Episodes

  • Therefore, Let Us Keep the Feast: What It Means for Us Today (1 Corinthians 5:8)

    Therefore, Let Us Keep the Feast: What It Means for Us Today (1 Corinthians 5:8)
    Nov 18 2024
    As a pastor, I have often been asked if Christians should celebrate the seven biblical feasts in Leviticus 23. The common answer is that we don’t celebrate the feasts because Jesus fulfilled them. But in Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, and 41, God said the feasts should be celebrated forever, and in 1 Corinthians 5:8, Paul wrote, “Therefore let us keep the feast by...” referring to the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. If God wanted people to stop celebrating the feasts when Jesus fulfilled them, why would He command people to celebrate them forever, and why would Paul say to celebrate them? Read on, watch, or listen to find out! https://youtu.be/nsAhfHLo2H8 Table of contentsCelebrating Spiritually Versus PhysicallyKeep the Feast of Passover By Believing Jesus Is the Lamb of GodKeep the Feast of Unleavened Bread By Removing SinRemoving Sin Corporately and PersonallyMust Be Passover Followed By the Feast of Unleavened BreadKeep the Feast of Firstfruits By Believing in the ResurrectionKeep the Feast of Pentecost with a Circumcised HeartWhen the Jews Finally Experienced Spiritual Circumcision of the HeartNo Guarantee Spiritual Circumcision Will OccurWhy Such Different Responses to Similar Sermons?Celebrating in the True and Greaqter Way As a pastor, I have often been asked, "Do we celebrate the seven Old Testament feasts today?" The simple, quick answer is no, because Jesus fulfilled them for us. Orthodox Jews who don’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah keep celebrating the feasts because they don’t see Jesus as the fulfillment of them. Let me briefly review the ways the feasts find their fulfillment in Christ. Jesus fulfilled the first four spring feasts in His first coming: Passover began the first month of the Hebrew calendar and looked forward to Jesus’s crucifixion on Passover as our Passover Lamb. The second feast, Unleavened Bread began the following day, and looked forward to Jesus’s burial when His sinless or unleavened body was in the grave. The third feast, Firstfruits, occurred on Sunday in the middle of Unleavened Bread and looked forward to Jesus’s resurrection. This is why Jesus is called the firstfruits of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. The space of seven weeks, or 49 days, between the third and fourth feasts looked forward to the seven weeks between Jesus’s resurrection and ascension when He revealed Himself to over 500 witnesses. The fourth feast, Pentecost, is also called the Feast of Weeks because it was seven weeks after Firstfruits. It looked forward to the church's birth when Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit. We look forward to Jesus fulfilling the three fall feasts in His Second Coming: He will fulfill the Feast of Trumpets at the rapture when He meets the church in the air. He will fulfill The Day of Atonement during the tribulation when He pours out his wrath on a world that rejected him, which is why in Revelation 6:16 people cry out to be hidden from “the wrath of the Lamb.” He will fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths when He returns, establishes His millennial kingdom on earth, and dwells or Tabernacles among us. But let me share something interesting with you. Consider these verses in Leviticus 23, the chapter describing the seven feasts: Leviticus 23:14 And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: IT IS A STATUTE FOREVER THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS IN ALL YOUR DWELLINGS. God told the Israelites to celebrate Firstfruits forever. Leviticus 23:21 And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. IT IS A STATUTE FOREVER in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. God told the Israelites to celebrate the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost forever. Leviticus 23:31 You shall not do any work. IT IS A STATUTE FOREVER throughout your generations in all your dwelli...
