Bible Text:

“A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.’”                                                                     (Mark 12:42-43)

Since we are talking about stewardship this weekend, I thought I’d share with you a tongue in cheek advertisement I received recently from the Balmy Vibra-Pew Company. “The Balmy Vibra-Pew will help pastors who are edgy over stewardship issues. The Balmy Vibra-Pew is based on the coin-operated vibrating bed often found in motel rooms. When the proper amount is deposited in the slot, a church member will receive 15 minutes of soothing massage in his or her pew. Once relaxed, a person is more open to passionate pleas for improved stewardship. A mild electric shock delivered halfway through the message insures wakefulness.” 

Listen to a story from Mark’s gospel as recorded in the New Testament in contemporary language by Eugene Peterson. 

Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss. She gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.” (from Mark 12) 

It was an ordinary day at the temple. People were coming and going, as they always did. Jesus was in one of the outer courts with his disciples. On the surface, he might have just been resting. Maybe he and the disciples were hanging out for a while. Maybe they were doing some people-watching. 

The implication, however, is that Jesus had done this fairly often. On this particular day, Jesus is ready to conduct a seminar on discipleship. He is ready to make good use of a teachable moment. 

Jesus and the disciples sat near the temple offering box. The people came by that day doing their duty. The offering back in those days did not come in a worship service. There were no computerized envelopes, no checks, no direct deposit, no checking account transfers. There was not even any paper money. All of the offerings came by way of coins, as the people passed through the temple. There is some indication that this was a daily ritual for many people. 

The story says that some people put in rather large coins, maybe something the size of a silver dollar. Luke’s version of the story says, “They were rich. They could afford to give.” Luke means here that they had plenty and could easily share.  

Then Jesus sees her coming—a widow of very meager means. She comes quietly, unobtrusively, almost hoping not to be seen. Jesus nudges his disciples. “Heads up, guys. Watch her. Watch what she does.” 

She drops two coins into the offering box. Then she walks briskly and quietly away. “Did you see that?” said Jesus. “They gave out of their abundance. But she gave out of her substance.” 

You might ask, “How did Jesus know?” Certainly these two small coins would have easily been hidden in the woman’s hand. How did Jesus know how much she put in the box? 

In order to answer this question you have to know something about the structure of the offering boxes. They were wooden boxes attached to the wall of the temple. Out of each box there was a large, spiraling metal horn with a huge opening at the top. It would be like a wide mouth tuba in the orchestra. You could literally toss a coin into the opening and it would rattle all the way down into the box. It might be something like a basket on a tollbooth where you toss in a quarter as you drive through. 

If it was a large coin, it made a lot of noise. In fact, it would make quite a racket. Jesus knew the sounds of the metal coins. Jesus is teaching discipleship. And what do we learn about discipleship from this story? 

One way to read this story is that we need to give everything. This woman gave all she had, and she went without food. This was her last money on hand; this was the last money in her possession. 

But I do not believe that is the central message in this story. Jesus does not ask us to go without food or shelter. Jesus does not ask you to give it all away. He did say that to one man at one point—the story we sometimes know as that of the rich young ruler. But this was a specific instance of an individual who was bound up in his wealth. 

I do not believe this is Jesus’ point here. Rather, there are two important lessons in this story about discipleship. 

YOU GIVE SUBSTANTIVELY 

First, you give to God substantively. I read about a minister who prayed every Sunday as he faced the altar when the offering plates were brought forward. On this particular Sunday he prayed, “Dear God, protect us from members of this church, who, when it comes to giving, stop at nothing.” 

You may give to the United Way, or to the March of Dimes, or to the Heart Fund. You mostly give modestly to these. It’s what we call “out of pocket” giving. But to God, says Jesus, you give substantively. 

There’s a story about an IRS agent who called a man in to audit his tax return. The man showed a modest income of $12,000 a year. He also showed a gift to his church of $1200 a year. The agent knew that that was possible, but not the norm. It looked suspicious. 

When the man arrived at the IRS office, the agent asked for receipts. The man pulled them out. He had canceled checks. He had a statement from his church. All of them were readily produced.  The agent said to the man, “I’m sorry to have called you in, but you have to admit that this is not the way most people give. I had to check.” 

The man said it was fine, that he was glad to be there. Then he said to the agent, “By the way, could I invite you and your family to come to my church?” 

“No, thanks, I already have a church of my own.” 

Responded the man, “Oh, I’m sorry, that possibility hadn’t occurred to me.” The agent spent much of his day pondering that answer. He had met a man who had given substantively. Is that what being a believer means? 

The text asks us, “Are you giving out of your abundance? Or are you giving out of your substance? Are you giving from leftovers? Or are you giving from the top?” This is what the Biblical notion of “first fruits” is all about. In Biblical times you gave the first bushel of apples, the first bushel of peaches, the first bushel of wheat. 

I remember a day when our children were small. They were watching over my shoulder as I was doing the family budget and paying some of the bills. I had a ledger in which each item in the budget was listed. I suddenly realized that if I was to be faithful to what I really believed, our tithe needed to be at the top of that list. From that day on, it has always been the top item. 

Remember that God does not ask for everything you have in the offering. (God does ask for everything you are, but not always in the offering.) God does not ask you to give what you do not have. God never has and God never will. Rather, God says, “Make giving a priority in your life. Make it a lifestyle.” Jesus says here, “Give substantively. Let there be a generous flow through you.”  

