As we mentioned last time, in this series on giving, we are going to take a look at what the bible says about the “What,” “How,” and “Why” of giving. Today, we will look to Scripture to answer the question of “What should I give?” From our text, we discover that there are three things every believer needs to give.
1. We should give our selves to God - vs. 6-7b
In citing the example of the Macedonian believers with respect to giving, Paul said of them in 2 Corinthians 8:5.
“They gave themselves first to the Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 8:5 (NIV)
We also find Malachi emphasizing the same thing as he speaks to God’s people about giving. It was God’s desire, first and foremost, that they give themselves wholly to Him.
The people of Israel had forsaken God’s decrees. They had forsaken God’s ways. They had forsaken God. But God had not forsaken them. God had not left them . . . They had left God.
“If God seems far away . . . Guess who moved.”
If you are a child of God who feels as though God seems far away from you, you can rest assured that God has not forsaken you. For as we are reminded in Hebrews 13:5 (NIV), the promise of God to His children is, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
So, if God seems far away from me, it is because I have moved away from Him, because He will never move away from me.
What God desires most from us is our selves. He calls us to a love relationship with Himself. That was his desire from the beginning. Man was created for a love relationship with God. But sin broke that love relationship, which is what Jesus came.
“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” - John 3:16 (Amplified)
God expressed His love through Christ’s sacrifice for us.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” - Romans 5:8 (NLT)
Jesus died in order to restore our love relationship with the Father. Our love relationship with God must, therefore, be of equal importance to us as it is to God. It is because of the priority of the love relationship that God promises to never leave or forsake us; and it is because of the priority of the love relationship that we must never leave of forsake God.
A couple was having problems and for counseling. At one point the husband said to the wife, “I’ve given you every¬thing you’ve ever asked for-a new home, a new car, all the clothes you can wear,” and the list went on. When he finished the wife said sadly “That is true. You have given me everything but one thing . . . yourself.”
Sadly, marriage relationships aren’t the only ones that are damaged because one party choose not to give themselves to it, many relationship with god are not what they should be for the same reason.
What am I to give? I am to give myself to God.
2. We should give our substance to God’s control - vs. 7c-8a
Having identified the problem that existed between god and His people, Malachi goes on to pin point the issue at hand. Anticipating the people’s question of how they might return to God, he tells them that the reason they strayed in the first place was that they assumed control of their lives, their substance, instead of yielding control to the rightful owner—God. Malachi charged that they were guilty of robbing God! At issue, therefore, in their returning to God, was whether or not they would give their substance to God’s control instead of maintaining control themselves.
This same issue needs to be resolved in each of our lives as well. Will we acknowledge God as the creator and provider of all things? If so, then He is the owner of all things as well. Since that is true, then what I possess is merely that which God allows me to possess; and I owe it to the One who has entrusted it to me to manage it in such a way as to please Him. Each of us needs to give his substance to God’s control.
Especially when I considers the fact that if Christ is my Savior, then God owns me, too.
“You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NIV)
Emil Mettler was a restaurateur in London who was a close friend of Albert Schweitzer. Mettler would not allow a Christian worker to pay for a meal. He once opened his register in the presence of a Secretary of the London Missionary Society. The Secretary was astonished to see among the bills and coins a six-inch nail. What was it doing there? Mettler explained, “I keep this nail with my money to remind me of the price that Christ paid for my salvation and of what I owe Him in return.”
Quote from Lee Davis, former head of Stewardship Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention: “Every tangible response is based on an intangible commitment. Right living and giving are Christian virtues to be developed. They are not automatic. First there is a commitment of life to Christ. Then comes the commitment to be a Christian steward.
A commitment of stewardship recognizes that God is the creator, giver, and owner of your life and resources. It is a predetermined choice to honor God before another day-comes, before the salary is earned, or possessions are acquired. The temptation to be an unfaith¬ful steward is foiled before it is conceived.
A commitment of stewardship determines the style and standard of our living. It influences how we view our new life in Christ as we stand in the midst of a community, nation, and world needing to know Christ. Stewardship commitment also determines how we see material things, whether as symbols of security to be grasped or as resources to use and enjoy and with which to minister.
There are many dimensions to a commitment of stewardship. What is evident, however, is that at some point it must be expressed in a sustained and tangible way. That is why regular giving to God through one’s church is so important. Giving money can be an outward expression of the inward commitment.”
Mr. Davis’ comments merely echo what Malachi is declaring here. First, we must give ourselves to God. That commitment is expressed by giving our substance to God’s control, which is, in turn, expressed by our giving to support God’s work.
3. We should give our support to God’s work - v. 8b
Malachi said that the people needed to support God’s work through . . .
A. Giving what law demands - “tithes”
The word “tithe” means “tenth,” and refers to the giving of 10% of one’s income.
But a common question posed by believers on this side of the cross is, “Are we, who live in this age of grace bound by the law? Isn’t the tithe a practice only associated with the law and not with grace?” Allow me to share two thoughts in response to this question.
1) Being freed from the burden of the law doesn’t mean we are also freed from the standard of the law.
The standard of the law still stands; but the burden of living a life that measures up to that standard has been removed because of the power of the person of Christ living within me. This is Paul’s point when he speaks of the fruit of the Spirit (the character of Christ) being produced in my life.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
2) The practice of tithing is a teaching of the Bible that extends beyond the law of Moses and is, therefore, applicable to believers of every age.
