Have you Robbed God this Week?

Sunday May 17, 2009 Phone: 570.829.5216 Pastor David Miklas e-mail pdmikbbm@aol.com Message #1 Giving Tithes & Offerings Text: Malachi 3:1-12 Have you Robbed God this Week? Please turn with me in your Bible to the last book in the Old Testament, that being Malachi, and follow as I read 3:1-12, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. (2) But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. (3) And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (4) Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. (5)And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. (6) For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (7) Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? (8) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. (10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. (12) And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. One of the most sensitive subjects, in churches today, is by far that of money. Someone said, It seems every time I go to church, all they talk about is money. Although it is a subject we feel awkward discussing, God's Word places a great deal of emphases on the matter of money and possessions. In the Bible there are more than 500 references to PRAYER and almost 500 references to FAITH, but there are more than 2000 references to MONEY and POSSESSIONS! Out of 38 PARABLES that Jesus told in the Gospels, 16 deal with how we handle our money. "A Christian once said to a friend, 'Our church costs too much. They are always asking for money.' Her friend replied in this fashion: 'Some time ago a little boy was born in our home. He cost us a lot of money from the very beginning: He had a big appetite; he needed clothes, medicine, toys and even a puppy. Then he went to school, and that cost a lot more; later he went to college, then he began dating, and that cost a small fortune! But in his senior year at college he died, and since the funeral he hasn't cost us a penny. Now which situation do you think we would rather have? After a pause the friend continued, 'As long as this church lives it will cost. When it dies for want of support it won't cost us anything. A living church has the most vital message for all the world today, therefore I am going to pray and give everything I have to keep our church alive." Folks, let's be realistic. It does take money to keep the CHURCH ALIVE, and the GOSPEL going forth. If we are going to fulfill the great commission and provide a place where the saints are FED the Word of God and TRAINED to become servants of God, it will cost us in terms of our TIME, TALENTS AND TITHES. It takes money to send forth missionaries. It takes money to make disciples of our people. It takes money to purchase church literature. Page 1

It takes money to erect buildings and pay the cost of their upkeep. It takes money to support the pastors and workers. Biblically, the church is not to be supported by suppers, bazaars, raffles, bingo or any other means and schemes devised by man. Biblically, God's work has always been supported by the TITHES and OFFERINGS of church members. Tithing is a universal principle. In Leviticus 27:30 we read, And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. All that we have comes from the gracious hand of God. Good stewardship demands that we give a tenth, the TITHE, back to God. It is not because our church needs the money. It is not because you need a blessing. It is because of our OBEDIENCE to God's command. It is because you and I are to do that which is RIGHT, and HOLY. I say to you this morning, If you have withheld the TITHE money, you are ROBBING GOD. You are as much a thief today as you would be tomorrow if you would rob one of our local banks. I am aware of a lot of good Christians who would not rob a bank, but every week they ROB God of their TITHES and OFFERINGS. I'm sure one of the highest goals for each of us parents is that our children and grandchildren develop into godly Christians, totally committed to Jesus Christ. Over the years I've learned that the biggest single factor that determines their commitment is what our children observe our PRIORITIES to be. Our priorities speak more to children than anything we can say to them. I've also observed that perhaps a principle indication of our PRIORITIES is our giving. After all, that which we give represents the tangible fruit of our time and our talents. Our children are quick to observe this and to sense where we really place our PRIORITIES. Get them to understand that one tenth of what they earn or receive belongs to God. Instruct them to put that in the offering plate. It's ok to give them some of your money to put in the plate, but it's far better to encourage them to put their own money in the plate. I am being very serious about what I am about to say: 'DON'T GIVE YOUR CHILDREN SPARE CHANGE, THAT IS THE COINS, TO PUT IN THE OFFERING PLATE. GIVE THEM THE PAPER MONEY (the ones, the fives, the tens and the twentys). You may say: "Come on pastor, all you want is more money." NO, I SAY, WHAT YOU TEACH THEM TO GIVE NOW, THEY WILL THINK THAT S ALL GOD IS WORTH LATER. Now there is no acceptable excuse for withholding your tithe. However your giving must be in keeping with Biblical principles. If you are wondering what those principles might be, look with me at the phrase, "TITHES and OFFERINGS" in Malachi 3:8. There are the TITHES which God DEMANDS. In verse 10 we are instructed to "bring ye all the tithes." To do any less is to rob God. Tithing is a scriptural way of saying "THANK YOU" to God for all that He has done for you. The principle of tithing is timeless; it is appropriate for every man in every age and every dispensation. BEFORE the giving of the Law of Moses, TITHING represented the PRINCIPLE OF GIVING. Interestingly the principle of the Sabbath is similar to that of tithing. The Sabbath was given by God and practiced by man from Creation. In every age God has demanded oneseventh of man's time. This timeless principle was not first given with the Law of Page 2

