Paying my Vows

Joseph Carty

Auburn SDA Church

Vows and Pledges • Sermon • Submitted 7 months ago • Presented 7 months ago

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1. Overview of Vows

God’s Example

Genesis 26:4 ESV

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

God makes promises

and he keeps them.

History of Vows

Abraham’s Covenant

Genesis 28:20–22 (ESV)

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace,

then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Who did he pay tithe to?

Abraham paid

to Melchizedek

Genesis 31:13 ESV

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’ ”

Principles

God approved of vow

(I’m the God of the vow).

God fulfilled vow

Worked with vow

2. Differing Types of Vows

After law of Moses

lots of details

about vows

What Can Be Vowed?

Deuteronomy 12:11 ESV

then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.

Vows are in addition to

required monetary items

tithe

special offering

sacrifice

Vows on top!!

Valuation of vows

Lev 27 -

people

animals

homes

lands

jubilee

God allowed

anything to be vowed

there was a process

calculating value of vow

It was possible to

“redeem vow”

Add 1/5 to cash value

Vows of People

Samuel

Jephthah

Vow of Nazirite

- Numb 6

Rules of nazirite vow

What they could

eat/drink

touch

sacrifice

Vow of Consecration

All vows are

vows of consecration

especially Nazirite vow

Vows of Unbeliever

Isaiah 19:21 ESV

And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them.

Egypt turns to God

in their trials

Vows are not just

when times are good.

People who are not in the fullness of truth also make vows.

The Lord accepts them too.

3. Joy of Vows

Psalm 50:14–15 (ESV)

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and perform your vows to the Most High,

and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

4. Sacrifice of Vows

Leviticus 22:21 ESV

And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.

No blemish

Vows are big sacrifices

Leviticus 22:23 ESV

You may present a bull or a lamb that has a part too long or too short for a freewill offering, but for a vow offering it cannot be accepted.

5. Expectations of Vows

Requirement to Pay

Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 ESV

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

Don’t make promise

you won’t keep.

Deuteronomy 23:21 ESV

“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

To not fulfill

is sin.

Making Vow in Ignorance

Numbers 30:3–5 (ESV)

“If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth, and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her,

then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

Principle:

If you are rash

Vow is still irrevocable

If you are ignorant

Vow possible to be undone.

Numbers 30:2 ESV

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

God does not release us

from our promise.

Consequence of Failure to Pay

Malachi 1:14 ESV

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Cursed

What does that mean?

This life?

Next Life?

6. New Testament Giving

Acts 4:32–37 (ESV)

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet,

and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Power in NT

Unity of Faith

Outpouring of Holy Spirit

Connected to

most sacrificial vowing

Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:1–11 (ESV)

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her,

“How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.

When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Why did they have to die?

Lied to Holy Spirit.

(unpardonable sin)

Destroying Purity of NT faith

(Satan’s attempt to break church)

Principles

1. Sacrificial Giving is Natural Part of Christianity

This giving is beyond tithe, offerings

2. Corporate Sacrificial Vowing

Common

goes beyond physical

Powerful Spiritual exercise

Surrender to God.

3. There is great joy in fulfilling vows

4. Not fulfilling vows

sin

will be punished

this life

or next

Appeal

If you made vow -

Fulfill it.

If you haven’t -

Please do.

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