Growing Your Faith: Stewardship

Growing Your Faith: Stewardship

Malachi 3:8-11, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Textual Idea – God challenged His people to not rob Him but be faithful in their tithes and offerings, promising immense blessing if they would obey.

Sermon Idea – Christians need to grow in their faith in the faithful giving of their tithes and offerings.

Interrogative – Why should Christian commit to giving their tithes and offerings?

Transition w/ key word – Our text presents 2 challenges to Christians to grow in their faith in the giving of tithes and offerings.

I. A penetrating question - vs. 8-9

II. A profound promise - vs. 10-11

Introduction – I heard a story about a man who called the church office and when the church secretary answered the phone, the man asked to speak to the “Head Hog at the trough.” The secretary wasn’t sure if she heard correctly so she said “excuse me?” The man said again “I want to speak to the Head Hog at the trough.” She said “sir if you mean our Pastor, you will have to treat him with more respect and ask for the pastor, or the Reverend; but you cannot call him “The Head Hog at the trough.” The man said well I see, it’s just that I have a million dollars I was thinking of giving to the church building campaign. The secretary said “Hold the line sir, I think the Big Pig just walked into his office.” (Swindoll’s Illustrations p.534).

Today we’re going to talk about a subject that makes a lot of people including preachers nervous in our series called “Growing your faith” because today we’re going to talk about stewardship and people begin to get nervous when the preacher says he’s going to speak about money. Some people think that’s all preachers ever preach about. Address guests that this is not for them. We do not expect our guests to give but we certainly don’t want to deprive you of giving a gift to God. The most important thing God wants from those who are not in a relationship with Him is their heart. ABC’s.

Most people in church would be mortified if their pastor knew what people gave. Our system here ensures the pastor has no idea who gives and who doesn’t. I don’t want to know and I don’t need to know. I marvel that people worry about the preacher knowing what they give when they should be worried that God knows what they give.

Yet for the believer who wants to grow in their faith, we must understand Biblical stewardship of time, talent and treasure.

We are to be good stewards of the time on earth that God gives us and we’re to use our spiritual gifts to serve the Lord. Modern technology has given us all kinds of ways to fritter away time - we all have 168 hours in a week and we waste a lot of time watching tv and checking our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat accounts.

Background - What we have in Malachi 3 is a scathing rebuke from Almighty God from the prophet Malachi who prophesied in the days of Nehemiah when the children of Israel were corrupt and morally bankrupt. He probes their hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, divorce and false worship of idols. The nation of Israel was so sinful that God’s words had no longer any impact and for 400 years after Malachi’s prophesy, God remained silent and didn’t speak to Israel again until He sent John the Baptist on the scene to prepare the way of the Lord. What was going on in Malachi’s day was amazingly similar to what is going on in our society today. The people of God didn’t pay attention then, I wonder if they will pay attention to the word of the Lord today? Transition w/ key word – Our text presents 2 challenges to Christians to grow in their faith in the giving of tithes and offerings.

I. A penetrating question - vs. 8-9

Explanation - In vs. 7, God rebuked the people for going away from the ordinances of God. But He offers a wonderful promise if they repent, if they return to God, He says I will return to you. When is it a good time to return to God? Anytime you stray away from God! The people say “How shall we return?” I find it to be quite interesting that God answers with a penetrating question and a pointed rebuke of the people robbing God. The word “robbed” means to plunder by force, to steal with force. Have you ever been robbed? How would you feel if you were going to a Pirates game and on your way to the ball park someone stepped out from the shadows and stuck a gun in your face and said give me your wallet, your watch, wedding ring. Your wife’s purse, her wallet, jewelry, wedding ring etc? The violation and anger you’d feel would be profound. In my law enforcement career numerous times I responded to residential burglaries where the people said they’d been robbed - while the technical term was burglary, what they were describing was the violation they felt coming home and seeing their possessions trashed, drawers with their unmentionables dumped out and trampled on with muddy footprints. Beds turning over looking for valuables under mattresses. The china hutch silver drawer emptied and grandmother’s china smashed to pieces as if it were nothing more than play dishes from the dollar store. Think about that feeling you’d have about being robbed as God asked this question! God states clearly He has been robbed by His people! The hard hearted people say “How have we robbed you?” In tithes and offerings. God takes this robbing of Him extremely personally. You have robbed Me!

The tithe simply means 1/10th. In Genesis 14:20 Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek after God gave him victory in the rescue of his nephew Lot. This was before Moses was given the Law of God to write down. Abraham knew to give a tithe to God.

