(Stand for the reading of the word and turn to Malachi 3:6-12
While you are turning….let me tell you I appreciate this church and every person in it. You are a very giving church, there is no doubt about it and I have battled with even speaking on the subject of money. This church has shown it is very sacrificial in fact the other night Bro. Sams and Bro. McCrary mentioned this church has sacrificed for pioneering of churches with the giving of a pastor. I don’t want you to think I am pointing fingers at anyone, but this month in the Heartland Conference is Stewardship month….I haven’t mentioned it because I know all of you already understand what giving is….you give, give and then give some more.
Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Mal 3:10 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.
Mal 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Kenneth Sauer points out Although the Mosaic Law remained in effect for 15 centuries, from the time of Moses to the time of Christ’s death at Calvary, the people often ignored, defied, or buried it.
When their spiritual life was low, their giving fell off, and when they were spiritually revived, their giving rose again.
God sent prophets, such as Malachi, to warn them about their backslidings and invite them to return to Him.
With their return, God promised to meet them in reconciliation.
God has a special place for His children to bring their tithes and offerings.
In the wilderness, the Israelites brought them to the Tabernacle.
Today, the designated place is the local church.
In Vs. 7 MHC here is God’s controversy with the men of that generation, for deserting his service and robbing him--wicked servants indeed, that not only run away from their Master, but run away with their Master’s goods.
At the end of Malachi 2, Israel complained that God seemed to reward the wicked and did not exercise His justice in the world. God responds to their complaint by saying, "I will set things right with My Messiah, and before Him will come My messenger."
God wants to prepare his people for his coming and part of his preparation is showing God your willing in every part of your life. Money is a big part of our every day life and how we use it or if we abuse it….effects every thing around us.
1. Our Attitude must be Christ like
2. Our Amount should be Correct
3. Our Ability to give should be a Concern (Priority)
1. Is Our Attitude must be Christ like
a. Leland Patrick The subject of money and religion has been hotly debated over the years. There have been abuses of this subject. There have been distortions of this subject. No matter which way you examine the subject, it is a subject the Bible discusses in great detail. Jesus had more to say about money than about Heaven.
b. A. In Malachi we observe some improper attitudes. The people to whom Malachi wrote were struggling with their attitude. They doubted God’s love.
c. In “Mal 1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? " (KJV) They were bored with serving God.
d. In chapter 1 verse 13 we read “Behold, what a weariness is it!”( KJV) They doubted God’s justice. In Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (KJV)
e. Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances.
f. MHC We have here God’s controversy with the men of that generation, for deserting his service and robbing him--wicked servants indeed, that not only run away from their Master, but run away with their Master’s goods.
g. If a person’s attitude is unhealthy it will affect everything in their spiritual life. Sometimes we must confront our unhealthy attitudes.
h. Ill- A small church in Virginia needed to have a new roof in the worst of ways, but there was no money in their account. Most of the congregation was very poor except for the local banker. He was an ornery old cuss, and he would be the first in church so he could always sit in the back pew by the door. That way, he could always get up and leave during prayer right before the offering was collected.
One day, on the way to church, an accident in front of him made him late. When he got there, the only place to sit was on the front pew in front of the pastor.
As the pastor prayed for God to send them money for the roof, a piece broke off and fell down, hitting the banker on the head. He immediately yelled out, "I’ll give $1,000. for the roof!" And one of the men in back yelled out, "Hit him again, Lord!"
that man needed an attitude adjustment.
With a right Attitude me need to be sure the amount is correct
2. Our Amount should be Correct
i. Ill- Leighton Farrell was the minister of Highland Park Church in Dallas for many years. He tells of a man in the church who once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe ten percent of their income every year. They were both young and neither of them had much money. But things changed. The layman tithed one thousand dollars the year he earned ten thousand, ten thousand dollars the year he earned one-hundred thousand, and one- hundred thousand dollars the year he earned one million. But the year he earned six million dollars he just could not bring himself to write out that check for six-hundred thousand dollars to the Church.