Moses. It was, however, incorporated into that Law. The wording of the fourth commandment reminds us of this principle, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). Later, this same principle of one day in seven was by common consent adopted by the New Testament Church. The Lord's Day and the Lord's tithe stand or fall together. The New Testament Church assumes that all enlightened and obedient Christians will at least set aside both one-seventh of their time and one-tenth of their income for the Lord. AFTER the giving of the Law of Moses, TITHING represented the PRECEPT OF GIVING. Most Christians think God limited TITHING to the required 10%. This is a gross misconception. God actually required several TITHES from Israel. Every year they were required to give 20% and every third year they were to give 30%. FIRST, there was a tithe called "the Lord's tithe" found in Leviticus 27:30, And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. Ten percent of the people's produce and animals were to support the Levites in their full-time ministry. It was not optional. A man who didn't pay it was robbing God. SECOND, there was a tithe called "the festival tithe" found in Deuteronomy 12:10, 11, But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; (11) Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: This tithe, also 10%, was to be shared with the family and others in celebration at Jerusalem. It simulated family unity and devotion to the Lord. THIRD, Israel had the "poor tithe." This was required every third year as found in Deuteronomy 14:28, 29, At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: (29) And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. These three tithes: Funded the priesthood for the needs of God s house, Financed a national feast, for the needs of the Government, and Aided the poor as the social security of those who had need. Tithing is giving the FIRST PART of what I earn, not the LEFT OVERS. The tithe is the first 10% of one s income. It is not just 10%, but rather the first 10%. One who pays all bills and then presents to the Lord 10% of what is left over would not actually be tithing. The tithe is giving to God His 10% before we use any of our income. In Proverbs 3:9-10 we read, Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (10) So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Someone said, "God never leaves us to guess, when it comes to matters of faith and practice, so why should he abandon us to our own decisions and devices when it concerns one of the most important areas in the whole human existence? Outside of eating, drinking, sleeping and playing we spend the greater part of our lives earning money. The inescapable issue which follows this observation concerns the management of our money, once we acquire it. It is at this point that God breaks in with those words of prior claim: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse." Page 3

WITH the coming of the Church age, TITHING represented the PRACTICE of giving. Turing to I Corinthians 16:1-2 we read, Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. (2) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. Please notice the TIME of the giving is "Upon the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK." This teaches us that upon the first day of the week, the Lord s Day, we are to bring to Him our Tithes and Offerings. Please notice the PLACE of our giving. Lay in STORE" The word store in the Greek is the same as the Hebrew word found in Malachi 3:10 for Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse..." Now the storehouse in the Old Testament was the TEMPLE. It was the place where the TITHES and OFFERINGS were given. It was the place of WORSHIP. It was the HOUSE OF GOD. In the New Testament the HOUSE of GOD is the CHURCH where we come to worship and to where we bring our TITHES and OFFERINGS for His glory in order to carry out His work. Please listen carefully, I sincerely believe: If every Christian was honest in their giving, there would be no need to plead for funds, nor would there be any lack of funds to take care of the house of God. God gives to the church what they need and what they deserve. I believe at times the lack of funds are due to the lack of honest tithing on the part of believers and sometimes due to the church wasting its resources. The church has a budget which gages its expenditures and that budget ought to be carefully monitored by the trustee or finance team along with the Pastor. As your Pastor, I will not count the money, bank the money or write and sign the checks. But I will watch carefully the spending in light of the budget. God gives the church increased funds in direct proportion to the increase in its giving to missions. That is, as we increase our giving to missions, there will be an increase to the general fund toward the budget as well. Turning to II Corinthians 8, 9 I want you to notice the TESTIMONY of the saints in their giving. They gave GENEROUSLY. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves: Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. II Corinthians 8:3-4 They gave with a PURPOSE. They...first gave their own self to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God, II Corinthians 8:5 and they gave "As God hath prospered him " II Corinthians 9:6-7 They gave WILLINGLY. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. II Corinthians 8:12 They gave EXPECTANTLY. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. II Corinthians 9:6 They gave JOYFULLY. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity:. for God loveth a cheerful giver. II Corinthians 9:7. The word cheerful means hilarious. Roger Babson, the great statistician, declares that; "If Christian people would tithe, the Church in all of its varied activities could be the mightiest power for all the world. Yet professing Christians, instead of giving one tenth of their incomes, actually give an average of less than one half of one percent to Christian causes! Do Christians believe God? If the injunction concerning tithes is followed by God's promise to pour out blessings beyond their capacity to receive, what might not be experienced by Christians willing to give as God prospered them!" Can we doubt that such desire Page 4

