Major Messages from the Minor Prophets: 10% ... Really?? — Malachi

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10% ... Really?? — Malachi

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Theme: The tithe and offering is the first fruit of our labor which belongs to God. The first fruit is an act of obedience and the starting point of worship.

Theme: The tithe and offering is the first fruit of our labor which belongs to God. The first fruit is an act of obedience and the starting point of worship.

After thirty years of pastoral ministry, I've learned that there are essentially three kinds of givers in the church. Some believers are characterized by flint. To get anything out of them you have to repeatedly strike them with a piece of steel, and then all you get is chips and sparks, and a lot of aggravation. Some believers are like a sponge. They give readily, but they have to be squeezed first, and the more you squeeze them the more they give. But some believers are like the honey comb - they just ooze generosity, and do so with a sweet attitude.

After thirty years of pastoral ministry, I've learned that there are essentially three kinds of givers in the church. Some believers are characterized by flint. To get anything out of them you have to repeatedly strike them with a piece of steel, and then all you get is chips and sparks, and a lot of aggravation. Some believers are like a sponge. They give readily, but they have to be squeezed first, and the more you squeeze them the more they give. But some believers are like the honey comb - they just ooze generosity, and do so with a sweet attitude.

Let's be honest: Some believers are stingy and hard. They give nothing away if they can help it. Others are good-natured, and readily give, but only if constantly reminded, squeezed, or pressured. A few believers delight in giving because it has become a part of their nature to do so. They've discovered what it means to be cheerful givers.

God has called every believer and every church to be bold in their giving. Through our giving, our dollars become an instrument though which we touch our community, our nation, and our world with the Gospel message, and Christian ministry.

I. THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD v. 6

"For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (, NASB95)

1. immutability is a big theological word, but one you should know

a. it means that God does not change — He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow

tomorrow

2. our passage for this evening begins with God's self-proclaimed congruity

a. He says of His own nature, For I, the Lord, do not change ...

1) and this unchanging nature is placed within the context of the stewardship of God’s people

God’s people

3. God is always true to Himself

a. because God is consistent, it means that we can trust Him implicitly

1) He doesn't change the rules half-way through the game

b. it also means that we can trust the consistency of His Word

1) it also never changes

2) the principles that God laid down 2,500 years ago to the Prophet Malachi still rings true today

rings true today

3) what-in-the-world does this have to do with tithing you ask?

A. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE AND NEITHER DO HIS PRINCIPLES OR PLANS

A. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE AND NEITHER DO HIS PRINCIPLES OR PLANS

1. men are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone — this principle has never changed

never changed

a. this is an Old Testament doctrine as well as a New Testament doctrine

1) God's plan of salvation has never changed

2) faith has always been the means of coming into a relationship with God

b. the Apostle Paul was a man who was saved by faith in the risen Christ

1) he writes that Abraham — the father of the Jewish nation - was also saved in the same way

same way

"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." (, NASB95)

2) notice that Abraham is not merely the Father of the Jewish nation, but also the Father of the faithful

Father of the faithful

c. the only difference between my faith, and Abraham's faith is the direction of that faith

faith

1) I looked backward in faith to the anointed one — and His redemptive work on my behalf

behalf

2) Abraham looked forward in faith to the anointed one — and His redemptive work on his behalf

on his behalf

d. men have always been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone

2. men are redeemed by the shed blood of the innocent for the guilty — this principle has never changed

never changed

a. this is revealed very early in the Old Testament story when God slays one of His own creatures to make cloths for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness

own creatures to make cloths for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness

1) under God's old covenant with Israel, salvation was purchased by the blood of bull, and goats and sheep

and goats and sheep

2) under God's new covenant with spiritual Israel, salvation was purchased by the blood of God's own son

blood of God's own son

b. blood atonement is both an Old Testament and a New Testament principle

3. the First Fruits of our lives still belong to God as a worthy offering that expresses our love and worship for God

love and worship for God

a. the principle of First Fruits is another way of saying 'tithing'

1) now here's where a lot of believers begin to squeal

2) "Tithing?!! Why that's an Old Testament principle. Isn't that getting legalistic? After all; we're saved by grace ... which if free."

