Bible Text: Mark 12:38-44 | Preacher: Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne | Series: Thank God! | This sermon on the widow’s mite reminds us that as the Christmas season approaches, we have many blessings we can be grateful for.

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Have you ever said, “Enough is enough?”

This sermon on the widow’s mite is based on the story iof someone who said enough is enough financially and found her freedom:

Mark 12:38-44, NIVUK

Warning against the teachers of the law

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 with respect in the market-places,39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’

The widow’s offering

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 few pence.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, 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.’

Beware the Scribes

Mark 12:38–40 ESV

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

What Jesus saw he didn’t like. Scribes had much education and a certain amount of authority because of their position. They liked to walk about in long robes. These robes were supposed to be worn for religious duties, but the scribes had taken to wearing them in public, such as in the marketplaces, in order to receive attention. Their distinctive white robes singled them out. People recognised their authority and greeted them respectfully.

Worse than that, they were defrauding widows by taking advantage of their kindness and taking more than their fare share of what was owed to them. Often, scribes would act as trustees or guardians of the estates of widows. The scribes were taking advantage. They exploited these poor, vulnerable women, cheating them out of everything they had.

The Grateful Widow

Mark 12:42–44 ESV

And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

What a contrast! Imagine the two, tiny, thin coins being slipped into the mouth of the trumpet to the temple treasury chest, falling inaudibly down into the chest. She gave everything, literally everything she had.

Be Thankful

At this point in a sermon on the widow’s mite, you might expect me to say that you and I should follow the widow’s example and give all that we have. Indeed, if I thought anything before I began to study this passage, I guess I probably thought that was where I would end up. Until I read:

Why on earth would [Jesus] turn around and praise a woman for endangering her already endangered life to support an institution he condemns?

The simple answer is, he doesn’t. Read the story carefully; he doesn’t. Centuries of stewardship sermons notwithstanding, Jesus never commends the widow, applauds her self-sacrifice or invites us to follow in her foo...