Sermon Nuggets
Mon Feb 6 – Robbing God
Verses- Mal 3:
6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants
of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time
of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept
them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.
“But
you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will
a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But
you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In
tithes and offerings
ROBBING
GOD
A
Baptist minister was asked to make a call on a sick lady late one evening. She
lived in a dangerous part of town on. As he left his car and headed toward the
apartment building, he was accosted by a man with a gun. That man told him to
hand over his wallet. He did so. Then the pastor said, "I should tell you
that you will not find much. I am a Baptist pastor."
“Well”,
the man's face lit up. “I'm a Baptist myself. I don't normally do this."
Then he decided to give him his wallet back.
Well
it shows you there are Baptist robbers. In fact, there are many more Baptist
robbers than you might think. For although we may not be going around robbing
people at gun point, we are robbing God when we do not give as we are
instructed to in the Word.
A
priest once asked one of his parishioners to serve as financial chairman of his
parish. The man, manager of a grain elevator, agreed on two conditions: No
report would be due for a year, and no one would ask any questions during the
year.
At the end of the year he made his report. He had paid off the church debt of $200,000. He had redecorated the church. He had sent $1,000 to missions. He had $5,000 in the bank.
At the end of the year he made his report. He had paid off the church debt of $200,000. He had redecorated the church. He had sent $1,000 to missions. He had $5,000 in the bank.
"How
did you do all this?" asked the priest and the shocked congregation.
Quietly
he answered, "You people bring your grain to my elevator. As you did
business with me, I simply withheld 10 percent and gave it to the church. You
never missed it."
Preachers who talk about money are often accused of talking too
much about money. If a minister is preaching the Bible the subject should come
up as often as it is mentioned. There are some 500 references to prayer in the
Bible, and there are 2,300 references to money and possessions in the Bible.
So, for every sermon preached on the subject of prayer, 4.6 sermons would be
preached on the subject of money and possessions. For one Sunday sermon on
prayer, there would be a month’s worth of sermons on money and possessions.
Why
are we so afraid to talk about money? Perhaps it’s because there are some TV
preachers who have tainted our thinking about money. They beg and plead
with people to send in their money, and people who can’t afford it do it.
Perhaps it’s because the world sees the church as greedy.
The
truth is, however, that what the Bible says about money and possessions is
related to who is number one in our life. Is God number one, or is the self
number one?
Our
finances are an important part of our faith and commitment to Christ. As
Malachi presents the issue of tithing, it teaches us some important things
which we will look at this week.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets
Tues Feb 7
Verses- Mal 3: 8 “Will
a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But
you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In
tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the
whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring
the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test
me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it.
Tithing teaches
us Submission
The Old Testament practice of tithing was to
give 10% of your goods for the work and worship of the Lord. To do so as part
of the first fruits and sacrifices of animals make God one’s first priority,
not last.
Tithing teaches us to submit everything unto
theLord. This relates to the place that God has in our lives.
Are
we willing to see our relationship to God as one in which he is in control? Are
we willing to obey the teaching of His word and submit ourselves to His
sovereignty? It never fails to amaze me that people often talk openly about
their faith, but when it comes to their personal money and giving then there is
an amazing silence.
When the Lord discusses with the people
the problem of their worship the first thing that needs to be changed is the
heart. There were sacrifices, there were things that cost the people, but He
did not have their heart.
In the Bible the verse says, "Where you
treasure is, there is your heart also." There is no question about it.
Where do you spend your money? If you look at the check book and see where the
bulk of your discretionary giving, you will see things you really love. Do you love
God the most? When you discover in tithing it feels great to be getting things
right with God.
"I do not change." says the Lord. We
like to think he has. In the New Testament there are many who will try to tell
you the concept of the tithe has changed and therefore we don't have to kill
animals for sacrifice and we don't have to give a tithe any longer we are under
grace not under law.
If we are under grace does that mean that we
do not worship or express our love? Indeed we are to express it even more. The
attitude of worship is here I am Lord, all that I am and have. I offer myself to
you. Well, Says the Lord, if you mean that then lets start with 10% of your
income. Are you submitting yourself to God to honor Him with your tithe?
If there is a spiritual blockage to your
faith walk one of the first places to look is your tithes and offerings. Malachi was written under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit. If you want to know from the Spirit of God what you should
give then start here and pray about the rest. This is a matter of submission.
The point of the submission is simple. Are
we or are we not going to obey the Lord? Will you give him what he asks or not.
Scripture, God's word, says to give a tithe or you are robbing God. But it is
more than a legalistic act. It is a desire to put yourself under His leadership
and have a willing heart to worship in giving as well as living.
You can give and not worship, but you
cannot have true worship and not give.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets
Weds Feb 8
Verses- Mal3: 6 “I
the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever
since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and
have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD
Almighty.
“But
you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will
a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But
you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In
tithes and offerings.
