The Tithe - Grace, Trust, and Lordship

WEEK 3

The Tithe — Grace, Trust, and Lordship

(THE QUESTION BEHIND THE QUESTION)

Whenever you preach on tithing,

THERE IS A QUESTION THAT USUALLY COMES UP AND IT’S THIS:

“Aren’t we under grace now?”

And that’s a fair question.

But most of the time, that question isn’t really about theology.

It’s about trust. Because....

the real issue has never been: ..............“Isn’t this Old Testament?”

The real issue is:

“Is Jesus Lord over everything in my life?”

Before we talk about 10% (TITHE), we need to talk about THE 100%.

ARE YOU READY? OPEN IN PRAYER

1️⃣ WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT THE LAW?

WELL....Let’s start with Jesus’ own words.

Matthew 5:17 NIV

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Now........ what does “fulfill” mean?

It means this:

Everything the Law was pointing toward — Jesus accomplished.

The Law pointed to a Savior — Jesus came.

The sacrifices pointed to a final sacrifice — Jesus became THAT SACRIFICE.

The priests pointed to a perfect mediator — Jesus is our perfect mediator.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY

The Law was like a signpost.

Jesus is the destination.

The Law was a shadow.

Jesus is the ACTUAL substance.

So when Jesus says,

“I came to fulfill it,” He is saying:

“I didn’t cancel it.

I brought it to its full meaning.”

And here’s what’s important:

Jesus didn’t lower the standard of righteousness.

He raised it to the heart level.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN PASTOR CHRIS.....HOW DID HE DO THAT?

IF YOU READ In that same chapter (MATTHEW 5) He says:

“You’ve heard don’t murder.

But I say don’t hate.”

“You’ve heard don’t commit adultery.

But I say don’t lust.”

Under the Law, obedience was external.

Under grace, obedience is internal.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....YOUR NEED TO KNOW THIS....

IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO

IT’S ABOUT WHO YOU ARE

IT’S ABOUT YOUR HEART

So let’s ask the honest question:

IF WE’RE UNDER GRACE AND NOT UNDER THE LAW

AND IF grace changes the heart,

should it make us less surrendered TO CHRIST….....or more?

Pause.

2️⃣ ARE WE UNDER LAW OR GRACE?

Paul says in:

Romans 6:14 NIV

14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

“Not Under Law” Does Not Mean “No Moral Obligation”

When Paul says we are not under law (Romans 6:14), he means:

We are not under the Mosaic covenant as a system of righteousness.

We are not justified by keeping commandments.

But.........AS Christians WE are still called to holiness.

Galatians 5:14 NIV

14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

THERE IS A SHIFT THAT HAPPENS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

FROM External FULLFILMENT AND OBLIGATION TO........

Internal transformation by the Spirit.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

That means we are not saved by rule-keeping.

We are saved by faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

The Law showed us we needed a Savior. AND GUESS WHAT???

Jesus became that Savior.

OH LORD HELP US THIS MORNING.....

Look at this:

Galatians 3:24 NIV

24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

SO....

The Law was like a teacher pointing PEOPLE to Jesus.

But once Christ came,

salvation no longer depended on keeping the MOSAIC LAW.

So we are not under the Mosaic Law for salvation.

BUT....this doesn’t mean every principle about honoring God disappeared.

And here’s why.....BECAUSE

3️⃣ THE TITHE DIDN’T START WITH MOSES

Before there was a Law, before there was Mount Sinai, before there were tablets of stone with commandments written on them…

There was Abraham.

Genesis 14:18–20 NIV

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

No command. No regulation. No legal requirement.

Just honor.

Abraham recognized God as the source of his victory and gave a tenth.

Later on we see Jacob says this:

Genesis 28:22 NIV

22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

Again — before the Law.

The tithe began as worship.

It began as recognition.

It began as surrender.

It was later organized under Moses.

But it was born in honor.

That’s so important church.

4️⃣ WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY ABOUT THE TITHE?

WE SEE THAT Under Moses,

the tithe became structured.

Leviticus 27:30 NIV

30 “ ‘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.

Notice the wording.

It does not say,

“You should give.”

It says,

“It is the Lord’s.”

The tithe was declared holy — set apart.

Now look at this passage:

Malachi 3:8–10 NIV

8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 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 there will not be room enough to store it.

Let’s understand THE context.

Israel had drifted spiritually.

They stopped trusting God.

