MALACHI 3:8-11 Biggest, meanest thief in the world!

EDITOR: This is a somewhat lengthy message on an extremely critical biblical subject.

TOPIC: Tithing; Hypocrisy

TITLE: BIGGEST, MEANEST THIEF IN THE WORLD - Exposé on a 21st Century Holy Pickpocket!
TEXT: MALACHI 3:8-11

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings."

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does Scripture teach about tithes and offerings?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US WHY WE SHOULD GIVE!
II. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US HOW WE SHOULD GIVE!

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: In their neglect of the Temple service the Jews were guilty of what those worshiping idols considered sacrilege; even a pagan would not shortchange the required offering. [Gill]

It's doubtful God would build a nation, a church, a people, or a life which offends Him in such a fundamental manner!

Tithes and offerings are not just a duty; they are each an expression and an indication: - an expression of our love returned, an indication of our faith!

Who is "the biggest, meanest crook in the world?"

Enron's Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay?
Tyco's Dennis Kozlowski?
ORU's Robert Roberts?
Carlton Pearson or Earl Paulk?
Lincoln Saving's & Loan's Charles Keating?
Saddam Hussein?
US Congress?
Louisiana Politicos?
The IRS?

Robert Sumner said the Biggest & Meanest Crook In the World is the one who steals from God! Christians stealing from God is like an inmate stealing from his cell-mate during a lockdown.

One is left in breathless amazement at those who claim the blood of the Lamb yet steal from The Great Shepherd.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does Scripture teach about tithes and offerings?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US WHY WE SHOULD GIVE!

A. Because God Tells Us To!

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house."

Malachi 3:10

[PERCENTAGES] Some are like the tenant farmer’s 90% corn crop. He agreed with his master that 10% belonged to the owner ... but no matter how he planted every harvest only 90% came in; he never did have a season with a 100% crop!

B. Because It's A Testimony To The World!

[DUPLICITY] I recall a couple in a small church who decided they could drive out a pastor they did not agree with through backbiting and tale-bearing, and by getting others to join them in withholding their tithes and offerings.

Not only did they fail to drive out the pastor, but they brought shame and reproach on the church and the name of the Lord as word spread that the church was not able to pay its bills.

And the contra of this is true! You cannot out give God!

C. Because It's Not About You!

"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things."

Acts 17:24-25

"... the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

Ephesians 4:16

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house ..."

Malachi 3:10

It is about the greater good of the body through obedience!

D. Because It's For The Cause!

Remember, the real point of the "fishes & loaves" feeding of the thousands was the miracle of God creating much from little.

II. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US HOW WE SHOULD GIVE!

A. With The Right Attitude!

1.) Humbly!

Jesus said,

"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

Matthew 6:3-4

2.) Faithfully!

"But he who doubts is condemned ... for whatever is not from faith is sin."

Romans 14:23

"Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do and does it not, to that one it is sin."

James 4:17

3.) Lovingly!

Giving is another of those outward expressions of an inward reality! What you give demonstrates how much or how little you love the One who loves you!

[INCOME] Try dividing your annual current tithe by your annual income (that's line 7 on your IRS Form 1040). How loving are you?

4.) Expectantly!

We must give and not expect anything in return; for a return is made on investments; tithes and offerings are not investments ... they are by their very nature - gifts!

Yet we can, without manipulating God, give expectantly.

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed ... "

2 Corinthians 9:7, 8

5.) Liberally!

[CHURCH] A man's son opens a sidewalk lemon stand: his father is buying a lemonade and offers his son a dime! His son looks at the dime and then at his dad and says , "Dad!!!! This is business not church!"

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

Luke 6:38

“'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.'”

Malachi 3:10b-11

B. With Deliberateness!

1.) Regularly!

"On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside..."

1 Corinthians 16:2

2.) Proportionally!

"On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come."

1 Corinthians 16:2

[PEARLS] I read of one lady who told her pastor that just as soon as things get better she's start tithing. He replied, "No, Pearl, you won't!" "I beg your pardon!" She huffed. "Pearl, if you won't give a dime off of dollar you sure won't give $100 off of a $1,000."

A man who makes $100,000 tithes $10,000, then lives on the $90,000 is not to be admired for the size of his gift! More the widow who on her fixed income of $5,400 tithes $540, then lives on her $4,860.

C. And with fear and trembling!

In Acts chapter five we are told of two hypocrites, Ananias and his wife Sapphira, who withheld a portion of their offering from God. Their sentence was death.

