During the days leading up to his death in Jerusalem, Jesus has spent his time pronouncing judgment on the temple leadership and the nation of Israel for rejecting him as the Christ, the Son of God. It’s within this context of judgment that we find one of the more familiar stories in Scripture: the story of the widow’s offering. Separated from its context and placement Luke’s Gospel, this story has often been considered a “heartwarming” picture of sacrificial giving.  But while such giving is indeed commendable and biblical, it is not the point of this story. In this sermon, Mitch Bedzyk explains how the widow’s offering not only illustrates the corrupt temple system and hypocrisy of the scribes, but also points to Jesus who gave his life for his church.