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Pastor Rob Carlson:
"Stewardship:
In God We Trust"
series: COMPASS: Chart Your
Course
Sunday, February 8, 2004
Ten Benefits from Tithing
1. God is pleased by your obedience.
Malachi 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.
2. God is moved by your faithfulness.
Proverbs 3:9--Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
3. It helps keep your priorities straight.
Matthew 6:21--For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
4. It makes you eligible for a blessing.
Malachi 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.
5. It guards Christians from selfishness.
Acts 20:35--In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
6. God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8--Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap
generously.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly
or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
7. It supports the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19-20--Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.
8. It ensures that your needs will be met.
Matthew 6:33--But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
9. It helps meet the needs of God's people.
1 Corinthians 16:1,2--Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
10. It reminds us that God is the true owner and giver of all that we have.
1 Timothy 6:17-19--Command those who are rich in this present
world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain,
but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our
enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and
willing to share.
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for
the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
How Do I Give?
Giving is an act of worship. You can give without worshiping, but you cannot worship without giving. God has laid down clear principles on how we should give.
1. WILLINGLY
Exodus 25:2--…that they take for me an offering from every man whose heart makes him willing…
2. CHEERFULLY
2 Corinthians 9:7--…for God loves a cheerful giver…
3. REGULARLY
I Corinthians 16:2--…on the first day of every week each of you is to put something aside.
4. FAITHFULLY
2 Corinthians 9:8—…God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that you may always have enough…
5. SACRIFICIALLY
2 Samuel 24:24—…I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.
6. BOUNTIFULLY
2 Corinthians 9:6—…he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7. EXPECTANTLY
Luke 8:38—Give and it will be given you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.
EXCUSES FOR NOT TITHING
1. “I’M IN DEBT.”
Malachi 3:10 doesn’t say “bring the whole tithe ONLY if you aren’t in debt.” You may owe others money, but God has the first obligation on your life.
2. “TITHING IS UNDER THE OLD LAW; I LIVE UNDER THE NEW.”
Tithing existed before the Law came into existence, and Jesus endorsed tithing (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; Matthew 5:17). They never accused Jesus of breaking the Law of the tithe. The Sermon on the Mount proves that the demand of Jesus is greater than the demand of the Old Law. We have more under the new covenant; where we have more, more is demanded. Should we give LESS under grace than under Law? It should be the opposite.
3. “IF I TITHE, THERE WON’T BE ENOUGH TO PAY BILLS.”
Says who? God says that if you tithe, He will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you a blessing you won’t be able to hold! (Malachi 3:10)
4. “TITHING IS TOO LEGALISTIC; I’D RATHER GIVE WHAT I FEEL GOOD ABOUT.”
If tithing is too legalistic, then so is God, because He’s the one who first commanded it (Leviticus 27:30)! Where in Scripture are we given “feeling good” as the criterion to the size of our giving? You can feel good about tithing because it is the standard God has set, not man.
5. “TITHING ISN’T FAIR; IT REQUIRES TOO MUCH FROM THE RICH AND TOO LITTLE FROM THE POOR.”
Whose testimony says this isn’t fair? Ask the tither about that? See if he, rich or poor, thinks it isn’t fair. To say it isn’t fair would be to say that God made a mistake in his initial command for us to tithe. God makes no mistakes! To the contrary, it’s extremely fair. A man making $300 per week gives only $30. The man making $3,000 per week gives $300. It would have been unfair for God to require differing percentages from people with differing amounts of income.
6. “TITHING IS JUST ANOTHER GIMMICK TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CHURCH.”
Tithing is not man’s plan to raise money for God. It’s God’s plan to raise man. It is the God-ordained way of financing His Kingdom, to implement another plan is to say God’s way is inferior, unworkable, and impractical.
Small Group Discussion Questions:
*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless
otherwise noted.
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