The problem with the money in our lives is not the money, but how we handle it. We think, “Now if only we had more money, we could live!” We believe wealth can make us “take hold of the life that is real.”
But we leave God out of the picture. We turn gold into a false god, a little idol, which becomes more important than God. Scripture calls that sin, idolatry—but it is also foolish.
To depend on wealth is to stand on shifting sand instead of solid rock. Our epistle reading told us: “Tell those who are rich in this age not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in wealth, which is so uncertain.” Riches are unsure because what they buy may not bring happiness. What money buys can disappoint us.
Wealth is uncertain because it doesn’t last. A thief can steal your money, or someone may sue you, and you become destitute. Don’t depend on wealth to provide hope for your future—if you do, you are foolish.
So, what now? Place your confidence, not on the shifting sands of wealth, but on God, who “provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” What does God give you? Everything—realizing that everything starts with Jesus. God supplies all our needs, shown to us in His Son, Jesus, who came to pay the debt we owe to God’s Law because of our sin.
Those sins are like a giant minus sign in our account at God’s Bank of Heaven. So, Jesus steps in and puts a bigger plus sign at the bank by going to the cross. But Jesus is still not done, for He needs to deposit that plus sign into your account, which He does when He delivers His salvation to you in Word and Sacrament. By putting His body and soul into the swirling sin of your minus sign, Jesus connects you to God, once more.
Today’s Gospel is the story of the widow, who gave all she had to the church. Jesus begins by denouncing the scribes who enjoy all the privileges of wealth. They dress well, command respect in public, and take the seats of honor in the community. In eternity, the story is different—their fake holiness will condemn them.
St. Mark tells us Jesus sat down across from the Temple treasury. His keen eye captures the crowd putting money into the treasury box. Jesus notes who gives what and the sacrifice each gift entailed. He calls His disciples over to discuss it with them.
We expect Jesus to praise the woman who gave everything and condemn those who gave only from their excess. He doesn’t. Jesus comments on who gives what and lets His observation become His commentary.
In today’s Old Testament reading, Elijah asked the widow to use the last of her oil and flour. He promised she would not run out until the drought ended. No one, however, gave such a promise to the widow at the Temple. No one promised he would provide for her. Now, if the widow with Elijah needed trust to act (she did), the widow who gave her last two coins without a promise needed faith, even more!
In Jesus’ day, a son provided for his mother after her husband died. God set up such security in His Old Covenant to make sure widows didn’t die homeless and hungry. Reality being what it is and sin being the ugly beast of ruin, some sons did nothing.
For widows who had no means of support, the Temple took them in and gave them small, living quarters. Scripture tells us of one, named Anna, who prayed day and night in the Temple, awaiting the Messiah. But the Temple became a bad steward for the widows in need.
Some of the scribes sold the widows’ homes for a profit and used the money to fund their lavish lifestyles. What was meant to care for the widows now stank of corruption. Even those slow of wit realized what the disparity between the Jewish rulers and the widows meant—they were embezzling money.
Did the widow understand her last two coins might contribute to their notorious life of wealth and comfort? Now, if she recognized the corruption within the Temple, why did she give anything at all, much less everything? How much time would take place before the disciples understood what Jesus was trying to tell them? For they recognized well the corruption within the Temple.
Still, His disciples didn’t understand. How much time would elapse before they realized the widow’s gift of all pointed to what Jesus was about to do? Soon, He will give everything to redeem a world gone awry.
“Her whole life.” That is what she gave. The original Greek of the New Testament is stark and shocking. She did not offer a portion, not a tithe (ten percent), but her whole life. Now we sit in our pews, stunned in disbelief. The widow didn’t give all the money she had—she gave everything, pointing to what Jesus would soon do for our salvation.
So, why did she give everything? Faith lived within her. Oh, the Law can order you to do something. Nothing beats the Law when it comes to commanding. Provide for your mother, who is now a widow—but unless faith and love move you, you will either not do it, do the minimum, or become resentful.
The church is full of resentful people. Pastors and stewardship committees have used the Law to “force” people into giving more to meet the church budget. The Law works, for a short time, but the lash of the Law cannot inspire but only command and compel. The Law tells you what to do or not to do, but it cannot change the heart. The Law only informs.
The woman understood God’s Law. She also moved beyond it. Oh, she did not outgrow the Law, for the Law still let her know God’s will for her life, pointing her away from sin toward righteousness. But the Law no longer motivated her. Faith was her engine now, and her love for God fueled that engine. Of course, the fuel, her love, came from God: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
We live in an unusual time in church history. Never could so many read the Bible. We are literate, unlike most people for most of human history. So we can read the Scriptures. We can read multiple versions in printed copies, on our smartphones, or e-book readers—but biblical ignorance is at an all-time high.
We often read Scripture as a book of instructions, not a book to bring us to Christ. Jesus told the Pharisees, “You study the Scriptures because you suppose you have eternal life in them. They testify of me!” (John 5:39).
We have the acronym: The Bible, B I B L E, means “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” If the Bible is a set of instructions and nothing more, then you’re still stuck under the curse of the Law.
God gives us the Scriptures, not as stories and examples to cause us to cry out, “I need to be more like so and so” or “If I were more like him, then…” If you think the substance of Scripture is just one example after another, you are still a Pharisee. Scripture embodies to us who Jesus is and who we become in Him. I repeat: Scripture brings to us who Jesus is and who we become in Him. He is the substance of Scripture.
Bible stories help us imagine living with God as our king. Otherwise, none of us would have a clue—and God’s kingdom starts with Jesus and all He gives to bring us into His kingdom. The widow gave her all, everything, because of her faith in the Messiah, who would do the same for her. Faith moves us to act.
Jesus points her out of from the lineup of people clanging coins into the Temple treasury. Why? So, in her, we see who our Savior is. Jesus gives His life, His entire life. He faced and embraced rejection. Jesus confirmed over and again: To follow Him means living in Him (Romans 6:3-5), which means living your life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
The widow’s example should be nothing new and, yet, be everything new to our opened eyes. In faith, you realize all you own and all you are belongs to Jesus because He gave His all for you for life and salvation. Stewardship is not so much what you put into the plate at church. Oh, stewardship is that—but more, much more.
Faith is the real engine of stewardship with love as the fuel. In faith, you realize everything you have is God’s, not yours. So, the question for you is this: “How will you choose to use what God gives you in Christian freedom to love God and serve your neighbor?” You will be answering that question all the rest of your days.
And you will mess up, for you will still sin. Know this: when you mess up, faith receives God’s forgiveness for you in Christ Jesus. Faith will also turn you from sin to a better way—to Jesus, who is the Way!
So, what do you do now? Turn from sin and turn to Jesus. In repentance from sin and in true faith, come to receive more fuel for your engine, the body and blood of Christ, which He sacrificed for you in love. For you are His, both now and into eternity. Faith believes this and lives this. Amen.
