Less is more
38 As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’
Mark 12:38–44 (NIVUK)
Imagine a regional city with three Lutheran congregations:
St John’s Lutheran Church started out about 160 years ago when the Germans settled in town. Their original 1800’s building is placed a block back from the main street and they have one service every Sunday, only ever with their impressive pipe organ. Their membership got up to 500 back in the 1950’s, but it has now stabilised at around 120.
Our Saviour Lutheran Church was established about 50 years ago when the LCA unified. They are situated in one of the established suburbs in town and worship in their 1960’s cream brick church building. When they built the church, they made the radical decision to not include an organ and instead have piano or a small band. They currently use All Together music and some early 2000’s Hillsong. Despite their efforts to stay relevant for the young people, a chunk of their membership moved across to the new church plant in town and only about 50 remained.
Ignite Church is officially an LCA congregation, but they don’t openly promote that. They planted their congregation inside Grace Lutheran College which is an R–12, thousand-student college that was established by Lutheran Education independently from the other two congregations. Under the leadership of their 30-something year-old bearded pastor and his young family, Ignite regularly has over 300 people at worship on a Sunday and also have an extensive small group network, children’s ministry program, and a café which is open to the school community during the week and church on Sundays.
Which of these three—St John’s, Our Saviour, or Ignite—is likely to be the best at ministry and making disciples?
At face value, I would probably say that numbers talk. Ignite must be doing the most discipling since the most people go there. You could also say that since St John’s has been there for so long and have never departed from their traditional style or building, that they have a good chance of having the best quality of preaching and teaching. Little, struggling Our Saviour doesn’t seem like it has a lot going for it.
The same goes for us as individuals. Imagine two stereotypical Lutherans:
Clem Schmidt turned 85 this year. He has been a member of the stable St John’s congregation for all his life, often telling stories of when Pastor Schultz confirmed him 70-odd years ago in a class of 20 after a three-year course. Clem has served on every office-bearing position at some point and continues to lay read regularly. He also loves to help out on the property committee. His one regret is that his children, who are now in their 50’s, don’t come to church anymore.
Charlotte Jeffries is a mum of three with no church background, other than her baptism as a baby, though she can’t remember which church it was in. She heard about Ignite Church through the school where she sends her kids. Her husband doesn’t take any interest in religion. Charlotte likes the idea of volunteering at church or joining a small group, but it’s just too hard with the kids. She feels that everyone else seems to know way more about the faith than she does, but she loves listening and learning from the pastor’s sermons.
Which of Clem or Charlotte is a more faithful disciple of Jesus? At face value, we would probably say that Clem’s decades of involvement in the church must give him more knowledge about God and, therefore, a stronger faith. Charlotte still has a lot to learn, and she hasn’t even served on any rosters or committees yet.
We tend to think that more is more. In churches: more programs, more money, more facilities, and more members (especially young members) equal more ministry.
As individuals: more years of faithful service, more volunteer hours, more financial giving, and more respect from the community equal more faith and blessing from God.
Our world says more is more. Our culture says more is more. Churches can say more is more. It’s pretty hard to swim against such a strong tide, yet that is exactly what Jesus calls us to today. He says: less is more.
Less recognition, more humility
38 As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’
Mark 12:38–40 (NIVUK)
Jesus calls us to a life where less is more: less recognition, more humility.
The teachers of the law do all the right things: they dedicate their lives to serve in God’s temple and instruct His people in the Word. The role they have is incredibly highly respected by the whole community. In these ways, it’s not all that different to how we view the office of pastor and the people that are called into that office, or the long-standing faithful servants like Clem Schmidt.
The problem is that, although the faithful service is admirable, the people are still just people. The teachers of the law receive honour and respect from people because of their role, but they let it get to their heads. They end up taking advantage of the perks and treating people as if they are below them.
Pastors are not immune to this problem. People who serve on committees and boards aren’t either. In fact, none of us are immune, Jesus says.