Those who chose to withhold what is God's and not their own are likewise deserving of death!

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: One problem some have is that they think they can't give enough to do any good. But that is not the point! Give what you can while you can and God will show you how to give your tenth.

Others think they can't get by on 9/10. Let me tell you that you can live better on 9/10 than 10/10 when God's your bookkeeper! My wife and I know this to be true!

Try stealing from your neighbor! See if he still loves you! Better yet sneak into your father's house and steal something!

Only when the people of God reach that point in their stewardship that they understand the principle of giving as ordained will they ever hear the sound of "the windows of heaven" opening wide on their golden tracks!

A man's heart and his treasure are revealing companions!

Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Hypocrisy, Malachi, Offerings, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons, Tithing

EZRA 9:8 - ESCAPE AND SANCTUARY – A Brief moment of grace!

TOPIC: Revival; Deliverance, Discipline, Forgiveness, Sanctuary

TITLE: ESCAPE AND SANCTUARY – A Brief moment of grace!
TEXT: Ezra 9:8 [5-15]

"... now, for a brief moment, grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage."

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is “a brief moment of grace” shown here?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: In the midst of a section on the dangers of God’s people commingling their assets with non-believers (i.e., marriage to non-Jews), the prophet Ezra comments on the reality of his little group’s situation. He is well into his confession for the people when he makes his observation.

Three truths are evident in his words –

1. God places ethical and moral demands upon His people
2. God’s righteousness demands punishment for transgressions
3. God is merciful; forgiveness, deliverance, and revival are provisions of His mercy

If it were not so deadly serious, this verse would be somewhat humorous. Here they are, a people who've just been freed from Babylonian captivity only to find themselves apparently in bondage again; needing sustained grace, they get a moments worth; and needing a huge revival, they get a little.

Also apparently, Ezra foresees their freedom as being in their possession only “for a brief moment.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is “a brief moment of grace” shown here?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. THE LORD LEFT THIS GROUP AN ESCAPED REMNANT!

A. Though in the thousands they represented only a fraction of their former self

The ten northern tribes were lost to all until the appointed time in the end times

B. Though in the thousands they were a small group to revive a great nation

II. THE LORD GAVE THEM A PEG IN HIS HOLY PLACE!

A. Two pictures are possible –

1. That of a coat peg in the holy place of God

a) For some reason this one appeals to me
b) Perhaps the Holy Place in the Temple

(1) Implies a place to serve
(2) Great comfort to own place of worship

2. That of a tent peg in Jerusalem

a) This one goes well with a small escaped remnant
b) Perhaps a place of sanctuary (to escape to)
c) Or a place to be hung for safe keeping by owner

B. In either case, the remnant has a God provided place to –

1. Either rest their hat
2. Or rest their head

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Notice the purpose of this provision – “that our God may”

1. enlighten our eyes and
2. grant us a little reviving in our bondage

In other words, Ezra sees the circumstances of the moment as a classroom experience … not for their punishment but for their discipline (i.e., to revive them and encourage their hearts).

And it matters not that it is for “a little reviving” for any small morsel in the service of God is a filling feast for the soul of man.

The conclusion drawn by the prophet from the reality of their situation is this – since, due to our sins, we deserve no grace at all, a moment of grace and an iota grace is sufficient to cause us to avoid sinning even more.

In the midst of this bounty,

• how ungrateful to offend a God who has been so kind
• how hypocritical to continue mingling with unbelievers
• how unwise to risk God’s displeasure when we are dependent upon Him for what little we have

Our Church is going through a rough period of its history, a kind of captivity if you will. I am here to tell you this is “a brief moment (of grace).” He has both left “us an escaped remnant” and given “us a peg in His holy place.”

For what purpose? For the same purpose as was offered the returned Hebrews – “(to) enlighten out eyes and (to) grant us a little reviving in our bondage.”

We too, being delivered from bondage find ourselves in it again; needing sustained grace, get only sufficient grace; needing a huge revival, get only a little from time to time.

Yet remember, we deserve punishment in Hell forever for our transgressions; we get enlightenment instead.

So leave here today and walk like a man who's received a reprieve from further bondage and death.

