Sermons

The Widow's Two Mites

by Reagan McClenny

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Scripture: Mk 12:41-44 Feb 2, 2025

The Widow's Mite: Unseen Acts of Faith

In this sermon, Reagan reflects on his trip to Israel and the significance of a 2,000-year-old coin from the time of Jesus known as the 'widow's mite.' He emphasizes that while the coin may hold little value in monetary terms, its spiritual significance remains priceless. Through the story of the widow’s offering in Mark 12, Reagan explores essential Christian lessons about unseen sacrifices, the true value of giving, and the importance of small, yet impactful acts of faith. He also shares personal anecdotes and examples of modern-day faithfulness, encouraging the audience to offer their lives fully to Jesus.

00:00 Introduction: The Coin from Israel
01:48 The Widow's Mite: A Biblical Account
04:02 Lessons from the Widow's Gift
07:46 Jesus Sees Our Sacrifices
09:50 The Impact of Small Acts
16:07 Giving Our All to the Lord
27:29 Conclusion: The Ultimate Sacrific

Transcript

When I went to Israel I bought one coin, this coin right here. This is a genuine coin from the time of Jesus. It is rated as good or very good in condition. That means that this coin is about 2, 000 years old. It is also the most famous and perhaps most recognizable coin from the Bible, if you think about what coin that might be.

Taurus are sold items like this all throughout Israel. Things to take home. And before the most recent war, about 4 million people, Taurus, a year, would visit Israel over the course of a year. And they have spent billions of dollars on things like this to take home. Obviously, that drives up the prices of, of those sort of tourist items, especially if they have some connection to the Bible.

So, knowing that this was perhaps the only time I would ever be there, I splurged on this coin. How much do you think, knowing all of those things, most famous and recognizable, 2, 000 years old, genuine, good to very good condition, how much do you think I spent on this coin? Now Stephanie's here. I spent the equivalent of five American dollars on this.

And most of that goes to this very nice plastic case that I was able to take home with. After two millennia, after all of this time, the widow's mite is still not worth very much to anyone except Jesus. And those who see things like him because what that widow gave and the example that she set and giving it is Still priceless to those of us who love the lord Would you open up your bibles, please to mark chapter 12 mark chapter 12 and we'll begin reading in verse 41 here in just a moment thank you so much for being here.

I appreciate the presence of all and I know that's not just me We all appreciate your presence especially those who are visiting with us. Thank you for making the effort to be here this morning and we hope we've afforded you the opportunity to worship God in spirit. In Mark chapter 14, beginning in verse 41, we have this account of the widow's two mites.

I say that, did I put the, Mark chapter 12, excuse me, Mark chapter 12, verse 41, we have this account of the widow's two mites. This is found only in Mark and Luke's gospels. It's tucked away in the midst of the Lord's last week before his crucifixion. Probably the Lord's second week. busiest week on earth, certainly in our Gospels, it is the busiest week that is recorded for us.

And it has all of these huge events that are surrounding these four verses. And because of that, these four verses might not stand out to us, but they should. Because what this woman did stood out to Jesus. Would you read those verses with me? Mark chapter 12, beginning in verse 41. Mark chapter 12 and verse 41.

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury. And he saw how the people put money into the treasury, and many who were rich put in much. So these are free will offerings beyond what was demanded by the law. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites. Which make a quadrants. So he called his disciples to himself and he 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 for, they all put in out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had her whole livelihood.

What can we learn from this seemingly insignificant account? about a seemingly insignificant woman putting in a seemingly insignificant amount. Well, I think there are some very important lessons for us as we consider this woman's gift, this widow's gift for us as Christians today. And there are a bunch of lessons actually we could take from it, but there are just three that I want us to focus on this morning.

What do we learn from the widow's gift? Well, number one, We learn that Jesus sees us even when everyone else does not. Jesus sees us even when everyone else does not. Like we can sometimes be, the disciples were likely enamored with the great displays of wealth by those who came and gave to the treasury.

They were enamored with the physical and the obvious, and the surrounding context certainly indicates this in Mark's Gospel. In verses 38 40, It is described, Jesus describes the scribes who love to be seen of men. And specifically, He says they love to be seen of men for their religious works, but they are devouring widows, which kind of connects it to this next account in verse 41.

Read verses 38 through 40 with me. Notice what Jesus says. And He said to them, In His teaching, beware of the scribes who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.

These will receive the greater condemnation. So they're making a big show of how righteous they are and how holy they are and Jesus would give this warning only if it was a temptation to some to look to them and say this is what we should be like as well. And if you go forward from our text in Mark chapter 12 to the very beginning of chapter 13 in verses 1 and 2 it certainly seems to indicate this distraction by the physical even among the disciples of Jesus.

