Courageous Giving

Introduction

Good morning. If you will open a new New Testament with me to Mark chapter 12. Mark chapter 12, beginning in verse 38. Mark chapter 12 and verse 38. This morning we’re going to focus on the concept of what it means to give everything. In Mark chapter 12, we have the instance of the widow and her two mites. And so there is a financial perspective, but that’s not what this lesson is solely about. When Jesus says He demands our lives, that means everything. That does mean giving of all that we have financially, with our time, with our mental resources. Everything we have to offer, we owe our God. However, sometimes we don’t always have that type of commitment, the necessary type of sacrifice. It reminds me a little bit of a story of a man who found his way to heaven.

He passed away, and he finds himself at the pearly gates, and Peter begins walking them along the golden road of heaven. He’s passing mansion after mansion, seeing a beautiful mansion, then one even more beautiful than the next. And finally he turned the corner and there was a little small beat up shack. And Peter told the man, This is for you. And he said, Now I’m thankful to be here, but I have to ask, why are there so many beautiful mansions and I have a shack? And Peter said, Well, I did the best I can with what you sent me. See, sometimes when we think about our sacrifices, we think short term. But God tells us through his apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 6, we will reap what we sow.

And so, if you want to reap a lifetime of eternity with God, then we have to sow a life of giving, a life of sacrifice. A life that understands there’s something more to the here and now than what our senses will tell us and reveal. In Mark chapter 12 and verse 38, though, begin the reading with me. In his teaching, he said, Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces, and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at peace. Who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers? They will receive the greater condemnation. And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box.

And many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins which make a penny. And 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. 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. This morning I’d like for us to focus on the idea of courageous giving. Giving courageously implies that we are going to give so much that there is something in doubt. After all, when does it say that somebody has courage when they do the safe and easy thing?

Well, not at all. It takes courage to do something difficult, something new, untested, unproven, that leaves us feeling vulnerable. Are we willing to give of everything we have to the extent that it could be said, I and we and you examine closely, you see Jesus makes a great example of this widow and her two minds. Notice first back in 41, that he’s sitting and watching. He sat down again, verse 41, opposite the treasury, and he watched the people bringing their offerings. And what was it that he noticed? Verse 41, the last phrase. Many rich people put in large sums. Three descriptors, if you notice in verse 41, the first one is many. It wasn’t one or two rich people. It wasn’t three or four. It was many people came.

And it wasn’t just many people, it was many rich people, those who were wealthy, and as it pertains to the giving financially here in this section, many rich people came. And of course, to conclude the verse, they came and they put in large sums. Now many of us would stop and say, Well, that’s good. And it is. But notice that Jesus wasn’t wowed by that. He wasn’t taken back. In fact, if you notice in verse 42 and 44, he reserves praise for the widow and her two minds. In verse 42, notice what he says. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins which make a penny. And Jesus’ reply in verse 44 is, those many rich people who put in large sums, that was okay.

Verse 44, they contributed out of their abundance. But this woman, this widow with her two mights, she gave out of her poverty. And as the last phrase concludes, all she had to live on. Can’t you just hear the commentators beginning to write how it’s truly not all she had to live on? There had to be another way, there had to be another circumstance. It was Jesus who said in Matthew chapter 6, verse 25 do not be anxious about your life, about what you will wear, what you will drink, what you will put on. Verse 33, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Jesus made it clear. The gospel accounts made clear clear clear clear.

God has always mandated that his people be willing to sacrifice even when it hurts, even when it takes courage, to properly glorify and honor him. Now this widow gave all that she had as opposed to the rich who gave of their large sums, which are not condemned. But her sacrifice was greater. If we care about God, if we care about our Christ, our Savior, then we will want to be the one who gained his complete trust, who aspire to be the best of his servants, not out of competition, but of the debt of gratitude we owe the one who cleared our debt of sin. And so when we see in verse 43 and 44 that Jesus elevated this widow for her two mights. When he says in verse 43, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

We have to rightfully conclude, this is our template. This widow’s two mights, as the English Standard Version renders it, which make a penny, is my example. This is important to notice, though, that this goes beyond finances, because when you note throughout the scriptures, you have to reach one of two conclusions. That either Jesus demands everything you have, everything that I can offer, or he doesn’t, and there’s some sort of easy path, easy some sort of middle ground. But then when you examine the scriptures, you see, well, that just simply can’t be. In Matthew 7, there’s the narrow way and the broad way. There’s those in verse 21 who do the will of the Father, and those who do not do the will of the Father. There’s the wise man who hears and does the wills of Christ, and there’s the foolish who hears and does not do them.

