#125 Luke 20:45-21:4 The Widow’s Offering
On May 28, 2023 by Amy BurginJoy:
Episode #125 Luke 21:45-21:4
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you are here! I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin.
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus. This podcast makes room for that. Amid a world of many words, we slow down here and make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly comfort, correct, and lead us. Each week we read a portion of scripture several times and create stillness after each reading so we might also be still and know God more.
We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before we read today, take time to share your heart with God. We do this each week; we draw intimately close to God, pouring out our hearts to him, and then make room for him to pour out his heart to us. So bring God your thanksgiving, grief, fear, joy, anger, excitement, questions, and concerns in this next minute.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
As I read today’s passage, consider the question, what does this say about God?
Luke 20:45-21:4 20:45 While all the people [of the temple courts, including the teachers of the law] were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
21:1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Again?
Luke 20:45-21:4 20:45 While all the people [of the temple courts, including the teachers of the law] were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
21:1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Take the next few moments to consider what this says about God.
[Pause and know]What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I reread today’s passage, consider the question, what does this say about God?
Luke 20:45-21:4 20:45 While all the people [of the temple courts, including the teachers of the law] were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
21:1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Take a minute to consider what this says about people.
[Pause and know]Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?
Joy:
As I read today’s passage for the last time, ask God, Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage? If it helps, put yourself in the narrative.
Luke 20:45-21:4 20:45 While all the people [of the temple courts, including the teachers of the law] were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
21:1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Take a minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do in response to this passage?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you turn your face toward Jesus today and know him more.
One Response
Amy:
I never noticed before the connection between the end of Chapter 20 and the beginning of Chapter 21. At the end of Chapter 20, Jesus said to “beware of the teachers of the law – they devour widows’ houses” and then as we step into Chapter 21, it says, “As Jesus looked up, he saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.”
God is the God who sees – one of his names is El Roi.
God’s heart has always been for the widow.
In Exodus 22:22 God commanded, “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.”
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 For the Lord your god is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
Psalm 156:9 “The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do right, seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Closing
Amy:
You can find a transcript of this episode and all our episodes at amyburgin.com. Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.
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