More Than All of Them
This weekend’s passage is short. And it carries a powerful punch. I thought I would just give you the whole thing right here:
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4 ESV)
Once again Jesus takes someone who had little-to-no status in that society and elevated her to the role of example and kingdom builder. This widow, he says, is the kind of person I am looking for—the kind of person you need to be if you want to call yourself a Christian.
It is stinging to us because Jesus is going after something he has been hitting on through the Gospel: our attachment to money and possessions. Along with sex, money is the god of our age. And we are very slow to step away from our worship of the money-god.
But this widow, who had almost nothing in the first place, was willing to sacrifice what little she had. Her heart was for God and his kingdom, and that is exactly where all of need to be: fully surrendered to Jesus Christ.
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5
More Than All of Them
Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 21:1–4
June 23–24, 2018What am I putting into the building of Christ’s kingdom?
• Sacrifice: Is it costly?
• Sincerity: Is it heartfelt?
• Selflessness: Is it others-centred?