After all; we're saved by grace ... which if free."

b. but God's principles do not change

1) God still deserves the First Fruits of our wealth, our time, and our abilities

4. in the Old Testament God demanded the First Fruits of the labor of His people

a. under the Old Testament religious law, the people were compelled by the covenant to tithe

to tithe

1) it was a sign of obedience

2) if the people broke their vows, the covenant was negated

5. in the New Testament, the offering of the First Fruits is just as necessary, but the motivation is far different

motivation is far different

a. now it is our love for Christ that compels us to be obedient

1) it's easy to give abundantly and joyously to someone you love

B. THE NEW BIRTH MAKES US NEW CREATURES

B. THE NEW BIRTH MAKES US NEW CREATURES

1. everything about us is changed

a. our minds are made different — we receive the mind of Christ

b. our spirits are made different — they are made alive in Christ

c. our wills are made different — they are conformed to the will of Christ through the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit

2. sadly, the last thing to be made different in many believer's lives is their attitude toward wealth

wealth

ILLUS. Martin Luther, the great 16th-century Reformer once quipped; "Every man needs two conversions: The first of his heart and the second of his pocket book."

two conversions: The first of his heart and the second of his pocket book."

a. there are too many 'unbaptized' pocketbooks in the church today

ILLUS. In survey by the Barna Research Group, some interesting figures were discovered about Christian stewardship. Fifty percent of church members give nothing, absolutely nothing, to their church. We have approximately 300 members on the books of this church. That means that 150 of them are spiritual free-loaders. Twenty percent of church members give eighty percent of the church's annual income. That means that on any given Sunday sixteen people — perhaps just eight couples — are supporting the bulk of this congregation's ministry. Thirty percent of church members make up the remaining twenty percent of the church budget. The same research also discovered that only 3-5% of adult Christians give a tithe of their income to the church. Christians now give less per capita than during the Great Depression. And, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to tithe.

Twenty percent of church members give eighty percent of the church's annual income. That means that on any given Sunday sixteen people — perhaps just eight couples — are supporting the bulk of this congregation's ministry.

Thirty percent of church members make up the remaining twenty percent of the church budget.

The same research also discovered that only 3-5% of adult Christians give a tithe of their income to the church. Christians now give less per capita than during the Great Depression. And, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to tithe.

3. God has not changed his attitude about the doctrine of First Fruits

a. the principle of proportional giving is as valid today as it was when God revealed His will to the Prophet Malachi

will to the Prophet Malachi

b. God is immutable - He does not change nor do his principles

4. so why do 95% of believers fail to trust God in this area of their life?

II. THE INCLINATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE TO BACKSLIDE v. 7a

"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them ...'" (, ESV)

1. the Bible warns us to guard our hearts

a. the attitudes of men, even Christian men, are often fickle

b. what we love today, we may suddenly hate tomorrow

2. we like living for Christ as long as all the benefits of the Christian life benefit us

a. but let the Word of God reveal the deeper truths such as tithing, and many begin to mumble and grumble about the hardness of the way

mumble and grumble about the hardness of the way

b. "Tithe? But Lord, that's so hard! Why, it's even unfair. Why God, I've worked hard for my money. It's mine!"

for my money. It's mine!"

3. by the time of Malachi, the people of Israel had become disobedient and many were no longer practicing tithing

no longer practicing tithing

a. the result was that the people of Israel were suffering because of their sin and disobedience

disobedience

A. THE LACK OF CHRISTIAN GIVING IS NOT A PROBLEM OF THE POCKETBOOK BUT A PROBLEM OF THE HEART?

A. THE LACK OF CHRISTIAN GIVING IS NOT A PROBLEM OF THE POCKETBOOK

BUT A PROBLEM OF THE HEART?

1. for those of us who tithe, that tithe has not kept us from educating our children, building a home, paying the mortgage, taking a vacation, or putting groceries on the table

building a home, paying the mortgage, taking a vacation, or putting groceries on the table

a. Linda and I tithe our incomes

1) I tell you this not to boast in any way, but to let you know that I practice what I preach in this area

preach in this area

2) I'm not asking you to do something that I don't

b. learning to tithe is not a matter of pocketbook obedience, but heart obedience

2. God’s Covenant People had a heart problem

a. the church can obviously get along without the tithe of any one of us

b. but the real question is whether-or-not true believers can get along without tithing

ILLUS. Money manager Dave Ramsey says, "Tithing was created for our benefit. It is to teach us how to keep God first in our lives and how to be unselfish people. Unselfish people make better husbands, wives, friends, relatives, employees and employers. God is trying to teach us how to prosper over time."

