Title: Tithe’s and Offerings: Our DNA
Theme: To show how giving in tithes and offerings are part of a Christians DNA.
Text: Malichi 6:19 - 21
Opening Scriptures
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:22-24 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. (23) But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (24) "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Introduction
(Note our church does not "take up offering". We have offering stations that people can drop their giving in. This personally frees me up from worrying about preaching on giving as a way to "raise money for the church.)
For about two months now we have been looking at what I call the “Christian DNA”. I have not officially titled that but that is what keeps coming up in the messages.
We talked about the ascension of Christ (the second coming of Christ, He’s coming back), the trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), the great commission (witnessing and sharing our faith, testimony, a changed life), the Great Divide (heaven and hell) having freedom in Christ, worship (magnifying the Lord, make God big.)
This a doctrine but also evidence of being a follower of Christ. They are that fruits that are shown. I thought we would end this Sunday but actually I have two more that I believe are essential to the DNA of a Chistian.
Jesus makes it clear that as a follower of Christ we are to “seek His kingdom first”. What does that mean? We are to speak to God about decisions we make in our life. We are to look to God for our hope and peace. We are to give to God’s kingdom, not building a kingdom here on earth but laying up toward a kingdom in heaven.
Look again at Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
That is an important principle. Where ever my treasure (important possessions, what I hold dear) is, is where my heart is. Or as I like to say, “I need to put my treasure into where I want my heart to be.”
Jesus breaks it down even further and says, (24) "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
So, He tells us from all the context of the passage that He is talking about money. Mammon is a reference to money. But there is a deeper meaning here. It is not just money but the control of money. Mammon we actually evil. You know and I know that money (or the love of money can be evil). Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” That is pretty powerful.
The principle of not letting money control you goes all the back to the Old Testament.
Now turn with me to Malachi 3. I believe here God breaks down the importance of place our “treasure” in Him. He begins by having the dialogue with Israel. Except is revealing to them what their heart is saying. They may be saying one thing with their lips but their heart is saying something different.
(Mal 3:8) "Will a man rob God?
The verb to "rob" (Mal_3:8), used in the Old Testament only here and in Pro_22:23, means to "rob, defraud, or to overreach" (although in Talmudic literature it means "to take forcibly").
God – el-o-heem
Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
How is not giving in tithes and offerings robbing God? Isreal and we rob God by “cheating” God or holding back what is His.
Tithing is a universal principle that finds itself in Abraham and Jacob (before the law). But I believe it finds itself all the way back to Cain and Able. Giving of what is expected. Including the first fruits.
What are the results?
(Mal 3:9) You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
Wow! A curse.
How are people living under a curse when they don’t give?
I think it goes back to what Jesus was saying, “you cannot serve two masters” either serve God or mammon. When we don’t give we are allowing the spirit of mammon to rule. We are allowing ourselves to be caught up in this world and not the kingdom of God.
Living under a curse means you are being controled by something else. I can tell you today that when I give it releases the burden and obligation of my finances.
But there is more . . .
(Mal 3:10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house,
Purpose of the tithes is to provide for the storehouse (the church) of God. A church should never have to depend on special offerings or fundraisers to take care of its basic needs. This should be given from the tithes.
Then that frees up the church to have offerings to give beyond the church. As you have given this morning.
We as a church have always tried to emphasize our ability to give outside ourselves. As a matter of face over 30% of our income is given to missions around the world. I don’t think that is a bad figure for a church.
Notice next.
And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts,
The only time in scripture where we are told to “try God”. Some translations say, “test” God. To me this is taking God at His word and stepping out in faith. We have done this many times in giving. From writing out a check with no money in the bank (when we were young) because both of us heard from God. (I don’t recommend this unless you hear from God) To squeezing our income to give to missions.
Now for us that is different that the tithe. Tithing is our 10% that comes out automatically. It is our first fruits. For us there is no, “Well, we don’t have enough to give our tithes this month”. Why? Because it is the first check written.
I challenge you to give of your tithe to the Lord. Try Him. See what happens.
Results
Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
(Luk 6:38) Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Now this verse is talking more about giving grace and mercy to others. But I also believe it is what happens when we give of our income.
I have seen this so many times. God has opened up the windows of heaven. Not just in finances but in what people have given. The deals I have found.
A step further . . .
(Mal 3:11) "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;
Rebuke the devourer
There is a divine protection that comes when we give.
I am very careful here. 1. Because I don’t want this to turn into a “I give I get” message. We don’t give to get. We give because of what we have been given. 2. I don’t want this to become a superstitious message.
But I do believe that when we give God rebukes the devourer from our life.
It is a matter of the heart. The enemy knows where our heart is by how we give. God’s protection is shown.
Years ago God gave us a trailer on the campground. It was a nice double wide. Valued at around $8000 (not bad just for it). When were able to purchase a house in the same area, we wondered what to do with the trailer. Well we gave it away. Not sell.
People see us a blessed
(Mal 3:12) And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.
The people around you will observe that you are blessed. They think it is because of our income. You know that it is because of your outgoing. You know it is more about what you give that what you take in.
Conclusion
I want to challenge you today to evaluate your giving.
Can I tell you this in more that money. It is about giving of grace and mercy. It is about giving of our time. It is about . . .
Do you feel like you are living under a curse? There is no freedom. You cannot get a head. It seems that you cannot catch up. There is always something.
Prayer for you today. Praying for a release.
Question: I can we have so much but yet give so little? We are allowing stuff to “have us”. We are letting it be in control.
David Guzik commentary on Malachi 3:10
i. Under the New Covenant, are we under a similar command to tithe? The New Testament nowhere specifically commands tithing, but it certainly does speak of it in a positive light if it is done with a right heart (Luk_11:42).
ii. It is also important to understand that tithing is not a principle that depends on the Law of Moses. Heb_7:5-9 explains that tithing was practiced and honored by God long before the Law of Moses.
iii. What the New Testament does speak with great clarity on is the principle of giving. 1Co_16:1-4 makes it clear that our giving must be:
• Periodic (done at regular periods).
• Planned (thought of in advance to the giving).
• Proportional (giving in proportion to our blessings).
• Private (not done to make us known as generous givers).
iv. As well, 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that giving must be:
• Generous (giving more rather than less).
• Freely given (not done out of guilt or manipulation).
• Cheerful (given happily and with rejoicing in God).
v. Since the New Testament doesn’t emphasize tithing, one might not be strict on it for Christians (though some Christians sadly argue against tithing on the basis of self-interest). Nevertheless, giving is to be proportional so we should give some percentage so ten percent is a good benchmark. For some, 10% should really be the beginning of their giving.
