Living with God-Size Generosity
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
INTRODUCTION: The Great Adventure.
Ever been on a great adventure? A great adventure happens when someone offers a different approach to life. You think their crazy, but try it anyway. The diet you were convinced to try. You were reluctant, You grumbled when you started. You found 3 months later, you had never felt better in your life. Welcome to the great adventure of dieting.
The book you were urged to read. It seemed so long for a book, and turned out to be the longest book you ever read ¡K and the best. Welcome to the great adventure of reading.
The new dish you felt challenged to fix for dinner. The picture looked so good in the cookbook and so challenging in the recipe details, but you fixed it for your guests. They said it was the greatest meal and chocolate dessert they ever had. Welcome to the great adventure of cooking.
The fear you had in calling for a first date. You were nervous. Your palms were sweaty. Your voice was dry. You were tempted to lick your palms, and just dial that number. How glad you are that the first date happened and every moment since. Welcome to the great adventure of dating.
The great adventure of pregnancy and parenting features 9 months of anticipation. Weight gain, Lamaze classes. The joy and terror as you hold your first child in your arms and years later walk her down the aisle for another to hold in his arms. Welcome to the great adventure of parenting.
The great adventure of a pastor, who said if you give away 10% of your income, you will not only have more to live on, but a greater sense of satisfaction, faith, expectancy and fulfillment. Welcome to the great tithing adventure. Since 6th grade, I¡¦ve been on the great tithing adventure. I¡¦ve discovered giving God the first 10% of my income is a great adventure that leads me to trust God more, have a higher level of joy, feel a greater sense of satisfaction, and impact eternity. Today I will share 6 reasons why I tithe. 4 are godly reasons, 2 are not.
My goal is to be transparent and invite you to be part of what seems like a crazy idea and take the ¡§In God I Trust¡¨ challenge that will change your life and others for eternity.
Why I Tithe
REASON 1: OBEDIENCE: I give as part of my duty to God because I have to give. This sounds like a godly reason, but it is not, even though I have a scripture passage to support my application. God Himself says in Malachi 3:10a, ¡§Bring one-tenth of your income into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house.¡¨ -- (GOD¡¦S WORD). Out of obedience I give, because I have to give. In a certain sense, ¡§have to¡¨ talks about how giving burns within me, and has become part of the habits of my life and most of the time this is true. Yet the sense of ¡§have to¡¨ here refers to giving because tithing is a command to be fulfilled, than a practice to be enjoyed. Obedience is a great reason to give when I give as part of my delight in being a child of God because I want to give.
When I was 10 years old, my family went on vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I had done my chores and saved my money for those Smokey Mountain souvenirs. We stopped for a watermelon snack. I remember asking to pay for my family. Compared to what my father spent to put us in a hotel, drive us up there, and all the food we were eating, paying for watermelon was chump change. But for me, it was a way to say thanks for a great vacation. I paid because I wanted to give thanks.
REASON 2. GREED: I know God blesses those who tithe and I like to be blessed. This is not a godly reason to give. The word greed gives it away. Such a reason perverts what God says in Malachi 3:10b, Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don’t open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. -- (The Message)
If given the choice between blessings and curses, I choose blessing every time. In high school, I heard a radio preacher claim if I¡¦d send him $100, God would multiply my $100 and give me $1,000 in return. I thought ¡§if you need the money, send me the $100 and God can send you the $1,000.¡¨ Notice the motivation at work, greed not gratitude. God wants me to give 10% out of gratitude, not greed.
Please note the problem with these 2 reasons is a twisted interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Malachi 3:10 is key to the ¡§In God I Trust¡¨ challenge and is the only time I know where God invites us to test Him. His goal is not to increase my greed level. His goal is to increase my growth level and gratitude level for all that He provides, not merely what He provides for me to give.
