deu14-22
1 July 2007
“GETTING GOD’S THINGS DONE”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
If we are serious about our the Word of God, it will not only change our lives but it will also change the way we live. The sad truth is that we want all of the blessings of a changed life without the discipline of changing the why we live.
The truth if, our lives could use some cleaning up.
Today I want to clean up and clear up a conversation about tithing and money.
Some weeks ago we established that worship is to be in the place God chooses. The church, as the worshiping community exist then to get the things of God accomplished in the world. WE are to know and carry out the will of God in the world.
The church exists for one purpose.
TO get the things of God accomplished in the world
Who else will do that? The people we expect to do that are flawed and fractured just like us.
The Church is both an agent of grace and an instigator of hope.
Supreme Court this week has given opportunity for extreme entrenchment.
Textual insights
Even in the construction of this text, the Hebrews are showing us that everything belongs to God. Some scholars have looked at the construction of Hebraic writings to discover that the chosen words are an intentional representation of the presence and glory of God.
Without getting too heady today, let me just say, the number 26 represents the numeric value for the name of God, YHWH. The number 23 represents the word, glory. IN this text, the words line up in Hebrew to point to numbers divisible by 26 and 23 respectively. This says that even numerically, this is symbolic of the “glory of God”
Let me just put a pastoral summation on this thing here. When you work up and review all the words and numbers of your lives, they ought to give glory to God!
In some instances, our numbers just do not add up. God is not getting the glory of everything. God may be getting the glory out of your words but your numbers still do not give God what God deserves.
A Closer Look
Saving vs. consuming.
Verse 22
“Set aside”
We are to take care of each other.
WE are to share resources.
Reminiscent of Acts, “holding all things in common
Do we know what God’s things are?
Educating our children is a God thing? Finding a solution to the ills of the world.
This text actually sets up the humanitarian concerns expressed in the next chapter. We cannot get to the business of looking after the poor and disadvantaged without understanding our commitment of how to get that done.
This plan is a plan for taking care of the needs of both the sanctuary and the community.
The annual and triennial tithe
The tithe was presented at the central sanctuary in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years. On the third and sixth years, the tithe was set aside locally (“within your towns”); and there was no normal tithe in the seventh year, because that was the “sabbath” year in which no crops were planted. The system of tithes in ancient Israel was a practical means of supporting a way of life, including the religious establishment, at both the central sanctuary and within the towns throughout the country.[1]
For the faithful community, then, Money is an extension of the fellowship. A vehicle by which and through which the church gets its work, the work of doing God’s things, accomplished. Read the text carefully. The money is because we cannot always be present. Because the work and life of the fellowship necessisiates funding. One cannot do ministry without the resources.
FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
Help you to understand money.
You see, whatever you own, possess or use. IT first belongs to God. God has a right to use whatever you possess to get the glory in the world.
Your house,
Your car
Your skill
Your talents
Your gifts
It all comes from and belongs to God and God deserves to get use of whatever it is. But you cannot bring all of your particular gifts skills and possessions into the sanctuary. Cannot drive your car in here. Cannot bring your entire wardrobe in here Cannot bring all the books your have read in here
So you bring money as a representative of an exchange all the things God has blessed you with.
We cannot give God the glory God needs only “one day at a time.” We have to get a larger view of what God requires for us. A plan that helps us look beyond the needs of this present moment.
Let me give you a quick illustration of what I am trying to say.
We are working hard at a plan for the elementary school. I have asked you to support this endeavor for this particular year in a particular way. Now let us think this thing through. Let’s say that you have embraced this and we have a tremendous year with students … What happens at the end of this year? Do I have to come back to you again and do the same things all over again or do we live beyond the typical “just enough o meet the minimum requirements” and boldly do enough not just to support this year but to have a perpetual fund for children who are in need financially?
We’ve got to get God’s things done!
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[1]Christensen, D. L. (2002). Vol. 6A: Word Biblical Commentary : Deuteronomy 1-21:9. Word Biblical Commentary (303). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.