to please God would mean revival? You should have noticed by now that God has given instruction as to: The amount that was to be given, the TITHE. The Time it was to be given, Upon the first day of the week. The place that it was to be given brought to the House of God. The Attitude in which it was to be given. There are the OFFERINGS which God DESERVES. Please return with me to Malachi 3. In Malachi's day, the Lord had to rebuke His people Israel for withholding their OFFERINGS as well as their TITHES. Notice again verse 8, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. The OFFERINGS were gifts that were brought to God over and above the TITHES. An Israelite who loved God voluntarily gave the FIRSTFRUITS of his crop to God. FIRSTFURIT giving was giving the best to God and trusting Him to bring in the harvest. It was giving by faith. When we render our TITHES, we look up to the Throne of Divine Government and say: O God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Ruler of the universe and, therefore entitled to our tithes. We are grateful that in Thee, and in Thee alone, we live and move and have our being. Amen!" When we bring our OFFERING, we kneel in worship before the Throne of Divine grace and pray: "Our Father in response to Thy redeeming mercy, revealed in Jesus Christ, we bring the offerings of our sacrificial love and surrendered lives. Amen!" Now that we have seen the GRACE of GIVING, in summary: Giving makes me LIKE GOD, For God so loved the world (that is this world of people) that He GAVE His only begotten Son... John 3:16 Giving draws me CLOSER TO GOD, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21 Giving is the remedy to MATERIALISM, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate (give unto the needy); I Timothy 6:17-18 Giving reminds me that EVERYTHING was given to me by God! But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth... Deuteronomy 8:18 Giving expresses my GRATITUDE. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? Psalms 116:12 Giving strengthens my FAITH, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart... Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase; Proverbs 3:5, 9 Giving blesses me IN RETURN, There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:24-25 the writer is saying that, A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. In Acts 20:35 we are told, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Again in Malachi 3:10 we read the promise of God, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of host, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. I believe God is saying, you give as I have told you to give, and I will guarantee your every need will be met. Page 5

God is saying you give to me and I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU. I PROMISE YOU! I don't believe we can expect to see God send revival to this nation, unless we have a spirit of sacrifice and a willingness to GIVE God everything in order to defy the god of materialism in our age. When I speak of sacrificial giving, I mean giving that is measured and motivated by the CROSS OF CHRIST. It is nothing less than GIVING AT ITS BEST! II Corinthians 8:9, For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. Our Song and prayer must ever be: When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And poor contempt on all my pride. Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, DEMANDS my SOUL, my LIFE, my ALL My prayer is that God will motivate you and me to be givers, giving extravagantly of our TIME, our ENERGY, our FINANCES, our LIVES, so that others may be brought to Christ and made spiritually rich in Him. ********************************************** If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon Have you Robbed God this Week? then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you. Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31,...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation. If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, would you please let me know? Please send me an e-mail to pdmikbbm@aol.com. and in return I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life. The Weekly SERMON was sent as a ministry of Bible Baptist Ministry, 48 Alexie Rd., Hanover Township, PA 18706. Privacy policy: your e-mail address will not be sold, or shared with any third party. Copy write permission: Because the Weekly SERMONS will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The Weekly SERMON in it s original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the Weekly SERMON must set forth in full the heading that is given before each Weekly SERMON. Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikbbm@aol.com or by phone at 570.829.5216. Page 6