REASON 3. LOVE: In giving I express my love for all God has done for me. Love is a great reason to tithe. Love led God to send His Son Jesus to die on the cross for you and for me, that we might have life. Love leads me to say thank you. The psalmist asks a great question in Psalm 116:12, What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me? -- (Today¡¦s English Version). The psalmist later refers to lifting up the cup of salvation. Let us also see other ways to thank God. Thank God for His goodness by spending time in His Word. Thank God for His goodness by spending time in prayer, in helping others, and in giving a tithe back to Him.
When I started tithing, I made $10 a week for doing my chores. A tithe of $10 a week is $1 dollar. The offering envelope the church used had a section for designating your gift to general fund, missions or building fund. The person teaching us tithing suggested 60% to the general fund, 20% to the mission fund and 20% to the building fund. So yes each week out of love for God, and not for the poor counter who counted the money, I gave 60 cents for the general fund, 20 cents for building, and 20 cents for missions. Why? Love for God! In giving and tithing I express my love for God in a tangible way to Him.
REASON 4. JOY: Jesus was right, there is great blessing in giving. Paul reminds us in Acts 20:35b, ¡K remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ¡§It is more blessed to give than to receive.¡¨ -- (New International Version) Most people learn this truth at Christmas when giving to children. You know the latest price of the toy you bought them is worth more than the soap-on-the-rope they gave you, but you give because you love your child. When your child opens his gift, you discover the joy in giving. Tithing provides that same joy. Jesus is right! ¡§It is more blessed to give than to receive.¡¨
I experienced such joy from correcting a giving mistake we made. One year while preparing our tax return, I noticed what we gave 2 years ago was greater than what we gave that tax year by a substantial amount. In reviewing our records, I found missed Sundays in giving. The easy response was ¡§Sorry, Lord, please forgive me.¡¨ And He did. But Sharon and I wanted to make up what we missed. The amount wasn¡¦t in our checking account, but covered in our mutual fund. We sold some stock, wrote the check, and felt the joy not only of forgiveness, but also in giving.
REASON 5. LEGACY: I give to make an impact for eternity. King David and Mission India taught me this one. As David nears death, he raises resources to build a temple. David gives knowing he will not see the temple built in his lifetime, but in his son¡¦s. So David prays as he gives in 1 Chronicles 29:17-18, 17I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface¡Xyou want us, our true selves¡Xand so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly¡Xwhat a joy! 18O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in you. -- (The Message)
When we first gave to Mission India to plant churches and develop children¡¦s Bible clubs, I loved the bang for the buck return a gift to Mission India makes. A $1 gift sent a child to children¡¦s bible club year round. For every 100 children who attended 50 come to know Jesus as their Savior. With that impact, I remember the Ray Boltz song, ¡§Thank you for giving what you gave for I am life that was saved.¡¨
Tithing to God through Christ Lutheran Church provides an opportunity to impact eternity in work done through the school, with youth, in worship, and in over 14 nations around the world, and that number continues to grow. Legacy giving reminds me of the value my gift makes for eternity.
REASON 6. GROWTH: In my tithing and commitment to Advancing Christ, I have learned to trust God¡¦s provision and appreciate even more all that He gives. Moses teaches us in Deuteronomy 14:23b, The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives. -- (The Living Bible)
And Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19, You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. -- (The Message) Tithing has taught me God is my provider, trust Him for His provision, and rejoice in what seem a small gift to others, but a tremendous gift from God.
When we lived in Florida, we tithed to the church I served. Our girls attended a Lutheran school at another church. Most years the tuition payment was at least 10% of my income. So, we were giving 10% to our church, and investing another 10% for our children¡¦s education. Do you wonder if finances were tight? They were tight. I remember the year, Disney released the movie ¡§Beauty and the Beast¡¨ and wanting to take the girls to go see it, but not being able to afford it. Then one day after church, some kind anonymous soul left a card on my desk with words of appreciation, a $20 bill, and a note to spend this on something special for my family. Beauty and the Beast is a great movie, but I enjoyed the movie a whole lot more realizing God provided in a special way for us to go see it.