In Leviticus 27:30 God formally declared His claim on the tithe. “And all the tithe of the land, whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s, it is holy to the Lord.” And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth on shall be holy to the Lord.” Did you catch that? God declared the tithe to be Holy, to be set apart for Him to use. Make no mistake. God doesn’t need anything from us. He is not begging, but He is making it clear by setting out the tithe as His own that our giving it to Him is a matter of stewardship because the universe belongs to Him.

Leviticus 27:30 NKJV

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.

Leviticus 27:32

Leviticus 27:32 NKJV

And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.

Did you know when you were born into the world you had nothing? No clothes, no possessions, zip, nada, zilch. We’re all welfare cases actually. So everything you have is a gift from God. To help remind God’s people of where their wealth came from, God says you will give back to me 1/10 of what I give you as a steward of my resources. Anything less than 1/10 is the equivalent of robbing God! People say they can’t afford to tithe - I’m telling you that you can’t afford not to tithe because if you don’t you are guilty of robbing God. The word “offerings” would be any gift to God over and above the 10% tithe. This word “offering” is an interesting word - same word used to describe a “heave offering or a wave offering.” In Exodus 29:27 “And from the ram of the consecration you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering which is waved and the thigh of the heave offering which is raised of that with is for Aaron and his sons.” The offerings were waved to God by lifting them above their heads. The tithe was for the Lord’s house, the store house to provide for the sacrifices and the offering were to support the priests in their labors. A lot of churches have the attitude when it comes to paying their ministers is “Lord you keep em humble and we’ll keep em poor.” I’m thankful you all provide for my family with your tithes and offerings but make no mistake, God pays my salary and I’m dependent on His provision.

Vs. 9 So God pronounces judgment on those who rob Him saying you’re cursed with a curse. The word curse means to have divine harm or evil invoked upon someone. Wow! God pronounces a curse of His divine displeasure for His children who rob Him of tithes and offerings. “Even this whole nation.” Could it be like the COI the US is still in the worst economy since the great depression because God’s people are guilty of robbing God? Haggai 1:6 says “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” This is part of God’s curse when God’s people rob Him.

Illustration - When we were planting our church in NH, the very first Sunday we met we took up an offering and my family began to tithe to support the work of the church with at least 10% of our income. Even when it was just us and one other couple, Ralph & Garrett where our ushers and they used to shake down their sisters. Our little church up there made a commitment to give 10% of our church offerings to missions and God began to bless the church finances. We taught the people to give by showing mission videos because we didn’t have anyone who could play music for an offertory anyway. I remember going to a church planters meeting with other pastors who were planting churches and one of the pastors was complaining about the finances of his little church. I asked him if he took up an offering and he said no. He didn’t want to make people uncomfortable by passing the plate so he had “an offering box” at the back of the church for people to put their gifts in as they were leaving. He’d never taught the church about giving. I said something to him I hope he never forgot. I said “brother, you aren’t teaching them to tithe to God, you’re teaching them to tip God.”

Argumentation - Tell about Michael & Kristen Carroccino and how they joined the church when we were still meeting in the Opera House and I had a little tiny office I was renting on Main Street. I came into the office one Monday and there was an envelope full of cash with a note from them that said they wanted to join the church and they were getting caught up on their tithe they had been saving after they got married and while moving because they didn’t have a church! They turned out to be some of the sweetest members I’ve every had. Why? Because I’ve learned that when God has control of your wallet, He generally has control of your heart.

Application - If God were to look at your checkbook, would He say you are guilty of high-handed robbery? If you aren’t giving to the Lord at least 10% of your income, you’re robbing God and your finances are cursed. I didn’t say that, God did. God says it’s no different from sticking a gun in His face and saying give me all your money. People say - I’m trying to work up to giving 10%. God says Hooey. You’re robbing me. Transition - Well the first challenge from our text is a penetrating question. Notice:

II. A profound promise - vs. 10-11

Explanation - God then tells the people the solution to the penetrating question. How can they stop robbing God? Bring all the tithes to the storehouse. The temple of God had store rooms outside the sanctuary to house the gifts from God’s people. The word “bring” is in the imperative form which makes it a command. Heb. 10:25 says we’re not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but so much the more as we see the day approaching. God doesn’t say “send your tithes to the storehouse.” God expects us to bring our tithes and offerings with us to worship and it is a critical part of worship.