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    46 mins
  • Unlocking the Meaning of the Three Fall Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23:23-44)

    Unlocking the Meaning of the Three Fall Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23:23-44)
    Nov 11 2024
    The four spring feasts point to Jesus's first coming and are covered in this post. The three fall feasts, described in Leviticus 23:23-44, look forward to His Second Coming. This video explores the profound significance of these three feasts. The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) symbolizes the Rapture, where Jesus gathers His church; the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) looks ahead to the Tribulation and "the Wrath of the Lamb"; and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Succoth) signifies the Millennium when Jesus will "tabernacle" among us. https://youtu.be/syg27sqJXP0 Table of contentsThe Spring Feasts Reveal the Lamb of God, and the Fall Feasts Reveal the Lion of the Tribe of JudahThe Six-Month “Gap” Between the Spring and Fall Feasts Represents the Church AgeThe First Fall Feast of the Lord, Trumpets, Looks Forward to the Rapture When Jesus Gathers His ChurchDoes the Feast of Trumpets Give Us the Date of the Rapture?The Second Fall Feast of the Lord, the Day of Atonement, Looks Forward to the Tribulation and “Wrath of the Lamb”The Third Fall Feast of the Lord, Tabernacles, Looks Forward to the Millennium When Jesus “Tabernacles” Among UsThe Connection Between the Feast of Tabernacles and the MillenniumDid the Feast of Trumpets Look Back on Christ Dwelling with Israel in the Wilderness?The Fall Feasts of the Lord Demonstrate God's Love My last post examined the first four spring feasts, and in this post, I will examine the last three fall feasts. I want to capture the transition between the spring and fall feasts. The Spring Feasts Reveal the Lamb of God, and the Fall Feasts Reveal the Lion of the Tribe of Judah If I worded this heading differently, it would be, “The spring feasts reveal the Suffering Servant, and the fall feasts reveal the Coming King.” God often uses animals to picture kingdoms. For example: In Jeremiah 5 and 49, a lion and eagle represent Babylon. In Ezekiel 17 and 19, an eagle and crocodile represent Egypt. Probably most famously, in Daniel 7: A lion represents Babylon A bear represents Medo-Persia A leopard represents Greece And a fourth, monstrous beast represents Rome God also uses animals two animals to represent Christ’s Kingdom, and we see them in the seven feasts: The four spring feasts looked forward to Jesus’s First Coming as the Lamb of God. The three fall feasts look forward to Jesus’s Second Coming as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Just as the first four feasts go together and looked forward to Jesus’s First Coming, the three fall feasts go together and look forward to Jesus’s Second Coming. They all occur within about 20 days of each other: Tishri 1 to Tishri 21 or September 21 to October 11. The Six-Month “Gap” Between the Spring and Fall Feasts Represents the Church Age Leviticus 23:5 IN THE FIRST MONTH, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord's Passover. Passover occurred in the first month. Leviticus 23:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. This is the fifth feast, Trumpets, which occurred “in the seventh month.” So, there is a six-month gap between the spring and fall feasts of the Lord. They are separated by as much time as possible. If the feasts were any further apart, they would be closer together on the other end of the calendar. This six-month gap represents the church age or “gap” between Jesus’s two comings. I use the word “gap” because if you’re familiar with Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, this gap should make you think of the “gap” between Daniel’s 69th and 70th weeks. The First Fall Feast of the Lord, Trumpets, Looks Forward to the Rapture When Jesus Gathers His Church Leviticus 23:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying,
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    49 mins
  • How Did Jesus Fulfill the Biblical Feasts? Understanding Prophecies in Christianity

    How Did Jesus Fulfill the Biblical Feasts? Understanding Prophecies in Christianity
    Nov 4 2024
    How did Jesus fulfill the biblical feasts in Leviticus 23? The seven feasts are divided into two groups. This post examines the four spring feasts that look to Jesus's first coming. Here are the three fall feasts that look to Jesus's Second Coming. Each feast was fulfilled when celebrated: Jesus was crucified on Passover (Pesach), Jesus's sinless (unleavened body) was buried during Unleavened Bread (Hag Hamatzot), Jesus was resurrected on Firstfruits (Hag HaBikkurim), and the church was born on Pentecost or Weeks (Shavuot). https://youtu.be/RNeIGbVYcIA How did Jesus fulfill the biblical feasts? The fall feasts, Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost look to the First Coming. Table of contentsLooking to Jesus's First ComingThe First Biblical Feast, Passover (Pesach), Looked Forward to Jesus’s CrucifixionThe Second Biblical Feast, Unleavened Bread (Hag Hamatzot), Looked Forward to Jesus’s Unleavened Body in the GraveJesus's Unleavened Body Couldn't Remain in the GraveThe Third Biblical Feast, Firstfruits (Hag HaBikkurim), Looked Forward to Jesus’s ResurrectionWhat Are Firstfruits?The Fourth Biblical Feast, Pentecost or Weeks (Shavuot), Looked Forward to the Church's “Harvest”The Seven Weeks Between the Third and Fourth FeastsThe Sabbath Looked Forward to the Rest Christ OffersChrist's True and Greater RestWhat Did the Hebrews Understand? The seven biblical feasts are divided into two groups. The four fall feasts fall feasts look to Jesus’s First Coming, and all were fulfilled when they were celebrated: Jesus was crucified on Passover Jesus’s sinless, or unleavened body, was buried during the Feast of Unleavened Bread Jesus was resurrected on Firstfruits The church began on Pentecost The three spring feasts, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, look to Jesus's Second Coming, and because the fall feasts were fulfilled when the feasts were celebrated, it is reasonable to expect the spring feasts to be fulfilled when they are celebrated. The first feast, Passover, began the first month of the Hebrew calendar, Nissan 14, our March 30.1 The feast of firstfruits is below the feast of unleavened bread, because firstfruits took place during unleavened bread. Seven weeks passed between the third and fourth feasts looking forward to the seven weeks between Jesus’s resurrection and ascension when He revealed himself to over 500 witnesses. There is a six-month gap between Nisan, when the fall feasts begin, and Tishri, the seventh month when the spring feasts begin. This six-month gap represents the church age or gap between Jesus’s two comings. Looking to Jesus's First Coming Leviticus 23:4 “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. The Hebrew word for feasts is môʿēḏ, which means “appointed times,” which is why many Bibles refer to the feasts as appointed feasts instead of only feasts. This is the first of four times in verses two through four that the word appointed is used. God wants us to know these feasts are appointed. Why the repetition? God carefully planned their timing and sequence to point toward Christ and the work He would accomplish in His First and Second Comings. The First Biblical Feast, Passover (Pesach), Looked Forward to Jesus’s Crucifixion Leviticus 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord's Passover. 1 Corinthians 5:7b Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Every Passover looked forward to Christ, our Passover lamb, who was crucified on Passover: Matthew 26:2 the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” John 19:13 Pilate…brought Jesus out, and…14 it was the day of preparation of the Passover. At the same time the lambs were being prepared to be slaughtered for the Passover meal, Jesus was being prepared to be slaughtered for our sins.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • What Are the Four Views of the End Times? (Revelation 20:1-8)

    What Are the Four Views of the End Times? (Revelation 20:1-8)
    Oct 28 2024
    The nature of the thousand years, or millennium, in Revelation 20:1-8, is widely debated. The four views of the end times are postmillennialism, amillennialism, premillennialism, and preterism. Maybe you wonder what each view means. Hopefully, this answers that for you! https://youtu.be/llJDdYqts0U The four views of the end times are postmillennialism, amillennialism, premillennialism, and preterism. Learn what each view means. Table of contentsWhat Is the Millennium?The Four Views of the End TimesPostmillennialism's View of the End Times: Christ Returns After the Millennium and Rules in Believers’ HeartsAmillennialism's View of the End Times: The Church Age Is the Millennium, and Christ Rules Through the ChurchPostmillennialism and Amillennialism Avoid Literal InterpretationsSatan Is Not ImprisonedPremillennialism's View of the End Times: Christ Returns Before the Millennium and Physically Rules on the EarthPreterismFull Preterism: Christ Returned in 70 A.D., and all Prophecy Is FulfilledJesus's Second Coming Is Physically and BodilyFull Preterism Is HeresyPartial Preterism: Christ Will Return and Some Prophecy Is FulfilledHow Preterists Arrive at Their InterpretationAre We Ready for Jesus's Second Coming? If you have been in the church for long, you’ve heard people talk about being amill, post mill, and premill. You probably know these describe people’s eschatology or view of the end times. But maybe you wonder what each view means. Hopefully, this sermon will answer that for you! I'm a premillennialist, but I will do my best to present the opposing views respectfully and share the names of respected people who hold each view. What Is the Millennium? The suffix mill in each view is short for millennium. The most explicit passage describing the millennium is in Revelation 20. Look at verse one: Revelation 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit (or abyss) and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, The pit, or abyss, is the temporary prison for demons who sinned by possessing people in Noah’s day and throughout history. You might remember when Jesus cast the demons out of the man in the country of the Gerasenes in Luke 8:31. They begged Jesus not to cast them into the abyss. Demons are locked up here until released as part of the 5th Trumpet Judgment in Revelation 9. The abyss also ends up being the prison for the devil during the millennium. The millennium is named from the repeated use of the phrase “thousand years” six times in verses 2 through 7. Revelation 20:3 and threw him into the pit (or abyss), and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. The devil is imprisoned in the abyss for one thousand years and then released. As we'll see, he isn’t cast straight into hell because God has one more task for him. There’s a real emphasis on the devil deceiving the world because it’s mentioned four times in Revelation 19:20, 20:3, 8, 10. It’s interesting that of all the devil’s evils, this is the reason he’s locked up. Revelation 12:9 says he’s the deceiver of the world. He shows up on the pages of Scripture deceiving Eve, and his final actions before being cast into hell also involve deceiving people. I’m convinced the world will be dramatically different when the devil is locked up and cannot deceive anyone. Please keep that in mind when we discuss each view. Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. After the millennium, the devil is released and returns to deceiving people. His 1,
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    52 mins
  • Do You Reap What You Sow When Giving Money? (Galatians 6:7)

    Do You Reap What You Sow When Giving Money? (Galatians 6:7)
    Oct 24 2024
    Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." We have heard this quoted when people encourage us to give. So, do you reap what you sow when giving? Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn the answer. Table of ContentsGod Gives to Us So We Can Give to OthersYou Reap What You SowIf We Give Enough, Will God Make Us Rich?Do We Reap What We Sow in This Life or the Next?God Gives Us Grace So We Can Give MoreFootnotes Our God is a giver. He “gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). He gives us abundant life: “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He gives us wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). He gives us gifts: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). The greatest gift God gave us is His Son: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with him freely give us all things?” Ephesians 5:1 commands us to “be imitators of God,” which means we should give too. Proverbs 21:26 says, “The righteous gives and does not spare.” Why is giving righteous? God’s actions define righteousness. Because God gives, giving is righteous and makes us imitators of Him. God Gives to Us So We Can Give to Others In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the master rebuked the man: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matthew 18:32-33). The wicked servant was condemned because he wouldn’t forgive as God had forgiven him. This reveals an important principle in Scripture: We should do for others what God has done for us. For example, we should love others because God loved us: “As I have loved you… you also love one another” (John 13:34). We should forgive others because God forgave us: “Forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Regarding giving because God is a giver who has given so much to us, we should give to others. Some spiritual gifts, such as teaching and leadership, seem like gifts because they benefit the person receiving them. However, other gifts, such as mercy and serving, don’t seem like gifts because they help others more than those who received them. This gives us insight into why God gives us gifts, which we must consider because God’s reason for giving gifts can differ from our reason. We typically give gifts to bless the recipient, but God gives gifts to bless the recipient and so the recipient can bless others: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). We can enjoy the gifts God has given us—for example, God has given me the gift of teaching, which I enjoy—but being good stewards of our gifts means using them for others’ benefit. This applies to all God has given us, including our wealth. Let’s consider two of the parables. First, in the parable of the talents, the third servant buried his talent (gift) in the ground and was severely punished in response (Matthew 25:18, 30). The financial application is that when we keep our wealth to ourselves, we act like the third servant—we take what God has given us and, in a sense, bury it in the ground. Second, the parable of the rich fool reveals that we aren’t given wealth to keep it for ourselves. When we hoard our wealth, we’re acting like the rich fool. In both parables, the men failed to use God’s generosity as intended: for others. God is generous with us so that we can be generous with others....
