Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Psalm 127
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
One of Stanley Kubrick’s last movies was 1987’s “Full Metal Jacket.” The film follows a squad of Marines through basic training at Parris Island and the experiences of two of these men in Vietnam ; including the Tet Offensive and the Battle of Huế. What I find interesting about Kubrick’s treatment is the way he connected two such disjointed stories. The movement from basic to combat isn’t earth shattering, but the shift from South Carolina and Southeast Asia in one pivotal scene doesn’t move the story from one phase to the next, it takes it from one world to another.
In a way, we have the same thing with our reading from the Gospel, “The Warning About the Scribes” and “The Widow’s Offering”[1] The people in both stories are largely the same, we are in the same place, and even in the same time, but there is a disconnect between them which show us different worlds.
“Watch out for the teachers of the law,” Jesus said. “They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.” This sounds like an indictment against all of the scribes, but just a few verses earlier Jesus tells one scribe that he is not far from the Kingdom of God
The good news in this statement is that Jesus does not indict all of the scribes as greedy and evil. He specifically separates the ones who walk around like they are someone more special than we are and more important than they are. They are the ones who like to eat the upper crust,[3] especially when someone else is buying dinner. Beware of the scribes who are attracted to the things they do not deserve.
Beware them because they will take you for all you are worth. Sure, they’ll do what they are supposed to do; they’ll recite their prayers and even recite them in public. After all, it’s impossible to attract attention for doing good works if they are done in private. Beware the Scribes who eat well, because they eat like a plague of locusts. “They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.”
This part of today’s reading could not be more straight forward. Jesus is speaking plainly. Jesus shows us how revoltingly the greedy Scribes behave, pointing out their absurdity. To see one of these Scribes walking around the marketplace in long robes would be exactly like seeing me walking around the square in my robe and stole. How presumptuous.
In the introduction to one of my favorite books from one of my favorite authors, this story shows us another way to see these scribes:
In a recent class discussion, a student mentioned a workshop she had attended in which an “image consultant” spoke to the gathered ministers (or church professionals as they referred to themselves). The consultant pointed up to the need for clergy to project a positive professional image. She told them that, because they are made in the image of God, they should buy only the best clothes, jewelry and accessories, and should make every effort to look as chic and smart as possible. After the student related her (all too true) story, I paused for a very long time. I was frankly appalled and, momentarily at a loss for words.
The students sat as the silence hung heavy around us. Finally, I said: “I guess what I’m trying to picture in my mind is this: how should we look if we are supposed to reflect the image of the God who has revealed himself to us in the tormented shape of a Jewish man named Jesus, crucified on a city dump and discarded by the powers of his world?”[4]
I am sure that this image consultant had the best interests of church professionals in mind when she gave this advice to those who paid good money to hear it. Unfortunately, one way to interpret her advice is that church professionals are to look like the Scribes; wearing $2,000.00 suits, walking around the Wal-Mart, and being greeted with adoration by the little people.
We do not leave the temple without another story, the tale of the widow’s offering. The first story was offered at the temple for all who were there with ears to hear, this one is told specifically and directly to his disciples.
Jesus watched many rich people putting large sums of money into the temple treasury. The way the collection was set up there were large horn shaped funnels that led to metal boxes where the worshipper placed their offering. When someone put a large offering into the horn, it caused a great racket.
To our ears it would sound more like a slot machine paying off a jackpot at a Shreveport casino than the offering. With a flourish, everyone within earshot would be reminded who the rich folks are, and how extravagant their gift is. So when the widow placed two small copper coins, mites, in the treasury, hardly anyone took notice at all. Jesus, Jesus took notice.
She did not give much; she was not able to give much. Scripture tells us that she gave all she had to live on though. Another way to translate this passage is to say “She gave her whole life.” She gave her whole being and all of her existence, not just all of her cash. She gave her whole life.
So in this part of our reading there’s one very obvious lesson, and it’s found in verse 40, the men, the teachers who take advantage of their positions will be punished more severely. “More severely” than what is unsaid, but it’s easy to say that if we seek to avoid punishment we surely seek to avoid more severe punishment.
The other story, the story of the widow’s offering, has more nuance. Was Jesus praising her for her faith or was Jesus condemning a system which demanded every last thing from the poorest, weakest members of the community? Was he doing some odd combination of both? This bothered me all week.
It would be consistent with the first half of the reading for Jesus to condemn the system. Jesus lambastes the Scribes for being holier than thou. He warns the people about how some of them flaunt their roles in society taking advantage of their status for personal gain. Then Jesus praises the widow who gave her whole life. Anti-scribe, anti-system, pro-widow; this is the battle I fought all week, until Thursday.
On Thursday during Lectio Divina, I expressed this conundrum. Then Al piped up, “Pastor, I think in both stories Jesus was being anti-hypocrite.” Well that stopped me in my tracks. I was stopped for two very good reasons. First, this had never crossed my mind. Second, Al was absolutely right!
