The Widow’s Mite: Extravagance of Heart
I. GOD’S VIEW OF HUMAN WORKS
A. Slaves can earn a heavenly reward
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with
sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not
for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are
serving. Colossians 3:22-24 (NIV)
B. There is a great misunderstanding in the Body of Christ related to true purpose. Our purpose is not primarily to
engage in “deeds of righteousness” but to engage our hearts in love, which results in deeds of righteousness.
C. Ephesus: Astounding ministries, power, teaching, missions
1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have
tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured
hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent
and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 2:1-5 (NIV)
1. Unless they changed He would disinherit them (Revelation 2:5: “I will come and remove your lampstand”). While
this may seem severe, God is a jealous God – He desires and demands our affections. Without our affections, He has
not the slightest interest in our service.
2. God’s economy is different than the world’s economy. We are not building a natural kingdom. Spiritual impact
does not come from religious activity but from heart (faith and love). A slave may not control activity but can control heart.
D. Even acts of worship are not necessarily true worship
13 The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.
Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)
II. THE WIDOW’S MITE (MARK 12:41-44, LUKE 21:1-4)
A. “She gave all she had.” It is usually taught that the worthiness of her offering was based on her sacrifice. We miss
Jesus’ main point.
B. The two small copper coins were not a big sacrifice. 10 widow’s mites bought a loaf of bread. One Denarius
(day’s wages) was 256 widow’s mites. It is not that she gave up so much, but that when she had nothing to give, she
gave what she had.
C. There are several reasons we give: (1) to receive something (status, notice, financial gain, approval from men,
approval from God, etc.); (2) to have impact; (3) obligation (we owe?); (4) for love – the widow had none of the satisfaction
of the others.
D. Literally, the widow gave more. Love is what impacts; when love happens, the Kingdom happens; when love
happens, the kingdom is built; when good works happen apart from love, nothing eternal happens.
E. Jesus memorialized several extraordinary acts love: Mary of Bethany who gave an extravagant gift, and now the
widow, who gave a meager gift with an extravagant heart.
F. Motive Matters: God does not weigh sacrifice apart from love.
1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be
burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NASB)
G. Motives are undetectable by human beings: this is why we are told not to judge.
5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the
things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from
God. 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NASB)
H. Conversely, if love is our motive, any gift we offer him is acceptable.
12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does
not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)
III. A NEW DEFINITION OF WORSHIP: “ANYTHING WE DO TO LOVE HIM BACK.”
A. Worship can be anything. It is as diverse as the number of unique hearts God has created. Doing a job joyfully,
giving, and taking care of your children.
“We ought not to be weary of doing the little things for the love of God. For God does not regard the greatness of the work,
but the love with which it is performed.” – Brother Lawrence, Practicing His Presence.
B. God is able to receive love in any form. Worship is acceptable if the heart is of love, regardless of the gift. Worship
is not what we do, but the heart we do it with.
C. Worship can be something you are already obligated to do (Colossians3:22-24).
D. “Everyman, Everyday Worship” According to this definition, every human being can worship God every day, all day
long.
“I…have resolved to make the love of God the end of all my actions. I have been well satisfied with this single motive.
I am pleased when I can take a straw from the ground simply for the love of God, seeking Him and nothing else – not
even seeking His gifts.” – Brother Lawrence, Practicing His Presence.
E. Even if we don’t love what we do, we love who we are doing it for.
20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
Genesis 29:20 (NKJV)
F. Results: Even the mundane (1) becomes joy, presence, discovery of God; (2) intimacy, constant communion;
(3) Power is released.
IV. GREATER LOVE
A. How did Jesus define love? Jesus defined the greatest possible expression of love as the laying down of our life for
another.
13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13 (NKJV)
B. No one exemplifies this more than mothers. But most feel their offering is worthless, God is passing them by. It is
the exact opposite.
V. A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS
3 Do not let the son of the foreigner (outsiders, the excluded)
Who has joined himself to the LORD
Speak, saying,
“The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the eunuch (spiritually barren, those without the hope of posterity) say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Isaiah 56:3-7 (NKJV)
VI. EVERY VOICE MATTERS
A. “Horton Hears a Who:” Every voice matters. Most discount their voice as insignificant, a voice in the crowd. But if
you view yourself as His friend, His beloved, no friend is insignificant. Ex. If you were a “nobody,” but you were the
President’s best friend, your voice is significant. If you view your voice as insignificant, you don’t know who He is.
B. God is a relational responder. He responds differently to every human being, based on their unique history and
life before Him.
C. Authority: everyone has a secret history in God, a unique personal history. Where you have endured, loved,
failed, or suffered. Trials where you maintained a testimony of confidence, trust, joy, humility.
D. Job 42: Job endures terrible tragedies. Then he has to endure his friends piling on! God gives him an elevated
place of intercession:
7And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is
aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. 8Now
therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt
offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because
you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Job 42:7-8 (NKJV)
E. Moses, Exodus 33: God tells Moses He will not accompany them into the Promised Land. God relents, based on His
personal relationship with Moses:
17So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace (favor) in My sight,
and I know you by name.” Exodus 33:17 (NKJV)