Blessings from God Tithe, Worship & Heart Pastor Michael Lee June 21, 2009 Selected Passages (ESV) Tithing Defined 1. Tithing is, not. Tithe means a tenth part. To tithe is to return 10% of what already belongs to God back to God, and to retain and manage 90% of what is his. God owns everything (Psalm 24:1). 2. Tithing is an act of, not. Tithing is a response to God for who he is and what he has done. Because the tithe is an act of worship, it is holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30, 32). It s not about money. God is not poor and it s not a fundraiser for the church. 3. Tithing is about the, not. The tithe reveals what s happening inside a person s heart pertaining to God. The right thing with the wrong heart is a wrong thing. What Tithing Reveals about the Heart 1. Tithing reveals for God (Matthew 6:21). Wherever I put my money is where my affection is going to be. My gift reveals my affection for the one whom I am giving the gift. Giving tests the sincerity of my love (2 Corinthians 8:8). 2. Tithing reveals in God to meet my needs (Proverbs 3:9-10). The tithe is to be given right off the top as the firstfruits before any other obligations are met. If I wait until the end of the month to see if I can afford to tithe, I ve missed the whole point of tithing. The issue is not money, but trust. Can I trust God to do what He promises to meet my needs? God does not promise to make me wealthy; instead it is a promise of sufficiency. God is promising to meet my needs if I do it His way. God is seeking my trust. 3. It reveals to God for blessing my life (Genesis 14:19-20). The blessings precede the tithing; I give back to God because I have already received from him. This doesn t mean that I am trying to pay God back or buy God s favor. It means that my giving back begins in gratitude. I have been blessed, and so I give back in thankfulness. My giving is at best a response to the fact that God has already given to me. God s Response to a Heart that Delights in Him 1. God blesses me (Malachi 3:10b). 2. God blesses me (Malachi 3:11). Central Truth: I experience the blessings of God when I express my love, trust and gratitude to God through tithing. LIFEGROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Look at what tithing is and is not in Tithing Defined. Which one of the descriptions of tithing strikes you the most? Why? Is this how you ve viewed tithing? Please explain. 2. Read Matthew 6:19-24. How does tithing reveal love for God? 3. Read Proverbs 3:9-10. How does tithing right off the top of your paycheck (i.e., firstfruits) reveal trust in God? 4. In Genesis 14:19-20, we see that blessings preceded the tithing. Abram s tithe began in gratitude. How does tithing reveal gratitude to God for the blessings in your life? 5. Look at the In God We Trust brochure you received on Sunday. Which questions and answers are most personally significant to you right now? 6. What action can you take in the next week to bring about transformation that you seek in yourself in response to Sunday s teaching? ** CDs of today s message as well as previous weeks sermons are available in the YNCC office. Sermons are also viewable online at www.ynccla.org/sermons.
A Guide to Tithing
In God We Trust: A Guide to Tithing WHAT IS TITHING? The word tithe means a tenth part or 10%. In the Bible God tells us that we are to give the first 10% of all we earn back to Him. Giving less than 10% is not tithing. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TITHE AND AN OFFERING? A tithe is the first 10% of your income. An offering is any amount you give over and above that amount. An offering is anything you give in addition to your tithe, such as gifts for special projects or purchases, missions, etc. Tithing is God s minimum standard, the starting point. As God prospers you, you ll want to give more. WHY SHOULD I TITHE? Eleven Biblical Reasons for Tithing: 1. Because God commands it! A tithe of everything from the land... belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. The entire tithe of the herd and flock... will be holy to the Lord (Lev. 27:30, 32). 2. Because Jesus commended it! In Matt. 23:23, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they should tithe, and they shouldn t leave the more important things undone either. Tithing was the only thing Jesus commended the Pharisees for doing. 3. Because tithing shows I really trust God! Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops (Prov. 3:9). The tithe is to be given right off the top before any other obligations are met. If you wait until the end of the month to see if you can afford to tithe, you have missed the whole point of tithing. The issue is not money, but trust. Can you trust God to do what He promises meet your needs? Proverbs 3:10 says, then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new
wine. This is not a promise to make you wealthy. It is a promise of sufficiency. God is promising to meet your needs if you do it His way. 4. Because it reminds me that everything I have was given to me by God! But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who give you the ability to produce wealth (Deut. 8:18); and Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights (James 1:17). Rather than feeling like you re giving God 10% of your money, realize that God is letting you keep 90% of His money. Without God s blessings, you would have nothing. 5. Because tithing expresses my gratitude to God for blessing my life! Abram, the first person to tithe in the Bible, gave a tenth of everything he had in response to the blessings of God as an act of worship, thanksgiving, and praise (Gen. 14:19-20). The blessings preceded the tithing; we give because we have received. This doesn t mean that we are trying to pay God back or buy God s favor. It means that our giving begins in gratitude. We have been blessed, and so we give in thankfulness. We talk about how much we give and how often we give, forgetting that God is the first and greatest giver. Let us not forget that our giving is at best a response to the fact that God has already given to us. 6. Because tithing expresses my love for God! For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt. 6:21). Wherever you put your money is where your affection is going to be. You may say you love God but 2 Corinthians 8:8 says that your giving tests the sincerity of your love. 7. Because refusing to tithe is stealing from God! If you don t tithe, God says you are using money that rightfully belongs to Him. Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you will ask, How do we rob you? In tithes and offerings... bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house (Mal. 3:8-10).