We know the tithe is a practice for believers of every age because:
1. Of the example of Abraham –
“Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” - Genesis 14:20 (NIV)
2. Of the example of Jesus –
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” - Matthew 5:17 (NIV)
3. Of what Jesus has told us –
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s." - Matthew 22:21 (NIV)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” - Matthew 23:23 (NIV)
But we know that the tithe is only the beginning because:
1. Of how Jesus taught us to view the demands of the law - Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 38-42; 43-44
Jesus taught that we are to seek to exceed the requirements of the law!
2. Of what Jesus said about our righteousness –
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:20 (NIV)
Primary meaning: no one is good enough to be saved.
Secondary meaning: God expects his people to live a life of righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes & Pharisees, who obeyed the letter of the law.
3. Of what Paul said about our living by a higher law –
“Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” - Romans 8:2 (NIV)
“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” - 2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)
God has written his law on the hearts of all who know Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If, under "the law of sin & death" I gave 10% to the support of God’s work, under "the law of the Spirit of Life" I will surely give at least 10%!
WHY SHOULD I TITHE? 8 REASONS FROM GOD’S WORD
1. Because God COMMANDS it.
“A tithe of everything . . . belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD." - Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)
2. Because Jesus COMMENDED it.
"You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things." - Matthew 23:23 (NLT)
3. Tithing demonstrates that God has FIRST PLACE in my life.
"The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life.” - Deuteronomy 14:23 (LB)
4. Tithing reminds me that EVERYTHING was given to me by God!
"But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth" - Deuteronomy 8:18 (NASB)
5. Tithing expresses my GRATITUDE to God.
"How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?" - Psalm 116:12 (NIV)
"Each of you should bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” - Deuteronomy 16:17 (NIV)
6. God says that refusing to tithe is STEALING from Him!
"’Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!’ But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ God says ’In tithes and offerings ... Bring your whole tithe to My house.’" - Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)
7. Tithing gives God a chance to prove HE EXISTS and wants to bless you!
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” - Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
8. Tithing proves that I REALLY LOVE GOD.
(Jesus) "If you really love me, do what I command." - John 14:15 (NIV)
"... I want you to be leaders also in the spirit of cheerful giving ... This is one way to prove that your love is real, that it goes beyond mere words." - 2 Corinthians 8:7b - 8 (Living Bible)
But we need to extend beyond giving only what the law demands to . . .
B. Giving what love demands - “offerings”
Offerings are what are given beyond the tithe. When it comes to generosity, some folks stop at nothing; and when it comes to giving, some Christians stop at tithing. God calls us to go beyond what the law demands and give what love demands. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” - John 14:21 (NIV)
A lawyer and a merchant joined a party that was going around the world. In Korea one day they saw in a field a boy pulling a crude plow while an old man held the plow handles and directed it through the rice paddy. The lawyer took a snapshot of the scene. “That’s a curious sight,” he said to the missionary who was their interpreter and guide.
“Yes,” was the reply. “That is the family of Chi Noui. When the church building was built they were eager to give something, but they had no money; so they sold the only ox they had and gave the money to the church. This spring they are pulling the plow themselves.”
The lawyer and the businessman were silent for moments. Then the business¬man said, “That must have been a real sacrifice!” “They did not call it that,” said the missionary. “They thought it was for¬tunate they had an ox to sell.”
The two tourists did not have much to say, but when they reached home the lawyer took the picture to his minister and told him of the incident and admitted. “I am ashamed to say that I have never given anything to Him that really cost me something.”
WHY GOD WANTS ME TO GIVE 7 Benefits to My Life
1. GIVING MAKES ME MORE LIKE GOD.
God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son ..." - John 3:16 (NIV)
2. GIVING DRAWS ME CLOSER TO GOD.
"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
3. GIVING IS THE ANTIDOTE TO MATERIALISM.
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to be generous and willing to share. In this way they may take hold of the life that is truly Life!" - 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
4. GIVING STRENGTHENS MY FAITH.
"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income." – Proverbs 3:5, 9 (Amplified)
"Give and it will be given to you ... For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” - Luke 6:38 (NIV)
5. GIVING IS AN INVESTMENT IN ETERNITY.
" ... Give happily to those in need, and always be ready to share whatever God has given you. By doing this, you will be storing up real treasure for yourselves in heaven - it is the only safe investment for eternity.” - 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (LB)
6. GIVING BLESSES ME IN RETURN.
"A generous man himself will be blessed." - Proverbs 22:9 (NIV)
"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." – Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
"Good will come to him who is generous ..." - Psalm 112:5 (NIV)
7. GIVING MAKES ME HAPPY.
(Jesus) "More blessings come from giving than from receiving." - Acts 20:35 (CEV)
Conclusion: Vs. 9-12
Recalling the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 28, Malachi reminds Israel that they can choose either blessing or cursing. If they persist in straying from God and controlling all they possess as they please, as exemplified by their refusal to support God’s work, they would be cursed by suffering the consequences of their poor stewardship.
“Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’” - Haggai 1:5-6 (NIV)
If, however, they would hear and heed the message he delivered, they would be blessed with protection (v. 11a), productivity (v. 11b), and powerful testimony (v. 12).
A pastor went to South Korea to visit the churches there and to try to understand their tremendous growth. In his conversation with a local pastor he asked if he taught tithing. “No,” he said, “that’s too Old Testament.” Then the Korean pastor laughed and added, “We expect them to give like Chris¬tians—around 30 to 40 percent!”
Let’s live and give like Christians!
