Topic: The Motivation of Stewardship [Tony Evans Ministry 26 February 2020]
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In His Presence: Mark 10:25
When churches aren’t receiving tithes from their congregation, there is something drastically wrong in the hearts of those churchgoers. After all, stewardship is a matter of the heart. Jesus drove this point home in Mark 12, where He talked about the motivation behind our stewardship.
Money is an indicator of where our hearts really are. God isn’t interested in our money; He doesn’t need a dime. Our cars all have indicator lights to tell us when we are about to run out of gas or if the engine is overheating. Well, money is a good indicator light for the state of our inner selves.
In this particular account, Jesus went to church with His disciples, “He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury” (v. 41). Jesus’ watch was very intimate as He sat down close to where the offering was being collected. The temple they were in was very ornate and plush, and the rich people were easy to spot because they “were putting in large sums” (v. 41). Jesus could see how much they were putting in because He was watching.
Someone else came along whom Jesus noticed—a widow who dropped in two small copper coins. Those two lepta equaled less than a penny; it was the smallest currency made in that day. In order for Jesus to see such a small offering, He must have been quite close to the scene. He was watching the giving intimately.
One Minute Please
The offering was important enough for Jesus to watch closely—remember its importance as you make your offering.