Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Many Christians struggle with this issue of tithing/giving.

In some churches giving is over-emphasized.

At the same time, many Christians refuse to submit to the biblical exhortations about making offerings to the Lord.

Tithing/giving is intended to be a joy and a blessing.

Sadly, that is sometimes not the case in the church today.

The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, does have much to say about giving.

There have been many abuses and misinterpretations of what the Bible says about tithing.

Some churches have walls that annually picture the previous year's top givers.

Some churches require members to provide the church with a copy of tax returns so the church can verify 10% giving was achieved.

Some preachers emphasize tithing to the extent that it becomes a legalistic requirement for salvation.

Some pastors are quick to pronounce any financial difficulties as evidence of a lack of tithing.

and so forth and so on.

At the same time, many refuse to submit to biblical exhortation about giving.

Giving/tithing is meant to be a joy and blessing not a burden to the child of God and the Bible has much to say about this topic.

1.) What is tithing?

Tithing is an Old Testament concept and was a requirement of the Law of God given to the Jews.

The Lord required them to give 10% of the crops they grew and livestock they raised to the tabernacle and later the temple.

It is mentioned 18 times in the Law as it related to the Tabernacle and later to the temple (2 Chronicles 31)

The Old Testament Law however actually commanded multiple tithes be brought were to be given.

In fact, in total the Old Testament Israelites were required to give around 23% of their income to support the tabernacle/temple, the Levites, to fund celebrations like passover and to help the poor.

This giving was a mandatory legal requirement in Israels theocratic form of government.

Think of it as a sort of method of taxation.

Plus, they were also commanded to give “free will offerings” above and beyond these mandatory tithes.

2.) How Tithing is often taught.

Malachi 3:9-10 is usually the place that is gone too when the teaching of tithing comes up in the church.

They use this passage to say that the storehouse is the local church and if you don’t give 10% of your income you are robbing God and he will curse you by doing things like make your car break down, flat tire, major appliance blow up, or even lose your job.

Because God’s going to get his money out of you one way or another.

This kind of teaching actually makes God a petty monster instead of the Sovereign Lord of the universe and is nothing more that using fear tactics to compel people to give.

The context of this passage is very important.

The Bible must be understood within its proper context.

“Every text of scripture devoid of its context becomes a pretext.

“

The Israelites were being called to task for not bringing their offerings to the temple like the Law commanded.

Because of their disobedience to God’s law, God had judged them by giving them a very mall harvest.

The Lord, through Malachi, is commanding them to bring the “full tithe” (Leviticus 6: 14-23) of their grain sacrifices and if they did, they would see that he would bless them with abundance in future harvest of crops.

The “storehouse” is literally the place where grain was stored in the temple.

And the giving of this grain was part of their temple worship to God.

Malachi was written about 400 years before the first church at Jerusalem was founded.

So applying the command of temple giving to the church is to take these verses out of their original God-given context.

3.) So are christians today commanded to tithe?

Jesus actually rebuked the religious leaders during his time regarding the tithe.

They were following the letter of the law as it related to tithing but were forsaking the most important Law, to love God.

This was fulfilled upon Jesus death and resurrection.

Following this, you never see tithing commanded or even mentioned in the New Testament.

In fact there is no percentage of income set aside for a person to give in the church.

Instead we are commanded to give as we are able.

For some people, that may be 10%; for others that may mean less; and still for others more.

Our giving should be dependent on the ability of the giver and the needs of the body of Christ.

We need to pray and ask for the Lords leading as it relates to giving.

Our giving should be done with motives that are pure and hearts full of worship toward God.

Not compulsion or hoping we can somehow bribe God into blessing us.

We are to give in order to fund christian workers

Expand Gospel outreach

4.) Principles to guide our giving.

God owns everything and gives His things, including money, to whom He chooses.

Everything we have is from God.

The question should never be “How much of my money should I give?” but “How would God have me use His money?”

2. How we spend and give away God’s money is a fundamental aspect of worship.

This applies even to how we spend and give our money.

We need to be confident tht how we handle our finances is bringing glory to God.

This includes all of our giving be it to the church or other gospel ministries.

It also includes what we do with all of the money entrusted to us by God.

3. Giving to the church and the ministry of the gospel is commanded by God.

Consistent giving to the church for the ministry is a directive of God to Christians.

4. Giving is to be done with thoughtfulness, sacrifice, generosity, and joy.

1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, which we’ve already looked at give us that guidance.

Thoughtfulness, generosity, freedom, and joy are all part of our giving.

After prayer and consideration, we should give as we feel God would have us give.

Believers have liberty in this area of worship.

As the Lord prospers us, we should consider giving more.

5. Our giving is to be done quietly.

Jesus warned us against giving in a way that would draw attention to ourselves.

God’s reward will be far better than the accolades of men.

6.

As we give for God’s glory, sacrificially, generously, and joyfully, God promises blessing.

The one who gives generously also reaps generously (2 Corinthians 9:6).

When we give we dont do it to seek earthly, material prosperity, but we can be that God will reward and bless us somehow, someday.

Perhaps the blessing will come here on earth, but it will most definitely come in heaven.

Conclusion:

The christians giving should be based on nothing more than our relationship with the Lord.

As we grow closer to the Lord, he will guide us in this area of how to give.

If thats 10% to you, glory to God.

However, we should also be willing to offer to the Lord whatever he asks of us.

We give as an act of worship for all that Christ has done, not in order to keep from getting in trouble.

Our giving should flow from gratitude, not compulsion.

New Testament giving is actually radically different than the OT tithe.

Id even say, it can be greater if we allow the Lord to lead.