a powerful little adjective, became very special to Jesus.

And this lady helped cement it in Jesus' mind and heart!

Jesus is going to go to the Cross and shed all His Blood!

For all mankind, for every man and woman and young person on earth!

So that all may believe and be saved!

These things being demonstrably so, Biblically speaking, should we not too be willing to give our Lord our all?

He thinks so!

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37, sounds like "all " to me!

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Mark 12:30 agrees.

Luke 10:27 too. "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind."

Very few give their "all" for anything, or anyone.

But this lady did!

It's a wonder she is not listed n Hebrews 11, really!

Maybe she is.

Twice that good chapter mentions "others."

"Unnamed" heroes and heroines!

"For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

She is simultaneously an "encouragement" to my heart, to do more for Jesus, and a "rebuke," for being so selfish!

Many of the ladies of Scripture are just awesome, particularly including this one!

"And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

One cannot give any more than that!

Wow!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 6:

The lady was a feminist. And a  pretty strong one, I think!

Still, her question was thought provoking.

She wanted to know something about our Text.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44

Her question?

Why would any religious system accept funds from a person this poor? Worse yet, this widow's giving, up to a point anyway, was absolutely required!

Wow!

And I, Lord forgive me, wondered this.

Why did Jesus sit there and let her give everything?

He could have perhaps said: "Lady, keep one of those coins. Give the other to God."

That still would have been 50% of her total worth!

Even that kind of giving would have outdistanced anything the Pharisees or Scribes had given that day!

But Jesus let her give everything!

Then I thought this, probably sinfully. Jesus helped ladies whose children were sick. And whose bodies were racked with pain. And even who were facing embarrassment, like running out of wine at a wedding!

Why did He not stop this lady, send her back home, having miraculously restocked her kitchen shelves?

Or He Who could create fish with coins in their mouths, could He not also have replaced this widow's "mites" with dozens of more valuable coins?

Of course He could have!

But these ways of looking at this event, Mark 12:41-44, are not wise!

Jesus never did anything wrong. Nor am I implying such, not at all! His ways are perfect! Listen to Acts 10:38 describe our dear Lord, accurately too! "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good."

Yes!

And He was "doing good" that day too, the day He observed that widow lady giving her all!

Then thoughts like these began flooding my mind, much better thoughts.

Maybe Jesus was so "at peace" with this woman giving this sacrificially simply because He knew that His Father in Heaven was going to take care of her!

After all, God has specifically promised to take care of "widows," right along with the "fatherless" too. "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." Here in Psalm 68:5 read "judge" as "protector!" Even "provider!"

She will not lack for anything.

Then too, Jesus knows how much more blessed it is to "give" than "receive! He said so in Acts 20:35. Paul quoted our Lord thus: "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Then, this woman is blessed above anyone at the Temple that day!

Jesus did not deprive her of anything!

He allowed her to be blessed, somehow, beyond measure!

Plus this, there were 12 preachers standing by, all of whom badly needed this lady's example of generosity!

They had already fought over who was going to be "first" in the Kingdom of God!

Over who would sit closest to Jesus from time to time!

And other things too, no doubt!

One of them in fact, instead of being a "giver," was a "thief!"

Jesus allows this widow lady to suffer some hardship ... just so His students that day could have a living "object lesson" about the truth at hand! About sacrificial giving, as a lifestyle! Not as a one-time event!

Goodness!

And then I thought this.

We do not know what Jesus might have done for this lady after she gave all her earthly possessions!

After she left the Temple.

He performed many miracles that remain unrecorded you know! "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book." John 20:30

He may have already taken care of her in a way unimaginable to our earthbound thinking!

He may have invoked and empowered this verse in her life. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38

Wow!

Have you ever heard the old saying, "You can't out-give God!"

I think that's true!

And no doubt this lady, for the rest of her life, lived that very fact, day after day!

One Old Testament lady, a widow too, had a container of meal that never became empty!

And another had a container of oil that never ran dry!

Then there's just no telling about our little "hero" here, "heroine" I really should say.

I'll guarantee you this. She did not lack for a thing! Not after our Jesus saw her that day!

Plus, when we all get to Heaven, guess who we are going to want to meet, eventually anyway!

Miss Generosity herself!

And if you ladies still get together and fellowship up There, I'm pretty sure she will be asked again and again to tell her story!

Giving all for Jesus!

After all is said and done, she sure looks better than Judas!

Or Thomas, in my book anyway!

Or certainly Demas!

Or many others!

She was "a good and faithful servant" of our Lord!

Nobody ever gave more!

These are at least some of the reasons Jesus allowed her to follow through on what she came to the Temple to do that day.

Oh, one more thing.

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10

If the Lord does THIS for His 10% givers ... what on earth did He do for this 100% giver?

Think about it this morning.

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

LESSON 7:

This is the kind of day Jesus was having.

The Chief Priests and Scribes and Elders had been harassing Him no end!

"And Jesus and His Disciples came again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?" Mark 11:27-28

Things quickly get worse!

"And they sought to lay hold on Him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way." Mark 12:12

"And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words." Mark 12:13

Then yet another "trick" question, this time about marriage. "Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying ...." Mark 12:18

Yet again, a "trap" is laid!

"And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?" Mark 12:28

Finally, Jesus had had about "enough!"

He said: "Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation." Mark 12:38-40

Then, after all that hate and bitterness and insincerity, comes this lady. This Mark 12:41-44 widow lady!

She's as different as day is from night, when compared to the Pharisees and that whole Jesus-hating crowd!

A refreshing breeze of real love for God!

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44, the next verses in sequence.