In both stories Jesus upheld those whose response to God and the church was righteous. These scribes, they traded on their status. They used their office for the best seats, the best food; living off of other people and repaying life with empty words. They devour widows praying another one will be coming along soon. Jesus stands against these hypocrites warning everyone within earshot that these scribes will be punished most severely.
The rich dumped the surplus of their riches into the treasury, making a racket so everyone would know how rich they were. What did the congregation know? They knew these folks gave a lot and they knew they were still rich. The people didn’t know what they gave, but it was a great show so it must have been a lot. The woman gave her whole life. Jesus doesn’t honor the people who pretend to be generous. Jesus honors those who are generous. Jesus teaches this lesson to his disciples alone.
There’s one more lesson that is important for the Presbyterian Church (USA). Jesus commends the woman for giving her life to the treasury. He commended her for giving to the synagogue and the temple. He commended her for giving to a bunch of leaders he knew were corrupt, hypocritical, fearful men. He commended her for giving her life for a church that would soon murder him.
Jesus doesn’t want us to give to the church because of what we make it. Jesus wants us to give to the church because of what he has made it. Jesus wants us to give to the church because of what he continues to make it.
Many congregations and many individuals have reduced or quit giving altogether because of what the church has done or what they imagine the church will do. People are displeased, that’s the nature of people. In the lesson of the widow’s mite, we know Jesus is displeased with the temple elite, that’s obvious. Despite the sinful nature of people and the things people build, Jesus commends the widow’s gift.
He will fought and died for the redemption of the church and the reconciliation of all creation. He will left his Spirit so that we may be counseled and consoled. He leaves his Spirit so that we may learn the lessons of his life, his death, and his resurrection.
By now, I’m sure you’ve remembered it’s Stewardship Sunday. This is the Sunday every year when I stand here and commend those who give like the widow (and may I never devour a widow) while asking those who give like the rich to consider giving more than just the surplus. You have also heard me say that God wants not just our treasure but also our time and talent.
This autumn, several members of the congregation participated in a study called “Committed to Christ, Six Steps to a Generous Life.”[5] This program taught us that there is more to stewardship than just writing a check. According to author Bob Crossman, our life of good stewardship must begin with the basics.
The first two are the most basic things we are called to do as Christians; we are called to pray and read scripture daily. This is where we start. When we are in scripture, we see who God is and what God has done through the expanse of history. In scripture we are able to see both good and bad examples. In scripture we see how God has loved all creation.
In prayer we come with our joys and concerns, this is true. We should also come in repentance, knowing that we have sinned. We also need to come giving glory to the Triune God who made and continues to make us, working to reconcile all creation not to Eden , but to the New Eden. What is even more amazing, we are called to not just spend time talking to God, we are called to listen for God. By scripture and prayer, we come to know God.
We are called to worship. We are called to come and join together in the name and in the presence of the Lord. We are called to share the sacraments. We are called to share fellowship. We are called to join with the saints of yesterday and today. We are called to come together and rejoice.
As we called to come together and share the word of God we are called to serve God’s people and creation. We are called to hands-on service in Jesus’ name. With our hands, we are called to share God’s word with the world.
Then comes the difficult one, “The ‘E’ Word,” evangelism. We are called to share our faith with the world. We are called to share not just with our hands but with an open hand of invitation. This scares most people to death. What’s joyful is Jesus doesn’t want us to share the Book of Order with the world; he wants us to share the joy of our relationship with God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Spirit. He wants us to share our relationship with God who is right here, up-close and personal. He wants us to share our relationship with God who loves the world so much he gave his only begotten son.
When it comes to sharing; don’t share religion, share faith. Don’t share polity, share love. Don’t even share me, share Jesus. That’s the lesson of the widow and of the Lord’s Supper, the righteous share everything.
Finally, very importantly, yes, we are called to share what God has given us financially too. We are called to be generous, giving to the church what God gave us in the first place. So, if you want to hear a financial report, I can share that too, maybe after worship. Right now we have one more fish to fry.
What’s the lesson of these two lessons? In the end they’re not as different as I thought. God loves a cheerful giver. God loves those who willingly give their whole life, not just the part they want to give. God will punish those who misuse their place. God honors the righteous. God will smite the hypocrite.
On a final note, I have heard the pastor shouldn’t know what the people give. I have heard that the offering should be between the believer and the Lord. All I can say to that is, “You’re right, it is, and that is obvious.”
[1] Heading titles in the New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Mark 12:38-40 and 12:41-44 respectively.
[2] Mark 12:34
[3] The first draft said “high on the hog,” but even living in the “Home of the Razorbacks” that just wasn’t kosher.
[4] Jinkins, Michael, Transformational Ministry, Church Leadership and the Way of the Cross. Edinburgh : Saint Andrew Press, 2002, page xi.
[5] Crossman, Bob, “Committed to Christ, Six Steps to a Generous Life.” Nashville : Abingdon Press, 2012.
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