An aging athlete, sent off with a standing ovation at a banquet, drove to a nursing home hoping someone might still recognize him, only to hear from an elderly lady: ‘I’m afraid not, but they can tell you at the reception desk.’ This funny yet bitter story opens a reflection on Mark 12, where Jesus warns against religion for show and points to a poor widow dropping two small coins into the treasury, her whole livelihood. The sermon asks whose approval we are really seeking, people’s or God’s, and what we do with all the things we merely manage rather than own. Listen before you write the cheque of your life.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Mark 12:38-40 Jesus lists long robes, greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues and long prayers for show. What do these behaviors reveal about what the teachers of the law were really after?
- Why does Jesus say the poor widow who put in two small copper coins gave more than all the rich (Mark 12:41-44), and what does this tell us about how God evaluates our giving?
- The sermon reminds us that if we seek recognition in the wrong place, we end up in the wrong place. In which areas of life do you find it easiest to chase people's applause instead of God's approval?
- The speaker points out that by exploiting widows in God's name, the Pharisees distorted people's picture of God. How does the way we live, including how we handle money, shape how others see God?
- The rich gave out of their surplus, while the widow gave everything she had to live on, entrusting her life to God. What helps you give to God first rather than from what is left over, and what gets in the way?
- We are stewards, not owners, of what we have: money, talents, health, time and influence. To whom do you want to write the check of your life this week, and what concrete step can you take?
