Bring the Full Ten Percent to the Church

Malachi - Things were very dire although they looked good to most. It appeared all had returned to normal.

They were offering lame sacrifices.

They were profaning his name.

God rebukes them for not loving him with a pure heart.

God rebukes them for not giving their best but their leftovers.

God rebukes them for profaning his name and house and no honor.

Malachi 3:6–12 NKJV

“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’ “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Main Idea: God desires for us to give faithfully to the local church.

Key Question: Have you left God?

1. God commands us to return. (v. 7)

Malachi 3:7 NKJV

Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’

James 4:8 NKJV

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

2. God commands us to bring. (v. 8-10)

Malachi 3:8–10 NKJV

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

TITHE = Ten percent

OT establishment

Exodus 23:19 NKJV

The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

The temple was the place of worship and God’s presence. The storehouse was attached to the temple and the place of gathering the tithes.

NT is now the local church.

Acts 2 & 4 - give us a small picture of people bringing the money to the early church for the work of the ministry.

Acts 4:37 NKJV

having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

The tithe is the first 10% given to the local church. It is not your choice or you decision to determine if you should or if it is worthy but to give it. Faithfully.

3. God commands us to test. (v. 10)

Malachi 3:10 NKJV

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

“try me” = “test me now” - it is an imperative

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 NKJV

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Ms. Aday - I came to “pay my bill’ - she was worried about giving it first!

4. God promises to bless us. (v. 10-12)

Malachi 3:10–12 NKJV

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Windows of Heaven:

Genesis 7:1 NKJV

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.

Genesis 8:2 NKJV

The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.

God blesses faithful giving beyond measure!

Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

You can’t out give God!

How can I give?