"Can I get your A-Tenth-tion please"
Genesis 14:18-20
This morning I would like to start a 2 part series on Tithes and Offerings.
Now I know some of us may be getting nervous right about now, because you say oh man here the preacher goes talking about money.
Well I would like to encourage you today to look at it like this.
The preacher is not trying to get money from me, but the preacher is trying to get money to me.
Hello somebody...
Also, if this is your first time here and you are visiting. We don't preach on money every Sunday, but you just happened to pick a good Sunday to come and learn how to be blessed.
Ok we are going to start this 2 part series off this week on the subject of Tithes.
Tell your neighbor you are going to be blessed, if you catch this...
Before I get into the subject of Tithes let me read this joke that I came across and then we will get into the teaching.
My Pastor will find me Illustration:
There were two men shipwrecked on this island. The minute they got to the island, one of them started screaming and yelling.
"We're going to die! We're going to die! There's no food! No water! We're going to die!"
The second man was propped up against a palm tree and acting so calmly it drove the first man crazy.
"Don't you understand?!" We're going to die!!" the first man said.
"You don't understand. I make $100,000 a week," said the second man.
The first man looked at him quite dumbfounded and asked what difference does it make? We're on an island with no food and no water! We're going to die!!!"
The second man answered, " You just don't get it. I make $100,000 a week. I tithe. My pastor will find me!"
1. What is the definition of the word Tithe:
The two primary words translated "tithe", "tithes", and "tithing" are maaser from the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and also asar from the Strongs concordance.
Maaser is defined as "tithe, tenth part".
Asar (depending on the tense) means "to tithe, take the tenth part, give a tithe, take a tithe".
Now, the basic meaning is "a 10th" or, as we might say now adays, "10 percent".
So a Tithe basically means to take out 10 percent.
Now there is something that you and I need to know and that is the practice of tithing predates even Old Testament law.
We see that in Genesis 14: 18-20 In response to God’s blessing and faithfulness, Abraham tithed, which undoubtedly led to God blessing him...
Although the New Testament does not command believers to tithe 10 percent of their income, there is also no statement declaring the Old Testament plan of tithing 10 percent to be no longer valid.
Though some people believe tithing was never intended for New Testament Christians, there are many others that do.
We as Victory Outreach Church believe - God designed tithing helps the ministry in its quest to spread the good news of His gospel throughout the world and We as Victory Outreach ministries have been giving a God given Vision and that is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every major inner-city of the world.
In just a few weeks we are going to be sending a team out to the city of Durban, South Africa. The exciting this is we have already signed the lease for the house where we are going to be having our Men's Home.
Now let me ask us a question.
How are we going to support this work that we are sending to Durban?
We are the ones that are going to help support them - you know.
Why because we are sending them out.
Now listen to me Church, this is just the beginning and it is not going to stop with Durban - we already have a Church in Pretoria, we already have a satellite in Mitchell's Plain, but did you know Mitchell's Plain has over 1.5 million people in it. Just one Satellite is not enough, we can have 100 satellites with 1,000 people in it and still not reach the whole city.
As a matter of fact, the ministerial team and the leaders of our Mitchell's Plain Satellite are already putting strategies together on how we can launch our more Satellites into the city of Mitchell's Plain.
Not only that but Johanesburg is crying out, Port Elizabeth is crying out, George is crying out, and we can go on and on.
Now lets bring it to us.
When we send these works out, how are they going to impact the city with no money.
Now we are the base, right?
Ut Oh I said we are the base for Africa right?
So that means we are going to help support the works that are going to be sent out into the continect of Africa, right?
So not only are we going to support these works with labourers, right?
Not only are we going to support these works with our excitement, right?
Not only are we going to support these works with our prayers, right?
Not only are we going to support these works with our words of encouragement, right?
but we are also going to support these works with some finances, right?
Now how are we going to do that?
If you and I don't believe in Tithing or if we are not Faithful in our tithing. How are we going to support the works that we send out into the continect of Africa?
Is it going to be through fundraisers?
Is it going to be through Car Washes?
Now don't get me wrong I am not against ministries having fund raisers, that's cool, but Imagine a Church having a yard sale, because we are believing God to take Africa.
We tell people you know I serve a Big God, but can you help us out with your money and buy some old clothes that I used to wear so we can reach Africa.
NO NO NO - thats not the kind of God my Bible talks about.
My Bible says that My God is more than enough.
My Bible says He is Jehovah Jireh my provider.
My Bible says in Luke 6:38 give and it will be given unto you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.
My Bible says that - My God owns all the cattle on a thousand hill.
My Bible says - in Philippians 4:19 - my God is able to meet all my needs according to His Glorious Riches in Christ Jesus.
