Dakota Community Church
November 26, 2006
All About the Bordens (Canadian Benjamins)
Introduction:
Last week we had a good crowd, again we had first time visitors - the offering was embarassingly low.
We have some faithful tithers in this congregation. We have a lot more casual supporters.
It is not the faithful that this message is for, although I hope it encourages you in your faithfulness.
It is not the recent convert that this for, although I hope you learn from it and move toward more full support of the church.
This one is for those who know what it takes to run a church – but you are keeping Gods money for your own pleasure.
Genesis 4:1-7
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
The first issue after the fall of man is about giving to God.
- God had instructed them on what to give.
- Cain wanted to do it his own way.
- The result was discord amoung the brothers and separation from God.
1. Your spirit needs you to tithe.
What is a tithe?
- 10 % of your total income is the tithe.
- According to scripture God considers it His money – not yours. (100%)
Leviticus 27:30-32
’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. If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the LORD.
Quick arguments: Some will tell you it is part of the Law.
Cain and Abel were instructed from the beginning, before the law, Abraham tithed before the Law was given, this is a principle that pre-dates the law.
Jesus told the Pharisees that they should tithe, and all of the New Testament standards require more than the law.
(The Law said do not murder, the NT says do not be angry or hate) The law said do not commit adultery, the NT says do not look lustfully.)
The arguments do not hold water.
Some say that the tithe was for the tithers, that they used it for a big party not for the priesthood. What do you think your life and spirituality revolves around? It is the church that God placed you in.
- Net or gross? Before or after the alimony? (That is between you and God but why do we want to get as close to the line as possible?)
- Definitely before your investments, mortgage, car payment, restaurant fund.
Why does your spirit need you to tithe?
(A.) Because of the law of sowing and reaping.
2Corinthians 9:6-8
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
(B.) Because of the spirit, soul, and flesh battle.
Romans 8:5-8
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Galatians 5:17
For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
2. Your church needs you to tithe.
Why?
(A.) It takes money to do anything in this day and age.
Most high paid executives and politicians are always trying to find ways to get us to pay for things that used to be free.
- Rent $fill in blanks
- Salary $
- Heat $
- Phones/Internet $
- Insurance $
- Water $
- Giving $
- Alarm $
- Total $
(That is just the monthly commitment it does not include any ministry yet or basics like bathroom and kitchen supplies paper, ink, computer tools, sound gear, etc.)
Haggai 1:3-11
Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
(B.) The future does not look good given the age/giving statistics.
80% of money given to congregations comes from people 55 years old or more.
(C.) It is unjust to allow a few to support the many.
3. Your God requires you to at least tithe.
Tithing is a Lordship issue. Maybe you don’t want to hear this because you want to keep it all for yourself. You want me to preach that there will be no consequences for doing whatever you feel like doing. That money has nothing to do with spirituality.
2Timothy 4:1-3
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Luke 16:10-14
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Conclusion:
If you do not respect me, if you think that it is a waste of your money to support this church and you feel I should get a “real job” – then you are in the wrong church. If, however; God has called you to work in this thing with me - then He has called you to contribute financially.
2Corinthians 9:13-14
Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge)on request at dcormie@mts.net
