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Scripture: Mark 12:38--44; 1 Kings 17:8-16 and Hebrews 9:24-28
Subject: Giving - Extravagant Giving
Proposition: The two widows stories show us how to be extravagant givers.
INTRO:
Good morning!
This morning, November 8th is a special day among our Catholic friends.
Today is the feast day of the FOUR CROWNED MARTRYS.
The FOUR CROWNED MARTYRS were four men (Castorius, Claudius, Nicostratus, and Symphorian) who were tortured and murdered by the Roman Emperor Diocletian for their faith in Jesus Christ back in 305 AD.
They had been commissioned to sculpt a statue of the Greek god Asclepius ( (/æsˈkliːpiəs/), the god of medicine and the son of Apollo.
They refused to do the sculpture because of their faith in Christ.
At first, Diocletian agreed to their request.
But later when they also refused to worship his gods he arrested them.
Later on they were tortured and killed because of their faith in Jesus.
These four men along with another man named Castorius were faithful even when it meant they would be killed.1
This morning, let me ask you a question - what does it mean to be a saint?
I know in our tradition we don't canonize saints but if we did, what would it take to be called a saint?
What do you think it takes to be called one of the heroes of the faith?
What does it mean to be one of those people who the Bible lifts up for us to emulate and respect?
Well, it might surprise you this morning to see who the Bible calls saints and heroes of the faith.
While some of them like Abraham, Moses or Mother Mary are quite obvious, others include people who most of us would have never even noticed.
In our Marcan and in our 1 King's passage, we find two unusual ladies whose stories are amazing.
These two widows, who we are told are poverty stricken, are considered to be among the saints and heroes of the faith.
One possesses only a little meal and some oil, while the other has only a penny's worth of coins.
No doubt they both appeared a little haggard and worn for wear.
Today, they could have been easily mistaken as either homeless or pan handlers.
It would be easy for us to mistake them for their true identity.
For these two widows were:
a. Women of great faith and devotion
b.
Women of great sacrifice
c.
Women of great obedience
d.
Women of extravagant generosity
We might just see them as two poverty stricken widows down on their luck.
Heaven saw them as spiritual giants.
Heaven saw them as saints in the making.
I believe this morning that Heaven wants us to read their stories and be amazed at their love and devotion for God.
Heaven lifts them up as heroes of the faith.
So, this morning, let's allow these women to speak to us.
Let's allow their stories to interact with our life stories and allow them to influence us and help us in our spiritual formation.
Let's take a few moments and sit at their feet and learn some important life lessons.
For these two widows have much to teach us this morning.
It may be hard for us to put ourselves into their shoes.
The widow part, some here know that life all too well.
For they too, have lost their beloved spouses and live alone.
However, the depth of poverty, the experience of being down to your last meal or to your last penny most of us 21st century Americans simply do not understand.
It is way beyond our comprehension.
We may know what it means to go without some things we want and we may even believe that we do not possess very much.
Especially, when we look around and compare our lives to those around us.
We may see ourselves poverty stricken because we do not have the finest of cars, homes or other things that our friends possess.
However, the truth is that the average American today is richer than 95% of the rest of the world.
We live in a land that has been abundantly blessed by the LORD.
We live in a place where there is plenty of food, clothing and shelter.
For all of that we praise the LORD, for He has been good to our country and to its people.
In saying all of that we must understand that these widows stories are much more than about possessions and material needs.
Their stories reveal to us a great many Biblical truths.
Truths that include:
The truth that Our Heavenly Father sees everyone.
Our God is not simply the God of the rich and powerful, but our God is the God of the widow, the orphan and the homeless.
Our God is the God who cares and loves the least, the last and the lost.
These widows teach us life lessons about what it means to truly be obedient and trust in the LORD.
Both women place all they have in the hands of the LORD and depend on Him to take care of their daily needs.
These widows teach us life lessons about sacrifice and surrender.
Neither woman gives to receive anything from God.
While they believe God will take care of them, they do not approach God as some business partner.
They simply surrender themselves to the Lord.
They simply believe in God and in His servants.
And they teach us what it means to give extravagantly and what such giving does for us.
They teach us what it means to practice the spiritual discipline of giving.
They teach us what happens when we allow ourselves to become people of generosity.
They teach us what it means to put everything into God's hands.
Why should we care about all of these things ?
Why should we be challenged to emulate them in their generosity?
How can doing something with our material blessings have anything to do with our spiritual lives?
How can being more like these two widows help us to live out a life of holiness today?
Let's look at their stories for some of these answers this morning.
I. First of all, they teach us that giving aligns us with Our Heavenly Father
You and I were made into the image of God.
Genesis 1:27 reminds us of that fact.
But did you know, that part of that image of God that is in us involves us also having a heart of giving?
Did you know that God hardwired us to be givers, to be generous?
Giving helps us to become what God wants us to be.
Giving helps us to become authentic human beings.
Our God is holy.
Our God is a God of love.
And our God is a God of giving.
In 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 11, the Apostle Paul is teaching the congregation of Corinth these truth.
He is wanting them to understand that by giving and by being generous they will in fact be more aligned to their Heavenly Father.
They will be more like their Heavenly Father.
Listen to part of Paul's teaching:
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”[a]
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Listen again to verse 10 - He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
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