September 29, 2016

WHEN SHOULD I GIVE? WHEN I'M "GOOD AND READY"?

Luke 20:41–21:4

Jessica DeLay
Thursday's Devo

September 29, 2016

Thursday's Devo

September 29, 2016

Central Truth

When making decisions to sacrifice something, there's a choice between "I don't want to give this up, so I won't" versus "I don't want to give this up, but I will." Through a relationship with Christ, we're given strength to hold earthly things loosely—even when it's scary to let go.

Key Verse | Luke 21:4

"For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:4)

Luke 20:41–21:4

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David's son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,

43      until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 47 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering

Jesus 1 21:1 Greek He 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. 2 21:2 Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer) 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.”

Footnotes

[1] 21:1 Greek He
[2] 21:2 Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)

Dive Deeper | Luke 20:41–21:4

In January 2012, I quit my full-time job to attend graduate school at UTD. Through God’s provision, I found employment that fit my full-time class schedule, covering all monthly expenses. God lavishly provided for me in that season. Then one day during community group, one of the girls asked me how I had been stewarding my resources. If I could, I would have slid under the table. I shared that I was, actually, “not able to give” at the moment. I depended on every last dollar. But once I graduated from school, by golly, I would really be able to give. This sounded reasonable, to me.

Well, my spiritually appraised friend lovingly disagreed as she called me up, not out, reminding me of what Jesus saw in the giving widow’s heart of Luke 21—a persevering TRUST in her committed Heavenly Father that she would always be provided for.

This was not a trust built on bartering, like, “If I do this for you, God, you must do something for me.” That’s similar to today’s “health, wealth, and prosperity” ideology that religious leaders (or scribes) of Jesus’ time subscribed to and exploited for their own gain. No, this widow knew something truly unique about God, giving her the strength to let go of those two precious coins from her trembling hand.

A British Bible commentator, Alfred Plummer, said, “It was not lawful to offer less than two perutahs or mites. This was therefore the smallest offering ever made by anyone.” Knowing that brings emotion to this passage. As Jesus observes her, knowing both the rigorous Judaic law and her story, I can imagine the most endearing smile filled His face. If He had spoken to her, He could have said, “Sweet woman, I know your situation and fears. I know what this offering means to your livelihood. You can’t see what I see, but I know you TRUST My Father, so trust Me. And I will do more for you than what these two coins are worth. Earthly treasures fade, but My heavenly treasures won't.” Lord, help me to trust You more!

Discussion Questions

1. What is the state of your heart when you give of your resources (time, talent, and treasure)? Is there any hidden motivation that needs to be brought into the light through repentance? Examples: praise from others, accolades, influence, immediate return on your investment, etc.

2. Ever have those thoughts like “When I get a promotion/new house/spouse/kids out of the house, then I’ll start to be a better steward of my finances"? Or, “After I get through this grueling busy season, I’m going to finally get into a Bible study"? Rather than waiting on your circumstances to change, how can you be faithful now in stewarding your resources for God's glory?

3. Has there been a time when you sacrificed something you knew God was calling you to give up, even when it was the last thing you felt like doing? Reflect on what God revealed to you through that situation.

4. How is the gospel shaping and influencing your stewardship decisions?