The past year has provided another opportunity to learn to trust in God¡¦s provision and appreciate even more all that He gives in Advancing Christ from Generation to Generation. When Sharon and I made our commitment last year, we made it above and beyond our tithe. We made it knowing that Laura was going to Concordia ¡V Irvine for college this year, and that unlike some had said pastor¡¦s kids do not receive any pastor kid discount. We made our commitment recognizing it was an average of an additional 3-4% annually in giving, and not sure how we would fulfill the commitment.
And since I am being honest, we made it because I said so, having waited until the drive to the commitment event to have the discussion. By the way, just a bit of marital advice, this is not a good plan to follow. Yet we made the commitment. I knew in planning for Advancing Christ from Generation to Generation that if I ask you to sacrifice, I need to sacrifice as well. Recently God provided for the sale of an investment that that my father had gotten us into years ago that time covers a large portion of our gift. When we made our commitment, we wondered how we would pay if anything broke in our house, and watched as God paid for a new dishwasher on an appeal that our warranty company initially rejected.
God has taught me tithing is not about how much I have, but how much I trust God to provide. That great adventure of trusting in His provision each day is worth every cent I¡¦ve ever given because I have grown closer in my walk with God and a greater appreciation for His provision. For this reason and all the others, I invite you to take the great tithing adventure. When you do you discover God unlocks the treasure principle within your heart.
CONCLUSION: Do you have the ________?
Notice the question, ¡§Do you have the BLANK? What do you think goes in the blank? Some of you think, it must be money. Do you have the money? Isn¡¦t that what He¡¦s after. If he knew the mess my finances are and the debt I carry, he¡¦d never ask. I don¡¦t¡¦ know your finances, but God does. The truth is tithing is not about money, but something more.
Some of you are thinking, how about guts, do you have the guts? Going on a great adventure takes courage. You maybe thinking I¡¦ve never tithed before. This is outside my financial comfort zone. Guts are needed to go on a great tithing adventure, but guts is not the word.
Here¡¦s what I put in the blank, ¡§Do you have the faith?¡¨ Faith to trust in Jesus for salvation. Faith to take God at His Word. Faith to prayerfully read the Treasure Principle and unlock the 6 principles in the book. Faith to take the great adventure to commit the next 10 weeks to take the ¡§In God I Trust¡¨ challenge. Do you have the faith to pray for the next 10 weeks for God to lead you, others and me on the great tithing adventure? I do how about you? Join us on the great adventure! Amen.
The ¡§In God I Trust¡¨ Challenge
The concept of tithing has been the method of financially supporting the church and its ministry on earth since the Early Church. Tithing means contributing 10% of one¡¦s income to the storehouse ¡V the place where one receives their spiritual strength; the church they attend. Contributions to missions and para-church organizations would be considered offerings ¡V donations beyond the 10% tithe.
If you do not tithe, you are encouraged to practice this Biblical principle for the next 10 weeks. First, guided by God¡¦s Holy Spirit you decide to commit the first 10% of your weekly income to the storehouse. Then for the next 10 weeks you bring that portion of your income to the storehouse. This is based on God¡¦s own challenge in Malachi 3:10, ¡§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 open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.¡¨ (NIV)
The Call: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse"
The Challenge: "Test me in this"
The Commitment of God: "see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it."
Recognizing God¡¦s call and being led by His Holy Spirit to answer that call and challenge as laid out in Malachi 3:10, I step out in faith by committing the FIRST 10% of my income for the next 10 WEEKS to the Lord through Christ Lutheran Church.
__ I will begin tithing ithing ____ I already tithe
Name ______________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________
City, State, Zip _____________________________________
Envelope Number ___________________________
ƒð I need envelopes.
(The ¡§In God I Trust¡¨ Challenge is from John Maxwell¡¦s Stewardship Seminar)
