Taking the "Stew" Out of Stewardship (Part 3 of 4)
6 Questions We Don’t Ask Out Loud About Tithing
Malachi 3:8-10
Jan. 21, 2007 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor
Introduction:
A Opening Story
B Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ’How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Mal 3:8-10 (NASB)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Matt 23:23 (NASB)
But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Luke 11:42 (NASB)
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness 2 Tim 3:16 (NASB)
I What should a tither’s attitude be?
A There is a right & wrong attitude to tithing.
1 At a little country church in need of a new roof, with few members & even less money, the local bank president (an ornery old cuss) would be the first one at church to get a back-row seat. He would sneak out during offertory prayer & avoid the offertory plate-everybody knew!
a One Sunday he was late & had to sit all the way up on the first row.
b The pastor prayed for Him to send money for the roof, & a piece of the ceiling fell & hit the banker on the head. The banker shouted, "I’ll give $1,000!"
c One of the men in back yelled, "Hit him again, Lord!" Obviously, both men needed an attitude adjustment!
2 These folks Malachi wrote to had the same attitudes that were so rotten that heaven could smell it! (Stunk to high heaven)
a Mal. 1:2 shows they doubted God’s love I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have You loved us?" Mal 1:2a (NASB), 1:13 revealed they didn’t bring what God required You also say, ’My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it," says the LORD of hosts, "and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?" says the LORD. Mal 1:13 (NASB), & 2:17 discloses that they brought the torn, lame, sick sheep that were not fit for anything else You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?" Mal 2:17 (NASB).
b Very unhealthy attitudes!
3 There are good examples of the right attitude of tithers in the Old Testament.
a And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." He gave him a tenth of all. Gen 14:20 (NASB) Abraham had just completed a military mission & was overwhelmed by gratitude for God’s blessing upon him. (What kind of attitude did Abraham have?)
b "This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." Gen 28:22 (NASB) Jacob had been going through some personal problems with his family, & came to find peace with God; in that moment he set up a stone before God & committed himself to tithing. (What kind of attitude did Jacob have?)
c There is a vast contrast between the good attitudes of Abraham & Jacob & the bad attitudes of Malachi’s audience.
B But what is the right attitude? (Gratitude/cheerful)
1 Has He given you reason to be happy? Thankful? AMEN!
a God loves you, sent His Son, called you to salvation...SAVED!
b If you have not accepted God’s free gift of grace, today is the day.
2 We have reason to be cheerful givers. Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:6-7 (NASB)
a "Pastor, I can’t tithe with a cheerful heart, so I’m not going to tithe."
b Your goal ought to a change of heart, not of tithing amount.
Speaking of tithing amount, let’s ask the second question (transitional sentence).
II What should be the amount of the tithe?
A Tithing is directly mentioned 39 times in Scripture, & in every single instance it means "a tenth part."
1 We just read that Abraham tithed, and Hebrews 7:2, 4 confirms that it was 10%. ...to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. Heb 7:2, 4 (NASB)
2 Malachi’s readers were robbing God by not giving a 10% tithe.
3 10% may seem like a huge number, but who chose that number? God.
a In the Bible, 10% represents the whole
aa Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce Prov 3:9 (NASB) In giving the first 10%, you’re honoring God with the whole.
bb (IL) President Bush sends an ambassador to visit other countries. The Ambassador is only one person, but (s)he represents the whole nation.
cc (IL) "I love you with all of my heart." What about your foot? The heart represents the whole.
B What should be the amount of MY tithe? (Gross or net?)
1 What is the amount on your check (or direct deposit slip) you get? Salary
a For the sake of agreement (for what I’m going to ask you to do in a few moments), let’s agree
b On your listening guide, using 10% of your check, answer the question: What should be the amount of my tithe?
c On Feb. 4, I’m asking you, whether or not you usually tithe...to give a time this one time.
aa Offering will be taken that Sunday near the beginning of service.
bb Basket at front, during fellowship time, you’ll bring it forward.
2 Let’s see what happens if we all tithed this one Sunday.
III What priority should tithing be given?
A Summed up in two words in our Malachi passage: "rob" & "curse"
1 Robbing is when you take something that doesn’t belong to you or keep something that doesn’t belong to you.
a They were robbing God of His honor, Sabbath time, that which was to be devoted to Him, themselves.
b Where have we robbed? Tithes & offerings
2 Because they were robbing God, God cursed them.
a I don’t think it was so much He made their lives difficult as it was that He withheld blessings.
b The counter relative to curse is what God promised to do when people tithed!
c Priority? When something is a priority, it’s protected and given commitment.
B (IL) Priority, today at 4 p.m., the Chicago Bears & the New Orleans Saints will face off in the NFC Championship.
1 You’ll protect the time to watch the game
2 You’ve made a commitment to watch the game
3 It’s what you’re doing this afternoon. PRIORITY
4 When you commit to tithing, you will protect that 10% of your money (not for car, truck, cable, etc.). It’s His!
a You’ll commit to the discipline of tithing
b Why? Priority
Conclusion:
A (IL) Pick someone out of the congregation who you know will be "grossed out" by this. Take a Snickers bar, hold it up, and say, "I want to give away this Snickers." Then walk over to the person & say, "O.K. This candy bar is for you. But, you know, I kind of like chocolate, and it looks good." Quickly eat the chocolate off the bar, then say, "O.K. there you go-you can have it now. But, you know, I kind of like the nougat part." Eat it off the bar then say, "O.K. you can have it now, but wait, I really like caramel." Eat the caramel, & spit the nuts into a paper cup. Then say, "Well, you know, I’ve never been that crazy about nuts, you can have them." Tell the congregation, "I’m sorry if I have offended anyone, but this is what we do to God."
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