The Tithing principal; Understanding why we give
Malachi 3:6-12
Introduction-
We have looked at two things in our series looking for answers.
We have looked at what it means to be alive in Christ and what it means not to be alive in Christ.
Last week, we looked at why we do the things we do. We saw that there is a battle that goes on inside each of us weather we are going to do the things God wants for our lives or if we are going to do the things our way and rebel against God.
This morning, I want to look at giving. Not just money, but really centering on it. Understanding why we give.
There is a tithing principal and what does God’s Word say about it.
Last time I preached on money was several months ago and before that I cannot even remember giving a message on tithing.
I hope you will keep an open mind as we look into God’s word. Some people are looking for answers about money.
Some do not understand why we give. Why should I give? I don’t have an abundance of money. Let those who have plenty support the church.
I work hard for my money! I will spend it! Where ever your answer liess, I hope you want to hear what God says about it.
Malachi 3:6-12-
It is the last book in the Old Testament before the New Testament book of Matthew.
Preachers who talk about money are often accused of only thinking about money.
The Bible talks about money the same as the Bible talks about prayer, healing, and following God. We don’t mind you talking about prayer and healings, but when you talk about money it gets a little personal.
There are over 2300 verses in the Bible about money.
God does not need your money! God owns everything! If He needs it, He has it!
But you do!- I do! We need money and that is why He talks about it.
He gives us direction and promises to meet our needs if we are good stewards of the money that God gives us.
The word that sticks out to me in this passage is the word robbed!
Robbing is one of the 10 Commandments as God says to us not to steal.
God tells the Nation of Israel that they are robbing God for not bringing the tithes and offerings into the temple or the church.
He says to them that some have rebelled for years and that it was spiritual disobedience to God.
God says that 10 percent of our income is God’s.
There is a blessing for faithfulness and a curse for disobedience.
I heard numerous things on the blessing and the curse. We all want the blessings and none want the curse, but not all of us want to be obedient to God to get them.
I heard God has all the money He needs, unfortunately it is still in your pocket.
The one where the dollar bill and a 10 dollar bill are talking and the dollar bill says to the ten that he gets to go to all the exciting places and that he only gets to go to church and a waitress’s pocket.
Most of us would not make very good rich people.
It would corrupt and change some of our thinking.
Some would never be in church because of new toys and places to go.
Give you an example:
God gives you ten dollars. He says that we are to give back one dollar. That is not too bad.
He gives you 100 dollars. We are to give Him 10 dollars back. A little harder.
He gives you a 1000 dollars, you are to give Him back 100 dollars.
You see where I am going with this?
The more God gives us, the harder it is to give back.
I should rephrase that- we don’t give back to God- How do you give back to someone who owns everything! And gave some to you! You return to God 1/10 of what He has given you.
10 % God’s , 90% yours. Right off the top.
God don’t need your money to be God, the church does need your money to be His church.
If I was faithful to my wife 364 days a year, I would still be unfaithful.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house”
The storehouse is the center of God’s activities for His people. The storehouse is the church!
Some believe in sending their money to Para Church ministries. God says the storehouse gets the first 10 percent. Para churches get offerings above and beyond the tithe.
You don’t go to Ruby Tuesday to eat and go pay your bill at Applebee’s.
It is all about your attitude.
Until you realize everything you have belongs to God, you will have an attitude of mine! Mine!
When you realize God owns it, we have open hands and give back so that God can continue to bless His people.
We don’t give to get, but God does tell us that He will bless us for our faithfulness.
The truth is that 90% God allows us to keep will go farther than the 100 % we attempt to keep.
There is a blessing and curses- which would you like operating in your life?
Adrian Rodgers –
“A faith that hasn’t reached your wallet, probably has not reached your heart”
God is interested in your money for one reason- He knows that we need money and He knows what money can do to us if it possesses us instead of us possessing it.
He cares how we spend it, save it, share it, invest it. It is a test of where our heart is.
“For where your treasures are, there your heart will be also” How can Christ be Lord of our lives, if He is not Lord over our money.
