I heard an interesting story about a self-made millionaire who was giving a talk about how he made his fortune from nothing. He spoke about how he worked through school to make ends meet. He took risks and eventually they paid off and he is where he is today because he took those risks. He started with nothing and said anybody could do what he did. He challenged the listeners to go out and make their fortune from nothing as he did.

When question time came, a young man stood up and said, "I dare you to do it again." The rich man was speechless. Could he take the risk again?

Would he be prepared to give it all up and try it again—make his fortune from nothing—now that he has something? When he was poor, he had nothing to lose. He was prepared to take risks when the stakes were low. Now that he was rich, it was different.

In our text this morning we have a woman who took a risk. We don't know much about her. We know she is a poor widow. She has no name, but that is not surprising. Widows weren't highly regarded in those days. She would not have inherited her husband's wealth. The money that she had probably came by begging for it. But here she is—poor as she is—putting everything she owned into the Temple Offering as her gift to God.

There are two key points of interest in this story. The first is that the poor widow had two coins. She could easily have put one in the offering and kept one for herself. What would you have done?

Think about it for a moment. The offering plate is coming around and you have two $5.00 bills. That's all you have to your name. You have three options: Put both in, like the widow. Put one in and keep one for yourself to perhaps buy lunch, or you can keep both for yourself to ensure you also have enough for a meal tonight.

Given her poor situation, most here wouldn't have minded if she had kept both for herself. After all, the rich were putting in quite a lot of money. What would you have done? Perhaps you would have held back one, and would there have been a problem doing so? You need to eat. You need money to survive.

But this woman put in everything she had. Even if she had only put one coin in that would have been half of what she owned. How many of us would be prepared to give away half of our possessions? The English version of the bible says, "She put in all she had to live on." The original Greek is a little bit different and gives a better perspective. It says she gave her whole life. That is what her offering meant; she gave her whole life to God. She would walk out of the temple area with absolutely nothing. Nothing, that is, except her faith in God.

If you think you would have put both coins in, like the widow did, ask yourself this. Would you do the same today given your current financial position? Would you be prepared to give it all up for the sake of God?

Now we know that we are not saved by the amount of money we give to God.
But that is not what Jesus is speaking about. Jesus is challenging people who are giving only part of their life to God. This woman gave her whole life to God. Not part of it.
And that is what God is speaking about. Here is point one. God is not interested in part of your life – God wants it all. In fact, Jesus says that giving only part of your life to God is worse than giving none of it.

That should honestly catch most of us here this morning. I say that because I sense there are times—not always—but there are times when we hold back; when we don't give our all to God.

Yes, it's stewardship Sunday and, yes, finances are involved, but dollars and cents aren't just what this whole lesson is about. It's about you giving your all to God all the time.

In the book of Revelation which we will delve into in two weeks, Jesus condemns the church at Laodicea. He rebukes them for being lukewarm. Neither hot nor cold, the church people there only half-commit to God.  Sound familiar?

To reach this scripture as intended, you are either wealthy in faith or in finances. There's no middle ground. When you are lukewarm—only partly committed to God—it is difficult to see your faults, and your faults are easy to justify. When you are lukewarm, it means you are living a lie in that you say you love God, but you are not loving God with your whole heart. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law thought they were the best and most committed in faith. On the outside they looked to be doing the right thing before God. They prayed long prayers. They were seated in the high places in the synagogues. They bought oatmeal bars or boxes of tea for their "we care for college kids program". They sponsored their Spire. They signed up to serve at their Farm City Feast every November.

And, no surprise, everyone respected these 'religious people,' but these religious people were so far from God. Now it would be difficult to point out their error because, as far as they were concerned, nothing could be better in their relationship with God. Now translate that into our situation. To the house of God they wore the right clothes; we dress in our Sunday best. They enjoyed M&Ms; we enjoy M&Ms. Their choir toilet papered their pastor's car; we are learning better. They were faithful with their offering; we are faithful with our offering. They went to the synagogue; we come to church. Yet here is point two. Jesus is warning that it is not the outside things that make us right before God; it is inside that God examines. It is the heart that God sees.

What does Jesus see in your heart?

I don't know what Jesus sees but I know what he says. Jesus brings a frightening reminder to anyone who has become complacent in their faith with this passage. Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And, in your name, didn't we drive out demons and perform many miracles?'" Jesus comes back with this. "I never knew you because you never knew me. Away from me, you evil doers!"

I don't know about you, but that sends a chill down my spine. How do I know I am not one of those who cry out 'Lord, Lord' who will be refused? How do I know God will say to me, "Well done my good and faithful servant." How do you know? Can you be sure?

To be sure, here's point number three. Be mindful of a change in your heart, and in your actions toward others. Many say they believe in God, just like the Pharisees did. But it is only through faith in Jesus that your heart and your actions can really change. And faith in your actions enables you say and do some pretty amazing things. Let your heart change and you'll see a change in your actions toward others.

Most have family or friends who say they believe in God, but these friends and family don't live the message of Christ. A good number of us know someone who believes in God, but it is the God of New Age philosophy, not of Christ Jesus. Some of the latest census report 70% of Americans believe in God. That same census shares that only 20% attend church on a regular basis.

Church attendance doesn't assure you a relationship with Christ, nor does it make you a Christian, but where will you hear God's Word and receive the sacraments if not through the church? Where are people hearing about Jesus and the forgiveness of sins that he died for on the cross? Where are people setting down their doubts and fears and following Christ with new (or renewed) enthusiasm because Christ is here and Christ is good and Christ is directing you through this church?

This is going to be challenging for some of us, but with God, we can do it, and it's this. Do not be lukewarm. Commit to a Sunday school class now. Attend a cottage meeting. Be present at the Stewardship dinner tonight. Dream big. Love hard. Let God see your heart for what your heart wants, and that's a connection with God.

The woman in our text did not hold anything back as she gave her life into that offering. But more importantly, Jesus did not hold anything back as he put his entire life onto the cross to pay for your sins and give you life forever in the Kingdom of God. And may that peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.