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    30 mins
  • God Loves a Cheerful Giver and Six Ways to Become One (2 Corinthians 9:7)

    God Loves a Cheerful Giver and Six Ways to Become One (2 Corinthians 9:7)
    Oct 20 2024
    In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul wrote, “God loves a cheerful giver.” God loves everyone, but He has a unique love for cheerful givers. If for no other reason, we should strive to give cheerfully because we love the Lord and want to be people He loves. Read, listen, or watch this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn six reasons we should be cheerful givers. https://youtu.be/1h01mek6B34 In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul wrote, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Learn six reasons we should be cheerful givers. Table of ContentsHow We Want to Receive Gifts1. Give Cheerfully Because God Loves a Cheerful Giver2. Give Cheerfully Because It Sends Wealth Ahead3. Give Cheerfully Because We Can’t Take Wealth with Us4. Give Cheerfully Because We Enjoy Wealth for a Short TimeIn Light of Eternity We Enjoy Wealth as Long As Daniel5. Give Cheerfully Because God Sees What’s in Our Hearts Versus Our Hands6. Give Cheerfully Because of All We’ve Been GivenThree Simple Recommendations If You Still Struggle GivingFootnotes I used to coach junior high wrestling. After one season, some of my wrestlers decided to buy me a gift. They pooled their money and purchased a nice plaque they planned to give me at the end-of-year banquet. While riding their bikes with the plaque to the banquet, one of them accidentally dropped it on the road and damaged it. They were so happy to give me the plaque that, at first, nobody told me why it was damaged. Finally, someone apologized and explained what had happened. But they didn’t need to apologize because I was blessed by how happy they were to give it to me. Regardless of what it is, a gift means so much more when given cheerfully. The opposite is also true: a gift means little when begrudged. Picture people who give through clenched teeth with the gift (figuratively speaking) having to be pried from their hands. Imagine they say: “I hope this makes you happy, but I bet you would never give me something like this.” “You better appreciate this because you wouldn’t believe how difficult it was for me to get it.” “I don’t want to give this to you, but I know it’s your birthday, so I hope you enjoy it.” Nobody wants gifts from stingy people, and the Bible even discourages us from accepting them: Proverbs 23:6 Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, 7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. In other words, he doesn’t want to give you any of his stuff. How We Want to Receive Gifts If you’re a parent, think about a young child giving you a gift. If we’re honest, unless our child is very talented, the gift probably isn’t something we would purchase if we saw it in a store. Our children’s gifts are not valuable to us because of their quality. They are valuable because they are signs of their love for us. Another way to say it is children’s gifts are meaningful because of the heart behind them. Giving is much bigger than the gift. An analogy: the gift is an iceberg above the water, and everything that goes into the gift is below the surface. The last sermon focused on the sacrifice involved in giving or the sacrifice below the surface. This sermon will focus on the way we give, or our attitudes because like we want gifts given to us cheerfully, so does our heavenly Father: 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. I shared this verse in a previous sermon but didn’t cover its conclusion: God loves a cheerful giver. The Greek word translated “reluctantly” is lypē, meaning “with grief, sorrow, or sadness.” God wants glad givers, not sad or mad givers. Robert Rodenmeyer said, “There are three kinds of giving: grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving. Grudge giving says, ‘I have to’; duty giving says, ‘I ought to’; thanksgiving says, ‘I want to.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Principles for Biblical Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-8)

    Principles for Biblical Giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-8)
    Oct 7 2024
    Although the New Testament doesn’t command tithing, it gives us principles to determine the amount. Most of these principles for biblical giving are found in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. These chapters provide the richest, most detailed teaching on giving in the Bible. Read, listen, or watch this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn more. https://youtu.be/sCmBIcmYGcg The New Testament doesn’t command tithing, but it gives us principles for biblical giving in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 to determine the amount. Table of contentsThe Macedonians' Example in GivingPrinciple One: Biblical Giving Is a Reflection of Our Relationships with the LordPrinciple Two: Biblical Giving Means Giving WillinglyPrinciple Three: Biblical Giving Requires Deciding How Much to GiveThe Old Testament Foreshadowed Giving WillinglyJacob Gave UnwillinglyAbraham Gave WillinglyGiving Willingly Produces More than Obligatory GivingWhy Do We Give? We wonder how much to give because the New Testament doesn’t command giving a tithe. Although the New Testament doesn’t tell us how much, it does give us principles to determine the amount. Most of these principles are found in two chapters: 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. These chapters provide the richest, most detailed teaching on giving in the Bible. The Macedonians' Example in Giving First, here’s the context for these chapters: One of the primary goals of Paul’s third missionary journey was to gather a special offering for the poor Christians in Jerusalem. The Corinthians said they would give, but they hadn’t given yet. It is much easier to talk about giving than give. So, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give by telling them about the Macedonians who set a powerful example with their sacrificial giving. Just as Job is synonymous with suffering and Solomon is synonymous with wisdom, the Macedonians can be synonymous with giving. 2 Corinthians 8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. Notice in verse it says the Macedonians gave “in a severe test of affliction.” Macedonia was the northern region of Greece, where the Philippian, Thessalonican, and Berean churches were located. Many wars had ravaged this area, and Rome was still plundering it even at the time of Paul’s writing. In other words, living in Macedonia was difficult. During trials, who do we tend to think about? Ourselves. Who do we tend not to think about? Others. But not the Macedonians! Even while suffering, they still thought about and gave “a wealth of generosity” to the Jerusalem believers. Because the Macedonians gave so much, we would expect them to have been given much; in other words, we would expect them to be wealthy. But it was the opposite! Verse 2 also says they were in “extreme poverty.” The Greek word translated as “poverty” refers to a beggar with nothing and no hope of getting anything. When I think of first-century Christians, I think of people who were already poor. The Macedonians must have been among the lowest of the low, but they still found a way to give much. 2 Corinthians 8:3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord. 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints They gave “beyond their means,” which means they gave more than they could afford. They didn’t have the money, but they gave anyway. They resemble the widow who gave her last two mites. How many times have you heard of Christians begging to be able to give? They called being able to give a “favor,” or some Bibles say privilege. The Greek word for favor or privilege is charis, the same word translated as “grace” elsewhere in Scripture. Verse 1 says that “the grace of God” allowed them to give.