III. THE INVITATION TO RETURN TO GOD vv. 7b-11

"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?' Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts." (, ESV)

1. God tells the Hebrews, "Return to me, and I will return to you..."

a. but they raised a cry of injured innocence

1) they inquired as to where they had gone that would necessitate a return

2) what had they done wrong that needed to be rectified?

3) what had they taken from God that needed to be restored?

2. the problem with the Hebrews was that they were hopelessly self-absorbed

a. they were not even aware that they had a spiritual problem until God came and told them

them

b. their problem, like the executive of our earlier story, was a heart problem

c. they had forgotten how to worship God with all their heart

3. what was the evidence that they had turned away from God?

a. they were robbing from God

1) "Oh yeah, sure. How have we robbed from you, God?"

2) God's answer - "You have robbed me of tithes and offerings."

ILLUS. has a question. God says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” Hebrew scholars have puzzled over this for years, because the word rob here is a very rare word. It’s not at all the normal Hebrew word for robbery, which, of course, would just mean to take something that’s not yours. It’s only used one other place in the Bible, and it’s a word that really means to oppress. It means to pillage, to plunder. It’s the sort of word you would use to describe a powerful nation coming in and despoiling, plundering, pillaging, and raping a weaker or poorer nation. It’s a very violent word. It’s a word that means to oppress. The reason people have wondered about this is it seems completely absurd for God to say to human beings, “You are doing that to me,” when it means to pillage or to plunder someone’s turf, someone’s home, someone’s town.

me.” Hebrew scholars have puzzled over this for years, because the word rob here is a very rare word. It’s not at all the normal Hebrew word for robbery, which, of course, would just mean to take something that’s not yours. It’s only used one other place in the Bible, and it’s a word that really means to oppress. It means to pillage, to plunder.

It’s the sort of word you would use to describe a powerful nation coming in and despoiling, plundering, pillaging, and raping a weaker or poorer nation. It’s a very violent word. It’s a word that means to oppress. The reason people have wondered about this is it seems completely absurd for God to say to human beings, “You are doing that to me,” when it means to pillage or to plunder someone’s turf, someone’s home, someone’s town.

b. of course, the people, when they hear that, are shocked

1) they say, “What? How in the world could we be robbing you? What are you talking about?”

talking about?”

2) then God comes back and says, “I’m talking about your lack of generosity with your money. I’m talking about the fact you hold on to too much of it and you spend too much on yourself and you don’t give enough away.”

your money. I’m talking about the fact you hold on to too much of it and you spend too much on yourself and you don’t give enough away.”

4. there are believers in every church in our nation who have turned away from God, and like the Hebrews, don't even know it

like the Hebrews, don't even know it

a. they are living in stolen homes

b. they are driving stolen vehicles

c. they are eating stolen groceries

d. they are wearing stolen cloths

ILLUS. God doesn’t give up ownership of something when he gives it to you? Everything you have is not only a gift of God but everything you have he is still the ultimate owner of. In , David and the children of Israel are raising money to build a temple. In the process, at one point David prays to God, and says, “Everything in heaven and earth is yours. Wealth and honor come from you. Everything comes from you, and we have only given you what comes from your hand.”

Everything you have is not only a gift of God but everything you have he is still the ultimate owner of. In , David and the children of Israel are raising money to build a temple. In the process, at one point David prays to God, and says, “Everything in heaven and earth is yours. Wealth and honor come from you. Everything comes from you, and we have only given you what comes from your hand.”

5. the sad truth is that there are some members of our church who are also robbing God of tithes and offerings

of tithes and offerings

a. God's people are cursed when they do not abide by His principles

"You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you." (, ESV)

A. THE PROMISE IF THEY COME BACK

1. God says, "Test me in this thing... and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it."

heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it."

a. many Christians will immediately respond, “But the New Testament doesn’t teach tithing.”

tithing.”

ILLUS. The only place in the New Testament where tithing is mentioned is a very significant place. In , Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. He says, “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth … but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former [the tithe] undone.” Do you see what he said? First of all, he said it’s right to tithe. But he also says, “The trouble with you Pharisees is you think, ‘As long as I’m giving my 10 percent, all the rest of it is mine,’ and you refuse to go beyond the tithe, which goes to show you’re legalists and you’re not being run by love and justice but simply by a legalistic code of conduct.”

significant place. In , Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. He says, “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth … but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former [the tithe] undone.”