Notice verse 1 of chapter 13. Then, as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here. It's amazing to me thinking about Israel and going, and of course the temple itself has been totally torn down by the Romans and thrown off the, the temple mount.

But the retaining wall, the, the wailing wall, some people call it, where they go and put those prayers that are, rolled up in little pieces of paper. That's still there, right? And people see that. It is amazing how beautiful this retaining wall is with these special kinds of stones that are cut out like a picture frame.

And you can imagine Herod's temple and how beautiful it must have been shining in the sun. And so his disciples say, Lord, look, have you ever seen anything like this. And what's the response of the Lord there in verse two? And Jesus answered and said to him, do you see these great buildings? Well, yeah, Jesus, that was the one who pointed them out.

Not one stone should be left upon another that shall not be thrown down. And that's exactly what happened. The Romans did clean. And Jesus says, you're enamored with what you see, but you're not seeing the right things. Jesus, on the other hand, he sees, he sees correctly, and he sees us even when everyone else is enamored.

by everything else. Jesus was teaching them a lesson on real sacrifice and service that goes beyond some sort of dollar amount. And that starts by him seeing her. Just kind of as an aside, you know, we're talking about finding the quiet places this quarter and it's interesting to me, in this crowded temple, after Jesus had all, had had all of these debates and disputes with various groups, the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees and so forth, and all of this hubbub is going on, I mean, it's the time for the Passover and everybody's in town, Jesus takes a moment to basically people watch.

And he sits and he looks at those who are coming in to give the money. And it is in that context of finding this quiet amongst the chaos that Jesus sees this woman and sees the gift that she gives. Because that's what Jesus does. Jesus is always watching. Now what is your immediate visceral reaction to that.

Jesus sees everything that you do. Is that a good thing or is that a bad thing? For those, for those of us who are Christians that should be a really good thing. It shouldn't be like, you know, I always thought it was a little creepy, one of the songs we sing about Santa Claus, right? He, he sees you when you're sleeping.

He knows when you're awake and, and sometimes it's almost like, you know, that's to keep you from doing lots of bad stuff. You know, Santa's watching, Santa's watching you. But when we think about Jesus, it shouldn't be like that. Instead, this concept that Jesus sees us should be a source of comfort, that Jesus knows and cares and recognizes the small things that we do for him, that we can work in his kingdom without worrying about getting credit from men because he always sees and appreciates what we do.

This widow certainly didn't give her two mites to be seen by men, but by God who sees in secret. And, and God saw her. And He made her an example to us to this very day. And that's the second thing that I want us to see, the second lesson that I want us to take from this text. Don't underestimate the influence you might be having and the example you might be leaving by your small,

I think a lot about Job from the Old Testament. And I think a lot about what Job didn't know, what God didn't reveal to Job. You know, He didn't reveal to Job that there was some, you know, cosmic, behind the scenes spiritual battle going on between the accuser that was mentioned earlier in the Lord's Supper talk, Satan.

And God about Job and his righteousness and whether he would hold on to his integrity. God doesn't tell him any of that, nor does God tell Job, Hey, I put you all through all of this. And I know you're better in the end than you were at the beginning. And you're closer to me, but I also want you to know that I'm recording all of this, and all of this is going to be passed down through the generations, and 4, 000 years from now there are going to be people in Lubbock, Texas, I'm talking about West Texas this morning, and Luskin, Texas, who are going to be encouraged because you remain faithful despite the things that you are going through.

God didn't tell Job any of that. It's interesting that Jesus doesn't run up to this woman and say, hey, I just, I just want you to know, I saw what you did there, and that was, that was really cool. It seems in the text that this woman never even knew that the God of heaven and earth pointed her out as an example.

Like Job, this woman had no idea how the Lord was using her faithfulness as an example for all time. But this lady wasn't Job. She wasn't tested to the extreme degree that Job was. Instead, she was just one of a million faithful widows throughout history, doing what little she could in service to her God.

And 2, 000 years later, her gift is remembered and bought in Israel and brought home. She is making an impact that she had no idea about at that time. Mary Love Porter Nichols. That name likely doesn't mean much to you, but that was my great grandmother's name. We called her Wangy. And Brooklyn is making her yeast rolls for the county fair this year.

She is at least the fifth generation to make these particular rolls, and it's tough to know the exact recipe Because Wangi didn't use a recipe in making these rolls. She made those rolls for her family Every single day for decades from memory from scratch It is amazing. We've all lived and that's not a big thing, but my grandmother And my mother and I all remember her quietly singing hymns to herself and to her God as she served her family in this simple way.

I think of another widow, Marilyn, a name that means more to more of you, who went on to her reward last week. Another widow who made everyone welcome, had friends throughout the country. Because of her friendliness and her kindness. She was not great in the eyes of the world, but she was great in the eyes of God.

