Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship: Alma 13:49–51

*Hymn: “I Have Called You by Your Name” R-10
OR “Take My Life and Let It Be” HS 408

*Invocation

*Response

Disciples’ Generous Response

Hymn: “Santo, Santo, Santo” NS 43
OR “Yesu, Yesu, Fill Us with Your Love” HS 407

Prayer for Peace see page 27

Hymn: “Touch Me, Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal” HS 409
OR “Here I Am, Lord” NS 12

Reading

Sermon

AND/OR Three Testimonies of Giving

*Hymn: “Just as I Am, Thine Own to Be” HS 421
OR “I Love You, Lord” NS 18

*Benediction

*Postlude

Scriptures: Ruth 3:1–5, 4:13–17; Psalm 127;
Hebrews 9:24–28; Mark 12:38–44/12:45–50 IV

Many followers today have heard the story of the widow’s generosity as told in verses 41–44 of Mark 12. The richest meaning of this passage is discovered when it is presented in the context of verses 38–40. An understanding of the comments Jesus made just before he drew attention to the widow’s offering can change the focus of the story from a theology of giving to a theology of receiving.

In verses 38–40 Jesus tells us to beware of, or be discerning of, those who would publicly present themselves as being righteous and God-loving, but are actually ostentatious and self-loving. He does so by making reference to certain scribes, but his warning applies to all who would act in that way. Jesus knew that people who act in a conspicuous manner are often ones who believe that the items they “possess” are things they “own” and that the ownership has come about because of their own actions. People who believe this way may be good givers in the sense that they give large sums to the church. But Jesus is acknowledging that such people may be more concerned with how much they keep for themselves than how much they give back to God.

Verses 41–44 present the widow as a contrast to the “rich people.” The scribes in the previous verses were also set as a contrast to widows. While there is not a direct statement connecting the rich people to the scribes, it is not unreasonable to assume Mark is making a connection between them based on the way in which these contrasts are presented. Those who Jesus described as rich were practicing a theology of giving. They were giving freewill offerings for the support of the temple but were doing so out of a sense that they were giving part of what they “own” to support God’s work. They very well may have been joyful givers. But in contrast with the widow, Jesus was suggesting they were giving from a belief that they were the giver and God was the receiver.

The widow’s offering was from the opposite understanding. By virtue of the fact that she gave all that she had, she was acknowledging that God was the giver and she the receiver. Her gift stated clearly that she knew God owned everything and she owned nothing. It was not so much that she was giving back to God, but that she was relinquishing possession of what had belonged to God all along. Since she had two coins, it would have been possible for her to keep one of them for her own sustenance and give half of what she possessed. But her understanding of the theology of receiving would not allow her to do so. She was compelled to give all to God in recognition that God had given her everything she had.

1. A theology of receiving acknowledges that everything we have (our lives, family, relationships, homes, money—and the earth) comes from God.
    
2. A theology of receiving calls on us to respond to God’s gifts by using all that we have received to praise God.

1. What must a follower do to be able to give themselves fully to God as the widow did?
    
2. A common phrase is “the joy is in the giving.” How can you change your understanding of God’s love to feel comfortable saying “the joy is in the receiving”?
    
3. Author Leonard Sweet has said, “God is the owner. I am the ower.” How does that relate to today’s scripture? How could such a statement influence your personal discipleship?
    
4. How does the Mark scripture relate to Doctrine and Covenants 163:9? (Focus particularly on the phrases “Break free of the shackles of conventional culture that mainly promote self-serving interests” and “Eternal joy and peace await those who grow in the grace of generosity that flows from compassionate hearts without thought of return.”)