Alive In the Courtoom

November 8,  2015 “Alive in the Courtroom” Psalm 127, *Mark 12.38-44 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

You may have noticed that much of the bible is written in the backdrop of some secret military meeting, or a courtroom or a classroom. If you are in the habit of watching the evening news, you find stories in the same backdrop as the bible stories.

This morning’s text begins with a classroom conversation. Jesus is the teacher speaking to what could be a group of young lawyers who are debriefing after sitting in on a courtroom trial.

‘Beware of the scribes,” he teaches. “They like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.' '" Jesus using the word “condemnation” probably rings in the ears of his listening learners. The word “condemnation” echoes like the boom of a judge’s gavel. Boom! They devour widow’s houses and will receive the greater condemnation. condemnation….condemned…damned….punished….boom. There it is. Class dismissed. The case study of the corrupt is over. The Scribes who fleece the widows until they have nothing left have been theoretically convicted of many crimes. The judge has so ordered! 

In the verses that follow, Jesus is now on a stakeout, watching folk in the Temple. Verse 41 says, “He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. [It makes you wonder if some made a point to show off their giving, like those big banquets where pictures are taken with donors with their checks that are 5 feet wide. That is not as popular as it used to be, for many reasons.]

Jesus notes, “a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.”

His disciples who are never far away were watching, too. They were probably watching Jesus to see what he, as their master teacher, was watching.

Once I was in a Chinese takeout with a friend. He began staring intently at the young, fair-skinned Chinese clerk who had pink lips, and I was watching him as he was watching the clerk. I was puzzled at the puzzled look on his face. After what seemed like a long time, he finally turned to me and whispered, “She looks just like a newborn baby mouse.” What others see can be very interesting.

Jesus had finished his stakeout of those putting their money into the treasury. Verse 43 says, “Then he called his disciples and said to them, “‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”

Who does that? Who gives out of their poverty? Who gives all they have to live on?

The story comes to mind of a chicken and a pig who lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they both wanted to do something good for him.

One day the chicken approached the pig and said, “I have a great idea for something we can do for the farmer! Would you like to help?”

The pig, quite intrigued by this, said, “of course! What is it that you propose?”

The chicken knew how much the farmer enjoyed a good breakfast. “I think the farmer would be very happy if we made him breakfast.”

The pig thought about this. While not as close to the farmer, he too knew of the farmer’s love for a good breakfast. “I’d be happy to help you make breakfast for the farmer! What do you suggest we make?”

The chicken said, “I could provide some eggs.”

The pig knew the farmer might want more, “That’s a fine start. What else should we make?”

The chicken looked around…scratched his head…then said, “ham? The farmer loves ham and eggs!” 

The pig, very mindful of what this implied, said, “Oh no. That means you get to make a donation but I would be making a sacrifice.”

God did not call that poor widow Jesus saw to sacrifice her life and live in poverty. The greedy and corrupt in the ancient system did.

There are moments when we catch the temple guards, scribes, and the Pharisees strong-arming widows in ways that remind me of the Internal Revenue Service.

If you wanted to live peaceably in the ancient community you had to pay your Temple "tax" or else, be isolated, railroaded, ransacked, mistreated and denounced. It was not a pretty picture. That is not God’s perfect plan for his children.

When the IRS finishes its business with us, we may be left with a headache, trembling, angry or frustrated. We may feel robbed. We may face what seems like cruel and unusual punishment. When we think we have it bad, we can always compare our economic life with that of other countries. We know some are more corrupt than others, at some times in history more than others. Some show more justice than others. Some abuse their poor more than others.

Boom! The gavel goes down. The condemning evidence is witnessed in the face of every child of God that is poor.

The causes of poverty may be complicated. What is not at all complicated is that God is calling us to DO SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE, SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW. In our family, in our church, in our community, God is calling us to do something whether it is small or great. God is calling us to witness, to testify, to give, and to share understanding that God will provide what we need.

Our calling may be to give something material and financial like food or money. We may hear God’s call to give something spiritual like a listening ear or a kind word. But there is no way in this world that God is not calling all of us to do SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE, SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW.

Don’t get mad if God is asking you to give something small and unnoticeable. Don’t be mad if God is asking you to give something bigger than you think is reasonable. God knows the beginning and the end of each gifts. God has a purpose and a plan.

Don’t be mad if you look back and see you have made a mistake in giving more or less than you believe God called you to give. God sees your heart and can move you forward. 

As you move forward with your offerings, Jesus sees all. The poor widow he sees is not the example of sacrificial giving that God wants us to follow. The poor widow is the evidence that proves God is calling all of us to do whatever God is asking us to do so that we will not bear the judgment of making matters worse for the poor or doing nothing while others are in need.  

This is a season to seek God with ALL of our hearts. It is the season to hear God’s voice guiding us to give and to receive. For God is surely speaking to me and to you on behalf of someone in need It may even be our own need. 

It is obvious in this life that we were made to depend on God and one another. Just think about the daily urgency of our need for food, water, shelter, friendship, support, freedom, and opportunities. These ultimately come from God, and God works in our hearts. We need the Lord, the Lord needs us, and we need each other. Amen.