He saw her, and she had influence and example. The small things, likewise, that you do, and that I do in service to God and others, however small they might seem to be, they matter, brethren. They make an impact. So keep doing them. Keep praying for people. Keep shining your light. Keep loving your wife. Keep respecting your husband.

Keep bringing up your kids in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Keep honoring your father and your mother. Keep working heartily as unto the Lord. Keep being kind in the face of bitterness. Keep speaking the truth in love, in the face of dishonesty and deceit. Deceit. Keep encouraging the downtrodden, even if nobody encourages you back.

Keep seeking the loss in whatever way that you can to the very best of your abilities and your talents and what you've been given. You know, I think about seeking the lost, and I think that's a, a source of guilt for a lot of people, for whatever reason. To borrow terminology from the parable of the talents, some of you here in the room this morning, you're, you're, you have ten talents in regard to evangelism.

I mean, Marilyn Dossie was like that, right? She, she never met a stranger. She was always wanting to talk to people about Jesus. And there are people here this morning, you make connections with people easily. People naturally listen to what you have to say. You're unafraid to speak up and insert spiritual things into the conversation.

Healthy conflict is not something that really bothers you, so you don't mind somebody disagreeing about something regarding the scriptures. And I think about some of the things that we do and encourage others to do in regard to the small things we can do for evangelism, you know. Handing out those little business cards that have Timberland Drive, Church of Christ on it.

Or, we have a meeting and we have the little postcards and we invite people to the meeting. You know, passing out those sorts of things for a ten talent man or woman in regard to evangelism, that's like passing out suckers at the doctor's office. You know, it's like, it's like Oprah. You get a card, and you get a card, and you get a card.

It's not difficult. It's not hard. And if God gave you that ability, You need to use it. And I remind you what Luke chapter 12 and verse 48 says, for everyone to whom much is given from him, much will be required, but that's giving out of abundance. Is it not? I have this talent. I have this ability. And so I, I need to use it because God gave me a bunch and maybe that's, that doesn't come naturally to you.

Which brings me back to the widow's two mites. Folks with this kind of natural ability to talk with others and make these kind of connections give from this abundance. Much has been given and much is required. But for those who are more naturally, we'll say introverted, You can connect with others in different ways.

You don't have to be Marilyn Dossi as great as she was, but what you do to try and reach the lost can be just as impactful and powerful, and even more, it's just as important in the eyes of God. Introversion and extroversion is difficult to quantify and measure accurately, but rough estimates say, like, something like 40 percent of the population would be, would be considered introverted to one degree or another.

You know is most likely to reach introverted people most effectively, other introverts. And the seed that you plant in the heart and mind of other people by getting out of your comfort zone, by giving what you can to try and reach others with the gospel, that can bear fruit that you never know about. So keep doing what you can, where you can, when you can.

And even if you think no one sees or notices, remember that Jesus sees. And in doing these small deeds, it is as if we are doing these deeds for Him. In Matthew chapter 26, if you'll turn there for just a moment, Matthew chapter 26. I've been trying to steer clear of Matthew as much as I can since Preston is teaching on it and preaching on it.

But sometimes the Scripture leads you where the Scripture leads you, you know.

In Matthew chapter 25, excuse me, Matthew chapter 25 in verse 31. This teaching is not found in the Gospel of Mark, but if we put it together, this comes almost immediately after Jesus points out the widow's two mites. And notice what he says there, beginning in verse 31. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, Then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

All the nations will be gathered before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand. But the goat's on his left. No offense over here. Then the king will say to those on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him saying, Thanks the Lord, that's great, I'm, I'm excited. No, the honesty just blows me away, right?

They say, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in? Or naked enclo you, or when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you and the king will answer and say to them, surely I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me.

When we do these small acts of service and kindness for others, we are doing those things as if it is for the Lord. And don't underestimate. The impact that that makes. As Matthew chapter 10 verse 42 summarizing really in some ways what we find in Matthew 26. It's in a different context, not so much of judgment, but Jesus says and whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water, because he is a disciple, truly I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

So, In one sense, Jesus doesn't require much. He just requires two mites. He just requires a cup of cold water. In one sense, that's not very much. But in another sense, all Jesus requires is everything. Two mites. Two mites is indeed a small amount. We aren't familiar with these terms or coins as they were, but we are familiar with a denarius.

A common day's wage, right? So you get a denarius for one day's wage. Now, by comparison, denarius is one day's wage. Two mites were worth about eight minutes of work. But for this woman, those two mites as a widow were worth much more than that. I'm reminded of the old fable of the chicken and the pig.

You ever heard that one? What is required of them to make a bacon and eggs breakfast? And the pig declines the offer of the chicken, saying, For you it requires involvement, but for me it requires total commitment. Well, what kind of commitment is the Lord asking from us? Is he asking us to be the pig or the chicken?