Tithing teaches
us Selflessness
I am aware that the addiction to
materialism and riches has plagued mankind since the fall. We are hoarders. I
am a hoarder. I see that every time I go into a room and all the things that have
accumulated over the years. I am far beyond having my needs met. I have been
working long and hard on having over abundance.
One of the plans of God is to help us with
our addiction problem with a regular pattern of giving to the Lord first and
not to ourselves first. It is not only submission to His will and to His
worship but a restriction to our selfish addictions.
Of course we have daily needs and trust is
seeing how God makes provisions through a variety of sources. Most commonly
work is used to help us meet those needs. Most will receive salaries, social
security, retirement, or gifts. The temptation is to think we earned it. It is
ours to do with as we wish. Therein is the seed of selfishness or self sufficiency.
It is not ours. It is the Lords who out of his grace allows us to work, or receive
benefits of savings for when we are unable to work. Insurance and health
benefits have not been part of the culture for most of the history of mankind. Welfare
by the government has been for the poorest of people unable to care for
themselves. God’s plan was for his people to share of their bounty firs to Him
and then to others who have needs. Giving is one of tools of God to turn from
our accumulation to our blessing others at important times in their lives.
Satan will cause us to doubt the Lord and
convince us that we will financially go under if we tithed. I am aware that Satan will remind us of all the unethical
ministers and ministries that have abused givers by taking their money falsely
and living lavish lifestyles. Some pile
on all kinds of guilt and shame making you think that if you don't give to this
or that ministry you really don't love Jesus. Many are masters at manipulation.
Such actions are indeed an offense to God and selfish on the part of those who
seek riches at the expense of those who desire to give unto the Lord.
God does provide through the offerings of
his people. In this way we become a tool of the Lord and find blessing in
sharing.
I heard Rev. Bruce Theilman tell of an old
lady in Tennessee who was very poor and when they had a mission drive they
asked for people to make promises. She wrote down $10.00. When the committee
went over the pledges the chairman said, “I know Mary she cannot afford her
offering. She does some laundry for us to help with her meager income. I will pay
it for her.”
When
she came in to give some pennies she collected toward her promise she was told that
it was already paid. She wept, and then said, "The gospel is being
proclaimed, the glory of Jesus is being announced and men are hearing of him
and people are being saved and accepting Jesus as Lord and I have no part in
it." That is a sad thing not to have a part.
She understood that regardless of how
little she had her heart was reaching out to others and not just thinking of
herself. Even in her little she learned to share what little she had and not be
selfish.
As you pray for God’s guidance ask who you
might be used to help in their need. Ask what it is that grabs your heart?
Tithing helps us to fulfill the great commandment to love God with all your
heart, soul, and spirit and to love others as yourself. It is taking the
attention off of self and onto others. It is for our own good and combats greed
and selfishness.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets
Thurs Feb 9
Verses- Mal 3: .
Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.
“But
you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
Tithing teaches
us Sacrifice
It is not easy to tithe. It is not easy to
give offerings. There are situations
that come up that challenge our commitments and I am aware of that. If we don't
give the determined amount the Sunday after I get paid, then it magically
disappears. Giving is our sacrifice to God which is what worship is.
We can think of all kinds of reasons not to
tithe.
Because of the great abuses of the subject
of giving to God there is a suspicion on the part of people to give. Can they
be sure the money is handled in a proper manner? I have said this often. Giving to the local church is our first
responsibility. Giving to the local church is our Jerusalem. It is the Biblical
means by which God calls us to work together to influence our world around
us. Without the local church there would
be no missions, nor any Judea. We must give to the work here.
There is no other Christian organization
period where you have more say in how your money is handled than in the local
church. There are no books as open as the books of a local church in most cases.
There is no body of people who you can most question than the people of your
church. You also have a vote as to who you want on the church finance board.
Now since a church is made up of people in
various economic situations and salary variables the Bible comes up with an
equal plan. Make a plan to tithe. I do not like church budgets that are so big
it puts pressures on people to give above and beyond. I am not sure it is wise
to just make the church budget to match last year’s giving records. There is no
element of faith and trust and modest budgets remove the faith and guarantee
victory on past history even if is mediocrity over excellence.
The earliest forms of tithing took place in
the Old Testament as people offered to God their first fruits of the harvest.
It was not so much the size as it was the insistence that what God got came
first. For the ancient Israelite, the first was always the most important because
it symbolized the totality of what would follow. It indicated his willingness
to give God everything.
As soon as a young child learned to
understand monetary values a tithe is 10%, for every 10 pennies it means 1
should be given to God. For every 10 dimes which makes a dollar, a dime goes to
God. For every 10 dollars one goes to God. 10 of every 100 dollars goes to God.
Unlike the secular world that has so many
inequities between the rich and the poor, the Word of God treats each exactly
alike. The widow with her mite and the tycoon with his millions may experience
the same sense of fulfillment of sacrifice if both contribute the same
percentage of their respective incomes.
This means that tithing is not simply a
mathematical formula for computing how much, but fundamentally it is a system
for putting God first.