1. Our Lord Truly Does Demand Everything

Again, time and time again, Jesus makes it clear there are two pathways. One of complete sacrifice and commitment, and one way of anything else. 75%, not good enough. 90%, not good enough. Giving 99%, not good enough. We have to give of all that we have. We have to give courageously. And so as we examine this morning, giving as Jesus requires, notice just three simple points. First and foremost, our Lord truly does demand everything. In Luke chapter 14, we think about evangelism, you don’t think about what Jesus does in Luke chapter 14. Turn there with me. Luke chapter 14, beginning in verse 25. When we think about teaching the good news to the lost, we think about putting it in their terms, saying, you need this. You will have forgiveness of sins.

You will have a relationship with God. This is wonderful. You need this. It’s great. Because we’re selling something in a sense. Now we’re selling the good news of the gospel, the fact that Jesus is the Christ. All glory and honor goes to him. But in Luke chapter 14, Jesus has a different type of approach. In verse 25, now great crowds accompanying him. And he turns and he says to these great clouds, crowds, his opportunity to teach his message, to teach about the kingdom, the need for repentance. And here’s what he says. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Woo! Let’s go. In terms of rallying speeches, starting with to this great crowd that I’m around, you all have to hate each other and sacrifice everything just to move on to step two. It’s not really how we begin a lot of our sales pitches. Notice what Jesus has a reason for that, of course. In verse 28, he does then ask a question. For which of you desiring to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it. Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. I think we understand this point in any type of opportunity or setting besides Christianity.

For example, take the local hometown team, the Orlando Magic. Have you counted the cost? How long is it that they have not been in the playoffs? I can’t even remember. And not because I’m lazy, but because it was that far back. They tried to reset, and then that doesn’t work, and they tried to reset, and then that doesn’t work, and they tried to reset. And you know what happens when it doesn’t work? We fire people. We ask for them to be removed to get somebody with vision, somebody who will look to the end. Because it’s the end that matters. Because as we like to say as a society, the end sometimes justifies the means. I’m not saying that’s scriptural, but that’s our perspective. And Jesus says, You have to count the cost of following me.

Yes, it will be great. The ending is wonderful that you can be forgiven of sins and part of the kingdom of heaven. It’s amazing. But you have to count the cost. The cost is in heaven. The cost is in this life, what you will give up. The tremendous cost in verse 31, another example. Or what king going out to encounter another king in war will not sit down first and deliberate. Whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000. And if not, while the other is a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. Jesus’ example stands on its own. He says, if you have 10,000 men at your disposal and you see somebody coming after you in war with 20,000, do you say, okay, I like those odds?

No. You realize it’s not worth it. You won’t make it in the short term in the long term, and the short term will be brutal and painful. This is not a wise calculation. And so in verse 33, so therefore, any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. We started with the question of does our Lord truly demand everything? And when you look at verse 33, is it not clear that he who does not give up everything that he has cannot be my disciple? When you look at verse 26, what does that give up? Does that mean money? Does that mean that the wealthy who Jesus watched putting into the offering box should come and put every cent they own?

Going back to verse 26, how does Jesus start? He says, Everyone has to hate everyone. Is he saying he wants a kingdom of hatred? No, of course not. He says, I am first. If it means sacrificing your family life, I’m worth it. If it means sacrificing your friendships, I’m worth it. To be the disciple of Jesus means no one and nothing comes before him. That’s a heavy cost. Everything is demanded in verse 27. In fact, not only do you have to give of everything, notice verse 27 whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. This isn’t just give me everything. This is your life will be hard and painful. It will take extreme courage to be willing to sacrifice or give of yourself in a way that’s pleasing to God.

And can I make one very pointed application of verse 33? There is not an ounce of wiggle room there. When Jesus says, so therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Means that there is 100% adherence to Jesus and following after our Christ. Or we might as well not even try. Jesus tells this group, this great crowd from the beginning, he says, I want you to know what you are getting into. The cost is extreme. The sacrifice is heavy. The life is burdensome. Did you notice, by the way, in this section, Jesus doesn’t stop and go, I know this sounds harsh. Let me tell you about heaven. He makes the points about the cost of discipleship. Just like the widow who gave of all that she had, Jesus demands all that we have.

2. Have I Truly Given Everything?

And so there’s only one question really left is have I truly given everything? Now, if we haven’t, please know the application could be phrased, start giving everything. But I want to start with some reflection, some self-reflection. Have I, in the last month and two weeks or so of this new year, even, in 2019, could I say honestly, I have given everything that I have to the cause of Christ.

