Faithful Giving: Trusting God with Money
Pastor David Rose unpacks Mark 12:13-17, 41-44, where Jesus challenges how we think about giving. While the wealthy gave large sums, Jesus drew attention to a poor widow who gave two small coins—everything she had. Yet He said that her gift was greater because it reflected complete trust in God.
True Giving Is About the Heart
True giving isn’t about the amount—it’s about the heart behind it. Are we giving from our surplus or from a heart of faith? Christ reminds us that true giving isn’t about the size of the gift—it’s about the trust and love behind it. He calls us to give not out of duty, but out of love and dependence on Him.
Why the Widow’s Gift Mattered
Jesus praised the widow’s gift because it reflected her complete dependence on God. She gave from her need, not her excess. He challenges us to consider where we place our trust—are we relying on our resources or on God’s provision? Listen in to see why the widow’s small gift mattered more to Jesus than the biggest offerings of those around her.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus expects His disciples to give appropriately. (Mark 12:13-17)
- Jesus says giving is measured by what is left over. (Mark 12:41-44)
- Jesus wants giving to be from desire, not duty. (Mark 12:44)
Further Study
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In Mark 12:16–17, Jesus says to “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” The coin bore Caesar’s image, but Genesis 1:27 says that you are made in God’s image. If your life belongs to God, how should that shape the way you use your time, money, and gifts (Romans 12:1–2)? What would it look like for you to surrender not just your resources, but your whole life to God as an act of worship?
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Jesus praises the widow’s offering not because of the amount, but because of the heart behind it (Mark 12:43–44). Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “God loves a cheerful giver.” Are you giving out of surplus or sacrificial trust? How can you cultivate a heart that gives joyfully and sacrificially, even when resources are tight? How does the gospel free you to give without fear (Matthew 6:31–33)?
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Jesus warned that you cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). The widow gave all she had, demonstrating her total dependence on God. What does your giving reveal about where you place your trust? Are you tempted to seek security in money or possessions rather than in Christ? How does Philippians 4:19 (“God will supply all your needs”) challenge and comfort you in this area?
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Jesus teaches that true giving flows from a heart of love and faith, not from obligation (Mark 12:44). Ephesians 2:8–10 reminds us that we are saved by grace, not works—so our giving should reflect gratitude, not guilt. Do you give because you feel you have to, or because you want to honor God and trust Him with your resources? How does the gospel motivate generosity from the heart?
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Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The widow’s treasure was not in her money but in her trust in God. What do your spending and giving habits reveal about what you treasure most? How can you intentionally seek to treasure Christ above all else (Colossians 3:1–2)?
The Gospel
If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to talk with you about it.
Reach outWhen Jesus pointed to the image on the coin to teach about giving to Caesar, He was really pointing to a deeper truth about bearing God’s image. Though we were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), yet our relationship with money often reveals our broken state. We naturally worship the gift rather than the Giver, making money our master instead of our servant.
But Jesus, who owned everything as God’s Son, became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9). He gave not just a portion, like the rich in the temple, but everything—His very life. The widow’s sacrificial giving of “everything she had” points to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. Where she gave two small coins, Jesus gave His life as the ultimate act of giving, demonstrating perfect trust in and submission to the Father.
When we trust in Christ’s sacrificial giving of Himself for us, we’re transformed from people who clutch our resources in fear to people who can give freely because we trust our Provider. Just as the widow could give everything because she trusted God completely, we can give generously because Christ’s death and resurrection guarantee our eternal security.
That’s why Pastor David stressed that giving flows from desire rather than duty. Once we’ve experienced the lavish giving of God in Christ (Romans 8:32), we’re freed to be channels of that same generous grace to others. Our giving becomes not a religious obligation but a response to the One who “though He was rich, yet for your sake became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Our current series, The Magnificent Seven, zeroes in on seven discipleship principles (repentance, belief, baptism, prayer, evangelism, love, and giving). All of these flow from this Gospel foundation. We give because we’ve first received. We love because He first loved us. We share because we’ve been shared with. Every act of genuine giving is a reflection of the Greatest Gift ever given—Jesus Christ Himself.