There is another observation regarding
sacrifice. We do not kill the literal sacrifice of animals. Jesus was the
perfect sacrifice. In today’s economy money become an extension of who we are.
When giving was discussed also in the Bible it included food, it was grain, it
was meat it was money. Why would God want these things? Was it to make the
priest rich? No. However, giving was
God's way of meeting the needs of the priests since their whole life was
serving in the temple. Was their giving to adorn the facilities? It was for the
temple, but now there are many places where the work of God is done.
I am
not in favor of elaborate buildings, but we have building to gather so that we
can do together as the body of Christ what we cannot do alone. Such a building
dedicated to God requires heating bills, electric bills, expenses also related
to snow removal, lawn mowing, equipment, kitchen supplies, janitorial duties
and equipment and anyone can ask for a quarterly report to see exactly what we
spent and how it is spent and even the salaries from music staff to lead
pastor. We don’t keep secrets.
Believe it or not there was a time at
Stanchfield when an annual list was published as to how much money each person
gave to the church. It was dropped because of wrong motives for giving.
When
do you think there was more tithing? In the past or presently? It seems in the past. Why? Because there was accountability.
I do
not wish those days back. It is wrong to think, people give out of expectation
by other people or embarrassment. That is not worship. Nor does it follow Jesus
teaching, Matthew 6 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand
know what your right hand is
doing”? It is the desire of God to have people focus on Him and see the sacrifice
of Christ. We need to remind ourselves all that God has done for you and me.
What ought our response to be? To give Him our hearts, and service and
offering. Will you be a sacrificial giver?
With right sacrifice unto the Lord the
greatest blessing of giving is not the financial side of the ledge but on the spiritual
side.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets
Fri Feb 10
Verses – Mal 3: .
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be
food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will
not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you
will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent
pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast
their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “Then all
the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says
the LORD Almighty.
Tithing teaches
us Sovereignty.
Who is it that is in charge? God. We
acknowledge that when we submit to him in obedience. God will do what He
desires. God owns and controls the whole material universe and therefore every
part of it. Everything is the Lord's. So whatever things we possess, we are the
keepers of a trust. That is what stewardship is. We control of Gods' resources.
He plans for us to financially take care of His work on earth. If we do not
then the work suffers.
However, let me make something clear. The
tithe was not a bill or a payment due the church- it was a confession of faith.
It is admitting that God is ruler over all my life even the remaining 90% and
the 10% is a portion of that worship and commitment.
One of the things He asks then is that we
put him to the test so he can show us His glory. He wants us to know that He desires to bless
us and show how he will meet our needs and many times our desires if they are
in keeping with his will. The implication is also we are the ones who suffer
the most when we are unfaithful. We advance
the kingdom of God when we are faithful, but we advance our own sense of joy
and peace with God when He works in and through us.
People pray for revival. Will you pay for revival? People pray for a fresh movement of the
Spirit of God among us that we see folks saved.
Are you willing to pay for that?
God says he wants to throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it. Is that seen often? No. Why not? We are not letting God have sovereignty
in the matters of money. If God is to open His windows, we must open ours. Tithing is a real adventure into spiritual
blessing.
I am not saying like some preachers would have
you think that if you tithe you will become financially rich.
I was
talking a lady from our church a few years ago who heard a message on tithing.
She and her husband suffered financially. They decided to tithe for two months.
Now she told me there was nothing that so helped them in their personal faith
and trust in Christ as that experience. He has proved faithful to them. Some
people have yet to discover that.
When this lady was honored at her 90th
birthday party by many family members, when all the tributes were made, she told
to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren the importance of knowing
Jesus Christ in a personal way and then tithing their resources. She was never
considered rich. But she certainly was in her faith and love. God kept his
promise.
It is not God's plan that we have bingo
parties, or cake sales or put on carnivals to carry on the mission of the
church. Yes, there may be groups who carry on projects for above and beyond
ministry, but regular budgeted ministry of the church is given as part of
worship and love from hearts that are desirous of letting God be sovereign in their
lives and in the life of the church.
There might be many other ways to finance
a program but then you will have a dead church. In many European countries
there are taxes that support state church, they are not alive in the Lord, they
don't trust God daily for their needs, they know whether people come or don't'
time there will be money for they are required to pay.
But in God's sovereignty He is the one who
decides how much you can handle. You are not being asked to give one dollar
more to God until he has first blessed with you 9 more. What could be more generous? If we return to the biblical simplicity we
never ask for anything more. Will you
let God be sovereign and show you what he wants to do by your being faithful to
Him?
John Westly said: The Christian who begins
to tithe will have a least 6 surprises: 1) At the amount of money he has for
the Lord's work. 2. At the deepening of his spiritual life. 3. At the ease of meeting
his own obligations with the 9/10th. 4. At the ease of going from 1/10 to
larger giving. 5. At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward
over the amount that remains for himself. 6. surprised at himself for not
adopting that plan sooner.
“Test me in this”, says the Lord.
Pastor Dale