We might start out serving for all the right reasons—we want to give back to our church community, we want to contribute to society, we want to help people who are less fortunate than us—but we can very quickly lose sight of those good reasons and instead do it for the perks: the recognition, the thanks, the respect, the honour.
Jesus is not pointing the finger at the teachers of the law to shame them and make the disciples feel better about themselves. He is showing them that even the most faithful servants of the temple can let it get to their heads.
Jesus calls us to a life where less is more: less recognition, more humility.
Less getting, more giving
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’
Mark 12:41–44 (NIVUK)
Jesus calls us to a life where less is more: less getting, more giving.
The monetary value of what this widow gives is miniscule. It’s as if someone tossed in a five-cent coin in the offering bowl today. We would look down on that person. In the next moment, we would hold highly the one who puts in a handful of green notes. The thing is, we have no idea where their giving is coming from. Only God knows that.
It strikes me that this widow gives all she has to the temple treasury. We have just heard Jesus point out that the teachers of the law are attention-seeking hypocrites.
And yet, this widow gives all she has to the offering that these people live on. Is she naïve? Should she have known better? Is her sacrifice a complete waste?
The practice of giving an offering to the Lord is exactly that: to the Lord. It is an act of faith that it will be used according to God’s purposes and to further God’s mission in this world. We usually don’t see the result of the offering we put in the bowl or set up online. Nor should we need to.
Any act of generosity, monetary or otherwise, requires complete faith: faith that God will use what we give for His purposes.
This also serves as a warning that withholding or protecting what we have is not always what God wants for us. As the parable goes, the master doesn’t praise the servant that digs a hole and buries his money, but the one who takes a risk, puts the master’s money to use, and comes back with a return.
Even though this widow’s offering was next to nothing and will hardly be a drop in the ocean in the temple treasury, it’s not about the face value of her gift or where her gift will go. Jesus is drawing our attention to the widow’s sacrifice and the faith she has to give it.
We are all called to live with that kind of faith: giving without any expectation of a return, any desire to be seen, or any fear about whether our gift will be worthwhile. This is what it means to give freely and generously.
Jesus calls us to a life where less is more: less getting, more giving.
Less of me, more of Christ
When Jesus was starting his ministry and people were comparing him with John the Baptist, they expected John to compete against Jesus and defend his reputation. John’s reply? “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Jesus calls us to a life where less is more: less of me, more of Christ.
The Christian life is like a seesaw. When I am higher, Jesus is lower. When Jesus is higher, I am lower. When Jesus is somewhere in the middle, so am I. It is not possible to become a more devoted and committed Christian while also putting more effort into our own desires or pursuits. Trying to do that will inevitably break us.
Even practically speaking, you can’t make more time for church commitments and increase your hours at work at the same time. Well, you can try, but it won’t last long. We all know that life is a balancing act with all kinds of things to keep up, but we can only ever keep one thing at the top of our list of priorities at a time.
The widow emptied herself of all the money she had, knowing that God would fill her with His peace. Less of me, more of Christ.
We don’t live to serve ourselves, but we are called to serve a God who emptied Himself for us. Less of me, more of Christ.
Your sinful flesh was drowned at the font, only to be raised to new life and filled with His Spirit. Less of me, more of Christ.
We don’t gather every week to pat ourselves on the back, but to cry to God for mercy and gratefully receive His forgiveness. Less of me, more of Christ.
We don’t stand over the Word and tell the Spirit what to do, but we listen to God when He speaks and allow the Spirit to work in us. Less of me, more of Christ.
We don’t run this church and decide what its purpose is, but we pray for God’s guidance and direction so that His will is done through us. Less of me, more of Christ.
We give to God in faith and we serve Him and His people in humility, lowering ourselves to lift up others. Less of me, more of Christ.
As Christ emptied Himself and took on our sin to put it to death forever, may we empty ourselves of our pride and sin to instead be filled with His righteousness, so that all the earth might be filled with His glory.
May it be so. Amen.
