THE STRAIGHTFORWARD PULPIT

Text:  Mark 12:38-44

Theme:  "Skin in The Game"

24th Sunday after Pentecost

November 11, 2012

First Presbyterian Church

Denton, Texas

Rev. Paul R. Dunklau

 

+In the Name of Jesus+

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

As noted earlier, we worship today during the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year.  This hour -- ninety four years ago -- signaled the end of what was known as "The Great War" or World War I.  Because of the death and destruction spawned by the war (which left nine million soldiers dead and twenty one million wounded), it was also called "The war to end all wars." 

This last title would not last for very long, as the horrific time of World War II would eventually come.  The United States of America, for a variety of different reasons, has had its place in the conflicts of the world.  Throughout the years, those "inalienable rights" -- life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness -- have required defense.  And so, rightly, the holy catholic church honors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the United States military.  To use a popular phrase, they had "skin in the game."  They understood, with human nature being what it is, that the world is not some benign utopia where we all get along famously.  There are truths to be embraced and even defended -- with the last full measure of devotion.  For those who have served and are serving in this nation's military and for your family members and loved ones as well, we thank you today. 

I have a question for all of you today:   do you have skin in the game?  Of course, you do; we all do -- in one way or another.  Let's say you had bacon and eggs this morning.  The eggs came from the chicken and the bacon came from the pig.  Which one had skin in the game?  They both did.  But one, the chicken, made a contribution.  The pig, though, gave all.

When it comes to having skin in the game, are we more like pigs or chickens?   There are plenty of "games" out there.  You have your own life, your family life, your friendships, your money, your time, your talent, your interests, your causes, your country, your church.  Like the role of the chicken in a breakfast of bacon and eggs, we make a contribution in all these areas. 

There are times -- and let's admit it -- when we would like a little payback.  We've made contributions -- perhaps even sizeable ones -- for years, and it's time for the next generation of Joes and Janes to step and put some skin in the game.  Or, if we don't get a little payback we at least want some respect.  Look at the teachers of the law mentioned in today's Gospel.  They earned that flowing robe.  By God, they studied to be teachers of the law.  They deserve to be greeted with respect.  More than that, they should be escorted to the front row.  Never mind that they stepped on the dignity of the less fortunate to do it, and, again, as Jesus pointed out, they devoured what little the poor had to fatten their own wallet. 

Oh, yes, I almost forgot.  There is Jesus.  In today's reading, He -- who we confess as the Son of God, God in human flesh -- is watching people pass by who have skin in the game.  Interestingly enough, He is sitting opposite the place where the offerings were put and was watching the crowd put money into the temple treasury.  One of the things this tells me is that all the little decisions I made on any given day are watched by a celestial gallery.  I have time; I have talent; I have treasure; I have a skin in the game.  God is watching over all those decisions.

Jesus, we are told, saw the wealthy -- or, as our political culture likes to call, the "1%" -- put large amounts of money into the treasury.  The rich, very visibly, could show that they had skin in the game.  To be sure, some of them likely went "above and beyond the call of duty", as they say, as they made their pledge, wrote their checks, set aside their money for the good of the cause.    Maybe they even pulled some cash back from overseas bank accounts to do it.  I don't know.  It was the good thing to do, the God-pleasing thing to do, the right thing to do, the natural thing to do -- for people with skin in the game.

But then it happened. 

Out of nowhere, there comes a lady.  She didn't stay at home barefoot and baking cookies.  There could very well have not been a home at all, and there was no family to bake cookies for.  For she, we are told, was poor and was a widow. 

Are there poor widows today?  Of course.  But in Jesus' day, poverty and widowhood consigned you, at best, to second-class citizenship.  It was not a good idea to show your face in public.  People will look at you funny.  Stay home.  Save whatever dignity you have left.  But, for heaven's sake, don't venture out.  "Ma'am, we're sorry that the real world passed you by and you no longer have skin in the game.  Do yourself a favor and kindly stay out of the way of those of us who do. 

But the poor widow would have nothing of it.  Like the Carnival Cruise advertisement says, she "got out there."  She never defined herself by what had happened to her or by what she did or by what she possessed or didn't possess.  Having skin in the game wasn't a matter of what she had.  It was a matter of who she was. The world called her a poor widow, but God called her His child. 

By anyone's standard of currency, that poor widow didn't put diddly-squat into that treasury.  She didn't sign a pledge card; there was nothing to pledge.  She put into the offering plate what amounted to a couple of pennies.  That's all.

But it didn't escape the gaze of Lord Jesus. In fact, it was so significant that He called His disciples to His side as if to emphasize the point.  He said:  "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

The rich were like the chicken; they make a contribution.  But this poor widow was no chicken, was she?

Folks, the annual time has come when we make our financial commitments to the mission and ministry of this congregation.  Do I believe Jesus is watching as He was at the temple treasury all those years ago?  Absolutely.  Do I believe that we all, whatever our station in life, have skin in the game?  Absolutely.  Am I going to stand here, hat in hand, and ask for more money?  Maybe some would like me to do that, but I'm not your guy.  What I can do is remind you of the wonderful truth that you are not a second-class citizen.  You are a beloved child of God.  Jesus Christ, at Calvary's cross and Easter Sunday's empty tomb, put ALL of His skin in the game so this could be so.    Whether you have two cents or two million, you have skin in the game.  What I want you to know, this dedication Sunday, is this:  your skin in the game -- your gifts of time, talent, and treasure for well over a century and a quarter -- have enabled and furthered the ministry and mission of this wonderful congregation.  You've weathered the storm of World War I, World War II, and everything since.  God has honored the skin God gave you to put in the game.

I heard a psychologist by the name of Charles Lowery at the Denton Prayer Breakfast this past Thursday morning.  He's a motivational speaker with a Ph.D. in psychology.  He's also the son of a Baptist preacher.  He said, "That might explain why I'm a psychologist!"

In his book, Comic Belief, he tells the story of a six year old boy who had a physical handicap.  The lad was about to perform at his first Christmas pageant.  It was a really big deal.  It took a lot of courage, but he struggled across the platform to perform his part.  As he did, an older boy made a disparaging remark about the boy's handicap.  Completely demoralized, the little boy froze and started to sob. 

A man rose from his seat and walked to the platform.  He knelt beside the boy, put his arm around him, and said to the audience, "It takes a very cruel person to say what was just said to this little boy.  He is suffering from something that isn't his fault.  This was the first time for him to venture out with his handicap to say anything in public.  He's been hurt deeply, but I want you to know that this little boy is my boy.  I love him just the way he is.  He belongs to me and I'm proud of him."  Then he led that little boy off that platform.

Dear friends, that is God.  That's unconditional love. 

As we honor our veterans and dedicate out pledges, we do so as God's little boys and girls.  It doesn't matter what we do or say.  What matters is that we have skin in the game.  What's precious is that we are all God's children.

Amen.