My Bible says - in Malachi 3:10 that if I am faithful with my Tithes and Offerings God will pour out such a blessing that I can't contain.
We serve a Big God and we are called to be a base to the continent of Africa. Amen?
So that is why We as Victory Outreach Church believe - God designed tithing helps the ministry in its quest to spread the good news of His gospel throughout the world and We as Victory Outreach ministries have been giving a God given Vision and that is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every major inner-city of the world.
2. Why should you and I Tithe?
- Giving 10 percent of one's personal income to support the work of God is a recognition that everything we have comes from God.
Joke about Gold
There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him.
An angel hears his plea and appears to him. "Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you." The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules. The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him.
The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.
Soon afterward he dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter. St. Peter seeing the suitcase says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!" But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."
St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought pavement?"
- It encourages self discipline and thrift, checks greed, testifies to our faith, and promotes God's work in the world.
- Although tithing is not a condition for salvation, it is an important sacrifice for Christians to show their love for God and their church.
*** Our love for God
How many here love God?
When you and I pay our Tithes faithfully it shows that our heart is in the things of God.
The Bible says "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"
One thing I have learned is - I can say I love God all day long, but the reality of the fact is where ever I place my money on a consistent basis, is where my heart is.
Where ever you and I put our finances, it shows you and I where our heart is.
*** Our love for our Church -
How many here love your Church?
When you and I pay our Tithes faithfully at our Church, it shows that we have a love for our Church and the truth is when you and I spend money on something we value it more. Can I hear an amen.
Example:
Rental Car... Eat in the car, go over speed bumps, don't really take care of it.
Why because we didn't pay for it.
Car you paid for... Don't eat in my car, drive carefully, clean it, and take care of it.
Why because we paid for it.
You and I usually value where we spend our money...
So it is when you and I give to our Church. We love it, value it, and take care of it, why because we have put money into it.
So when you and I love our Church - we give and because we give we value what God is doing in our Church. We value the condition of our Church and we value the image of our Church.
Someone once said - you can give with loving, but you can't love without giving.
Another reason why we should Tithe
- In sparing 10% of our income for the Lord’s work, God promises us that we will receive far more than that amount in our everlasting reward:
God says "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse...Test me in this...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).
Now there are those who oppose tithing and they do so by taking Jesus out of context, starting with this passage from Matthew:
Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices... But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness." They stop there, deliberately failing to finish the verse: "You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former".
Jesus obviously meant for the Old Testament practice of tithing to continue.
3. How Should We Tithe?
Cheerfully - II Corinthians 9:7 - Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
When you and I give it should be done with a heart of gratefulness, a heart of thanksgiving, and a spirit of joy. When you and I give it should be cheerful.
If we give with a grudging spirit, it gains nothing in the way of heavenly blessings.
How many know when we give we are giving to God not to man.
So with that in mind we need to remember that we shouldn't withhold our tithes as a statement against decisions and directions espoused by spiritual leaders.
4. Where should we Tithe?
- We should give our Tithe to our home Church.
In identifying with a local body of believers, we are obeying God’s instruction that we assemble together with believers (Hebrews 10:25).
The Bible says in Hebrews 10:25
(KJV)
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
(NIV)
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
So where ever you gather together and assemble with fellow believers is where you and I should pay our Tithe.
Wherever you are getting fed spiritually you should pay your tithe there.
Not to someone on TV, or a Church we used to attend, or a Charity organization, or mail it in to the preacher on TV.
Those are all good things, but our tithes rightfully belong to our church, though we may perhaps designate some of our offerings (beyond the tithes) to ministries outside the church and we will discuss that more next week.
Our Tithes rightfully belong to our home Church. Where you get fed on a consistent basis.
When we give with a humble spirit—not like we’re making a deal with God—then He will certainly fulfill His promises, as He always does.
You may be thinking if I don't Tithe someone else will so I don't have to be faithful.
We let me end with a story about 4 people named - Anybody, Somebody, Everybody, and Nobody.
Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody were members of a group.
There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody would have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody would do it, but Nobody realized that Anybody wouldn’t do it.
It ended up that Everybody, blamed Somebody, when Nobody did, what Anybody could have done.
When you and I don't pay our tithe the Bible clearly says that we are robbing God.
Are there any robbers in the house?
Now I know you are feeling good in your new dress,
Now I know you look smart with your new suit,
Now I know you look cool in your new car,
Now I know you are enjoying that new phone, but my question is did you rob God to get it?
Let's not be the one who is robbing God in the area of our Tithes...
Let's be a people who take God at His Word that says, if you and I are faithful in our Tithes and Offerings God will open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that we can't contain.
Not only that, but we have the privileged of partnering with God in our giving to Impact the Continent of Africa with the Gospel of Jesus Christ..
