The Widow’s Offering
Icebreaker
How would you define the word “sacrifice”? One definition is:
To offer something that is precious, something that has value and importance to us.”
Has anyone ever made a sacrifice for you – or do you know of anyone who has made a sacrifice for someone else?
READ Luke 21 v1-4
Note that this story also appears in Mark’s Gospel
Do you think it is significant that the story is told twice?
Look at 20.45-47 for the context to this story – compare the attitude of the widow to that of the scribes. Her offering was “all she had to live on” (= total devotion), the very opposite of the scribes whose actions were all show and no heart.
The TREASURY was probably in the Court of Women and there were 13 boxes for people to put their gifts into. The widow gave two of the smallest coins, but it was all she had. Jewish Law stated that you had to offer at least two gifts, so what she was able to give was the smallest amount possible.
1. In what way had the widow given “more than all the others” (3)?
· It showed her trust in God in that by giving all she had she was left with nothing. The fact that the amount given was (in monetary terms) worth very little is not really a significant factor.
· What she gave was in harmony with Jewish Law at that time. Had she perhaps waited some time until she had two coins to give?
· It was truly sacrificial in that she held nothing back. Does this mean that she trusted that God would provide for her? It is highly likely that the money placed in these boxes was used to support the poor – such as this widow.
“It’s not what we give that matters to God, it is what we have left over”
2. Do you agree with this statement – and what does it say about our “giving”?
The story shows the importance of giving to those in need – which compares with the attitude of the scribes who took advantage of those in need (20.47).
3. In what ways can we give to those in need today? How far does our responsibility lie? Church members; wider community; national/international charitable organizations?
Jesus looked up (= gazed intently) at what was happening (1). He could see whether people were giving grudgingly or willingly.
4. If Jesus were to “look up” at our giving, what might he discover? (perhaps a question for people to take away and ponder upon)
No gift is too small for God to use. Anything which we genuinely “offer to God” is accepted and valued.
5. Can you think of any biblical examples? Boy who gave his 5 loaves and 2 fish (feeding 5,000)
Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17.9-16)
David at the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24.18-25). Note especially verse 24a.
There must be others ….
God can also use people who might appear insignificant.
JOSEPH, a man with a poor reputation, in prison in Egypt
GIDEON, who saw himself as weak and ineffective, who God used to defeat the Midianites with an army of just 300 (Judges 6 & 7)
DAVID, shepherd boy who killed the mighty Goliath with a stone
MOSES, who, despite his reluctance (Exodus 3.11) was used mightily by God
THE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, small among the clans of Judah, yet Micah 5.2
There must be others ….
We can be tempted to feel that we have to DO SOMETHING FOR GOD in order to please him, but what really matters is that whatever we do/whatever we give, is given out of love. What really matters to God is not the size of our gift, but the heart of the giver.
Back to the idea of SACRIFICE.
6. What do you think Paul meant when he wrote Romans 12.1?
OBEDIENCE is a pre-requisite of sacrifice (1 Samuel 15.22).
A genuine sacrifice:
· Must cost us something. Reflect together on what it cost Jesus to come to earth and die on the cross. You might like to pause and offer thanks to God.
· What might be the cost for us in terms of:
Time – Comfort – Money – Calling – Standing up for Christ
· We are called to consider others before ourselves. The widow must have thought that others needed her offering more than she did – despite the consequences.
And some final challenges:
· Will I know when I have given enough?
· How can I overcome the challenge of materialism?
· Are there things in my home which have monetary value yet are not really needed by me?
· What if I am in debt or out of work?
There is a story about a pig and a chicken who were looking for something useful to do for others. They came across a church which was advertising a breakfast and which was looking for those to help serve bacon and eggs. The chicken thought that giving an egg or two was a great way to be useful. The pig however … You are just offering a contribution; for me it would be a sacrifice!
ARE YOU A CHICKEN OR A PIG?
PRAYERS
If you have not done so, take time to offer thanks for the sacrifice Jesus has made on the cross for each and everyone of us.
Extra
The situation re Covid-19 seems to be changing day by day, so make sure you are up to date with what is happening on the day you are meeting – and pray for those tasked with the difficult job of trying to deal with this invisible enemy, and yet at the same time safeguarding our economy – and the jobs of millions of people.
The other passage set before us is Deuteronomy 15 verses 5-15. There may not be time to explore these verses, but the key question is whether these laws still have relevance today – or whether they applied just to the time when they were introduced.
So a few “headlines”:
4-6 If people truly obeyed God, there would be no poor among them. Yet Jesus said that there would always be poor people (Matthew 26.11). How do we account for this? Perhaps Jesus was simply indicating the failure of the Jewish nation to obey God’s commands. Obedience is not just personal – it is national. Obey God’s laws and the nation will be blessed. Do these laws give a permanent framework for life?
7-8 There is a responsibility to be generous/open-handed to those in need.
9 Beware a deceitful heart.
11 The reality is that there will always be the poor among us. Do you agree?
12-15 The Israelites were mistreated in Egypt, but this was not a reason for mistreating their own slaves. Slaves were to be set free after six years of service with a generous gift.