9/18/12. Luke 20:45-21:4. GIVING TO GOD-devotional

Luke 20:45-21:4
Key Verse: 21:4

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF     Tuesday, September 18, 2012

“All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Dear Lord Jesus…thank you for your love for those who are lost in this world. Thank you for the time I could spend with Greg. He is great comfort to my heart. Continue to bless Greg’s passion to know Jesus and the things of God. Please help him to continue to grow and mature in his faith and as a member of the Body of Christ. Please help our family to find our place among the believers of Kishwaukee Bible Church. Help us to find ways to contribute to the body of Christ. Please plant your word in my heart today. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: A Bad Example (20:45-47).

Verse 20:45-47, “While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Jesus tells his disciples to beware of the teachers of the law who were on a path towards judgment. The teachers of the law thrived on public recognition and special treatment. They appeared devout when they said long prayers in public, but they were deceitful and took advantage of God’s people. They were a dangerous example to follow.

Disciples of Jesus must rid themselves of any arrogance, greed, or hypocrisy. We must examine our motivations and serve God with a pure heart. I need to take heed of this. Am I a Christian leader because of the all the praise that I get or all the honor I receive; or all the perks I may get. I must not have these motives. I need to be a Christian leader because I have been called by God and I want to please God. My service is an act of worship. It is a way to say, “Thank you” Jesus because of the great things he has done for me and my family and for humanity. It is a spiritual discipline, as I live out my pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God. Most of all it my way of saying, “I love you my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Even if I get nothing in this world from serving Jesus as a servant of God, I would still be a servant of God. Lord, always grant me the right motive and the right heart as I stand as a man of God in this generation. Please raise up countless leaders in America who can serve the Lord with the right motives.

Part 2: Giving From The Heart (21:1-4).

Verse 21:1-4, “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
In this passage we see a stark contrast to some of the religious leaders of the day…the faith of a widow. Jesus shows that giving is a matter of faith and love. The widow gave out of her poverty. She loved God so much that she voluntarily gave all the money she had – even though it was only two very small copper coins. She gave from her heart and depended on God to provide for her needs. In contrast, the rich only gave a portion of their surplus and their gift was only a token acknowledgement of God that required little faith. Clearly, the widow demonstrated a deeper love and dependence on God.

Our Heavenly Father has given his very best to us in his Son Jesus Christ. How much are we willing to give to him? We need to accept that free gift…freely. Accept the gift of salvation. Be saved by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ. Some may say, “Well, it is a free gift. Why is it attached to an obligation? Why am I obligate? If I am obligated by this gift, then I don’t want to receive the gift.” Poor countries feel this way about US Aid. They receive benefits from the USA and then they feel that there are stings attached and they are obligated to respond in some way. We have all received gifts from someone and then we feel an unspoken obligation to never forget the gift and always call and always visit. That is why receiving a gift from someone, even from God may turn people off.

A person can receive the gift of salvation from Jesus and simply receive it and never respond in the proper way. (They proper way is to commit their lives to Jesus and offer their hearts to Jesus, and even their money as this widow did.) They can do this. I believe they are saved. But the Holy Spirit will constantly convict them. They can never be at peace with their lack of response and commitment to Christ. They will feel that the relationship that they have entered into is of lowest quality. They can never mature in that relationship and they can not experience the peace of God, for the peace of God can only come when we surrender our hearts and desires and plans and hopes to Jesus. Then the peace of God floods into our hearts.

This widow gave all that she had to Jesus. She trusted the Lord for her future, that God would provide if she offered. I pray that I may have the right response to the gift of salvation. It is definitely entails surrender and devotion of my life to Jesus Christ. I pray that I may not hold back. I want to give it all to Jesus Christ. When I do, Jesus will never abandon. He will provide.

God does not ask for something that I cannot give. The widow gave two small coins. I may not be a mega church leader. I may not have a lot of disposable income to give. I may not be a good disciple raiser. But I can give what I have. I want to offer up my few 1:1 Bible studies. I want to offer up my question generation. I want to offer up my tithing and my prayers. I can even offer up to God my research about sending missionaries to the First Nation Communities of Northern Ontario.
Prayer: Lord, help me to offer you my heart and life out of worship and love to you.

One Word: May our lives be an expression of love and thanksgiving to Jesus.