God issues a divine challenge - “Try Me now in this” This word try refers to the process used to determine the value of precious metals to make sure it was pure gold or silver. It is the same word used by Job in Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take and when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” It means to examine, to put to the test. God says in effect He’s giving you a money back guarantee. Notice God refers to Himself as Yahweh Sabbaoth “The Lord of Hosts” - In other words He is the God of the universe with every resource at His disposal. Literally He commands the universe. God isn’t making a promise He can’t keep! “Open for you the windows of Heaven and pour out for you such blessing there will not be room enough to receive it.” This terminology is the same terminology God used to describe the deluge of Noah’s flood from Gen.7:11-12. In Genesis God opened the windows of heaven with rain, something that had never happened before. Here He makes a profound promised to pour out a deluge of Heaven’s blessings. It is the opposite of divine curse He mentioned earlier. Vs. 11 “Rebuke the devourer” literally the destroyer - locusts were notorious for their ability to devour crops. What that means is God will sow up the hole in the bottom of your money bag. Not only will He pour out material, physical and spiritual blessings, He’ll rebuke the devourer for your sakes. It means your tires on your car will get more miles, your car engine will stay stronger longer and your car won’t rust to pieces as fast!

Illustration - Tell of Brother Bill’s money back guarantee and how as a young couple we took challenge. Explain how I put God to the test and figured out God always got His tithe plus interest. Moving to seminary having committed to joyfully give at least 10% and how God provided shoes, food for my family. When we planted our church He kept pouring out blessing upon blessing. Tell of how our 15 passenger van was on bald tires and Cheryl drove that van on field trip in the mountains of NC and the mechanic was shocked the tires were holding air. God provided the money for 4 tires on a big old van was a huge expense. No way I provide for a family of 7 on a 30 hour a week salary going to seminary full time but God provided!

Argumentation - See Proverbs 3:9-10 & 2nd Cor. 9:6ff.

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.

Tell about the dad trying to teach his little boy about tithing by laying out $10 one dollar bills for cutting the grass. He slid one dollar aside and said this dollar is 10% of your earnings and belongs to God, it’s called a tithe. The little boy slid the dollar back to the pile and said: “God didn’t mow the grass, I did.” Remember the Lord loves a cheerful giver!

Will you have the courage to put God to the test? People say do I tithe on the gross or on the net? I don’t know, do you want God’s blessing on the gross or the net? This is God’s simple plan to fund the work of His Kingdom. When we rob God of our tithes and offerings, we are in fact robbing ourselves. BTW I think our church ought to tithe by giving to missions. We cannot out give God. Explain how they can get offering envelopes so they can get a tax deductible receipt. By engaging in the spiritual discipline of tithing and giving an offering, you are saying you believe that God will let you live farther on 90 or 85 % of 70% than if you try to keep it all for yourself.

Application - “The deluge blessing of grace giving.” Grace giving principles: 2nd Cor. 9:6 ff

1. Grace giving doesn’t mean waiting till you are rich to give.

2nd Cor. 8:1-7 Churches at Philippi & Thessalonica gave out of their poverty.

2. Grace giving principle of sowing & reaping. Vs. 6 - See vs. 10 also.

3. Grace giving involves pre-planning. Vs. 7a

“As he purposes in his heart.” Explain how to divide up your tithe & offering based on the time between paychecks so I can give each week.

4. Grace giving gives joyfully. Vs. 7b

GK = Hilarion! Hilarious joyful giving!

5. Grace giving produces thankfulness. Vs. 11-12

Becoming a conduit of grace produces a grateful heart from a grateful vessel.

6. Grace giving is motivated by love. Vs. 15

God gave us the very best He had, He gave us His Son Jesus Christ! How can we not have open hearts, hands to give time, talents & treasures?

God Encounter – God wants you to know the tithe is not negotiable or optional for believers who are stewards of God’s resources. This includes our time, talents & treasure.

Monday Morning Challenge - Do you have the courage to take God’s tithe & offering challenge by faith and give at least 10% of your income to the Lord?

Close - Why does God make generosity such a big deal? Because if God has control of your wallet, He generally has control of your heart and all your priorities. God’s guarantee! 90 day tithe & offering challenge. Explain how I offered a money back guarantee like Bill in our church in NH. Never once had anyone say it was a mistake. Include serving the Lord with time & talents. Future ministry needs coming, sooner than later! Crop of youth, growth and expansion of the church. God’s economic plan is recession & depression proof!

Growing Your Faith: Stewardship

Malachi 3:8-11, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15