Bible ReadingMark 12:41-44 “And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”
[01:23]2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
[06:29]Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
[14:38]1 Kings 17:8-16 “Then the word of the Lord came to him, ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’ So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.’ And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ And she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.’ And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.”’ And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.”
[09:24]John 6:1-14 “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’”
[09:52]Observation questions- In Mark 12:41-44, what differences are described between the rich givers and the poor widow, and what exact reason does Jesus give for saying she gave more? [11:07]
- What are some specific bad giving mentalities that show up in the message—both in people who give and in people who hold back? [04:26]
- According to 2 Corinthians 9:7, what kind of giver does God love, and what two attitudes are specifically ruled out? [06:29]
- In the examples from 1 Kings 17 and John 6, what small things were placed into God’s hands, and what happened after they were yielded? [09:24]
Interpretation questions- Jesus watched people giving at the treasury instead of just looking at the total amount. What does that reveal about what Christ values most when people give? [03:29]
- The widow gave “all she had to live on.” What does her action show about the relationship between sacrifice and trust? [10:57]
- The closed hand can hold on to what is already there, but it cannot receive what God wants to place in it. How does that image help explain the difference between fear and faith? [20:08]
- The widow of Zarephath, the boy with loaves and fish, and the widow in Mark 12 all gave out of little. What do these examples suggest about how God works through what seems small in human eyes? [16:50]
Application questions- When giving becomes just “checking the list,” what usually reveals that the heart is no longer cheerful or surrendered? What signs would help someone notice that in real life? [05:24]
- Where is it hardest right now to trust God with an open hand—money, time, energy, possessions, or something else? What makes that area especially hard to release? [21:39]
- Some people give and quietly look down on those who cannot give the same way. How can a person guard against pride, comparison, or using generosity to feel superior? [05:00]
- The widow’s gift was called great because it cost her something. What would sacrificial giving look like in this season of life without comparing it to anybody else’s situation? [08:46]
- God is able to supply every need, but trust still has to move from words to action. What is one step of obedience that would show real trust instead of just good intentions? [13:49]
- Many people clutch the little they have because they are afraid there will not be enough. What fears tend to drive that clutching, and how can those fears be brought honestly before God? [20:08]
- “Little” in the Master’s hand can become much. What “little” does someone in the group need to stop dismissing and start offering to God in faith? [16:50]
