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We are coming to our final message in our series on giving.
So far, we have seen from the Parable of the Talents that God owns everything.
We saw last week that our giving should be a joyful and generous reflection of where we are, and we saw the week before that that Jesus is our ultimate model of giving.
He gave himself on the cross to die in our place so we could be made spiritually rich by coming into a right relationship with him.
At different points, I have said in passing that all of these motives for giving are in addition to the fact that God commands us to give, but so far, I haven’t backed up that statement.
We are going to do that today.
Turn with me to the last book in the Old Testament, the book of Malachi.
This prophecy was spoken by a prophet named Malachi, and it was confronting the way the Israelites had corrupted the way the temple was supposed to work.
Central to that was the fact that God’s people had stopped giving the way they should have.
Although we are going to draw out three points from the sections we will look at, the main thing I want you to remember is that we give our first and best.
From the beginning, let me establish this: I recognize that some people don’t think some of the commands we will talk about today apply to us.
Since we are a part of the New Covenant and not a part of the nation of Israel, some think that means the last section doesn’t apply to us.
I am going to argue that it does, however, and we are going to use Jesus’ words to establish that.
The main focus, however, is that God calls us to give our first and our best.
Let’s dive into 2 to see that this morning...
1) Give your first & best.
· This is what God is addressing here in verses 6-12.
This is what God is addressing here in verses 6-12.
· God commanded His people in the Old Testament to offer various sacrifices at various times.
God commanded His people in the Old Testament to offer various sacrifices at various times.
· By the time God is speaking through Malachi, the people had lost sight of what they were supposed to be doing, so they brought the bare minimum they could offer.
By the time God is speaking through Malachi, the people had lost sight of what they were supposed to be doing, so they brought the bare minimum they could offer.
· God says that the priests have disrespected all that God has done for them, because they are offering animals that are deformed and sickly instead of bringing their best.
God says that the priests have disrespected all that God has done for them, because they are offering animals that are deformed and sickly instead of bringing their best.
· Read verses 8-9 again.
Read verses 8-9 again.
· The Israelites were bringing the worst of what they had, pretending to offer it to God, and then upset that He didn’t bless them in return.
The Israelites were bringing the worst of what they had, pretending to offer it to God, and then upset that He didn’t bless them in return.
· That is like swinging by the dumpster at Kroger on the way home today to dig out some flowers for your wife.
Give those to her and tell me how she responds.
That is like swinging by the dumpster at Kroger on the way home today to dig out some flowers for your wife.
Give those to her and tell me how she responds.
· Listen to God’s reaction again in verse 10….
Listen to God’s reaction again in verse 10….
· Think about it: when you think about coming to church, giving to others, or serving God with your day, what portion are you consciously giving to God?
Think about it: when you think about coming to church, giving to others, or serving God with your day, what portion are you consciously giving to God?
· Are you giving God the scraps of what’s left at the end of your paycheck, or are you specifically setting aside the money He calls you to give?
Are you giving God the scraps of what’s left at the end of your paycheck, or are you specifically setting aside the money He calls you to give?
· Are you planning on spending time with Him, or are you going to just hope you get time?
Are you planning on spending time with Him, or are you going to just hope you get time?
· Are you actively involved in serving Him, or are you going to once you get time for it?
Are you actively involved in serving Him, or are you going to once you get time for it?
· The God of the universe who found you in your sin and rescued you by sending His own Son to die in your place deserves to be more than an afterthought.
Let’s flip it around.
Who have we said is the model for our giving?
Remember ?
What did God do for you?
1 Peter 1:
He paid the ultimate price by dying in your place and raising from the dead.
He gave his first and his best for you, so why would we think it is okay to do less?
The God of the universe who found you in your sin and rescued you by sending His own Son to die in your place deserves to be more than an afterthought.
· Why do you throw a little something in the plate when it goes by? Do you think God needs it?
We have said over and over again that God isn’t saying this because he is hungry or needs your money.
“I shall take no young bull out of your house nor male goats out of your folds.
For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.
(Psalm 50:9–12, NASB95)
“I shall take no young bull out of your house nor male goats out of your folds.
For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.
(, NASB95)
· It isn’t like God is going to go hungry if you don’t at least give Him some scraps.
It isn’t like God is going to go hungry if you don’t at least give Him some scraps.
· No, God commands you to give because He is calling you to honor Him first and foremost with everything you are and everything He gives you.
No, God commands you to give because He is calling you to honor Him first and foremost with everything you are and everything He gives you.
Isn’t that what he starts with in verse 6? Sons should honor their parents, and servants honor their masters, so why do we dishonor God by thinking he would be okay with scraps?
· That’s what He points out in verse 11.
God deserves to be exalted in every place in every way, so we need to give our first and best to Him!
He points it out again in verse 11.
God deserves to be exalted in every place in every way, so we need to give our first and best to Him!
· You have the privilege of honoring God by giving to Him!
He has given you His own Son; doesn’t that fill your heart with gratitude?
You have the privilege of honoring God by giving to Him!
He has given you His own Son; doesn’t that fill your heart with gratitude?
· God calls us to bring our first and best to Him, and He deserves that!
God calls us to bring our first and best to Him, and He deserves that!
· Are you bringing your first and best, or are you tossing Him the scraps?
Are you bringing your first and best, or are you tossing Him the scraps?
· There’s more God commands us about giving.
The second part of His command is to:
There’s more God commands us about giving.
The second part of His command is to:
2) Give willingly.
2) Give willingly.
· Look with me in verse 13-14…
Look with me in verse 13-14…
· Do you see the attitude the people had?
Do you see the attitude the people had?
· “Man, I am so tired of having to do this whole sacrifice thing.”
“Man, I am so tired of having to do this whole sacrifice thing.”
· They were just going through the motions; they weren’t honoring God with their gifts.
They were just going through the motions; they weren’t honoring God with their gifts.
· Hopefully, our series up to this point has helped you recapture the “why” behind your giving.
I hope it has helped you to be a little more joyful when you put that offering in the plate as it goes by or be a little more excited while you fill the shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
Hopefully, our series up to this point has helped you recapture the “why” behind your giving.
I hope it has helped you to be a little more joyful when you put that offering in the plate as it goes by or be a little more excited while you fill the shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
· Don’t let giving just become a habit; make a conscious choice to joyfully give to the God who deserves everything we give.
Don’t let giving just become a habit; make a conscious choice to joyfully give to the God who deserves everything we give.
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