The Paradox of the Kingdom Is That We Are FILLED As We POUR

Filled The Widow’s Coins Mark 12:41-43

SERIES MAIN IDEA: The paradox of the Kingdom is that we are FILLED as we POUR.

What do you want to be FILLED WITH? (What do you need from God?)

What are you willing to POUR OUT? (What are you willing to give God?)

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Will you choose to be a hero?

In troduction

Intro Story: - Who is one of your heroes? - ILLUSTRATION- Tell a story of one of your heroes - The definition that I would like to use tonight for a hero is “someone who fulfills a specific task that makes an impact in a person’s life. They have a determination not to give up. To do what is right, even if it is against all odds.” The Bible is full of these types of people. They are heros of faith! - We have Moses who was known as one of God’s best friends, Abraham who loved God with all of his heart and was given the promise and fulfillment of becoming the father of the nations, Esther was one of the boldest women in the Old Testament who laid down her life to save her people. She left the legacy of courage and strength even in the toughest of circumstances, We could go on… with Jeremiah who reached out to a people who wouldn’t receive God’s word, Noah who obeyed God even when people laughed and mocked him, and the Apostle Paul who served Christ despite all circumstances he faced –even death…

Bridge to the Text: - But did you know that Jesus had a hero? Someone that caught His attention and inspired Him! (At least that’s the way I read this passage.)

Biblical Text

“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-43 (NLT)

Preview the Response:

- How can God use you to give toward Speed The Light?

How to be a Hero

1) God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!

Acts 4:13 “Peter and John was in front of the religious leaders and it was said “...When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ORDINARY men, they were astonished and took note that these men HAD BEEN WITH JESUS.

EXPLANATION - I love the statement here, that they “took note that these men had been with Jesus.” When we spend time with Jesus and Jesus is at the center of our life, God empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary things in our world! This is being a hero of faith!

ILLUSTRATION - So for those of you who need a little pep talk to begin seeing yourself as a hero, take a look at this video. - Video: https://youtu.be/tgF1Enrgo2g For the Heroes: A Pep Talk From Kid President

APPLICATION - Being a hero of faith has very little to do with your ability and everything about to about obedience. I love this quote by Matt Chandler, “God is awesome. He does not need you to be awesome. He needs you to be obedient.” - This widowed woman wasn’t the most wealthy, but God used her selflessness as an example that Anybody can be used by God as long as they are obedient to Him! - Tonight is our moment to be obedient as a youth ministry. We have a goal to raise $______for Speed The Light! And it is up to each of us to allow God to use us to reach this extraordinary goal!

Question

- The question that each of us need to ask ourselves is, How can God use me to give toward Speed The Light?

2) Heroes turn their world upside down.

Acts 17: 6-7 “…Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council.” Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down, and now they are here disturbing our city, " they shouted. "And Jason has let them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar , for they profess allegiance to another king, Jesus."

EXPLANATION - Understand that Heroes will make the enemy mad when they are strategically reaching their world…and by strategically, I mean we pledge our allegiance to Jesus and to Him alone!

ILLUSTRATION - Mason jar. - Filling it up means getting one step closer to impacting the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. - By filling up the jar, you can be someone’s hero. You can turn your world upside down.

APPLICATION - Heroes don’t wait for others to act first. They have a heart-felt determination to lead the call to make a difference. They step out in faith and prayerfully believe that God will give them opportunities and the resources to make an impact in their world.

Question - What steps do you need to make in your life to lead the call to make a difference in your world?

Conclusion

Closing Story - Blaise Pascal was an influential French scientist who lived in the 1600’s. He was something of a genius. For example, at the age of twelve, even before he had received any formal training in geomoetry, Pascal independently discovered and

demonstrated Euclid’s thirty-two propositions. I don’t even know what Euclid’s thirty two propositions are, let alone demonstrating them! It’s no surprise then that as an adult Pascal completed important works on mathematics and experimental physics. He even gave us buses. Noticing a crowd of people all headed in the same direction to work he came up with the idea of the bus and in 1662 helped form the very first bus company.

- Pascal was also a devoted Christian. He wrote books on grace and the life of Christ as well as other Christian works.

- Through all this Pascal realised that his faith, though intensely personal, could not be merely individualistic. His love for God drove him to love for the poor. “I love poverty” he said, “because he (Christ) loved it. I like wealth because it gives a means to assist the needy.” Increasingly Pascal deprived himself so that he could give more. He sold his coach and horses, his fine furniture and silverware and even his library in order to give to the poor. When he received an advance of 1000 francs for his bus he sent the money to the poor in Blois, who had suffered from a bitter winter. He then signed over his interest in the company to the hospitals of Paris and Clermont.

- When Pascal died at the age of 39 on August 19, 1662 his funeral was attended by family, friends, scientific colleagues, worldly companions, converts, writers, and the back of the church was filled with the poor, each and every person there someone Pascal had helped during his life

I’m asking you to help me to lead the call to make a difference!

I asked earlier the question, How can God use you to give toward Speed The Light?

1. Begin praying and asking God to show you how He can use you. 2. Begin Making a change in your lifestyle, so that you can exchange the extra in our life, to give toward the needs of STL. 3. God may raise one or more of you up to be one of those individuals that leave your mark by earning extra money or raising extra money to give beyond your natural ability.