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    48 mins
  • The Widow’s Mite and Sacrificial Giving (Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44)

    The Widow’s Mite and Sacrificial Giving (Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44)
    Sep 29 2024
    We can learn much about sacrificial giving from the account of the widow's mite in Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44. The widow's mite teaches that giving is much bigger than the gift. The gift is an iceberg above the water, and below the surface is the sacrifice that went into it. The gift is a tree, and the roots in the ground are the sacrifice that went into it. Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn more. https://youtu.be/nLCGb0opbIk We can learn about sacrificial giving from the account of the widow's mite in Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44. Giving is bigger than the gift. Table of contentsThe Widow's Mite Shows Sacrifice Is More Important than the AmountThe Widow's Mite Is a Window Into Eternal RewardsOur Sacrificial Giving Is WorshipThe High Priest, Priesthood, Temple, and Sacrifices Under the New CovenantWe See Sacrificial Giving with AbrahamWe See Sacrificial Giving with Animal SacrificesWe See Sacrificial Giving with DavidGive According to Your IncomeWhat About American Christians' Giving?Give Because Our God Is a GiverFootnotes When Katie and I were part of a home fellowship early in our marriage, a couple joined the group soon after being released from prison. Even though they hadn’t been Christians for long, their affection for the Lord was evident. They were thankful that He had forgiven them, that He would want a relationship with them after their actions, and that He would allow them to begin new lives in Christ. Because of the decisions that led to their incarcerations and the burned bridges with most, if not all, family members and friends, it wouldn’t be too much to say that our home fellowship was just about all the relationships they had. They were part of our group when Katie was pregnant with Rhea. Everyone was excited for us, but perhaps because this couple had no children or grandchildren, they seemed more excited than anyone else. They desperately wanted to give Rhea a gift when she was born, but as you can guess, they didn’t have much. They settled on a dirty, smelly blanket, which they put in a torn plastic bag. They were smokers, so we had to put the blanket on the sanitary cycle on our washer quite a few times, but we still couldn’t get rid of the smell. While the blanket didn’t cost much and was never helpful to us, the gift was significant. Why? Because they had so little, we knew the sacrifice that went into the gift. Giving is much bigger than the gift. If I can use two analogies: The gift is an iceberg above the water, and below the surface is the sacrifice that went into the gift. The gift is a tree, and the roots in the ground are the sacrifice that went into the gift. Everything behind the giving is more important than the gift itself. The premier example of this in scripture is the account commonly called the widow’s mite: Luke 21:1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. There’s a lot in commentaries about how much – or how little – she put in. I could bore you with a discussion of the different coins of the day, but I don’t think it’s necessary. You get the point that she put in a tiny amount. The shocking part of the widow’s mite is that she had only two mites and gave them both. She might have kept one coin for herself, and no one would have blamed her if she had. Instead, she gave both with staggering generosity. Luke 21:3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. Jesus called His disciples to talk to them about what He saw. The parallel account in Mark 12:41 says, “Many rich people put in large sums.” Jesus wasn’t impressed with the large sums the rich people contributed. Instead, He drew their attention to the widow's mite. Although the ESV doesn’t include the word “how” in Mark 12:41, most other translations – such as the NASB, Amplified, NKJV,
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    48 mins