Finally, a person who loved the Lord, instead of despising Him!

Someone who worshipped without guile and deceit and some hidden "ulterior motive!"

A "genuine" Believer!

And that, my friends, is why Jesus got so excited that day when He observed this lady worshipping Almighty God!

Listen to Him commend her!

"And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:43-44

Which leads me to this question.

About myself.

About you, too!

Are we "for real?"

When we go to Church, is it for the right reason, or reasons?

And when we "give," are our motives right?

And perhaps most important of all, as I serve the Lord, is it all for "show" or does it even matter who's "looking?"

Am I loving for Jesus' sake?

Truth be told, Jesus already knows the answers to each of these questions!

Folks "hate" the Lord yet today.

Multitudes do!

Even in this once Christian Country, so-called anyway!

And in the ever darkening atmosphere of our culture, much like that just portrayed in Mark 11 and 12, can't one of us "stand out" like that widow lady did?

"Stand out" in loving Jesus!

If so, I promise you.

He will notice!

It will thrill His soul!

He always rewards such love!

We, because of the fact that Mark and Luke both tell us her story, will never forget this good woman!

All because she brought to Jesus some "warmth and light and love" on a very dark day!

Let's all plan to love Him that way today!

With all our hearts!

Sincerely!

And tell Him so often!

Maybe like Peter one day long ago, we can say to Him over and over: "Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love thee." Quoted from John 21, verses 15 and 16 and then immediately again in verse 17.

Let's all let Him know ... "Lord, we love Thee too!"

Tell Him, like Peter did, at least three times today!

"Lord, we love Thee!" 

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

If millions today curse Him ...

Why can't I bless Him?

If multitudes ignore Him, why can't I concentrate and focus on Him?

If countless numbers are indifferent to Him, why can't I love and adore and worship Him?

"Lord, we love you!"

 

 

LESSON 8:

This is the final lesson from Mark 12:41-44, the story of the widow who gave "all" her living at the Jewish Temple.

The four verse paragraph, lovely as it is, is preceded and followed by a pair of powerfully negative statements about the Temple or those who oversaw its daily administration.

Here's what I mean.

First, the earlier context. "And Jesus said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation." Mark 12:38-40

It had become common for the wealthy to "devour" widow' houses!

That literally means "to eat them up!" It's katesthio" in Greek. To "gobble" them down, more precisely!

The religious "system" of Jesus' day allowed terrible abuse of widow ladies! People would lie to them, deceiving them, and as a result of her following their bad advice, "repossess" the widow lady's house!

Her very home!

Remember, our widow lady here in Mark 12:41-44 not only has no husband, he having already died. She apparently has no surviving children either! No son to take care of Mom!

She is vulnerable!

And some religious do-gooder comes along and robs her of her only real possession, her house! Her last token of financial security is now gone!

Truly those wicked men, the financiers and bankers of Jerusalem, were basically nothing but thieves! Devourers of widows' houses!

But they never missed a Church service!

They "dressed" right too, long robes and all! And probably expensive robes at that!

And, goodness, could they pray!

Then they would leave the Church to finish their low-down scheme of taking some other poor widow lady's house!

That's how bad things had become!

So, Jesus all the more admires this widow lady.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44

Has she recently lost her home?

May be.

But she's still going to love God!

Then, at the end of our Text, in Mark 13:1-3,  just as soon as Jesus and His followers leave the Temple, our Lord says: "And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Wow!

In other words, it was just a matter of time until that whole Temple, everything about it, would be destroyed by an advancing Roman army!

Any system, religious or not, that mistreats widows and takes unfair advantage of them, even cheating and robbing them, can not continue to exist!

Not for very long!

And, sure enough, within just a few years, 70 AD to be exact, the Temple was destroyed!

By a Roman General named Titus, his army anyway!

They tore the building apart stone by stone, too! History tells us that, nothing being left but part of the foundation!

No more widow ladies would be "fleeced," not there!

The godly widow, perhaps robbed of her very house, has finally been vindicated!

God has judged her tormentors!

The Temple, corrupt as it had become, stands no more.

Does God take care of widows?

Did Jesus respect this lady?

The answer is "yes!"

And, guess what, He will take care of you too, if you love Him as much as she did!

Here's His promise. If we delight in Him, He will give us the very "desires" of our heart!

Do you want it in print?

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

Yes!

The Scribes and Pharisees and Chief Priests, all were wrong!

Even the Temple was slated for destruction!

But the lady, the dear widow lady, in spite of all her troubles, did not get bitter! She still went to Church that Passover Week and worshipped the Lord, giving all she had left!

No husband, but still not mad at God!

No son, but still brave enough to travel!

Maybe even by now, no house, but that will not stop her from loving her Heavenly Father!

The Scribes and the Temple are tarnished, irreparably so.

But the widow lady shines, brilliantly so!

And thus would God have it.

Guess it really "pays" after all!

To love the Lord!

To live for Jesus!

To be sincere and true and genuine!

If no one else notices, Jesus does!

And He is the One that matters most!

When we get to Heaven, I would like to meet this lady.

She's there.

But she's not poor any more!

Her "two coined" investment has reaped abundant dividends, I suspect!

She obeyed Jesus' words from Matthew 6:19-20. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

This became the widow lady's investment strategy!

It should be ours, too!

                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Again I say this. What an example this lady is, what generosity she exemplifies! She gave the Lord everything, literally so! And Jesus watched! Then our Lord left the Temple, went to Calvary and gave everything right back to us! That sinners might be saved by the marvelous Grace of God! Washed in the Blood of the Lamb!

 

 

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