If I haven’t. Is it because I don’t understand? Or because I’m unwilling and unfocused. Jesus says there’s no two ways about it. You have to pick up your cross and follow after me. You have to surrender everything. Relationships with the people you love. Money that allows you to do things that you love. We have to give everything. There was somebody who failed this test. If you look with me in Mark chapter 10, we’re not going to start the reading in verse 20, but rather backing it up. In Mark chapter 10 in verse 17, we’ll quickly summarize some of these verses. Follow the story in Mark chapter 10 and verse 17. A young man comes before Jesus and says, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

And Jesus says, Why do you call me good? No one is good except for God. And Jesus tells him, you know the commandments. You know what you should be doing. And in verse 20, notice what the rich young man says. Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. Good. He has sacrificed his will, his selfish desires in the name of pleasing God. Then Jesus looks at him and loved him and said, You lack one thing. Go. Sell all that you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful. For he had great possessions. Much has been said and will always be taught rightfully from Mark chapter 10 and other accounts that we have to be willing to sacrifice everything.

That this young man was caught up in his wealth and his riches, was unwilling to give to the poor, and that was a stumbling block, and that’s true. But I want to back up. And Jesus looks at him and says, You know the commandments. And he says, Yes, I have kept them. And Jesus doesn’t say, No, you haven’t get better. He says, You’ve kept them all. But notice Jesus’ first response when he says, I have kept these from my youth. Jesus says, You lack one thing. Can I tell you this morning that that’s frightening? That is terrifying. That we, that I could do everything that God wants. And lack one thing through some sort of selfishness. I won’t let go of one ambition, one focus, one preoccupation and the way of God.

And it will separate me from my Lord in the same way this young man was separated from Jesus, at least as the time of this writing. When Jesus says, Go, go sell all you have and give to the poor, he doesn’t say, but if not, it’s okay. In fact, the man realizes that this was a straightforward proposition. He had two choices do what the Lord says or don’t. And in verse 22, he was disheartened and he went away sorrowful. Can I say the one way that I envy this young man, though? I envy him for this one thing. And perhaps I should choose a different word than envy. I wished I had the opportunity for Jesus to speak to me and say, here’s what you lack.

I probably wouldn’t be lucky enough to have Jesus say, there’s just one thing. But I would like to know. Because there is one time we will all know whether we’ve given everything. I think internally, each of us know individually. Have I truly given everything to God? But on the day of judgment, we will answer for everything we’ve done and every opportunity we’ve squandered. And this man had a chance in his life this day that he’s speaking to Jesus to make a change, to make a difference. Today I, in this entire congregation, is blessed with an opportunity through the words of Christ to learn from his example and ask today, what do I lack? Don’t be like the rich young man. Don’t leave for here sorrowful saying, I can’t or I won’t.

Be thankful you have the opportunity to make a difference in God’s kingdom. Be thankful that Jesus looks at you and says, Here’s what it takes. I’m not going to lie to you, I’m not going to tailor it to you. You count the cost, but know it’s worth it. I am the good teacher. Jesus is taking this question and this phrasing back in 17 and 18 and explaining that he is God. He is Lord. If I haven’t given everything, why am I waiting? What is giving everything even look like, though? You see, for the rich young man, it was to give of his possessions, to go and fell the poor, and that’s an application. Have I been like the widow and her two mice? Am I willing to sacrifice my own stuff and things for the betterment of God’s kingdom?

But can I give another more pressing analogy? Have I been there for people in need? In Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1, we are to bear one another’s burdens. That is clearly a spiritual context. But can I ask one pointed question this morning? If you can’t trust me with simple physical requests for help, how can you possibly trust me to bear your spiritual load?

If I’m not there for you, for the simple physical sacrifices, how can I trust that you’ll be there for me spiritually? When we think about this concept, one phrase that was instilled in me for years comes straight to mind. No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. God expects us to give everything. In his name, yes. But as Galatians chapter 6, verses 1, going all the way down to verse 10 makes clear to everybody in the name of God. Galatians 6 10 says, Let us do good as we have opportunity to everyone, especially even those of the household of faith. Am I giving anything? Would be the first question. Am I giving some? Have I given everything?

3. Do I Even Care?

Really, only one question is left. If Jesus is clear, our Lord demands everything. That we count the cost before following. We have to revoke everything that we have, count all as lost, as Paul, for the sake of Christ. That we have to be self-sacrificial towards others, and most importantly, in the name of and glorifying God. If I realize I haven’t given everything, and that is a lofty standard. Do I even care? When we look at passages like Mark chapter 12, going back to the widow and her two minds. She cared. Mark 12 and verse 44 says, 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. She was all in.

