3, February 2002
Dakota Community Church
Pastor Dan Cormie
The 10% Solution
Introduction:
Once a year I devote an entire message to church finance.
Why don’t I do it more?
We certainly could use more money!
Ø I have seen to many people manipulated into giving joylessly. This benefits no one.
Ø I do not want to be insensitive to people who have brought visitors.
Ø There are too many things to preach about to leave the impression that fund raising is the primary purpose of a church.
I heard about a farmer who called the office of a televangelist asking to speak to the “Head Hog at the trough.”
The receptionist said, “Sir, if you’re talking about our beloved Minister, you may call him Reverend or Pastor, but I don’t think it would be proper to refer to him as the “Head Hog at the trough.”
“Well, all right,” the farmer said. “I just sold a few sows and was going to donate ten thousand dollars to the building fund, so I was hoping to catch him.”
“Oh, just a minute, sir.” The receptionist said, “I think the big pig just walked in!”
Why do it at all?
Ø The church doesn’t run without money.
Ø There is a definite cost to those who refuse to give.
Ø There is an injustice done to faithful givers by those who don’t give that must be addressed.
Ten Reasons To At Least Tithe
1. MONEY IS A GOD TO MANY.
Jesus singled this out as a problem area.
Luke 16:10-15
"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 servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he 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 men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.
Many who refuse Lordship do so over this issue.
2. TITHING PRE-DATES THE LAW.
A common excuse is that tithing is an old covenant directive.
Gen.14: 18-20
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
And he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Heb. 7:16-17
one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.
For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
Melchizedek is Christ foretold, so Christ received Abrams tithe before Moses received the old covenant.
Also God had clearly instructed Cain and Abel on this topic because He accepted Abel’s “first fruits” but rejected the “some” leftovers Cain brought.
3. NEW TESTAMENT STANDARDS EXCEED THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW.
Mat.5: 21-22, 5:27-28
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder,] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
"You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.’
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
O.T. – no murder N.T. – no anger
O.T. – no adultery N.T. – no lust
O.T. – keep oaths N.T. – every yes
O.T. – keep Sabbath N.T. – everyday holy
O.T. – eye for eye N.T. – other cheek
Why would any one think that if the Old Testament demanded tithing the New Testament would not require at least that standard?
Matt. 6:19-24
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
4. THE CURSE / HARVEST REALITY
The curse of the law is broken but the law of the harvest is still in effect – you reap what you sow!
Malachi 2:17 – 3:18
You have wearied the LORD with your words. "How have we wearied him?" you ask. By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"
"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.
"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.
"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Ever since the time of your forefathers 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?’
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?’ "In tithes and offerings.
You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me.
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 you will not have room enough for it.
I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, `What have we said against you?’
"You have said, `It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?
But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’"
Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
Think about it, what is the curse of drunkenness? - Of adultery? - Of gluttony? - Of anger? - Of lust? - Of lying? - Of gossiping? - Of disrespecting parents? - And yes – Of greed?
THE HARVEST!
5. TO DEAL WITH GREED
If you can’t bring yourself to trust God with ten percent of your earthly treasure – Houston, we have a problem.
Col. 3:2-6
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Because of these, the wrath of God is coming
Ill. From Readers Digest
On the last day of school, children were bringing gifts to their teacher. The florist’s son brought the teacher a bouquet. The candy storeowner’s son brought the teacher a pretty box of candy. Then the liquor storeowner’s son brought a big, heavy box. The teacher lifted it up and noticed that it was leaking a bit. She touched a drop of liquid with her finger and tasted it. “Is it wine?’ she guessed. “No” said the boy. She tasted another drop, “Champagne?” “No,” said the little boy. “It’s a puppy!”
6. TITHING IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER.
This issue is not just between you and God! It is between you and God and all of us who contribute to make this ministry available to you.
Since we all share equally in the benefits of the church, we should all share equally in its expenses.
Are you enjoying?
Ø The building – heat, lights, toilet paper?
Ø The worship – music instruments, sound gear?
Ø The friendships – made solid by weekly meeting?
Ø The formalities – weddings, baby showers, dedications, fellowships?
Ø The teaching – Sundays, Mondays, Wednesday nights?
Ø The chance to use your gifts and talents for ministry?
Pay your share then!
The roof of the church hall of a little Swiss church, at the turn of the 20th century, was falling down. So the members of the church held regular prayer meetings in the hall after the service to pray for funds to repair the roof.
There was an old man, known to be very tight with his money, who used to attend and sit near the back of the hall. He could sneak out just before the collection plate came round at the end of the prayer meeting.
One Sunday, he was held up on his way to the prayer meeting in the Hall by the vicar and could only find a seat at the front of the church.
During the prayer meeting, a piece of the roof fell and hit him on the head. Feeling spoke to by the Lord, he stood up and said, "Lord, I’ll give £1000"
A voice at the back of the church was heard to say " Hit him again, Lord"!
Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."
7. BY GOLLY THE STAFF HERE IS WORTH IT!
If you don’t think the ministry here is worthy of your support you should be going somewhere else.
I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on & on, complaining about virtually everything. Finally, his very observant son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.”
1 Cor. 9:9-14
For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and 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.
8. THE FIRST 10% IS NOT YOURS TO DECIDE ON.
Lev. 27:26-33
"`No one, however, may dedicate the firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn already belongs to the LORD; whether an ox or a sheep, it is the Lord’s.
If it is one of the unclean animals, he may buy it back at its set value, adding a fifth of the value to it. If he does not redeem it, it is to be sold at its set value.
"`But nothing that a man owns and devotes to the LORD--whether man or animal or family land--may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD.
"`No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; he must be put to death.
"`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.
He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.’"
Treat it as holy.
9. THE OTHER 90% IS NOT YOURS EITHER.
Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
10. OBEDIENCE IS A STRONG LIGHT IN END DAY DARKNESS.
2 Tim. 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
