Sermon Tone Analysis

*                                              Tithes and offerings*                   2~/10~/08  a.m.

                                                       *Ex 23:19*       *Le 27:30*    

The custom of tithing is very ancient (Abraham paid a tithe of the spoils of war to Melchizedek; see Gn 14:20) and widely practiced, being known in Athens, Arabia, Rome, Carthage, Egypt, Syria, Babylon, and China.[1]

* *

*The tithe is the first of the first and is the Lords’*

*Ex 23:19*    The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.

* *

*Le 27:30*     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 to the Lord.

* *

*Pr 3:9*   9  Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of *all* your increase;

 

*The firstfruits are f/igurative of:/*

Israel’s position     Rom.

11:16                                     the lump or root

Christ’s place in resurrection     1 Cor.

15:20, 23         from the dead

Christians     James 1:18                                                firstfruit of His creatures

First converts     Rom.

16:5[2]                                          our first converts to Christ

 

*Jesus confirms the giving of tithes*

 *Mt 23:23*    23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier /matters/ of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

These you ought to have done, *without leaving the others undone *

 

*The tithe is a tenth*

*Ge 28:22  *2 And this stone which I have set as a pillar  shall be God’s house,  and of all that *You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” *

 

*The tithes given in accordance to your income*

*Dt 16:17*     17 Every man /shall give/ as he is able,  *according to the blessing of the *

*Lord your God which He has given you.

*

 

*The tithe is a tenth of everything and can be anything*

 *Le 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 to the Lord.

*The tithe is to be brought to the Lords’ House*

 *Dt 12:5-6*   5 “But you shall seek the  place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His  dwelling place; and there you shall go.

6  *There you shall take your* burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your *tithes,* the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the  firstborn of your herds and flocks.

*The tithe is brought to the Lords’ House for the Lords’ work – *

 

The giving of tithe is for the purpose of meeting the material need of the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless (the orphan), and the widow

* *

*Nu 18:21*   1 “Behold, *I have given the children of Levi all the tithes* in Israel as an inheritance *in return for the work which they perform*, * the work of the tabernacle of meeting*.

*Deut.

26:12–13  *12 “When you have finished laying aside *all the  tithe of your increase* in the third year—  the year of tithing—and have *given /it/ to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled*, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy /tithe/ from /my/ house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments,  nor have I forgotten /them./

*Basic to tithing is the acknowledgment of God’s ownership of everything in the earth.

*

*1 Co 10:26*   26 for  /“the earth/ /is/ /the Lord’s/, and all its fullness.”

*The giving of a tithe is man’s acknowledgment that he is a steward of God’s creation.

*

*Eph.

4:28*   28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather  let him labor, working with /his/ hands what is good, that he may have something  to give him who has need.

*The Scripture clearly demonstrates that every spiritual relationship of man is expressed in some material way.

*

 

 *Jas 2:26*    26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

*The tithe is an expression of gratitude to God by His people.

*

*1 Co 3:6*   6 I planted, Apollos watered,  but God gave the increase.

When we offer tithes we confess God’s providence,

His deliverance in our time of need,

His redemption of  our soul,

and His gift of Eternal Life

 

*Giving*

*The giving of possessions* /(alms; boon; bounty; collection; contribution; supply; tithe)/ and of /hospitality (host)/ *is a vital part of Christian worship and witness.*

*Sacrificial giving is pleasing */(odor; savor)/* to God.*

*/ /*

*/Givers/* are to be */cheerful,/* giving freely */(liberality)/* of their own */accord/* and not */grudgingly,/* in recognition of the fact that human beings are */stewards/* of what belongs to God and will one day give account of that stewardship.[3]

Have you given Him the tithe or first part of yourself, your heart and life?

\\ ----

[1]Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001).

/Tyndale Bible dictionary/.

Tyndale reference library (1263).

Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[2]Thomas Nelson Publishers.

(1995).

/Nelson's quick reference topical Bible index./

Nelson's Quick reference (233).

Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[3]Vine, W. (1997, c1996).

/Vine's complete expository dictionary topic finder ./

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.