Unlike the rich young man, there was nothing that stood in between her and her Lord. And Jesus commends and elevates her for this. Do I care? I don’t think it’s a problem. I really don’t believe we don’t know Jesus requires everything. I know that perhaps that might not be shown in Scripture as much as it should be. But I think any person who knows there is Jesus, knows there is a Lord in God, knows that God expects our life. And so when I answer the question, have I truly given everything? No, I must do better. The only thing that determines whether or not I will do better is if I even care. And Matthew chapter 13, notice one final scripture with me this morning. In Matthew chapter 13, beginning in verse 44, Jesus compares the worth of the kingdom.

He says in Matthew chapter 13 and verse 44, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Is the kingdom of heaven? Is the king in the kingdom of heaven worth my life? That’s the question we all have to answer. When you notice in verse 44, what was happening when a man finds it? In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has to get that field. In verse 45 and 46, when a merchant finds the right pearl, he goes and sells all that he has.

And he buys it.

There once was a man who was absolutely on the search for fine pearls. He himself was a merchant, and one day he came across one that was the most grand and magnificent he had ever seen. And he went up to the merchant and he said, Is this for sale? And the man goes, Of course it is. And he said, Well, is it expensive? And he said, Yes, it is of a completely high cost. But anybody can buy it. And the merchant says, Well, how can anybody buy it if its cost is so high? And the merchant said, Well, because it simply costs all that you have. And the man, seizing the opportunity, says, Well, this pearl is greater than anything I could ever buy. Anything I could ever dream of.

If I just sell this one pearl, I’ll be able to retire for life with my wife. And so he says, okay. He said, Well, I have $10,000 in the bank. And the man says, $10,000. Okay, that’s great. He said, Well, can I have it? He said, Well, I see your wallet there. Do you have any do you have any money in your wallet? And he goes, Well, uh, I have three, four, four hundred and twenty-five dollars. He said, Well, it costs that too. And he said, Well, okay. I said, I don’t know how I’m going to get gas in the car on my way home, but you know, I guess I’ll make it work. And the man goes, Oh, you have a car. And he said, Well, yes, I have a car, but I need to get I need to get home somehow.

I go, Oh, you have a home. He said, I’m going to require of your home too. The man goes, now you’re taking my car, my home, my bank account, and all the money in my wallet. The man goes, Yes. Is it still worth it to you? He said, Well, yes, it’s worth everything. He said, I guess me and my wife can stay in the camper. The man says, Oh, you have a camper. He said, I’ll be interested in that too. And he goes, now you want my camper even? I guess my wife and I ought to be in a tent. The man goes, You have a wife and a tent. He said, I want you to sign them over to me. And the man says, now wait a minute.

He said, I will give you everything. But you can’t have my wife because the kids would kill me. And he goes, Oh, you have kids. You need to sign them over to me, too. He says, now this is weird. I will not give you myself, my wife, and my kids. He said, No, no. I’m not going to take any of these things from you. He said, but I wrote down all that you have. And I want you to know that all that you have is mine. You can enjoy it, you can use it, you can live with it. Enjoy your car. Go to your house. Spend time with your family. But know that if I ever need you, if I ever need any of your stuff, it belongs to me.

Conclusion

That’s what God has done for us. God has given us everything. Not just riches. In this country, we have an abundance. Can I tell you one interesting thing about this country? We are so wealthy that it’s easier to give of our money than almost anything else. In a lot of cases, giving money is easy. Maybe not in extravagant amounts. But to fill a need, to reach into our wallet, pull out some money and give it to somebody, that’s pretty easy. It’s a sacrifice. It’s a godly sacrifice, and I’m thankful that so many here are so good at that. But God didn’t just give us a house, a car, and money. He gave us our lives. He gave us our breaths. He gave us our friends and family, who we need to be willing to do anything and everything in the name of the Lord to teach the good news to.

God has given us everything. And he demands that we channel it for him. The question that I want to leave everyone with this morning is if I care about my God, have I given everything? If you’ve never become a Christian, you haven’t even taken the first step. We admonish you to recognize that there is a need to follow Jesus. Yes, he approaches the crowds and says, there is a great cost. You cannot love family more than me. You cannot love stuff more than me. And by the way, in revoking all that you have, you have to take up your cross daily and follow after me. But it’s worth it. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. If you’re willing to confess Him as Lord and risen Savior in your life and all that that carries with it.

If you repent of your sins and your life of rebellion against Him and are baptized, sharing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, you can have your sins forgiven, and that is worth every cost. Maybe you’re a Christian here and you’ve struggled with that question of that one thing you lack. Have I given everything? Know that you don’t have to walk this journey or make this analysis or work together alone. But this congregation here loves God’s people because we want to be God’s people. If we can help you in any way, you can come forward. We’ll pray with you. We’ll pray for you. If you come now as we stand and sing the invitation song.