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Content type: Sermon Poem / Prayer Service / Tribute Incomplete Biography
Body: Prayer **The Widow’s Offering** **41**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. **42**Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.[a] **43**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. **44**For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” **She****gave****all**! The phrase “All Gave Some, Some Gave ALL” is attributed to Korean War veteran and purple heart recipient Howard William Osterkamp from Dent, Ohio. Osterkamp served in the Army from 1951 to 1953, during which he experienced heavy combat in Korea with his unit, the C Company, 5th Regimental Combat Team. For his service, Howard Osterkamp was awarded a Purple Heart. Upon being injured, Sergeant Osterkamp was taken to Army doctors who misdiagnosed his injury. Osterkamp was sent back to the front lines with his leg broken in two places and stayed there for approximately four months. He spent a total of nine months on the front line during the Korean war. **All gave some and some gave all**. We learn a lot from these individuals they are men and women of great courage. One comment said: “Courage is required to defend and risk death or injury for a greater cause”. One Veteran said, “Courage is the drive that thrusts veterans through their difficult journeys”. In this scripture we find a woman who shows us great courage. 41 Jesus “watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. The bible tells us she put in two small coins. She had the courage and felt it was her duty to put it into the treasury. Like our veterans, they feel it’s their duty to serve God and country. This woman had great courage and great faith; she was one of the **“some who gave all”**. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. This woman gave all she had; Great courage, and great faith. She, like all veterans, was committed to give all; 44 “For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” This woman gave all, our veterans gave all and Jesus gave all. God gave His Son; Jesus gave his life. Calvary gave us the freedom to be saved. And she gave all she could. So many have been called to serve, to offer their lives for others. The way, in which so many serve in the dangers of conflict and war, is much like the woman in the gospel, giving all she could. Osterkamp said, “all gave some, some gave all”, and we as Christians are asked to do the same. Like this woman, she gave all that she had, Jesus asks us to give our all to Him. Paul writes: **A Living Sacrifice to God** **12**And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] Are we giving our all to Jesus? When we look back on our lives, God has abundantly blessed every one of us. He has forgiven our sins and given us jobs, finances, healing, and so much more. As much as God blesses us, He is also concerned about how we utilize our blessings for Him. Are we grateful to Him? Are we using God’s blessings for His glory? And now that God has blessed us, who do we love more – God or His blessings? Now we are going to look at a woman who did her best in expressing her love and complete devotion for Jesus. **Mark 14:1-3** 1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Mary took the most important thing she had, broke it and gave it to Jesus. **Are****we****giving it all to Jesus?** Have you ever thought about what revolution would take place if we were that enthusiastic about the things of God? If we were enthusiastic about the church, enthusiastic about Sunday worship, enthusiastic about prayer and devotion, enthusiastic about giving to God, what a difference it would make in the Kingdom? Well, that woman was enthusiastic for Jesus, and she found a new way to express her love for God, **and that is giving it all to Jesus.** ILLUSTRATION It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire had once captured a prince and his family from the neighboring territory in a war. During the trial, Cyrus asked the prince, “What will you give me if I release you?” “The half of my wealth,” was his reply. “What will you give me if I release your children?” “Everything I possess.” “And what will you give me if I release your wife?” “Your Majesty, I will give myself”, said the prince. Cyrus was so moved by the prince’s sacrificial love towards his wife that he set them all free. This is the kind of sacrificial love that God expects from us. Matthew 22:35-38 35 One Pharisee, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. This law was fulfilled by Mary because she showed her love to God. This sacrificial act is equivalent to a person’s one year’s salary. Some people began to criticize her immediately. **Mark 14:4-5** 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. It was foolish for others, even for the disciples because they asked, “Why this waste?” Well, for Mary, it wasn’t a waste. It was love, worship, and reverence to God but for others, it was a waste. Well, certainly worshipping, praising and loving God is never a waste. The most productive thing that we can ever do is to love, worship, praise God and **giving it all to Jesus**. Where do you think the others were? They were there but they did not want to do it. The teachers of the law were there; the disciples were there but they never anointed Jesus. For them, it was a waste. Whereas it was indeed a way of **giving it all to Jesus**. What is a waste? Waste is the church that comes week after week but is never moved by the Spirit of God. Waste is worshipping and never feeling the presence of God. They never worship but just sit through the process. But when we worship and the presence of God comes down, when we surrender, when we give it all to Jesus, it is productive. It is never a wasted Sunday. When we worship God like that, we break the bottle; the aroma of worship fills the place, and Jesus receives our worship. Mary indeed sacrificially expressed her love, **giving it all to Jesus and Jesus received her love.** Now listen, the perfume was very expensive, and the jar was equally expensive too. Mary could have just opened the jar and poured a few drops of that expensive perfume on the head of Jesus, and everybody would have said, “What a wonderful act of devotion.” Or, she could have poured it all out but saved the jar so that it could be filled again then everybody would have said, “My, God how generous! How much love she must have for Jesus?” However, this woman broke the jar so that it could never be filled again. **Giving it all**. The gift, the jar, and the perfume were for God, and she never wanted to use it again. In other words, we see her sins were forgiven because of Jesus and by breaking the jar she is making a statement that she would not be returning to her old way of life again. In this one fleeting moment when the opportunity was there, she seized it to show her love. Therefore, find a new way to express your love for the Lord. Do something new to tell God how much you love him and by **giving it all to Jesus**. Oh, yes, people did criticize her, but Jesus knew her heart and what she had done. **Mark 14:6** “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Your act of worship, giving, coming to church, faith, your prayer, may be foolish to your friends, foolish to the world but it is a beautiful thing for the Lord **when we give Him it all****.** Jesus says that she has recognized many things others have not recognized. He also hinted about his death many times to his disciples. The disciples could not believe that Jesus would die at such a young age. The disciples could not get it right. However, Mary heard the death cry of Jesus, and she chose to give it all to Jesus**.** **The disciples gave some, but Mary****gave****all.** **Mark 14:6-8** 6“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. This woman didn’t have much but what she had, she gave to Jesus. She did what she could, and she didn’t do it for anybody else. Rather than what she did, pay attention to the fact that she did it **giving it all to Jesus**. Now ask yourself, “Have you expressed your love back to Him? Have you expressed your love for God according to the measure he has blessed you with? Have you been giving it all to Jesus? Is it all that we can do for God, or could we do better?” **Have you been giving it all to Jesus?** This long weekend we are remembering the some that gave all. They gave everything to something that they believed in, they gave everything to something that they loved, and they gave everything sacrificially with no regard to themselves. As did Mary. I can’t help but think as we approach 275 years, the number of people that worshipped God at Cane Creek Friends Meeting. **Knowing that all gave****some****but some gave all!** *Gracious God,* On this day of remembrance, we pause with grateful hearts. We honor the brave men and women who laid down their lives so that freedom might live and hope might endure. Bless the families who carry the weight of loss, and surround them with comfort, peace, and strength. Guide our nation to walk in unity, cherishing the liberties bought with such great sacrifice. May we live each day with courage, compassion, and gratitude, so their legacy is never forgotten. Amen.
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