Introduction
The scripture tells us the heart we should have as we stand before him and worship. Let’s be filled with thanksgiving and affection for Christ. Are our spirits alive in Christ?
1. The Difference Between the Rich and the Widow
Jesus is sitting at the temple watching people put their offering in the offering box. Offering is a part of giving worship. The offering box was in the shape of the horn, which led down to the collection box. However, there was no paper currency, only coins, so everyone could hear how much an offering each person was giving. The rich were giving a lot, but the widow gave two small copper coins, which make a penny. Jesus says that the widow gave more than the rich. How could we compare thousands of dollars to a penny? Christ does not accept the rich man’s offering but the widow’s offering.
People will do anything to be accepted, to avoid rejection. For example, teenagers will do anything: drugs, drinking, etc., for the sake of being accepted by their peers. People will give their all to be accepted by their family, friends and peers. However, the greatest acceptance is not from people, but from God. How are we accepted by God? Not by our own righteousness or good works, but by grace through Christ.
God holds every worship we give to his standard. Cain and Abel gave their offerings but God only accepted Abel’s offering because he held onto the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ. We can come and stand before the presence of the Lord because we’ve been accepted through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is the Great Priest and Mediator between God and us, so we can never be rejected. The key to giving a worship that God accepts is a worship in which we hold onto the covenant. Let’s not worship out of habit but renew God’s promises with us: God has called and saved us, and we belong to Him.
2. The Heart of the Widow
Jesus says the rich are giving out of their abundance: their offering is just chump change. Let’s reflect on ourselves: what kind of heart do we have when we give our offering? Do we give our all? The widow gave everything she had, everything she had to live on. God has accepted us. All He wants from us is our all. That doesn’t necessarily mean giving our entire paycheck to God, but let’s not take offering lightly. God will fulfill his promise of evangelism through the church, so therefore we need to give our all and invest in the church and the kingdom of God. Let’s take God’s heavenly mandate and calling as our own. God doesn’t want a church with lots of people, but a church with the few who have dedicated their lives to Christ and evangelism. Who cares if we’re rich if we can’t be accepted by God? When we live for the kingdom of God, nothing is in vain. God knows it all.
3. Let’s Restore True Worship and Offering
Offering is an important part of worship. The widow was able to give everything she had, because she trusted her life was in God’s hands and was God’s responsibility. We may think that our money is our own, but ultimately, our money comes from and belongs to God. Let’s restore faith that trusts our lives are in God’s hands, and restore the heart of the widow, for whom God was her all. When we give our offering, we don’t give out of duty, but out of faith. We are simply giving to God what is his, because our lives are in his hands.
Let’s restore worship through offering. Take a moment and prepare your offering the night before, and pray about it, and God will restore your finances. Let’s also restore worship through God’s word. God’s word is his guidance for our lives, so let’s receive it personally, Let’s also restore worship through prayer. Don’t just pray without thought, because God listens to all of our prayers. Let’s pray holding on to God’s word. Finally, let’s restore worship through praise. Praise is our confession of faith and prayer. We tend to focus on ourselves in praise. Let’s turn our focus to God. Let’s challenge with the talent God gave us, and give our all. Don’t take praise lightly. It doesn’t matter how many people there are. Let’s pray that praise may be a time when people are filled with God’s spirit. This is God’s method of world evangelism. Worship is our fuel and energy. Let’s be plugged in to Christ, his grace and his love.
Conclusion
When we give our all, God will use it for his kingdom and glory. Let’s reflect and renew ourselves so we can stand as his true people.
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