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!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]
II. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US HOW WE SHOULD GIVE!
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?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.
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?
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!II. SCRIPTURE TEACHES US HOW WE SHOULD GIVE!"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!C. Because It's Not About You![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!D. Because It's For The Cause!"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 ..."It is about the greater good of the body through obedience!Malachi 3:10Remember, the real point of the "fishes & loaves" feeding of the thousands was the miracle of God creating much from little.A. With The Right Attitude!1.) Humbly!B. With Deliberateness!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 6:3-42.) 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."3.) Lovingly!James 4:17Giving 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!4.) Expectantly![INCOME] Try dividing your annual current tithe by your annual income (that's line 7 on your IRS Form 1040). How loving are you?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!5.) Liberally!
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[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-111.) Regularly!"On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside..."2.) Proportionally!1 Corinthians 16:2"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.
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.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!
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!
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