He telephoned the minister, long since having moved to another church, and asked to see him. Walking into the pastor’s office the man begged to be let out of the covenant, saying, "This tithing business has to stop. It was fine when my tithe was one thousand dollars, but I just cannot afford six-hundred thousand dollars. You’ve got to do something, Reverend!" The pastor knelt on the floor and prayed silently for a long time. Eventually the man said, "What are you doing? Are you praying that God will let me out of the covenant to tithe?" "No," said the minister. "I am praying for God to reduce your income back to the level where one thousand dollars will be your tithe!" (Contributed to Sermon Central by Joel Vicente)
j. The book of Proverbs explains this principle. We read “Honor the Lord with your possessions
Pr 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (KJV) In giving the first tenth we are honoring God with the whole.
k. Patrick - The concept of tithing is something that must be learned. Malachi wrote to instruct the Israelite people of their responsibility. The Israelite people had neglected their responsibility. For some this will be an easy lesson. For others it will be a growth process. This requires a willing heart. The apostle Paul said
“2Co 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, (it’s in the heart) it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not..” II Cor. 8:12 (NKJV)
l. Mal 3:10 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.
m. Jacob vows a tenth of all his property to God in Genesis 28:22
"This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will R856 be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."
n. Verse 10 of Mal 3 Bring ye all the tithes They had so withheld these that the priests had not food enough to support life, and the sacred service was interrupted
o. And prove me now herewith] What you give to God shall never lessen your store. Give as ye should, and see whether I will not so increase your store by opening the windows of heaven-giving you rain and fruitful seasons-that your barns and granaries shall not be able to contain the abundance of your harvests and vintage.
p. You can’t out give God *******
(Disclaimer) I am not asking for a raise, You take very good care of us. This is for illustration purposes only!
Its hard to imagine when you don’t have much but it works. It is told of a preacher friend of mine who was on a church board at the time, the church had $1 in its account at the end of the month. He stated let’s give the pastor a $5 raise. The next month they had $2 in the account and this preacher raised his hand and said…Let’s give the pastor another raise. There was controversy each time but now the church is flourishing. Give from your heart and God will bless.
We should also be aware that our ability to Give should be a concern
3. Our Ability to give should be a Concern (Priority)
q. In our text two phrases emphasize the priority of this responsibility. The first phrase is the word “rob.” Malachi indicates that refusal to tithe is equivalent to robbing God. That is found in Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. FBN All that we have and are belongs to God. When we withhold from him our full love and obedience, we are living in the practice of robbery, however decent may be our outward deportment. Thousands who have a fair name in God’s church, thus rob God by withholding from him the time or service or property which his cause demands, and bring upon their souls his withering curse.
r. In verse 9 we are told that refusal to tithe can lead to a “curse.” God’s chosen nation was instructed to honor Him with a tithe. Those two difficult phrases emphasize God’s opinion on this subject.
s. Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
B. Another passage emphasizes the priority of tithing.
t. “Le 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.” (KJV)
u. When something is holy it is set aside. It is distinct. It is untouchable. A believer should not pay for a car, truck or house with the tithe. It belongs to God.
v. Andrew Chan “In fact, 15 percent of everything Christ said relates to this topic (money and possessions) – more than His teachings on heaven and hell combined. Why did Jesus put such an emphasis on money and possessions? Because there’s a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think about and handle money. We may try to divorce our faith and our finances, but God sees them as inseparable.”
w. A CHILD’S 57 CENTS
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it ‘was too crowded’. "I can’t go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor apartment building and the parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. For two years she had saved for this offering of love. A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands, when told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57-cent payment. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends. When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look; too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday school building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside at Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, {and given}
Charles Swindoll wrote: “We honor God by first giving to Him from our paycheck.
In doing so, we acknowledge His ownership of everything before we enjoy any of it ourselves. Whatever your income, give a portion to the Lord first. He will be honored and glorified by your trust.”
Robert A. Laidlaw, the New Zealand businessman and famous author, started giving money to the church at the age of 18.
His salary was $3 a week.
Later he promised God he would give 10 percent and would continually increase the amount as his income increased.
At 25 years of age, Laidlaw increased his tithing to 50 percent!
That’s right!
He gave 50 percent of all his earnings back to God.
Nearly 50 years later he reflected, “In spiritual communion and in material things, God has blessed me a hunredfold, and has graciously entrusted to me a stewardship far beyond my expectations when, as a lad of 18, I started to give God a definite portion of my wages.”
With our Attitude being Christ like and our amount being correct, We should make sure our ability to give is our main concern. As
2Co 8:12 states, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not..”
It is our attitude that controls everything. You can give more than anyone, do more than anyone, and attend here more than anyone, but it is your attitude and willingness to submit to God that is the key.
I trust you will give God first of each day, first of your paycheck each week and all of your being.
