Bible Lesson, "Who Is That Lady", Mark 12:41-43

    

WHO IS THAT LADY?

Mark 12:41-43

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on."

God is concerned about our worship. The most important

Habits for man are worship and obedience to God’s

Commands.

The Jewish leaders which included the Chief Priest, scribes,

Pharisees and Sadducees practice a religion based on

Their traditions. Jesus said

    

Matt 15:8-9

8 "'These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

9 They worship me in vain;

their teachings are but rules taught by men.”

Starting in verse 1 of Chapter 12, Jesus was confronted by this group

who question His authority and knowledge of Scripture.

He followed up their interrogations with this statement to his disciples

About false worshippers.

    

Mark 12:38-40

38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

In the temple, the Lord shows us what true worship is using the

offering of a poor widower compared to false worshippers.

It was the time of the Passover festival when all Jews came to the

Temple in Jerusalem to worship and pay their temple tax,

bringing sacrifices to the temple priest for the atonement of sins

The poor widower brought two small copper coins worth

less than one penny. Jesus describes her as poor and destitute.

These coins were all she had to live on.

A widower was defined as having no family or relatives to depend on. In the temple treasure, she put in all she had.

Jesus watched her put in her offering which was small compared to

the offerings of the rich people. Yet Jesus said she put in more

than the offering of all the rich people combined.

The rich put in much, but their offerings were not a sacrifice because they had much.

WHAT DID JESUS SEE IN THE WIDOWER

Jesus values what’s in our hearts.

       Prov 4:23

 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of   

 life.

He is concerned about the love we have for the Father and

our neighbors.

When you are in church, Jesus is there with you.

Jesus is concerned about your worship.

Jesus is concerned about your motive for worship.

Jesus is concerned about your giving.

Jesus values your giving.

Jesus is impressed when your giving is sacrificial.

Jesus rewards your giving with more to give.

      More blessed to give than receive.  Acts 20::35

Your giving is an outward display of your love for God.

WHAT WAS ON THE MIND OF THE WIDOWER

1. She came to worship

2.    She thought more of her giving than her living.

3.    She put the Lord first before herself.

4.    She sacrificed all she had.

         

     Matt 19:29

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters,   

or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my  

name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit

everlasting life.

5.    She was obedient to God’s command.

    

     Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed    

down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give

into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete

withal it shall be measured to you again.

6.    She gave no thought to tomorrow

         

     Matt 6:34

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow

 shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the

 day is the evil thereof.

7.    She gave with confidence that tomorrow would

Take care of it’s self.

8.    She was generous.

      2 Cor 9:7

 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him

 give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful

 giver.

9.    She trusted the Lord with her life.

        Phil 4:6

  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and     

  supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made

  known unto God.

10. She valued her spiritual obligations.

11. Like Christ, she held out nothing from the Father

    

      Luke 22:42

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my   

 will, but yours be done."

12. Her heart was focused on obedience.

 12. Her obedience was her living.

        Prov 3:6

      in all your ways acknowledge him,

     and he will make your paths straight.a 

 13. The rich folk had more to give, but Jesus

      counted her giving as more than all the rich

      combined.

 14. She was poor by the world’s standards, but spiritually rich

       by God’s standards.

          

     2 Cor 9:8

 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,   

 always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every

 good work:

She walked into the Church with two small copper coins.

Which was all she had to live on?

dropped them into the offering vessel

and left with nothing but confidence in her Lord Jesus Christ.

WHO’S THAT LADY? ONE OF GOD’S CHILDREN

Rev. M. Mitchell