HoHum:
“I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony; I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company; It’s the real thing- Here is Malachi we see a courtroom scene where God is showing the people how to have the real thing, real faith
WBTU:
Malachi ministered not long after the time of Nehemiah- about 400 years before Christ. The temple and the city of Jerusalem have been rebuilt. Nehemiah is no longer there and the people become disappointed with God because He is not making them more prosperous and more powerful than their neighbors. When they compare themselves to their neighbors, they realize that they are poor in many ways. Billy Graham- Give me 5 minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will show you where their heart is.
Read Malachi 3:7-12
Thesis: Focus on 3 “T” words from this verse
For instances:
I. Tithe- What is a Tithe?
Must establish that everything is the Lord’s- “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” Psalms 24:1, NIV. We own nothing, we are stewards for the Lord.
God asks us to give back to him a portion- a tenth- of all that we have. ““‘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.” Leviticus 27:30, NIV. In the law of Moses this was standard practice. Really, this practice began before the Law of Moses- “Then Abram gave him (Melchizedek) a tenth of everything.” Genesis 14:20, NIV. Jacob (later Israel) said this: “of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”” Genesis 28:22, NIV.
A tithe is owed to the Lord, anything above a tithe is called an offering. Tithes and offering time
Not about how much we give, it is how much we make- our income- and we give a tithe from our income (like the income tax idea). Some say that the tithe system is no longer in operation because we are under the New Covenant, the New Testament today. Well, Paul does not use the word tithe when talking about giving an offering to the Jerusalem Christians but he does say this, “Now about the collection for God’s people... 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.” 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2, NIV.
Take 10% and give it to the Lord. Notice that the verse says, the whole tithe. Do not skimp on the tithe. Leads to a question, from my earnings, should I tithe from the gross or from the net? What about money I receive under the table, or other earnings not reported to the IRS? What about inheritances, or honorariums, or royalties, or Christmas bonuses, etc.? Not going to be legalistic about this- Jesus criticized the Pharisees for this- ““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.” Matthew 23:23, NIV. While this is true, we need to bring the whole tithe as told in Malachi 3:10.
This is a good practice, to sit down and make a budget, right off the top give 10%- need to know what that 10% is-“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;” Proverbs 27:23, NIV. This will help us so much in our finances.
I am on a fixed budget- cannot give much if anything. Need to consider this principle: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”” Luke 6:38, NIV. Give a tithe from our time- used to work 40 hours a week- give 4 hours to the Lord.
Also consider that we give more than 10% in a tip at a restaurant- often give 15 to 20%- so do we want to give the Lord a tip or a tithe.
II. Temple- what was the temple?
That word is not used in this verse. Yes, in the Hebrew it is not used but we see the temple referenced in the words “storehouse” and “my house.” Good News Bible says, “Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there.” Looking for “T”
Saving it up, or storing it up, from 1 Corinthians 16:2 is also reflected here with storehouse.
In the law of Moses there were laws pertaining to how to give a tithe when live far away from the tabernacle/temple. Detailed laws on how to give a tithe from agriculture. Yes, the bartering system is still in operation but this is so few in our day- we operate by money.
Under the New Covenant, what is the temple? Those who have God’s Spirit living in them- “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17, NIV. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV.
How do we give a tithe (or any offering or gift) to God’s temple today? From book of Acts we find- “There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:34-37, NIV. We do not have apostles today, but we do have elders and deacons in each congregation and one of their tasks is to do this in our day.
Can I give to a para church organization or a missionary in place of giving to the local church? No, we need to bring the tithe into the storehouse, meaning the local congregation. Can give an offering beyond the tithe to a charitable, para church organization or missionary but the tithe is to go into the temple, the local congregation. But I don’t like what my local church is doing with the money? Need to communicate concerns with the local church. But, to be honest, I don’t trust the church leadership. Maybe need to find another local church with whom you can trust. Must say that if know of a treasurer or church leader who is cheating the church, that needs to be reported and corrected. “He (Judas) did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” John 12:6, NIV. Ananias and Sapphire incorrectly reported their giving to the Lord and they were struck dead- serious matter. Pray for those in charge of the money given to the church. For the most part, people are looking for excuses not to give to the local church, not to give a tithe. The problem is not the church, the problem is that people want control and are hesitant to trust the Lord
“I am not giving to that pathetic church, it is not what it needs to be for God, and because it is contemptible, I am not giving my support to that church.” Know why it is pathetic or contemptible? Because not enough people are giving to support the local church. They will not give because others are not giving. We see this in chapter 1, vs. 7-8, vs. 12. Look at chapter 3:13-15. God knows those who are giving, look at 3:16. Who are we giving to? To God
III. Test- what does it mean to test (or try) God?
Turn to Matthew 4:5-7. One time had bad tires on my car, told Don that this car runs on faith and not to get new tires. Don told me not to put the Lord to the test- unnecessary and foolish. I got new tires
I don’t think I can trust God- if I give 10% will I run out of money? God says test him in this
Amazing how God provides. Look at vs. 11-12. God will provide. Had one instance of where I was let go from a church, had no steady income, did what I could by unloading trucks at Walmart- amazing to see how God provided- family and friends who gave until could get back on my feet. Check came in the mail for just the right amount. Had a preacher friend who gave a sermon about tithing and there were non Christians there- preacher felt bad about giving that sermon to them- even so they kept attending and after a month they came to the preacher and said that they accepted his challenge- they had been giving a tithe to the church for that month and it was amazing to see how the Lord was providing for their needs- witness to unbelievers
An elderly lady was well known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout, “Praise the Lord!” Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, “There ain’t no Lord!” Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for God to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted, “Praise the Lord! God, I need food! I am having a hard time. Please Lord, send me some groceries.” The next morning the lady went on her porch and saw a large bag of groceries and shouted, “Praise the Lord!” The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, “Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries. God didn’t!” The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, “Praise the Lord! He not only sent me groceries, but he made the devil pay for it.”
So what?
The day the old church treasurer resigned, the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under 2 conditions:
1. No treasurer’s report would be given for the first year
2. No questions be asked about finances during that year
The people were surprised but finally agreed since most of them did business with him and he was a trusted man. At the end of the year he gave his report:
The church indebtedness of $228,000 has been paid; The minister’s salary has been increased by 8%; The outreach and missions support was increased by 200%; No outstanding bills; There is a cash balance of $11,252!
Immediately the shocked congregation asked, “How did you do it? Where did the money come from?” He answered: “Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld 10% on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You didn’t even miss it!” Imagine what could be done if all Christians gave at least a tithe to God? Stop robbing God and in the process stop robbing yourself of blessings beyond what we could ask or imagine
