Welcome and Introduction: The Currency of Trust

Good morning! It's great to see you all here today. Well done! Go ahead—turn to your neighbour and say, “Well done!” 

We often joke about Eldad, saying other churches have convenient car parks, but people come here because they truly love Jesus. Amen? I’m only joking… but also, I’m not. You’re the real deal. 

That kind of dedication, that commitment to be here, comes from knowing a God who is More Than Enough. And that’s exactly what we’re continuing to explore today in our series. Who knows that God gives us more than enough? He really does. 

A little later, we’ll be looking at a crucial moment in Scripture where a woman gives two tiny coins—leptas—into one of the temple’s offering boxes. These boxes had trumpet-shaped tops, designed to make a loud clanging sound when coins were dropped in. (Imagine taking children into a place like that—you’d be broke, but they’d have a blast!) 

Those two coins were worth about 1.58p in today’s money. And yet, Jesus said she gave more than anyone else—because she gave all she had. That’s worship. That’s Trust in God. 

And that’s our theme today: the currency of trust. 

Let me ask—any artists in the room? Budding painters? Well done, May! (Her work should be available in all good galleries and museums!) Of course, none of us can knock out a Mona Lisa in an afternoon. Leonardo da Vinci spent years developing his skill before he could paint something so iconic. 

It's the same with running a marathon. Anyone here run one? A few? I’ve done a couple—not official ones, just for fun. (Not boasting… although clearly I am!) But you don’t run 26 miles on day one. You train. You practice. Over and over again. Until you can trust your body to carry you through. 

It’s the same with Trust in God. You don’t start by trusting Him with everything all at once. You start small. You practice. You build that trust, step by step, until you can trust Him with the big things too. 

That’s what we’re exploring today. So if you remember nothing else, remember this: Trust grows through practice. 

Let’s dive in. 

More Than Enough: Why We Practice Generosity 

God has given us more than enough. That’s not just a comforting truth—it’s the foundation for how we live. For those joining us online, welcome! Today we’re continuing our series, More Than Enough, and exploring how Generosity is one of the key practices through which we reflect the lifestyle of Jesus. 

At Eldad, we talk about three core practices that help us show Christ’s life in us: 

• Generosity – giving freely of what we have. 

• Service – using our time and gifts to serve others. 

• Witness – sharing the good news of Jesus. 

These aren’t just nice ideas—they’re habits we cultivate. And Generosity, in particular, is something we need to practice regularly. 

Last week, we contrasted the extravagant gift of the alabaster jar (£25,000–£30,000) with today's focus on the widow’s offering (just 1.58p). Both are extraordinary acts of worship because they were given from the heart. 

The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:3 reminds us: 

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” 

We are not lacking. Because we have been given every spiritual blessing, we can trust God—and because we trust Him, we can be generous. 

We previously looked at 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul outlines principles for giving, including that it should be proportionate. Today, we see a focus on someone who did not give proportionately. 

Let’s read the crucial passage from Mark 12:38–44: 

Jesus warns against religious leaders who seek honour. Then, sitting opposite the temple treasury, He watches people give. Many rich people give large amounts. But a poor widow comes and puts in two small copper coins—worth only a few pence. 

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

Her offering of 1.58p could have bought food or fuel. But instead, she gave it to God. It was not practical. It was not proportionate. It was supernatural. 

This was a reckless act of trust in God. She gave everything because she trusted God completely. It’s not about the amount—it’s about the heart. 

Practicing Trust: The Widow's Example in Mark 12:44 

This story, recorded in Mark 12:44, stands in stark contrast to the performance giving Jesus warned against. 

Jesus spoke about the teachers of the law who would walk into the temple in their robes, full of pomp, and head to those trumpet-shaped offering boxes to make a loud racket. The noise was the point—it was all for show. 

But then Jesus draws our attention to the poor widow. She puts in two tiny coins—leptas—worth about 1.58p. 

Did it make a big noise? No. Probably barely a clink. No one noticed her, except Jesus. 

Because this wasn’t just giving. This was Trust in God. This was worship. 

Here’s the thing: she likely didn't wake up that morning and decide to give everything spontaneously. I believe she’d done it before—quietly, faithfully, sacrificially. And each time, God had provided. She knew He would again. 

She had learned—through Practicing Trust—that God is utterly trustworthy. 

You don’t achieve that kind of spiritual maturity overnight. Just like the marathon runner. It takes small steps of trust that build into something extraordinary. 

When we’re asked to give, it stirs strong emotions in us: Guilt, excitement, pride, fear. That’s why we need to practice. Small, regular acts of Generosity help us work through those emotions. They train our trust muscles. 

Let me be clear: this isn't primarily about Eldad's budget, this is about you and me growing spiritually. If God leads you to give somewhere else—do it. This is about learning to trust God with your life, because that’s what finances represent. 

The runner trains every day. The artist paints every day. And we, as followers of Jesus, are invited to trust every day. 

The challenge from Matthew 6:1-2 is simple: 

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do…” 

Jesus means: don’t give to be noticed. Give to be faithful. Give to trust. 

In our church, only the finance team knows who gives what. The pastors don’t know. I don’t know. And that’s how it should be. Because giving is simple: 

• When I give, I demonstrate Trust in God. 

• When I give quietly, I still demonstrate Trust in God. 

• The only recognition I want is from Him. 

So let me encourage you to work your trust muscles. Give regularly, give quietly, and trust that He will provide. 

Conclusion: Too Much Is Just Enough Trust 

I’m going to wrap things up with a simple picture. Who likes a cup of tea? 

Personally, I like mine milky. My wife, Emma, told our eldest, Ava, how I like it. The instruction was: “Your dad likes it with too much milk.” 

“Too much milk” isn’t a helpful instruction, is it? And yet, every cup Ava has made me has been perfect. Somehow, with that vague instruction, she’s nailed it every time. 

And I think that’s the perfect picture of what God calls us to when we give to Him. 

What is “too much”? 

Too much is the perfect amount. 

When God calls us to give, He calls us to give too much trust. Can you ever trust God too much? Of course not. Too much Trust in God is exactly the right amount. 

We look at the widow who gave her two small coins—worth just 1.58p. That was her food, her fuel, her rent. Yet, she gave it. Why? Because she had Practiced Trust again and again. And she knew—even though she gave “too much”—that she would be okay. 

Philippians 4:19 reminds us: 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” 

We’ve seen it, haven’t we? God has met our needs. Often, He’s gone far beyond what we could have asked. He’s poured out too much grace, too much provision, too much kindness. 

For some of us today, the challenge is simple: start giving regularly. Not because of church pressure, but because it’s about your relationship with God. It’s about Practicing Trust. 

Give where God leads you. Build those trust muscles. And you’ll see that God is as good as His word. 

May Generosity be one of those quiet, beautiful signs of Christ’s life in us—done not for applause, but as an act of worship. 

In Jesus’s name, 

Amen. 

• Christian generosity

• Biblical giving

• Trusting God with finances

• Widow’s offering sermon

• Giving as worship

• Spiritual discipline of giving

• Jesus on generosity

• Faith and finances

• Christian stewardship

• Quiet giving Bible

  
  

• How to trust God with your money

• What the Bible says about giving quietly

• Sermon on the widow’s two coins

• Why Christians should give regularly

• Practicing generosity as a spiritual discipline

• Trusting God through financial sacrifice

• Teaching children about biblical generosity

• Giving without recognition in the Bible

• Jesus and the temple offering boxes

• Christian response to financial fear