Today we will start a six part series on “ Faithfulness in a parallel world.”
This morning we will discuss:
Faithfulness in a Parallel World - In our Giving Part 1
The Who, How, Why and What of Gods plan for us and what He has given us.
Next Sunday: Faithfulness in a parallel Word – Made in Gods Image Part 2
Marriage and its purpose and importance to Gods plan
June 16th Father’s Day Faithfulness in a parallel World – Fatherhood Part 3
June 23 faithfulness in a parallel world - In Living - The art of a Holy & Sanctified Life Part 4
June 30th Faithfulness In Serving God and Country the 4th of July Part 5
July 7 The Conclusion The Victory of Faithfulness Part 6
First let me start by explaining the meaning of a parallel world. Gen. 1:1-31 don’t read
a) Gen. 1 tells us that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Vs. 2 tells of the presence of His Holy Spirit hovering over the work.
b) Both John 1 and Hebrews 1 speak of Christ’s part in creation.
c) When each day of creation was completed it would end with Gods pronunciation that it was good.
d) But when God made man on the 6th day He added one more word. It was Very Good.
Just for a peek into what God had intended we see vs. 27-31
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
That was God’s World, perfect, sinless and a place of communion or fellowship with God.
Enter Genesis 3 and the temptation of Satan and the fall of Man. Adam & Eve.
Perhaps more accurately the point previous to this where pride has swallowed up Lucifer or satan, one of God’s created Angelic beings.
Thus the creation of world according to man, or shall I say fallen man.
We all know what followed. Through one man Adam, sin entered the world and through one man Jesus sin is atoned for that we might be restored to a right place with God.
Over the next six weeks we will talk about things as they exist in both Worlds but with the emphasis on our living it in Gods World.
This morning we will talk about our faithfulness to God as stewards in what He gives us and what He asks us to give back.
As early as Genesis Chapter 4 we get a glimpse of the two worlds of giving.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
God doesn’t give us the particulars but we draw from this passage that He does have specifics in what we bring to Him.
We see perhaps the first parallel – Abel brought an animal sacrifice God was pleased.
Cain brought fruit and God wasn’t pleased.
We also see the conclusion of that – Rather than obey Cain kills his brother Abel.
Scripture tells us to obey is better than sacrifice. God requires our obedience in our giving.
There are snippets after this regarding offering and Tithe but we get our first pre law view in Genesis 14
Abraham has taken his servants and gone out and rescued his nephew Lot from a consortium of Kings who have come up against the people of Sodom. We read in Gen. 14
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Again- we get a look at that parallel world
Abraham gives a 10 of all he has to Melchizedek who we read again about in the NT in Hebrews.
But refuses to have anything to do with the King of Sodom’s offer of blessing him.
And let me just address a growing statement heard in our day that tithing isn’t for today.
I mentioned that this same event with Melchizedek is mentioned in the book of Hebrews in the NT.
Something else is added there to show us that Tithing pre dated the law and no scripture has even remotely implied that it should be discontinued. Its Gods means of providing for the ongoing of His kingdom.
Hebrews 7 - 7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
This passage is very clear that the tithe predated the Law, that Levi who collected the tithe under the law actually by proxy of Abraham paid it before the Law, and that Melchizedek is a theophany of Christ showing he proceeded and goes beyond the period of the Law.
We see that in that even in Christ’s life on earth the tithe continued as seen in the widow’s mite and in Jesus rebuke of the Pharisees in their paying the monetary tithe but not that of kindness and Godliness.
We see it in His admonition to render to Caesars what is Caesars and to God that which is Gods.
• In the parallel world of sin, men rob and cheat on their taxes.
• And men rob and cheat God. ( More on that later.)
We see it in Paul’s instructions to the church at Corinth in I Cor. 16:2 as well as II Cor. 8
2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
He clarifies the difference between Tithing and offering in II Cor. 8
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, ( Tithing) and then by the will of God also to us. ( Offering)
Paul’s whole issue with the Corinthian church was they were wealthy but were holding back and Paul used the faithfulness of the Macedonian church to prompt them to obedience.
That’s the battle in the parallel world. The devil tells us, you worked for it, you don’t need to give, and they have enough. Enough will only come when the whole body of Christ brings the full tithe into the storehouse which is the church.
The Who of who should tithe – Is everyone who names the name of Jesus.
In the Parallel world – we have created entitlements. Excuses to not give. In the Us almost 50% of Americans pay nothing in taxes. In the church sadly enough surveys show the numbers are even worse.
The How is easy – As already stated Paul said on the first day of the week bring it to Gods house. I Cor. 16:2
In the Old Testament Malachi 4 tells us - 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
And that leads into the WHY! –
Number 1 - that there may be food in my house.
• Money with which to continue the work of God on earth.
• To provide the place and the means to worship God – Today the church, then the temple.
• To provide for those who are called to a lifetime of serving God in that respect.
OT – The Levites, not given an inheritance in land but lived off the tithe and offering.
NT - I Tim. 5 17 Those who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”
In the parallel world people want to get, get, get, but never give. Which is one of the greatest dangers America faces today. Or they give like the rich in the story of the Widow with her might.
Luke 21 21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,[a] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
The 2nd Why – is that God wants to reward our faithfulness Malachi 4
But will remove His blessing if we refuse to obey.
10 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 there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
It’s the only place in scripture where God tells us to test him. All other times He is angry when we do.
He tells us – He wants to open heaven up over us and bring the necessary blessings into our lives.
But in the parallel world a man says hey the cash in hand I already have, and yet sadly enough God allows things to come his way that consume that very money.
Haggai 1 This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.”’”3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple[a] to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!6 “You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
Few things tests a man’s faith more than Tithe and offerings
But I love Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians in II Cor. Chap 9
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Giving comes down to an attitude of the heart - The Widow with the mite, the rich givers.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
THE PROMISE OF GOD – To the faithful giver
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
Psalm 37:25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, ( GOD ) and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
Our giving – provides for the work of the body of Christ, but also glorifies God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
There are two worlds out there, as far back as Cain and Abel – One that desires to please God and know His rich favor, and one that thinks he can do just as well without Gods favor and is willing to disregard the abundant scriptures on it.
God calls those who don’t tithe thieves - Malachi 3
6 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.
In this topsy turvy world – This parallel World of Gods will vs. satans lies we are all faced with the call to faithfulness in our giving.
Satan will use every trick in the book – I can’t afford to, that’s old testament, I make up my tithe by serving in a ministry, this pool I’m putting it I will use to invite people over. And on and on.
In one hand the promises of God for faithfulness, the call to be a cheerful giver.
In the other – Deceit, selfishness, disobedience, a taker only mentality, or less harsh but still dangerous a fearful heart.
Friend God won’t promise what He won’t keep, and he has promised to open heaven over you.
He has promised - 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things
It’s never too late to start being obedient, never too late to learn something you didn’t know before.
In this parallel world God is looking for those who will choose Him, His way. Will you answer that call?
