Money, Money, Money

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared together from the Word of God regarding giving. Last week we looked at the talents that God gives us, and our responsibility to use them wisely and use them for His will.

The week before that, we looked at giving God our time by “redeeming the time.” We learned that God calls us to make the most of every opportunity we are given.

This week we are going to look at what the Bible has to say about giving our money.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking “hold on a minute now” no one ever told me I’d have to start giving money to go to church. I can relate!

I remember when my friend Mylene asked me to go to church for the first time. After she talked me into going, I went home to ask my Dad if I could go. His exact words to me were “You can go wherever you won’t just don’t give them any money!”

I can understand you reaction. It’s been indoctrinated in to our culture to be leery of preachers that start asking you for money.

But as Christians we have to accept the Word of God for what it is: Truth. If we believe that God can save us but we don’t think the 10 commandments apply to us, then we are basically saying that the word of God is a lie. We are saying that is not absolute truth. If we believe that god can heal the lame and lepers in the gospels, but we don’t believe he can heal us, then we are invalidating the word of God in our hearts.

Thesis: The Bible tells us some very specific things about how we are to use and give our money, and if we regard it as truth, then we must follow it.

Transition: Two Truths About Giving our Money

I. We’re called to honor God with the firstfruits of our increase.

a. Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase”

i. The Bible doesn’t instruct us to give all of our money to God.

ii. We’re instructed to give God the “firstfruits of our increase”

iii. What does this look like?

b. Elsewhere in the Bible it is called the Tithe.

i. Malachi 3:10 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse That there may be food in My house”

c. The tithe means 1/10th.

d. In OT times, the Israelites would bring their tithe into the storehouse, a special room in the Temple of worship.

i. Part of the Tithe would be given to the Levities, the priests that ministered to the Israelites and served God in the temple.

1. This was their source of food since they devoted themselves to the Lord’s work. (Numbers 18:21)

2. Part of the tithe would be used in worship

3. Part of the tithe would go to bless the poor.

e. Therefore, we are called to give 10% of our increase to God.

i. We bring the tithe into the storehouse (Malachi 3:10)

1. Where we are being fed.

ii. It’s used for the continuation of God’s work here in the church.

f. Fruit Illustration

i. The Tithe belongs to God.

1. We are giving Him what is rightfully His.

2. Leviticus 27:30 “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.”

II. God’s blessings accompanies our giving.

a. God rewards us for giving

i. Out tithe (10%) is a requirement and we will be blessed by it. But look what happens when we give more than we are required. This is our offering.

b. 2 Corinthians 9:6 “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

i. Paul is telling us that just as there are natural laws in the universe

1. laws of gravity, inertia, and thermodynamics.

2. there are spiritual laws as well.

ii. If you give sparingly, you will reap sparingly; if you give bountifully, you will reap bountifully. That’s an absolute law of God as certain as is gravity or any other physical law.

iii. I don’t know how electricity works—whether the electrical current travels through the wire or spins around the wire.

iv. I don’t know how light works—whether it’s a wave, a particle, something in between, or something altogether different.

v. I don’t know how gravity works—but I utilize them all.

vi. And even if I ignore them, my ignorance or denial of them does not alter their effect in the least.

1. In other words, if I jump off a tower, my denying the existence of the law of gravity will not slow my descent one iota.

2. So, too, whether I am aware of it or not, the law of sowing and reaping is as certain as the law of gravity.

vii. And so insistent is the Lord upon this principle that it is the only one about which God says, “Test Me.”

c. Malachi 3:10-11 (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”

i. God says “Try me.” “Test me.”

1. See if I won’t bless you

2. See if I won’t keep the enemy at bay.

3. Satan tried to get Jesus to prove God by jumping off the pinnacle of the temple.

a. “It is written, you’re not to test the Lord your God,” He answered (see Matthew 4:7).

b. Yet with regard to tithing, God makes an exception when He says, “Start tithing and watch and see how I’ll bless you in ways that will blow your mind, warm your heart, build your faith, and set you free.”

d. This doesn’t mean that we won’t face trials or consequences for our actions or sin.

e. But when we give to God, he promises to bless us and rebuke the devil.

f. T-Shirt Illustration

i. Rebuke the devourer

1. Rebuke the one who tries to steal from you.

2. Literally means to turn back or keep down.

Conclusion:

None of us have the same amount of days, talents, or dollars in our life. But we have an opportunity to use our days, talents, and dollars for the glory of God.

When we give our tithe and offering in this house, we are ensuring that the work of the Lord continues for RiverLife Church and Counter Culture Student Ministries (give examples,) and we are inviting the blessings God has promised to us.