In God We Trust: A Guide to Tithing 8. Because tithing gives God a chance to prove to you that He exists and wants to bless you! Bring me your tithe. Test me in this, says the Lord, and see if I won t 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 be protected from plagues (Mal. 3:10-11). This is one of the most amazing promises in the Bible. God actually offers you a challenge. He says, I dare you! Start tithing and watch what happens! He not only promises to bless you with more, but He also promises to protect what you already have! In the Bible, tithing is the only way given that you can prove God exists. Start tithing and get ready for God s blessing. 9. Because it is essential to spiritual growth! But just as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us see that you also excel in this grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7). Many Christians remain spiritual infants because they disobey God by not tithing. 10. Because tithing is an investment for eternity! Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19). How do you do that? By investing your money in ministries that aim at helping people get to heaven! Most of the things you spend money on will not even last 10 years, much less for eternity. 11. Because you cannot outgive God! There are more promises in the Bible connected to giving than any other subject. Giving unlocks the promises of God in your life. When you give, God always gives back to you in greater degree. Jesus said, 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 with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).
WHAT SHOULD I TITHE? The first 10% of every paycheck and all else you earn. Proverbs 3:9-10 says that you are to honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income. Then he will fill your barns... to overflow. God doesn t want your leftover income at the end of the month. He wants first place. SHOULD I TITHE ON MY NET INCOME OR GROSS INCOME? Which do you want God to bless: your net or your gross? Proverbs 3:9 says we are to honor God with the first part of all our income. I believe that means the gross. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously... God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6, 7). WHERE SHOULD I GIVE MY TITHE? The Bible clearly teaches that God expects the tithe to be given back to him at the place where you worship. In the Old Testament, God s people brought their tithes to the Temple. In the New Testament, the tithe was given at the synagogue or church; the Levitical priesthood was succeeded by the New Testament ministry the church. While there are many fine organizations, charities and ministries, the church is God s institution. Your tithe is to be given to your church. Then you may support other ministries with additional offerings. Only gifts given to God as an act of worship at the house of worship are considered tithes. WHAT IF I CAN T AFFORD TO TITHE? If you are in debt, you can t afford not to tithe! You need God s help to get out of debt. There are many financial principles in the Bible but the starting point is to be honest with God by beginning to tithe. Tell God you re going to put Him first in your finances, that you are willing to obey the principles in His Word, and you are trusting Him to help you get out of debt.
ISN T TITHING AN OLD TESTAMENT JEWISH LAW THAT I CAN IGNORE? The answer is: No! That s just an old excuse with no biblical basis. First, God established the principle of tithing 430 years before He gave the Law of Moses (Gen. 14). If tithing was only a Jewish law, why did Abram (later Abraham) tithe 430 years before the Law was revealed? Tithing was practiced long before the Jewish nation even existed! Second, although tithing is mentioned in the Old Testament Law, there is no punishment mentioned for not tithing. Can you imagine a law without a punishment? Tithing is a biblical principle that is to be a voluntary act. Third, Jesus commended tithing in the New Testament (Matt. 23:23). THE REAL ISSUE Every excuse under the sun has been invented for not tithing. But in every case, an unwillingness to do what God says can be boiled down to two motives. First, materialistic values. If you re more interested in having things than pleasing God, you won t tithe. You may store up treasure on earth, but you won t store up treasure in heaven. Second, unbelief. If you don t trust God and really don t believe He will keep all the promises He has made regarding tithing, you won t do it. Will you bow your head and pray this prayer of commitment: Father, I know you love me and want what s best for me. I recognize that all I have, or will ever have, comes from you. I am more interested in pleasing you than in having more possessions. I want you to have first place in my life and I am willing to begin tithing as you have commanded. Out of gratitude for all you ve done for me, and in expectation that you will continue to provide for me, I commit myself to returning at least the first 10% of all I earn back to you. I want to start investing for eternity. Help me to remain faithful to this commitment. In Jesus name, Amen.