I think we know the answer. The Lord requires everything from us, and we do well to remember that God often measures giving not by how much we give, but by what we keep back for ourselves. And what He requires is that we keep nothing back from what we have, that we give everything to Him. As Anderson says of this widow, she could so legitimately have kept one, one for herself, one mite for herself.

But she did not. She gave both. The widow kept nothing back. She gave both to the Lord. All that she had. And the phrase that is translated, her whole livelihood, I understand why it's translated that way. Certainly, this is what she had to live on. It's not very much. But literally in Greek, you know what that phrase says?

It says, her entire life. That's what she gave. That's what she gave to the Lord? And what is it that the Lord requires us to give? If not, our entire lives, everything that we have. That's a good phrase. And if you think I'm, I'm still just talking about money, I think you're in danger of missing the point. I want you to turn for a moment to 2 Corinthians chapter 8.

2 Corinthians chapter 8. This is in the context of material giving, but there's a phrase used in this context that It applies to this woman and should apply to us as Christians who have committed ourselves to the Lord. Begin reading with me in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 beginning in verse 1. There are needy saints in Judea who are being supported by the financial contributions of primarily Gentile Christians in, in various places where Paul has journeyed.

Among those are people in Macedonia. And in verse 1 he uses those Christians as an example to the church in Corinth. When he says, Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. That in great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

We would say, they didn't have much, but they gave everything that they could. 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 should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering of the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord.

I can't reveal the details of it, but I, I just, I am continually amazed by the generosity of the people sitting in this room. Parts of Christians who are willing to give according to their ability and beyond their ability for the good of others. Why? Because you have first given yourself to the Lord. And everything that

So giving out of that, if you've already given your life, what's a little, what's a little material gift? What's a little time? What's a little talent? What's a little ability?

What a blessing to have a room filled with men and women like this widow who are willing to give their entire lives. But, we need to be careful to examine ourselves to make sure that we are giving ourselves to the Lord wholly and fully. Everything that I am and everything that I have is His. Your presence here this morning means that you probably love God.

But do you love Him with all of your heart and all of your soul and all of your strength? That's what He requires. Do you love your neighbor as yourself because of that love that you have for Him? That is what He requires. And a good question to be asked if we think about this in terms of, what are we holding back?

And that's how God measures this. She held nothing back. She gave all that she had. Let me ask you, what are you holding back in regard to what it is you're giving to the Lord? Earlier, just a few chapters earlier in Mark chapter 10, there's that famous account of the rich young ruler who had given so much of his life and service to the Lord in keeping the commandments.

And he says, all these things you talk about Jesus, I have done since my youth. What do I still lack? And Mark's account is specific. It says Jesus looked on him and he loved him. And out of that love, he said, One thing you still lack. You're holding one thing back. Go and sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and come follow me.

And he went away sorrowful, because he had great riches. That one thing was what he was holding back. We cannot hold it back, brethren. Our time, our talents, secret sin that we don't want to let go of. What could you be doing to give yourself more fully to the Lord? And that, from that perspective, that seems like a lot, doesn't it?

Compared to two mites. But I'll always remember something a professor of mine said in the context of Genesis 22 and the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham. You know, I was 18 year old sitting in that class and it was like a lightning bolt when he said this, duh. God never asks anything of us that he is not willing to do himself.

While you might quibble at that statement in every application, isn't that exactly what Jesus is about to do in the Gospel of Mark? Give his entire life for you and for me and for her. This woman who is willing to give.

Jesus gave His entire life for us. And that's the motivation for our giving. It is the gift that He gives. If you're still there in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, notice if you drop down just a little bit to verse 9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, Lord of heaven and earth, yet for your sakes He became poor.

He gave it all up that you through his poverty and death on a cross might become rich. It is no wonder that Paul at the end of this section and talking about why we give and how we give and God's grace toward us. It is no wonder that he concludes this section in chapter 9 and verse 15 with this exclamation, thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

God has given all. And it is so much more than we could possibly give to him. And so what does he require in return? Just everything.

And if that's your attitude this morning, that I see God's gift and it is indescribable, but I get a glimpse of what it is that He has done for me, and I am willing to give in return for what He has done, you are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven, my friend. And whether you have much or little to give in this life, materially, or, or through the gifts that you have, God wants to use you in His service.

He wants to make you His child, where He will see you and be with you every step of the way. And He will allow you to, to be an influence, an example to, to so many people that you might not even ever know. If you are willing to give in that way this morning, know that Jesus gave first by giving his life.

And I ask you, and more importantly he invites you, to come and give your life in return. And if we can help you, won't you come now? Well together we stand.

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