Christianity, Deliverance, Expository,
Ezra, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Revival, Sermons

2 TIMOTHY: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

3:16-17

INKBLOT CHRISTIANITY - Tell me what the author means!

quick link to 2 TIMOTHY: Seed Archive

2 Timothy, Homiletics,
Preaching, Sermons

3 JOHN - Seed Archive

1:1-14

TOPIC: Truth; Discipleship, Joy, Labor, Love, Testimony (Witness), Walk, Work

TITLE: IF THE TRUTH HAS SET YOU FREE - Jesus is the truth! (added 31 may 2006)
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is the believer to relate to truth?

I. WE ARE TO LOVE IN TRUTH

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

3 John 1:1

II. WE ARE TO WALK IN TRUTH

For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

3 John 1:3

III. WE ARE TO REJOICE IN TRUTH

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4

IV. WE ARE TO LABOR IN TRUTH

Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

3 John 1:8

V. WE ARE TO TESTIFY IN TRUTH

Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

3 John 1:12

3 John, Christianity, Discipleship,
Exposition, Homiletics, Joy, Outlines, Preaching,
Religion, Revelation, Sermons, Truth

Matthew 16:23-24 [21-28] - Daily walk; deny thyself!

TOPIC: Commitment, Discipleship, Sanctification
TITLE: DENY THYSELF - Focus on the Object of Your Faith for a Straight Walk!

But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What two questions must be asked in order to properly understand the teachings of Jesus? (Not a trick question)
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WHAT DID JESUS SAY?
II. WHAT DID JESUS NOT SAY?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: SURVEY TIME - ask some survey questions leading up to last week's challenge:

READER: "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." [Matthew 18:20]

• How many of you believe that? You do? You believe Jesus is here? His presence? Good!
• How many of you truly believe you are followers of Jesus and desperately want to feel His embrace and His presence this morning? Good!
• We all want to be known as disciples of Jesus, don't we?
  

Okay, we have virtual unanimity on our survey; so now, recall last week: at the end of the service I challenged you to imagine Sunday's worship service as the first stone of a seven-day, seven-stone walk with the Lord. Sort of "Seven Days of Purpose Driven Life"! (Pause for it to sink in!)

I challenged you to take each stone one at a time through Saturday and then meet here the following Sunday to begin a new seven-day walk with the Lord. I challenged you to see this one hour each week as the kickoff point for a week long journey ... that wasn’t asking too much was it?

• How many of you actually practiced what I preached?
• How is it that we come here today, professing to desire to "worship Him in Spirit and in truth" when the facts say otherwise?
  

[GOD'S HOUSE] A missionary gave a sundial to a group of natives when he departed from them. They came to regard it as holy and wanted to protect it, so they built a roof over it to keep it safe. This of course, kept the sun away from it. Later they added walls.

When He returned, he saw they'd rendered useless what they were protecting. They honored the image, but impeded its purpose.

That's how many regard Christianity today. It’s become something to enclose with walls and a roof. But, far worse, they've walled off the Christ of Christianity ... and in other ways they've done the same thing with their daily walk, literally saying to themselves, I walk with the Lord on Sundays, the rest of the week is mine.

If we behave this way about our walk with the Lord are we not denying Him rather than self? Will He not stay away if the testimony of our lives is, "Lord I'm too busy or distracted to pay much attention to Your stuff, leave me alone ... OKAY?" [Adapted from e-Sword ministries 2000+ Illustrations add-on]

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What two questions must be asked in order to properly understand the teachings of Jesus?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

When Jesus teaches in this way there are two essential components to understand the teaching - first, what He in fact did say; second, what He in fact did not say!

I. NOTICE WHAT JUSUS DID SAY -

• notice the goal – “to come after Me” and “follow Me"
• notice the two things one must do if one wishes to achieve the goal - 1) “deny himself” and 2) “take up his cross”
  

• denial of self – “surrender"

Albert Barnes: Let him surrender to God his will, his affections, his body, and his soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required.

• taking up cross - your “calling” in life according to God's will

Albert Barnes: When persons were condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was that they should carry the cross on which they were to die to the place of execution. ... To carry it was burdensome, was disgraceful, was trying to the feelings, was an addition to the punishment ... we must endure whatever is burdensome, or is trying, or is considered disgraceful, in following Christ. It consists simply in doing our duty, let the people of the world think of it or speak of it as they may. It does not consist in making trouble for ourselves, or doing things merely “to be opposed;” it is doing just what is required of us in the Scriptures, let it produce whatever shame, disgrace, or pain it may. This every follower of Jesus is required to do.