Do you see what he said? First of all, he said it’s right to tithe. But he also says, “The trouble with you Pharisees is you think, ‘As long as I’m giving my 10 percent, all the rest of it is mine,’ and you refuse to go beyond the tithe, which goes to show you’re legalists and you’re not being run by love and justice but simply by a legalistic code of conduct.”

b. that’s a pretty significant statement

1) our Lord’s assumption appears to be that if unsaved, legalistic Pharisees tithe, how much more generous should God’s true believer’s be?

how much more generous should God’s true believer’s be?

ILLUS. Presbyterian Pastor Tim Keller writes, The reason tithing is not mentioned a whole lot, not harped on in the New Testament, is that we’re not supposed to see it as a legalistic limit to our giving but as a baseline, a guideline, a rule of thumb, a beginning. “Start there. Make sure you’re in the ballpark, and then see what you can do beyond that.”

whole lot, not harped on in the New Testament, is that we’re not supposed to see it as a legalistic limit to our giving but as a baseline, a guideline, a rule of thumb, a beginning. “Start there. Make sure you’re in the ballpark, and then see what you can do beyond that.”

IV. LESSONS FROM MALACHI

A. First, Christians are encouraged to proportional giving as recognition of God's ownership

A. First, Christians are encouraged to proportional giving as recognition of God's

ownership

1. everything belongs to God, not just 10%

a. God owns everything and we are His managers

b. when we tithe we are being good mangers of all that God has given us

2. tithing helps us to resist materialism and selfishness

a. tithing helps us to be less self-centered and focus more on God as the creator of the earth and all that is in it

the earth and all that is in it

“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. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (, NIV84)

B. Second, Christians are encouraged to tithe because blessings are dependent upon our obedience

our obedience

1. the Scripture clearly teaches that God desires our obedience in bringing the tithe and offerings to His storehouse

offerings to His storehouse

2. it also seems to be clear that obedience leads to His blessings

a. Malachi exhorted the people to give tithes and offerings to God as a means to receive His blessings

receive His blessings

b. we become a witness of God's goodness when we bring the tithe into the storehouse

storehouse

C. Third, encouraging the tithe teaches Christian discipline

C. Third, encouraging the tithe teaches Christian discipline

1. many of you were taught from a very early age to give a tithe of what you have earned

a. if, as a child you were taught to give a tithe, my guess is that practice has become a discipline in your life

discipline in your life

b. giving a tithe doesn't just happen when we feel like it — it is the result of discipline

ILLUS. When asked whether-or-not he tithed, John P. Rockefeller responded, "Yes, I tithe, and I would like to tell you how it all came about. I had to begin work as a small boy to help support my mother. My first wages amounted to $1.50 per week. The first week after I went to work, I took the $1.50 home to my mother and she held the money in her lap and explained to me that she would be happy if I would give a tenth of it to the Lord. I did, and from that week until this day I have tithed every dollar God has entrusted to me. And I want to say, if I had not tithed the first dollar I made I would not have tithed the first million dollars I made. Tell your readers to train the children to tithe, and they will grow up to be faithful stewards of the Lord."

I did, and from that week until this day I have tithed every dollar God has entrusted to me. And I want to say, if I had not tithed the first dollar I made I would not have tithed the first million dollars I made. Tell your readers to train the children to tithe, and they will grow up to be faithful stewards of the Lord."

2. it's a discipline that can be learned at any stage of life

D. Last, tithing brings glory to God

D. Last, tithing brings glory to God

1. when Christians tithe God is glorified and we bear witness to the world of the life-changing power of the Gospel

life-changing power of the Gospel

2. as we bring our tithes to the church we make it possible for the Gospel to be shared with all nations and people

with all nations and people

3. it all begins with a conscious act on our part to be obedient to God by recognizing His ownership and then responding by giving the tithe to God

ownership and then responding by giving the tithe to God

The language of Malachi is plain. The principle it teaches about our stewardship are as true today as when God first revealed them to the Prophet. If we will acknowledge God and His claims on us; if we will give to Him the First Fruits of our labor from a loving heart, then He will pour out upon us all of these promises of blessings. Let us ask the question of ourselves - Am I robbing God? and in asking that question, to ask yourself, "Am I robbing myself of God's blessings?"

The language of Malachi is plain. The principle it teaches about our stewardship are as true today as when God first revealed them to the Prophet. If we will acknowledge God and His claims on us; if we will give to Him the First Fruits of our labor from a loving heart, then He will pour out upon us all of these promises of blessings. Let us ask the question of ourselves - Am I robbing God? and in asking that question, to ask yourself, "Am I robbing myself of God's blessings?"