Who Gives? Who Receives?

November 11, 2018

Mark 12:38–44
38In his teaching [Jesus] said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

I think that to understand a Bible story, it is often helpful to put yourself into the story. You become David who kills Goliath and you become David who kills the husband of Bathsheba. You become David who writes psalms of praise, and David who also writes the penitential psalms of repentance and faith. In this way you realize that the Bible was written for you. You see God’s love and grace, as well as his displeasure when you sin. The Holy Spirit is talking to you. Today, let’s put ourselves into today’s Gospel reading.

Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes.” He was not talking to the scribes, he was talking to the disciples, and therefore to us. He told the disciples to be careful not to become like the scribes. The scribes were Jewish religious leaders and they were very proud of their social position. They took advantage of that position. While they pretended to be very religious with long prayers, and fancy clothes, and sitting at the best seats in the synagogue and at the head table at feasts….and at the same time they devoured the houses of widows, that is, stealing their inheritance from them. And they probably did many other crimes, but this one fits the context of the widow in the next story.

The warning to the disciples is that they must not become the same. After Pentecost, the disciples become the leaders in the new Church. They will have great responsibility and they will be respected because they preach the Gospel and live according the teachings of Jesus, with love and charity for others. Surely there will be the temptation to be proud of their role as the “special twelve disciples.”

In the history of the church, both ancient and modern, we read of stories where church leaders have become rich from their office. Some have demanded huge contributions from the members. Some have become abusive of their power. Perhaps the warning of Jesus is for them too when he said “They will receive the greater condemnation.”

As a pastor, a minister of the church, I have to wonder seriously if I am like the scribes. Is this passage talking to me? Am I like one of the scribes? As a pastor, sometimes, like the scribes who sit at the head table, I get to go first in the potluck line. And I like my “long robe” and colorful stole. But I am not very good at making long prayers in public, and I do not think I have devoured any “widow’s houses.” But like all people in leadership roles, whether in the church or business or military or society, I know that I am held to a higher standard, and that makes me humble. Actually the warning against the scribes could apply to all Christians in no matter what their occupation might be. We all should probably see ourselves in this story.

If Jesus warns us not to be like the scribes, is he suggesting we be like the widow? It is probably hard for any of us to imagine ourselves as the poor widow in the next story. None of us will put everything we have in the offering this morning. But I still think that we should give 100% to God. In other words, I think we should use all of our god-given resources and talents in god-pleasing ways. For example, first, like the widow, giving to church, or giving to charity to help the widow. Also, feeding and taking care of your family, doing your job, working hard, playing hard, praying and singing hard. In other words, our lives should love God 100% and love the neighbor as our self..

Who really is like the widow? We are not economically poor and if we were we probably be filled with worry about our next meal, and so would not give our last bit of precious cash to God. We are probably more like the scribes. And the danger there is that we trust ourselves rather than trusting God. We get so sure of our success that we think we no longer need God. And then we lose all the contributions that God has made for us, especially salvation.

Who really is like the widow? I think it is Jesus. He gave his life for us, he gave us his all. He did not give silver or gold, but his holy and precious life blood. His was not just an example or a model for us, his was the real thing. He gave his life, he died for us. He died for the widow and for the scribes and for us. On the cross, he died among the thieves on either side, and for them too he died. He died for us sinners, too.

And on the third day he arose. And so with his grace and love and mercy, he is still constantly giving himself 100% for us.

I began this sermon by saying that I think that to understand a Bible story, it is often helpful to put yourself into the story. Not only that, I also think that to understand a Bible story, it is often helpful to put Jesus into the story. We see Jesus in the stories of David and Noah and Jonah and Daniel and Peter and John and Mary and Martha. And we see Jesus in the story of our lives, too. He gives us his all.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


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