If 10% is Good Enough for Jesus...

Let’s talk about one of the two things in life you cannot avoid: taxes. Not only that, lets look at it from a different point of view. How does God feel about taxes and tithes?

Hello guilders, and welcome back to our second message in The Ray Stevens Sermon Series. This time we tackle a problem that our modern world had skewed due to the poor behavior of some pastors in the past. Also, I want to eliminate a misconception about a true act of faith for the church and its members. This especially holds true to us here a the guild.

In our modern society, after last week message about being good pastors with our donations and tithes, we have see a shift in thinking regarding this word “Tithe.” Some of the ideology regarding tithes by many is that it is a “God Tax.” And this thinking comes from a passage in Deuteronomy 14:22-25.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 14

Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year. Bring this into the Presence of GOD, your God, at the place he designates for worship and there eat the tithe from your grain, wine, and oil and the firstborn from your herds and flocks. In this way you will learn to live in deep reverence before GOD, your God, as long as you live. But if the place GOD, your God, designates for worship is too far away and you can’t carry your tithe that far, GOD, your God, will still bless you: exchange your tithe for money and take the money to the place GOD, your God, has chosen to be worshiped.

The main understanding and takeaway about the tithe is what is its meaning. Tithe is directly translated as one tenth, or ten percent. This understanding also gives us the modern laws regarding usury. In the bible, and in many states, usury is basically when loan interest or payments are greater than ten percent. Now, back to the core message.

In Deuteronomy, it states that the individual/family makes an offering of ten percent each year. Sounds like a tax, right? At the time of Deuteronomy, taxes were in the form of coinage, while the tithe was you produce and farm animals. When we move forward in time to today, since we are no longer are an agrarian society, coinage is our common tool of trade. Work is traded for coin, goods and services are traded in coin, generally. So, this change is a change in trade and commerce. However, this change does not remove the idea of the tithe.

Today, especially with how the economy can fluctuate faster than in the past, the tithe is still valid, but as pastors, we have modified the idea. For us as pastors, we only want you to tithe what you can. If it is a single dollar, so be it. What tithe means for us is still one tenth of your income, but the best pastors will accept any tithe or donation as you can give. Now, why do we think this way today, and view taxes as a separate issue and not a “God Tax” is stipulated in Luke 20:20-25.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 20

20–22  Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you’re honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don’t pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23–24  He knew they were laying for him and said, “Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?”

25  “Caesar,” they said.

Jesus said, “Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his.”

Jesus basically spells out the divide between taxes and tithes. This is also the reason churches are exempt from taxation. Jesus states the obvious, but is it not obvious to the lay person. Jesus emphatically enforces an ideal in the US Constitution’s First Amendment Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. The separation of church and state is at the forefront when talking about taxation. This is the reason states cannot easily be taxed. Today, when you work, you are taxed directly from your paycheck. The tax is based on how much income you generate for you household, and has some discretionary thresholds. But these percentages are larger than the tithe’s ten percent limit. This is because God understands basic economics. How? Later in Luke, in Chapter 21, Jesus observes an interesting event: a small donation.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 21

1–4  21 Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!”

While it is normally attributed to piety demonstration between the leaders and the widows, it also is helpful in understanding what it means to give what you can. The widow gave a pittance, but what she gave is more than what is a tithe. Here is where many unscrupulous pastors use this passage to take more than what is needed. I am using this as a demonstration for you to determine what you wish to give. And this is the core of this message, to make you think about the true difference between a tax, which is required, and a tithe/donation which is based on what you can give.

I wish not to pressure anyone to donate or tithe to The Greater Guild, but donating and tithing has seen a change in my personal, and several other guilder’s lives. The biggest change for us was the fact that we actually began tithing. We have “rendered unto Caesar what is Caesars,” but we also give more in both money and personal volunteering with the guild.

With financial tithing, my wife and I have experienced an increase in income so we can give more. For myself and other guilders whom have given some time to the Guild, they have seen more free time in their lives. Now, none of this happened immediately, but our gifts of time and money came over time. Some were subtle, in other times, it is a immediate boost. And here is where I will issue a challenge. I challenge many of you to tithe at lease $20 per month to The Greater Guild. In this challenge, I also want you to create a journal of each time you tithed, and how your week or month went. You may be surprised at the results. Now, I am not forcing anyone to participate in this challenge. If you cannot financially do this right now, then maybe donate your time to our Extra Life Team. Play games while streaming and having people donate to Extra Life is a way to tithe your time. If you go this route, again, journal your week and month after each stream and donation.

So, what would happen if the government only asked for a flat 10% of our income, either through a federal sales tax, or annual tax? I don’t know, but I do know this. My tithe of 10% allows a great deal of good to happen, and give me additional freedom than before. But, I do not want you to take my word for it. Try it your self. And, as with any diet, medication, change in life product, there is a disclaimer, “Result will vary.”

Now, lets close with prayer, and we will get back to gaming.

[PRAYER]

Thank you all again for joining us here at The Greater Guild. Next week is the meaning of Christmas service. A one-hour talk and chat with you so we can help you understand the true meaning of Christmas, and not just the Christ part. I will be right back after this break.