Winner Winner ... Part 1

Before we start let me remind you of the story of the two brothers arguing who would get the last pancake their Mom made for breakfast. The Mom saw a chance to teach her boys a moral lesson and said - “If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the pancake.’ THe older boy quickly turned to his younger brother and said, “Ok Ryan, you be Jesus.’

Being financially generous is not the easiest of character traits to attain, not the most sought after.

We tend to like being on the winning/ receiving end more so than the giving one.

Winner, winner chicken dinner! Ever hear that expression?

Reminiscent of a time when gamblers might win a chicken dinner from the house if they won a hand, this expression is now used to signify those who win something in competition.

Everybody loves winning something, or getting something for free!

This week I received a phone call that I won a Target Gift Card. The realtor from whom we used to sell and buy our last home does these giveaways if you comment on his facebook page. Which I did, and randomly one --- surprisingly enough it would be enough to buy a chicken dinner!

Some how I think when we come to church we want to win the random give away of spiritual blessings for the week.

However, the real way to be a true winner financially is to give!

What I didn’t mention is I was at a lunch for church business the day I won, I realized I did not have my church card on me - I had intentionally chose an inexpensive place to keep costs low (this was not a meal I chose to go to, but had been contacted by a missionary) - but ended up just paying for it myself.

Less than an hour later, I was blessed with over 3 times the amount in a gift card!

Jesus said in

Luke 6:38 NLT

38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Financial Generosity is the hardest spiritual discipline a Christian can learn and grow in, yet it offers some of the greatest reward in this earthly realm!

We refuse to allow ourselves to see the blessing in surrender and obedience in this area of our lives.

In reality our EGO and our SENSE OF SELF are at war with God and this battle is played out daily regarding our money.

The LOGICAL side of us asks,

“Why would God need my money?

After all, doesn’t everything already belong to God?

The SELFISH side of us sees money as a way to achieve our dreams and goals. The thought of releasing resources is then associated with loosing our dreams and goals - especially in a season of great inflation and economic struggle as we are experiencing.

Now, let me say it is true that GOD DOES NOT NEED ANYTHING from us!!!

However, The LORD designed giving and generosity as HIS WAY of shaping our egos and destroying greed in our lives and qualifying us for his purposes!

It is nothing new for us to hear that the Bible defines a tithes as a person giving 10% of our income to God.

This subject however, POLARIZES us - the mention of the word TITHING creates ANGER, GUILT and FEAR OF BEING MANIPULATED.

Those negative feelings however, do not remove the fact that tithing and giving are both mentioned in the OLD and NEW Testaments -

SO, I want to ask that we push aside the apprehensions and allow us to take an honest treatment of this subject - and by the end of next week I want to fully lay out an even simpler way than the 90 day challenge we made a few months ago to start, take baby steps if needed toward honoring God.

I am asking first of all that

YOU - HEAR ME OUT and give the topic a fair shake even if you have heard and rejected it before, and suspend any tendencies toward guilt, anger, fear or avoidance.

ME - I will commit to you that my treatment will be fair, balanced and Biblical. No manipulation or guilt - just a logical and Biblical presentation of how it applies to us...

As your Pastor, I want you to know that you too can be a WINNER WINNER ---

Let’s look at three reasons why tithing should be a regular practice in our lives...

1. Tithing Is Biblical

Regardless of what our individual positions are on tithing and the Biblical tithe, one truth we cannot deny is that BOTH OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT’s speak about it.

A. A Biblical Form of Worship

The Lord commanded tithing, yes commanded it, as a way of recognizing HIS leadership and provision in our lives.

God is the owner and we are stewards

Psalm 24:1 NLT

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

God is our source

1 Chronicles 29:14 NLT

14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!

B. A Biblical model for community

In both the Old and New Testaments God instituted the tithe to finance corporate worship, provide for trained ministers (priests) and promote spiritual growth.

Old Testament: God designated one of the 12 tribes of Israel (Levi) to provide ministry of the tabernacle/temple. God initiated the tithe as a way to fiannce all the expenses related to the ministry that flowed out of the temple (remember that an example of tithing to a source of spiritual provision was already seen by Abraham when he gave tithes to Melchizedek)

This provided for the Levites who ministered to the people and administrated the affairs of the temple and taught the people God’s Word

It also Provided fo rthe upkeep and expenses related to the maintenance of the temple.

Numbers 18:20–21 NLT

20 And the Lord said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment. 21 As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel.

New Testament:

- The New Testament also teaches that our giving should finance the ministry.

1 Corinthians 16:2 NLT

2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.

and

- Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for tithing but neglecting the more important things of faith

Matthew 23:23 NLT

23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

Practice the latter without neglecting the former - do both!

Whether financing people or RESOURCES that provide ministry for God’s Work it is clear that we should all contribute.

Think about

Facilities: mortgage, electricity, insurance, maintenance, carpet, heating, cooling

Equipment used: projectors, sound boards, AV equip, micorphones, speakers, copy machines, telephones, coffee machines

Ministry supplies: teaching curriculum and supplies for the kids and youth

Staff: pastors and age related directors and even musicians

Outreach and supplies needed to reach out into our community - our assimilation materials and gifts we give to newcomers

Technology: from our presentation software that brings the media we see weekly, to tech tools for maintaining the books, lights, and online presence

Fellowship expenses: like coffee and donuts, snacks at meetings, etc

All of these things help touch lives for the Kingdom, but they are not free. We cannot rely on someone else to give to supply these things, what happens when people move or pass away?

