Luke 21:1-4

Rachel Workman: 21 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. ² Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.^[a]

³ “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. ⁴ For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Everything she had. How much do I give? And I'm not talking about tithing here. I mean how much of myself do I give to Christ and others? I think I might be like the people in the temple.

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John Burnett:  21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. ² And He saw a poor widow putting ^[a]in two ^[b]small copper coins. ³ And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; ⁴ for they all out of their ^[c]surplus put into the ^[d]offering; but she out of her poverty put in all ^[e]that she had to live on.”  The amount we give is not what is important; it is the attitude in which we give.  It is not our money in the first place.  God blesses us with everything that we have because everything belongs to him.  Giving/Tithing is the best way that we can show our faith in Him.  The widow had faith that her Heavenly Father would provide for her like he always has and will.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Luke 21:5-7

⁵ Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, ⁶ “The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?”

Luke 20:34-40

Rachel Workman: ³⁴ Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. ³⁵ But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. ³⁶ And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection. Interesting I've read this before and this is the first time I remember seeing that we will be like angels. Not angels but like angels.


³⁷ “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord^[d] as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’^{[e] 38} So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.” Only those who believe and repent are alive to Christ. The rest are dead.


³⁹ “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. ⁴⁰ And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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John Burnett:  ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, ³⁵ but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; ³⁶ for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. ³⁷ But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. ³⁸ Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.” ³⁹ Some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything.  There is a resurrection and Jesus is stating that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are going to live with Him for eternity.

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Pat Bell: He is the only one that can save us from our sinful thoughts actions. 

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Tomorrow’s reading for Luke 20:41-47

⁴¹ Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? ⁴² For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
    Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
⁴³ until I humble your enemies,
    making them a footstool under your feet.’^[f]

⁴⁴ Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

⁴⁵ Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, ⁴⁶ “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. ⁴⁷ Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

Luke 20:20-26

Rachel Workman: ²⁰ Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. ²¹ “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. ²² Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

²³ He saw through their trickery and said, ²⁴ “Show me a Roman coin.^[b] Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
²⁵ “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
²⁶ So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

How many times have we used trickery on Christ ourselves? I know I have. It's not that I was hoping to trap him. There are times I haven't been honest about my intent as if he didn't already know. I've prayed for things in my life that I've disguised in my heart as something it wasn't.

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John Burnett:  ¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. ²⁰ So they watched Him, and sent spies who ^[g]pretended to be righteous, in order that they might ^[h]catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor. ²¹ They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You ^[i]are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. ²² Is it ^[j]lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” ²³ But He detected their trickery and said to them, ²⁴ “Show Me a ^[k]denarius. Whose ^[l]likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” ²⁵ And He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²⁶ And they were unable to ^[m]catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.  We are to pay our taxes to the government, but more importantly, we are to give God the reverence and worship only He deserves.  We are to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.   

Tithing is the just another way we show our faith in God.  He does not need our money but it shows that we trust that He is going to provide everything that we need.  The things that are Gods include everything and every good and perfect gift is from above.     

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Tomorrow’s reading for Luke 20:34-40

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. ³⁵ But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. ³⁶ And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.
³⁷ “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord^[d] as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’^{[e] 38} So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”
³⁹ “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. ⁴⁰ And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.