11-10-24 “All In: Living as a Christian”

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“All In: Living as a Christian”

I’d like to start with something funny. I heard a story about a six-year-old boy standing in the church lobby, staring at a large wall filled with names and small American flags beside them. He asked the pastor what the names meant. The pastor explained that it was a memorial to all the young men and women who had died in the service. The little boy stood there silently, clearly concerned. Finally, he looked up and asked, “Was it at the 8:30 or the 11 o’clock service?”

Today is Veterans Sunday, and I want to take a moment to honor and appreciate all veterans for their service and sacrifice. We should never forget what they’ve given. Because of their sacrifice, we’re able to live in a safe country. You may have heard the saying, “Freedom is not free.” Indeed, it is because of their sacrifice that we enjoy freedom. Personally, I am especially grateful to those who served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

Today, I want to talk about being “All In.” “All In” is a phrase that means giving your complete commitment or dedication to something without holding anything back. It’s often used to describe full-hearted involvement or a strong, determined decision to pursue something with no reservations.

For example, if you’re “all in” on a project, it means you’re fully invested—putting in all your energy, focus, and resources to make it succeed. When I say “All In,” what comes to mind? You might think of a gambler. Yes, “all in” is a term used in gambling. In poker, when a gambler bets everything on a hand, they say they’re “all in,” fully committed to the game with everything they have. What mindset does a gambler have when they go “all in”? Perhaps they’re willing to risk everything for the chance to gain everything, facing a make-or-break moment where it’s either victory or defeat.

What about veterans? I don’t have any military experience, but when I was in high school, all students participated in war simulation training twice a week. The boys received military training, while the girls learned nursing skills to care for wounded soldiers. We trained with strict discipline, almost as if it were a real war. If we weren’t “all in” during training—fully committed in heart and mind—we might not have survived in a real conflict.

Of course, Korean students no longer train like that, but I can imagine that veterans had to give up many things to commit fully to military training. And if they faced actual combat, they had to be “all in” just to survive.

Our Christian life is similar. Being a Christian means being “all in” when it comes to loving God and loving our neighbors. Jesus taught us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). We know this as Jesus’ teaching, but we often struggle to live it out in our everyday lives. Today, we can learn more about it through Jesus’ lesson on the widow’s offering.

When I read today’s scripture about the poor widow’s offering, the phrase “all in” came to mind. I wonder if, in a way, she was “betting” everything she had on God. In today’s scripture, let’s watch and listen to Jesus:

“Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people
put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth a penny. Then he called his
disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing
to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in
everything she had, all she had to live on.’”

Why did Jesus watch people giving their offerings to God? Was he truly interested in how much they were
offering? Does he want us to be “all in” with God like the widow—or even like a gambler? We might wonder if
God expects us to give everything we have. Yet, we know this doesn’t mean that God’s will is for us to sacrifice
everything essential for our livelihood. The prophet Micah reminds us, “What does the Lord require of you? To
act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

If Jesus’ intent wasn’t simply to praise the widow’s offering, then what was he trying to convey? To fully
understand this, we should read verses 38-40. Here we encounter two types of people: the scribes and the widow.
Their lives were very different. The scribes were teachers of the law, greeted with respect in the marketplace.
They wore expensive robes, sat in the best seats in the synagogue, and held places of honor at banquets. But what
about the widow? Widows were not respected or greeted publicly. They had no access to good places or fine
clothing, living instead in poverty and often treated as outcasts.

Jesus says, “They devour widows’ houses.” In other words, the scribes exploited the poor and the widows
instead of caring for them. Just before this, Jesus had taught the scribes about the greatest commandment: loving
God and loving one’s neighbor (Mark 12:28-31). Yet, the scribes loved money instead of God and their neighbors.
Jesus teaches us that we cannot serve two masters. As an example, he says, “You cannot serve both God and
money” (Matthew 6:24).

Sometimes we misunderstand God’s will. God gives us resources and gifts—some receive more, and some
less. Why doesn’t God provide everything equally? If you know the joy and happiness of sharing, you may
understand. We know the joy of sharing what we have. That’s why we work for missions. We hold thrift sales to
help others in need. We serve at the food pantry. We collect coins for mission, make Christmas shoeboxes, and
send our donations to UMCOR. All of this is because we know God’s love. Early Christians, filled with the Holy
Spirit, sold their possessions and goods and gave to anyone in need (Acts 2:45). God wants us to live together,
practicing love for God and for one another. Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). Jesus showed us his love through his
actions. The church should follow Jesus’ teachings and actions—that’s the reason it exists.

Let us reflect on ourselves through the example of the scribes. Have we also become dull to sensing God’s
will? What does it mean to be “all in” for God? As the prophet Micah said, God’s will is “to act justly, to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Let’s be all in, loving God with our whole hearts, minds,
and souls. Let’s be all in, loving our neighbors! Thanks be to God. Amen!