2019-08-04 Deuteronomy 14
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields.
23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God.
24 But if the distance is too great for you to carry it, since the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you and since the Lord your God has blessed you,
25 then exchange it for silver, take the silver in your hand, and go to the place the Lord your God chooses.
26 You may spend the silver on anything you want: cattle, sheep, goats, wine, beer, or anything you desire. You are to feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice with your family.
27 Do not neglect the Levite within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
28 “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your city gates.
29 Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
I. Giving is an act of faith.
I. Giving is an act of faith.
22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields.
23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God.
A. Your gift should be sacrificial.
A. Your gift should be sacrificial.
22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields.
23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God.
Illus: Often when broaching the topic of tithing or giving the discussion I know the implication is that we are fundraising.
You may think, the pastor is preaching on giving because the church needs money.
yes, God provides for His church and His ministries through tithing, BUT, that is not God’s only purpose in giving.
God instituted giving as an act of faith. God intended giving to be apart of your growth.
When you give, God wants you to give sacrificially. Why?
It is through going with out that you learn to depend on him.
How can you embrace that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, if you have never been without.
Part of the life experience God uses to lead you to him is for you to depend and need Him.
You will never experience the fullness of God the provider if cannot sacrifice in giving.
6 The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.
B. Giving sacrificially teaches you to depend God.
B. Giving sacrificially teaches you to depend God.
22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields.
23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God.
Illus: I have notices a trend in every church that I have served.
In general the more impoverished a believer the more generous a lifestyle they live. The more wealthy a believer, the more they pinch every penny.
I have witnessed time and again those with little gladly give away what they have to help and support others. Whether it is their children’s hand me downs, the food off their own table, or the money out of their wallet, those with little are extremely generous.
On the opposite hand, the trend I notice is that the wealthier one is, the more likely they are to try to sell
I’ve noticed in my life that when I had little, I learned to depend on God.
When I was in seminary, I worked as a minimum wage janitor to pay my way through school. My meals for the week was a single pizza cut into enough slices that I could eat one a day.
There were months where I did not see how the finances would work out. I would tithe, pay my bills, and trust that God would see me through.
I remember on multiple occasions when the numbers did not add up… I would be short with a rent payment coming, and a member of the church I served in would tell me, “God put you on my heart and wanted me to give you this check.” It was for the exact amount I was short on my rent.
It was easy to give when I had little because the provision of God was so easily seen. As I have gotten older, and my paychecks have grown more stable, my faith has decreased.
The transition is slow, but gradually over time I started trusting my bank account for my security and not my God.
1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia:
2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord,
4 they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,
5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.
II. Giving provides for both the church and it’s ministers.
II. Giving provides for both the church and it’s ministers.
27 Do not neglect the Levite within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
A. God chooses to provide for His work and His workers through His people.
A. God chooses to provide for His work and His workers through His people.
27 Do not neglect the Levite within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
Illus: let’s talk church for a moment. First Baptist Church exsists to connect people to God, to each other, and to the world.
No minister gets into ministry for the money. THere is a careful ballence that must be held in every church.
Believe it or not, that takes money.
God calls the
Every Sunday we turn on the lights, make coffee, run air conditioning, provide discipleship materials.
We serve schools, feed kids, love first responders, take kids to camp, minister to people with hurts, habits, and hangups.
We send people around the world to share the gospel.
We support missionaries, church plants, Disaster Relief, BSMs, and so much more.
When you give to the church, you join the ministries of the church. You support things as small as the coffee in the pots to things as great as sending missionaries around the world.
10 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.
12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
B. God calls pastors to depend on the giving of His people.
B. God calls pastors to depend on the giving of His people.
27 Do not neglect the Levite within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
Illus:God has called pastors to this church to help equip it for the work of ministry.
No minister gets into ministry for the money. THere is a careful ballence that must be held in every church.
God calls the pastor to be free from the love of money. God calls the church to provide for the pastor at such a place where he doesn’t worry about money.
The church should provide for the pastor at such a place that he can remain focused on ministry.
There is the foolish old adage that many churches have held to “God keep our pastor Humble, and we will keep him poor.”
The biblical call for every church is to provide for the pastor where he might live fairly and not worry financially. To provide at a level where he can remain focused on the ministry.
17 The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, The worker is worthy of his wages.
III. Giving provides for the ministries of the church.
III. Giving provides for the ministries of the church.
28 “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your city gates.
29 Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
A. The church does not exist to grow it’s bank account, but instead to use what it is given in service of God’s kingdom.
A. The church does not exist to grow it’s bank account, but instead to use what it is given in service of God’s kingdom.
29 Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
Illus: I want to be sure that every dollar given to our church is used wisely. Our church does not exists to make money. Our church exists to use money for God’s ministry.
We are called to use every given wisely as stewards. My prayer is that we as a church tithe sacrificially. We do this by giving a tenth of all dollars given to plant churches across Louisiana and America, and to Support Missionaries throughout the world. This is our joining with the Cooperative program where all southern baptist churches work together the gospel.
I pray that your giving might increase… but also that that our ability to support kids, youth, discipleship, missions, and addiction ministries would increase as well.
Today I am going to challenge you. If you are tithing, giving ten percent, thank you. If you are not there yet, that is the first goal. Tithe. Give sacrificially for the kingdom work of God.
I want to put a very practical challenge in front of you. Give more. Not just for our church’s benefit, but for yours.
Would you consider giving one percent of what you make more? It is both for your good, and for this church.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Why does God require a sacrificial gift?
How does God use your sacrifice for your good?