Title: Why I tithe
Theme:
Text: Malachi 3:8-10, Matthew 6:19-21,33
Introduction
As I prepared for this message I began to think about what I wanted to accomplish today. What main point do I want to bring across. If anything it is that I really believe in what I have said about stewardship. I not only preach it but I practice it, (hey Fred wouldn’t let me do any different, just kidding).
So today I want to give you five reasons, honestly right off the top of my head, why I pay tithes.
I. Because God’s Word says so
Vs. 10 plainly tells us toe “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse”. Some would say, “Well that was under the law, we as Christians no longer live under the law. Yet tithing goes back father than the law. We notice it in the life of Abraham when he gave 1/10th of his spoils to Melchezidec. But I personally believe that it goes further back than that. I believe it started just out side of the Garden of Eden. Now hold on, don’t tune me off just listen.
When Cain and Able were born we read of one act of worship that was required of God. That was a sacrifice. Some say that he reason God spoke so harshly to Cain was because of the type of sacrifice. That may be true but I do know that God deals with the heart not the outward appearance. I believe that God required the sacrifice and I believe that it was a certain amount to be given. I don’t know if it was a tenth of everything but I believe there was a figure tied to it.
Just think the Israelites themselves gave 23% of all that had to the Lord. 10% in tithes, 10% to the priest and Levite’s and then 3% in various offerings.
II. Because I don’t want to “rob” God
Not only does the Bible tell us to tithe but it tells us that if we don’t tithe we are robbing God.
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
We are literally taking from God. Why? He owns it all we are called to be good stewards of what he has given us. All he asks is 1. To give a tithe, that is the least we can do.
2. Then he leaves it to our discretion to give an offering. 100% we have he only says at least give 10%. It sounds so little but I guess so much considering that the average American gives 2% of their income to the church/charity.
III. Because I trust the Lord
Let us look at verse 10 again “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Then Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
What powerful words. But words that are so definite. It gives us room to challenge the Lord in blessings. I don’t believe that God is closed to us “proving” him.
The Word prove here means to “examine, scrutinize, to test, try”. God opens the door up so we need to prove him right.
I believe prove could also mean to “show evidence for” as one who is at trial.
IV. Because I realize “that there is more after this life than there is to this life”
Matthew 6:19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
The fourth reason I tithe is because I understand “that there is more after this life than there is to this life.” This is not just a fable or something that I have convinced myself to believe but I believe it.
I believe that each time I give to the Lord I am laying up treasures in heaven. Is that important when we get to heaven? Well scripture tells us to do it so something must be there.
If anything the greatest joy will come when we lay down our treasure at the feet of Jesus to be given to him.
We build up so much here on earth. Debt has ravaged the family. I tell you I don’t care how much debt I get myself into I will always make sure that I give to the Lord 1st.
That is the first check to come out when we get paid, the tithe check. The next piece of the budget is offering and the third is missions and other faith commitments.
Why? I like the way one man summed it up, “There are a lot of creditors who want a piece of me and my paycheck. There are all sorts of other concerns that compete for my attention and my money. But I write out my check to the church first, before I pay anything else. It is my way of saying that I belong to God before anybody else can get a piece of me.
V. Because I want to keep my focus on Christ
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The final reason that I tithe is because I want my “heart to be where my treasure is, or vice versa I want my treasure to be where my heart is”.
I believe that when I tithe and give in offering that I show the Lord where my heart is. My heart is not given to some debtor to pay a debt that will only be temporary here on earth.
I want my heart to be in eternal things.
Conclusion
With the outline that I just preached you will find below it a tithing commitment form. This is something that we have done for the last two years. Let me first say this form is not about me but it is about you.
I want you to make a decision on commitment. Fill it out. Then I want you to fold it and write you name on the outside. I don’t plan to look at your decision. You know what I do with these forms you will get them back at the end of January. You know that.