Illustration-
Ever us fly paper? As the fly approaches, he get stuck to the paper trying to enjoy the sweet taste of honey. It gets more than flies. At the cottages I was at as a kid, it caught my hair. As an adult, pest stripes on the floor got my shoes. So bad, that I had to throw out my shoes! The fly wants the honey, the paper says I want the fly! We want the money, and before we know it, the money has us!
All right, now that I got your attention! Either (1)you have tuned me out by now, (2)you can think how God has blessed you, or (3)Oh, Me!
Let me give you some encouraging words from this Scripture.
He tells us that if we are faithful that there is a blessing that He promises. 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”
Test me- go ahead! See if I won’t pour out more than you can handle.
When you give- God always has a bigger shovel! You cannot out give God! It is impossible!
God won’t be outdone by you!
Some of you will never experience that floodgate of blessing because you will never trust God enough to see the blessing.
You can’t out give God! Go ahead and try!
I learned a long time ago that I cannot keep God’s money. I trusted God AT His word at a time when I did not know where our next dollar was coming from.
Oh you’re the pastor! How would you feel if I didn’t live what I preach? There are churches in America that pastors don’t tithe on their income. It is a spiritual discipline and it has to be learned and practiced to receive the blessing.
I want you to know that God is the best budget keeper.
Nobody stretches money more than the blessing of God behind it.
The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years and their shoes did not wear out.
That is God stretching the blessing to the people of God.
Holding unto God’s money is like having holes in your pocket. That money will be gone- unexpected expenses, bills, lost, stolen.
Tithing is a privilege. It is giving back to God what is already His. And get this!- He gives you a blessing for it.
II Cor. 9:7-
“ Let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver”
Should be a bumper sticker- Tithe if you love Jesus, any fool can hook.
I don’t work on a commission, my salary won’t go up if you start tithing, but your blessing will.
Some say if God blesses, I’ll tithe. (cart before the horse) I watched people sell houses, get inheritances, get bonuses, get tax returns. They forgot God, because it is a spiritual discipline, and until you learn it from God, you will miss the blessing of God for it.
Illustration-
There is a story of a guy who came home from church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, the music was too loud, the sermon too long, the announcements were not clear. The building was hot. He went on and on, complaining. Finally his very observant son said, Dad, you have got to admit it was not a bad show for a dollar!
Why does God bless Christians who give? The same reason He blessed the Jews when they were faithful- so that the other nations and people could see that God takes care of His people and He is glorified for it.
Does your giving reflect your trust in God?
John Wesley-
“ Get all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”
Society says- get all you can, and close the lid!
People who give sacrificially know they work hard for their money they take home, but they also know that God gave it to them and will bless them.
J.D. Rockefeller- I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I made if I had not tithe the first salary, which was 1.50 weekly.
Luke 6:38-
“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 the measure you use it will be measured to you”
Illustration
A boy and his mother were in a drug store and there was candy on the counter and the owner spotted the boy looking at the candy, when the mother went up to pay the owner said to the boy “you want some of this candy? The boy nodded, and the manager said well go ahead and take some. Well the boy just stood there, and again the owner said go ahead and get a handful of candy. The boy still stood there and then the owner reached in the jar and pulled out some candy and gave it to the boy. When they got outside the mother said why didn’t you get a handful of candy the man told you to get. And the boy said, because his hands were bigger than mine!
Who do you want handing out your blessing…you or God!
Closing!
Ever heard of someone saying that “They can’t afford to tithe” I say that you cannot afford not to. Were not suppose to tempt God, but here we see unconditionally he promises to bless.
My God makes shoes last longer
My God sells parsonages
My God pays off church buildings
My God puts new carpet in
My God says He will rebuke the devourer for me.
My God sews up pockets with holes in them.
My God can do with 90 % what you could never do with 100 %
It is a step of faith. But God promises to bless. Some never experience those blessings.
Some have experienced and some are experiencing where the pockets have holes and the money just seems to be gone before you know it.
Test Him- He will not let you down!
Altar Call
