It is a mild Sabbath morning in the Palestinian City of Jerusalem. The sun has notyet risen to full strength, and yet people are already lined up all the way down the dusty road which leads to the Holy Temple. Smoke is in the air because of the animals that have already been sacrificed and burned on the altar. And in that slow moving line,
there are rich and poor alike, carrying with them the offerings that are to be presented for the Lord God Jehovah.

    The line leads to a small square room lined with metal collection boxes. the boxes have metal horns extending out of them, to receive the offerings of the people. As you can imagine, the coins make a constant clanging noise as they are cast into the receptacles. 
 

   Most of the people shuffling along, quickly make their donation, and move on. But one person, who has already given His offering, stands over in the corner with His disciples. And notice that it DOES NOT SAY that Jesus is watching WHAT everyone is giving but rather “HOW the people put money into the treasury.” Of course, also in the room, supervising the money boxes, are several priests. As the wealthy citizens pass by and make loud clanging noises by virtue of their many coins, they seem to draw favored glances. Many seem quite impressed at the generosity of those who cast an abundance of big, heavy coins into the boxes.

   And it is not surprise that no one pays particular attention to one frail, little lady who enters the room. Only one person sees her, and that is the One who sees all. But she nonetheless stops at the collection terminal. She then reaches into a tiny sachet and carefully draws out 2 rather insignificant coins -- mites, the smallest currency used by the Romans. She tosses both of these lightweight coins into the big metal box, but their faint click is drowned out by the heavy clanking of more substantial coins made by the wealthy patrons. So, no one notices her. After all, what difference would her two tiny tokens make?

   “Why was Jesus so impressed with the widow who gave her two mites?” What was it that caused him to stop and single her out of the crowd? Why did he honor her minute gift so proudly and publicly?

I. BECAUSE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE OF HER

   1. He knew she was a poor widow. How could He know this?

        A. Did He figure it out based upon the lady’s appearance.

             1. She was likely dressed like a poor person

    2. He knew that the 2 mites she gave were all that she had? How

        did He know this?

        A. Jesus was (and is) God in the flesh!

       B. No big deal for Jesus to have supernatural knowledge

    3. He knew her heart! (He could feel her love)

    4. Jesus knows things about us that no one else knows!

       A. That’s a sobering thought, isn’t it?

       B. That is why He ignored the pompous, glory seeking hypocrites

            but noticed the poor widow lady.
    5. He knows and understands your plight!

        A. Suffering emotionally today? Are you

        B. Burdened with worries and concerns?

        C. Going through a financial, physical, emotional or

             spiritual  crisis? “Jesus knows all about our struggles

    1. What was she doing at the temple? Why was she there?

    2. SHE BELIEVED IN GOD’S WORK!

       A. She truly WANTED TO GIVE.

       B. Notice how she gave.

           1. She didn’t make a big show or let people know.

           2. Contrast “Phariseeical” giving and her giving.

          3. She quietly and cheerfully sacrificed her whole living

III BECAUSE OF HER FAITH

    1. This woman apparently had no one else to help her in life.

        A. Her husband was dead, she was left destitute.

       B. Had no other relatives, because the Levitical Law would have

             called on them to support her.
       C. She was all alone. She wasn’t even with a friend!

    2. What those 2 little coins represented!

        A. To a wealthy person, 2 mites were virtually useless

        B. But, to this woman, the sum total of her livelihood!

        C. Her last meal! They were absolutely all that she owned!

    3. Notice what happened when this poor widow gave her all.

        A. She demonstrated that she was Totally and absolutely

             dependant upon God

   4. Have you ever been absolutely, totally dependent upon God?

       A. You have NEVER known incredible sacrifice, then you have

            never known what it means to depend on God. And if you have

            never known what it means to depend on God, you don’t know

            what it means to be a disciple!

      B. “Pastor David, how can you be so abrasive!” I’m not. Jesus is.

            1. Listen to His words in (Lk.14:33): So likewise, whosoever

                he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be

                my disciple.

       C. LISTEN, we shouldn’t be upset when we are placed in

            desperate situations. Because with God “Importunity =

           Opportunity! Trials become Teachable Moments! Problems

           become Possibilities! Sorrow finds Comfort! Our Needs

            become His Supply!” SOMEBODY SAY AMEN!!!

CONCLUSION:

A woman missionary in the South Pacific Islands was explaining to a group of children the custom and significance of giving gifts at Christmas. "Giving gifts," she said, "expresses love and reminds us of the perfect gift of love we received from God: Jesus." Later that week, a young native boy came to the missionary's side and said, "I love you and want you to have this." He pulled from a straw basket the most beautiful shell the missionary had ever seen. As she admired its beauty, she recognized it as a special shell only found on the far side of the island, a half day's walk from the village. When confronted by this, the boy smiled and said, "Long walk part of gift!"

God "walked" 2000 years with his people before sending the gift of Jesus. And he has walked 2000 more years expressing the significance of Him!