The model is that these things that pour into all of our lives are God’s model for finances.

Dare I say we give more money to Movie Theaters and restaurants each week then to the Lord???

2. Tithing Is Logical

There is a saying that, Common sense is greatness dressed in its working clothes.

So, let’s put the Bible aside for a moment and the Biblical pattern (like that should be enough)and just look at this from a purely logical standpoint of common sense.

A. What you don’t feed dies...

What we fail to sustain cannot be expected to live, thrive and grow.

We all know this and freely accept it in life. It is the reason we

Fill up our gas tanks

pay our electric bills

replenish our groceries

feed our children

feed our pets

deposit our paychecks

We don’t get angry or defensive because we know these things need to be replenished to survive.

(SET UP A MINI GROC STORE) - a Shelf with five items on it: (attach envelopes to each, one will have a $25 gift card to Safeway)

Milk

Eggs

Box of Pasta

Bag of Potatoes

Bag of apples or fruit

When you are all seated we will open the envelopes together.

If you went to the grocery store and did not pay for your items, would you be able to keep going back for more??? NO, the store has to replenish, pay for the lights and the rent, and the supplies.

This process illustrates OUR LIVES---

Each week we go to church and receive something from an organization that GOD CREATED to benefit our lives with community, learning and encouragement.

The empty shelf represents what happens to the church of Jesus Christ when God’s people take from it without restoring it’s resources.

The church becomes ...

empty and unable to feed others if there is nothing left

scarce, deficient and inadequate

goes into survival mode instead of expansion mode

We have all experienced these feelings when we do not have flow into our lives of resources...

Organizations all experience this including the organization God has ordained to transform the world.

B. We support what benefits us

If I am benefitting from something I should contribute towards its function!

That is why you don’t expect someone else to

cut your grass

do your laundry

make your car payment

stick coins in your parking meter

pay for a gym membership

Those are things you are using for your benefit -therefore you contribute to maintain them

It is also why we volunteer time to

help on a kids sports team

split the cost with a neighbor for a fence you both share

It is logical!

That same logic would tell us tat we should help sustain the place that brings spiritual benefit to our lives.

C. Commitment reproduces itself

An organization cannot bear the weight of its weakest link.

Commitment weak or strong reproduces itself.

If your own disciplines in this area of giving were replicated in every other person here - would Destiny survive?

or in other words if we cloned your giving amongst all who attend here would it be enough for us to continue on?

The Lord knew - if all brought in just their tithe there would be more than enough in HIs house to overflow!

It has been said that “a mind all logic is like a knife with all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.”

Logic alone is persuasive, but it cannot be the only factor...

3. Tithing is Healthy

Giving and generosity are God’s ways of shaping our ego’s, destroying greed and qualifying us for HIS PURPOSES.

Money gets to the heart of spiritual surrender. It opens our lives up to be molded and shaped by God instead of self.

King David in the OT said this about his own stewardship...

1 Chronicles 29:17 NLT

17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.

1 Chronicles 21:24 NLT

24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!”

Jesus also hits the nail on the head when he says:

Matthew 6:24 NLT

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Matthew 6:21 NLT

21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

ILLUSTRATION:

In history the white flag symbolizes SURRENDER.

However, a red flag symbolizes an unwilliness to capitulate or cease to resist on opponent or unwelcome demand

We often refuse to capitulate or surrender to God’s Word in this area of our lives.

n the MIDDLE AGES, ships and cities under siege would fly the red flag to signify a fight to the death

Sometimes we are willing to surrender every area of our lives to God except our finances!!!

We surrender our soul, marriage, relationships, future, time, talents, work and children, but

we raise the red flag on our finances.

RAISE THE RED FLAG POLE

BUT, if WE DON’T GET THIS MONEY THING DOWN there will always be a part of us that remains UNSURRENDERED TO GOD,

a part that we remain in control of

a part we deny God access to

a part of our lives locked off and quarantined

When we do this we are not WINNER WINNERS!

Jesus tells us that ther ei liverationw hen we allow God to move in THIS IMPORTANT AREA OF OUR LIVES

CONCLUSION

There are a lot of different people represented here today

some have this discipline down in your spiritual life and are walking in victory

others feel caught between desire to obey and feeling inability

some used to have this down and succombed to their own desire again

Some are eager to give it a try

some just don’t see how they can make that big of a jump

SO NEXT WEEEK - I am going to show you how to take down the RED FLAG OF DEFIANCE and give you 4 practical steps to get fro point zero to full on tithing by taking SMALL STEPS ---

To help you in a way that is gradual and will build your faith by what is doable

I first want to invite you to ask yourself some honest questions:

When you have used your money to buy things for yourself, has God been faithful to meet your needs?

Do you still have a roof over your head? Do you still have food to eat?

Why would God not also take care of you when you spend money on things that are important to HIM?

2. Whey you have participated in eternal things in the past, have you felt better or worse about yourself?

3. What part of spiritual growth are you depriving yourself of by continuing to flu that red flag over that area of your life called fiinances?

PRAY OVER:

openness to get past self on this issue

receptivity this week to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us as we meditate on these truths

eagerness to place every area of our lives under His control, influence and leadership