Remember my story about the college dorm where a young man had his own answering machine? When you called, this was the message: “Hi, this is Dave. If it’s Mom or Dad, please send money. If it’s a friend, you still owe me money. If it’s the phone company, I sent the money. If it’s the student loan office, you didn’t loan me enough money. And if it’s a female, leave your name and I’ll call you right back. And don’t worry, I have plenty of money.” 

Most of us have more to give than we realize. Jesus says, “It is fairly easy to give out of your abundance. But I ask you to give out of your substance.” 

GIVE TO GOD JOYFULLY 

Second, you give to God joyfully. Giving is never intended to be a chore or a burden. If it is, you probably should not give. Somewhere in the archives of my sermons I have a message entitled “On Knowing When to Tear Up Your Pledge Card.” One of the reasons you should tear up your pledge card is when giving ceases to be a joy for you. 

Jesus saw joy on the face of the widow at the temple. Christian giving is intended to bring joy within. Paul talks about being a “cheerful giver.” By that he does not mean something frivolous or happy-go-lucky. Paul is talking about a deep down, soul-stretching, soul-stirring joy. 

I hear story after story about tithing. I heard a couple recently who changed their lifestyle and made some sacrifices in order to be able to tithe. Once they began, they reported this to their church: “We were amazed to discover we can still pay our bills. Giving substantively turned out to be fun. It turned out to be thrilling.” 

There was a couple going out of church one day, the mother holding a young child in her arms. The woman said to the minister, “I apologize for my baby being so fussy today. He’s just starting to teethe.” 

The minister said, “Oh, that’s quite all right. I understand. What I am curious about, though, is why your husband was crying.” 

“Oh,” said the woman, “he’s just starting to tithe.” 

Substantive giving is a source of joy, not tears. The woman in our story for today had found something of that joy. I think Jesus saw something happening to her. Jesus saw a lightness in her step as she passed the coin box. And maybe—just maybe—she danced her way out of the temple that afternoon.  

A missionary to Zaire in Africa was preaching his first sermon in a mission church. When the time came for the offering, the people brought their offerings forward. But he noticed they didn’t just bring it forward. They danced forward. They danced and sang as they brought their offerings. After the service he asked one of the people, “Why do you dance and sing when you bring your offering forward on Sunday morning?” Came the reply, “When we take a gift to our tribal chief, we always dance as we present the gift. How much more appropriate to dance and sing before the King of Kings?” 

Are you a dancing giver? I remember the day that our family sat down to the dinner table one night when I was 11 or 12 years old. My father announced to the family that he had just gotten a raise. He was now going to be earning $10,000 a year. My sisters and I looked at each other and said, “Wow, we’re rich!” My mother and father looked at each other and said, “Just think, we can now give $1000 a year to the church.” 

I never remember ever seeing my parents dancing, in the true sense of the word. But on that particular day I saw dancing in their eyes—dancing in their spirits. 

Maybe you need to dance a bit as you bring your cards forward today. Dance before God. Dance in your hearts! The point is not the size of the gift, but the difference it makes in your life. 

Consider where you have been in the past year. Why might you want to make a pledge today that is both substantive and deeply joyful? Why might you want to increase your pledge for 2004? Why might your giving make you dance on the inside? 

Has faith laid a claim on you as never before? Do you see this church as a solid rock in a shaky world? Does this church mean more to you than you can say? Then maybe your giving for the coming year should be more substantively joyous. 

Are you discovering that one of your spiritual gifts may be the gift of giving? Do you believe that church giving goes farther than any other charity (as I believe)? Do you want to invest in something that lasts and lasts and lasts? Then perhaps this time your pledge should be more substantively joyous. 

Has Jesus lit a fire under you this fall, and is that fire burning brightly right now? Then perhaps your gift should be more substantively joyous. 

Has your son or daughter found a new love for the Bible stories because of Sunday school or Vacation Bible School or the children’s ministry here? As a teenager, have you met Jesus through Confirmation or Chapel Choir or the Christ Church youth ministry? Are you someone who is grateful to be a part of a church that is an open and hospitable community of believers? Are you excited about our opportunity to reach young adults at Abel’s Place? Do you know someone who has found a vibrant faith here? If any of these things are true, then perhaps this is the time to think of a more substantive, joyous gift. 

I received a letter this week from one of our members that closed with these words: “Thank you, Christ Church, for giving me the food to nourish my soul.” Substantive giving grows out of substantive living. 

Pearl Bartel once said, “I fail or succeed in my stewardship of life in proportion to how convinced I am that my life belongs to God.” Jesus wants to stretch you and me as far as possible within our gift zone. Jesus wants to take you beyond your comfort zone to your gift zone, and then stretch you even farther. That’s what God has done for Elaine and me, year after year. He has stretched us and nourished us in the vibrancy of giving. 

Jesus calls you and me beyond any and all mediocrity. Jesus calls us to the kind of excellence that honors God. Giving is an act of worship which creates a generous, joyous, substantive flow through you and me. And that’s discipleship! 

So let me ask you the question once more this morning. What did Jesus see in this little moment in the temple court? What did this woman at the temple offering box feel? Did she feel depleted, or delighted? Did she feel required, or rejuvenated? Did she feel duty-bound, or doubly blessed? What do you think? 

I think she danced her way home that day. I think she danced because she knew how much her God meant to her. 

I invite you to dance your way forward this morning. Make your commitment a joyous matter of substance, and then dance your way home. Such dancing is the way of a vibrant faith. 

Amen.