READER: So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, "We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done." [Luke 17:10]

• notice in Matthew 10:38 that anyone who is unwilling to do this “is not worthy of” Him. Ouch!
• notice the context [vv. 21-28] - has to do with Peter being a stumbling block to the Lord
• also, after Jesus rebukes Peter (Satan; “adversary"); He says, “for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's”

• we know the context doesn't stop with v. 24, because it didn't in Matthew 10:38-39; and the context for Mark 8:34-38; Mark 9:1, the parallel passage in Mark (Luke 9:23-27, as well) clearly includes the whole of Matthew 16:24-28
• Peter loved the Lord but the disciple exhibited behavior which, if left unchallenged, would stand in the way of God's plan and Jesus let him know it
• not the first time for Peter, he did likewise in John 13:8 with the washing of the feet
• Peter was guilty of what a lot of us are guilty of, horizontal thinking or horizontal faith
  

• notice Jesus defines the bedrock of His statement in [v. 25] – “for My sake” leading to “will find it”

  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” [Mark 8:35]

• Notice that Jesus addresses the horizontal problem of the disciples

it doesn't work in God's system like it does in the world

READER: “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” [1 Corinthians 1:27]

there are two lives -- temporal and eternal -- try to save the former and you lose the latter, to save the latter and you must lose the former

any profit the world offers is not worth the price of the investment, your soul

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [Matthew 6:33]

v. 28 tells us those who do not die to self, who are not baptized in the death of Jesus [Romans 6:3] will not taste real death until it is too late

do you think it was easy for Jesus to say “and so are some of you”? It's not easy for me, why would it be easy for Him

II. NOTICE WHAT JESUS DID NOT SAY!

He did not say "you are exempt from denying yourself and taking up your cross" if you …

• are too intelligent (not smart)
• are too old or too young
• are retired or employed job
• are too poor or rich
• don't belong to a church or are a deacon in a church
• have a spouse who won't join you or one who does it all
• find it's inconvenient
• feel embarrassed or ashamed
• don't feel called

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Someone said many of today's church people don't seem "chosen" because they're "frozen."

Adam Clarke sees four principles of the Christian walk from verse 24:

1. to sincerely desire to belong to Christ – “If any man wishes to come after Me,” etc.
2. to renounce one's independent spirit, and self-centered pursuits – “he must deny Himself.”
3. to embrace the condition which God has appointed, and bear the troubles and difficulties he may meet while on the Christian pathway – “take up his Cross.”
4. to follow after Jesus, and do and suffer all in hisspirit – “let him follow Me."

[WELCH] Years ago a young man and his bride wanted to make a difference for God in this world; they applied and were accepted as missionaries to Africa. Following their arrival in New York to prepare for oversees service mission officials determined the rigors of Africa would put the wife at risk. The agency revoked their deputation.

The couple returned home, brokenhearted, wondering how to rebuild their shattered dream. They decided to make money – lots of money – to support missions. They figured they could make it possible to send others to share the gospel of Christ even though they could not go themselves.

The young man's father had been making unfermented wine for their church’s communion services. His son soon became involved with him. Their name was Welch. They manufacture Welch’s grape juice to this day. The company has given millions to spread the gospel through missions. Did they rebuild their dream?

Despite our human frailty - God wants to use us in a positive way in negative world. Remember who we are; we are a people of God’s own choosing, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation.

It only takes a grain of salt in a substance to know it’s there. Even though you may feel small, weak, or insignificant - you're not! We are “the salt of the earth, the light of the world.”

Bottom-line, I believe this is the teaching of this passage:

• you and if, if we claim to be disciples, should be laboring under some calling of service and ministry
• absent the desires of the world, self, and the devil
• I think it is indicative of where you are at, in that so few of you can say that you are bearing a burden for Jesus alone, without any mixture of self, and following Him daily.
  

READER: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:1-2]

[FIXED EYES] The snow covered the ground, and three young boys were playing in it. A man said to them, "Would you like to try to race, with the promise of a prize for the winner?"

The boys agreed, and the man told them that his race was to be different. "I will go to the other side of the field," he said, "and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner."
As the race commenced, the first boy began looking at his feet to see if his steps were straight. The second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing; but the third boy just ran on with his eyes fixed on the man on the other side of the field.

The third boy was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He had kept his eyes on the goal ahead of him. [Ibid.]

A long time ago, another man using similar words taught the same principle. It was Paul who said, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13-14]

Discipleship, Homiletics, Matthew, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons series, Sermons