Will you rob God?
Reference: Malachi 3:8-18
Introduction
Last week, we talked about four different goals that you can use this coming year to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. They were 1) Give more time to God, 2) Devote myself to serving, 3) Dedicate more time to pray, and 4) Offer everything you are to God.
This morning, I want to continue that same train of thought in which we will examine how we offer ourselves to the Lord. In two and a half years, I have not brought a message on tithes and offerings because frankly – I just have not felt the Lord speak to me on this issue … until this past week.
Let me preface this by saying I want you to see the MAIN point of this entire message up front: An offering is more than a check in the collection plate, it is more than just serving dinner one day – an offering is anything that is given to God … anything!
You can be an offering, and I want to show you how God rewards offerings, and rebukes those as needed.
Read Malachi 3:8-16
Pray
Point 1 – Tithes and Offerings(v8)
Many people look at this message and passage and immediately think of money, but I want you to know that this message is not solely about money.
Of course money affects all of us and instantly causes us to pay attention, but there is so much more in this that I don’t want you to just get wrapped up about money.
Let me first say that tithes in the OT are referenced specifically:
Lev 27:30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.”
Number 18:26 says, “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ’When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.”
Most have simply adapted what the OT says as the way it should be, and so everyone just assumes that 10% is the goal.
However, in the NT it is not so specific:
1 Cor 16:2 says, “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”
Note the phrase “… in keeping with his income …” This means that each has to decide how he should give, and the only way to make this decision is to consult the Lord. Without consulting God and asking Him what to do, you are entering this blindly and of your own leading. Not His. Ask Him in prayer what to do.
2 Cor 9:7 says, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Can you give 1%? Can you give 5%? Can you give more than 10%? The challenge here is not what can you give – but how much do you trust God to provide for? The Lord is capable of so much – and wants us to know that if we trust Him, He can and will provide for us.
But see, so many people get wrapped around this issue of money – and for those who may have tuned out when I started talking about money let me bring you back in.
There is so much more to this passage of scripture than giving money – so please do not focus on just that.
I want you to see that as the OT was ending, God’s promise to His people is that he would meet our needs!
Point 2 – God Promises to meet our Needs (v10)
Many Christians, especially those with financial issues, are afraid to give. However I want to tell you that God is able to meet ALL of your needs!
David declares in Psalm 37:25, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” God delivers!!
God rewards those who are willing to give to Him, in faith that He will use it for the advancement of His Kingdom. Galatians 6:7 says that we “reap what we sow” – and therefore we have to be willing to reap in order to receive back!
No return? What are you putting in?
This morning, we need to see that God’s rewards will come back as you are willing to give! 2 Corinthians 9:6 says “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” – which means that whatever you put in is what you will get back – but be aware that God’s rewards may be physical, or they be spiritual in nature.
God rewards as we NEED, not as we WANT.
Read Luke 12:22-24, 27-31
What we are seeing here is that God will provide – for everything! Don’t let the thought invade your mind that God will not be able to provide – but instead let this be the motivation for giving – being assured that God’s provision is intact.
Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
Giving is obedience ... and God rewards this obedience.
Lastly this morning, We need to be aware that God remembers – and we should act accordingly when it comes to being His servants.
Point 3 – God remembers!! (v13-16)
Probably the most important this to see here is that God is paying attention, and He has feelings when it comes to how His people act towards Him.
God directly tells these people that their words “have been harsh” against Him – which to me means that they were being regular people. How many times have you cursed God? How many times have you been angry at the Lord?
I want you to see that God remembers, and He is paying attention to not only what we do, but to what we say – especially against Him.
These people have declared to one another – justifying and validating one another – that it is useless to serve the Lord. Ever been there? Ever been involved in some sort of sin and tried to bring others into it? I tell you this morning that this takes spiritual maturity to see into yourself this way.
You cannot simply shake your head and say that you have never done this, without examining yourself first and being honest with you and God. Prayerfully, you have not lied to yourself for so long that you can no longer remember what the real truth is. Face it -- all of us are guilty of trying to convince ourselves we have not sinned. Think on these two examples:
1) Consider for a moment the reasons for not attending church regularly – do you ask others to agree with you on why you cannot make it?
2) Consider when you are involved in an addiction perhaps that seems unshakable. Do you ask other people to agree with you that it is in fact too hard to get rid of?
These people are getting a serious rebuke from the Lord and I tell you this morning that this rebuke applies to us as well.
Look at verse 16 with me again: “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.”
It says that they spoke to one another after hearing what God had to say – and when they had listened, they talked to one another. What God’s word does not say is what they talked about. Let me tell you plainly what they said as I read the following lines.
They repented of their ways. (Explain repent … Churches today don’t preach enough of this critical need in our lives – and it is time to take a stand on this.)
If they had not repented, verse 17 and 18 would be a lie. (READ)
Once you repent, you can discern between the righteous and the wicked …
God is not interested in your service, your offering, or your tithes if you have sin in your life that is between you and Him.
How can I say this?
If there is sin in your life, your relationship with God is tarnished. Therefore, everything that you offer prior to repentance and asking God to forgive is also tarnished. It is impossible to come to God and offer yourself – without getting your life right first.
Invite singers
Challenge
An offering is more than a check in the collection plate, it is more than just serving dinner one day – an offering is anything that is given to God … anything!
You can be an offering – the question is, are you willing to give to God?
Or, would you rather rob God in your tithes and offerings?
This morning, you consider this as we sing together and have this time for you to decide if you will be faithful to God, or if you will rob Him.
Pray