Withholding the tithe wasn’t the root problem — it was a symptom.

The deeper issue was this:

They no longer saw God as their source.

And God says something shocking here:

“Test Me.”

THIS IS The only place in Scripture where God invites testing

it’s in the area of trust.

That should make us pause.

5️⃣ DID JESUS CANCEL TITHING?

Jesus addressed it directly.

Matthew 23:23 ESV

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Jesus corrects their hypocrisy.

But He says:

“These you ought to have done.”

In other words:

Don’t neglect justice.

Don’t neglect mercy.

But don’t neglect the tithe either.

UNDERSTAND THIS....

The issue was never the percentage.

The issue was the heart.

Now here’s where it gets personal.

Psalm 24:1 NIV

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

EVERYTHING BELONGS TO HIM!

If that’s true…

Then the tithe isn’t God taking something from us.

It’s us acknowledging ownership.

Let me say it plainly:

The question is not,

“Do I have to give 10%?”

The real question is,

“Do I believe the 100% belongs to Him?”

Owners hold tight.

Stewards manage faithfully.

Which one are we?

Pause.

6. UNDER GRACE, THE CALL IS DEEPER

OH COME ON CHURCH .....THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

Under the Law,

God required a tenth.

Under grace,

He asks for you.

Romans 12:1 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

In the Old Covenant,

they brought animals.

In the New Covenant,

we bring ourselves.

Grace doesn’t shrink surrender.

Grace expands it.

If Jesus gave His whole life for you,

should grace make you less generous…

or more surrendered?

You can give 10% and still control the 90%.

But when you give yourself,

everything changes.

The tithe becomes training.........It teaches your heart:

“God, You are first.

God, You are source.

God, You are Lord OF MY LIFE.”

..................WORSHIP TEAM COME...............

SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO???

WE trust Him with OUR eternity.

WE trust Him with heaven.

But can WE trust Him with our increase?

You say He is Lord.

BUT....Is He Lord of all —

or only parts?

Because when He has your heart,

He will eventually have your priorities.

And the tithe is one of the clearest indicators of trust.

I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT TITHE SHOUD BE A STARTING POINT TO OUR GIVING

TITHE IS NOT REQUIRMENT UNDER THE LAW ANY LONGER

BUT A SURRENDERED HEART IS A REQUIRMENT FOR SALVATION

AND MATTHEW 6:21

Matthew 6:21 NIV

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

SO THE WAY I SEE IT IS....

IF WE CAN’T TRUST GOD WITH OUR FINANCES EVEN JUST 10%

WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES THIS.....

IS OUR HEART FULLY SURRENDERED

SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY.....WHEN I START MAKING MORE

I’LL START GIVING

WHEN I GET MY RAISE THEN I’LL START GIVING MORE

MANY OF US HAVE PRAYED....LORD WOULD YOU BLESS MY FINANCES SO I CAN BE MORE FAITHFULL IN MY GIVING

FRIENDS......THE AMOUNT IS NOT THE ISSUE

THE HEART IS THE ISSUE

...........................STAND TO YOUR FEET..........................

LISTEN TO THIS.....

Luke 16:10 NLT

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

IF WE CAN’T BE FAITHFUL EVEN WITH THE SMALL AMOUNT THAT WE MAKE...

WHY DO WE THINK THAT MAKING MORE WILL MAKE IT EASIER

BECAUSE IF WERE LIVING BY THIS PRINCIPAL OF THE TITHE

THEN THE MORE ME MAKE....THE MORE WERE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE TO GIVE

LORD HELP US TODAY TO RELEASE WHATS YOURS...

HELP US TO BE FAITHFULL IN THE SMALL THINGS

ALTAR INVITATION — LORDSHIP

Today, this is not about an amount.

THIS WHOLE SERIES HAS BEEN ABOUT ONE THING

ALIGNMENT

IT’S ABOUT.....IS HE LORD OF YOUR LIFE

If the Holy Spirit is dealing with your heart about surrender — about trust — about lordship —

I want you to come.

I’M NOT HERE TO PRESSURE YOU. THIS IS NOT TO GET YOU TO COME EVEN OUT OF OBLIGATION.

THIS IS ABOUT A STARTING POINT.

IS JESUS LORD OF ALL IN YOUR LIFE?

NO PASTOR CHRIS, BUT STARTING TODAY......I WANT HIM TO BE

IF THAT’S YOU

WOULD YOU Come.

______________________________________________________________________

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