This you should have done

This you should have done

• getting through all the big messages this season. Don’t want to leave any stone unturned. 
• Trying to cover the big things that people always argue about, make sure to have it recorded
• T Bible, spiritual Gifts, women in ministry, membership, now-Tithing MT 23:23 READ
• All of you think about money. Talk about money. Want it. You want what it can do, and you want what it can provide. Want to make the most you can, save as much as you can, lose the least
• Americans spend most of their money on housing, vehicles, gas, medical insurance/treatment. 
• They also spend a lot of money on eating out, clothing, entertainment, and travel (savemycent.com)
• Average American saves 20% for retirement. Average giving- 2% disp inc.. average $767.00
• You talk about money and worry about money for a few reasons- 1. You don’t want to go without 2. You don’t want to have to work forever 3. You don’t want to struggle. 
• You get 10% disc, not big disc- church starts talking about giving 10% that’s HUGE you scoff, the natural inclination is to resist it, because the idea of giving away 10% seems like a losing proposition ‘throwing it away’. So you’ll find a reason to ‘not give’. 
• People have no problem taking part in what the church has to offer. Worship, programs, buildings, an accessible pastoral staff. Love what they provide. Just don’t see the value in contributing to it. They want the church to exist, serve, minister, etc. (Guy call from 5 y ago)
• Go to a church that is filled with non-tithers. See how much they talk about money and how much they get done. We cover it once in a while, but we don’t spend our time talking about money. No need. God has taken care of our church- but some people miss out on the blessing
• Its easy to hide from the responsibility in this age. I don’t look at your numbers. (rowing experiment) But either you want to see the church go forward and trust scripture or you don’t. 
• Someone is pulling hard! Its just not me! But I am sure glad that someone is doing it! 

1. The greatest argument I hear against tithing is “Tithing isn’t in the New Testament” 

• This is why I taught you hermeneutics. People want to apply one hermeneutic to one topic and not apply it to the next. And any hermeneutic that gets them out of tithing, they’ll gladly accept. 
• Learn this word- Antinomianism- Anti law- It is the belief that everything in Christ is now just ‘faith’ and that there are no moral or legal laws that we are required to follow. 
• It’s hogwash. Law sounds ominous- Law is: acceptable behavior, rules, correct actions, demands
• There are over 1000 commands in the New Testament that we must follow. 1000.all of them 
• How to give:1. Freely Matt 10:8; 2.Cor 9:6 2. Good measure LK 6:38 3. As God has prospered 1.Co 16:2 4. Willingly 2.Co 8:12 5. With purpose 2.Co 9:7 6. Cheerfully 2.Co 9:7
• Blessings promised for giving:1. Returns on the basis of giving LK 6:38;2.Co 9:6 2. Reward Matt 10:42 3. All grace abounding 2.Co 9:8 4. All sufficiency 2.Co 9:8 5. Eternal righteousness 2.Co 9:9 6. Increased fruits 2.Co 9:10 7. Enrichment in all things 2.Co 9:11
• Anti law is licentiousness cloaked in piety disguised as spirituality. self seeking & flesh indulgent 
• People aren’t holding back their first fruits for anyone else but themselves and their pleasures
• People say- not in the NT- Use the verse 2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. As the operative verse
• And that’s true! If it were up to me, I’d get your W2s and compare with giving and hold you accountable. But that’s not the Bible way. You can not give and probably make heaven. 
• Here’s the higher standard of the NT- In the OT giving was compulsory- You HAD to and it was a standard. It was a DEMAND that EVERYONE had to do. Giving was required. 
• Now the NT standard is- Your heart should be changed as such that no one should have to compel you to give or demand that you should give. You should just give cheerfully w no ask. 
• So if you don’t give, you should ask yourself- why am I not compelled to give? There is no demand, just a reality that a changed heart will want to give, but I don’t want to. Why?
• They conveniently forget the specific words of Jesus in Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
• Ought to have done- Jesus never said that giving a tithe was bad or shouldn’t be done
• Paul received money and chastised those who didn’t support him. He praised those who did support him. He encouraged giving to shepherds and the church and the widows
• Ministry- before during and after Jesus took money. Judas held the money for ministry. People were struck dead in the book of Acts for lying about money. People sold what they had and laid it at the apostles feet. Lets live by that standard! Give it all to me and I’ll disburse it as I see necessary. Lets do rich young ruler- give all that you have away. 
• We look at the WHOLE of scripture to come to a conclusion about what we do with our money and then we apply it. We don’t look for one obscure scripture to either justify or condemn the practice. The Whole scriptures show God’s people giving tons of their wealth for the kingdom
• You can search and find many people online that will tell you that you don’t have to tithe, and that its unscriptural based on the NT and OT. It antinomian heresy. (Big article with ‘donate’)
• There are ton of Scriptures about giving. There’s a ton of context about giving. I could do ten weeks on Giving. If you’re a tither- this will encourage you. If you are not, I hope it challenges you to believe God If you tithe, you already know the blessings. If you don’t, you need to experience it. 

2. First fruits is a Biblical principle

• From the beginning of time, even before the law of Moses, people who were in relationship with YHWH gave him a tenth of what they produced. It wasn’t even a law for Abram
• It’s a principle that flows throughout the Bible- probably not overly articulated in the NT because it was commonplace. You don’t have to explain what is already occurring in the community of Faith. It was common. When I buy my kids blizzards in the back seat first bite
• The first mention of a tithe is in Genesis 14. Abram meets Melchizedek. Gives him a tenth of his spoils. People say- he wasn’t ‘tithing’ he gave a ‘tithe’ That’s true- but he still did it. 
• He had, came in contact with a Priest of the most high God- and gave a tenth. Paid tribute
• It’s a principle. I think Melchizedek was a Christological figure. Bread and Wine. Hebrews says he was without mother or Father. Priest of Salem (Jerusalem). Abram gave a tenth. 
• Here’s the principle- Exodus 34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.
• Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
• Leviticus 27:30 Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
• Malachi 3:10 bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows.
• The principle is this- Whatever you have, and whatever you possess, came from God, and he is entitled to a tenth of it. Its reasonable to give to God after he has enabled you to do  so much
• The first battle that Israel fought was the battle of Jericho. God told them to keep no spoils
• Josh 6:19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”
• It’s a tribute. It’s a realization that what they have and what they possess is not possible without God (diff between agrarian society v technological society- if you prayed for rain) 
• There’s two things that giving first fruits provides for The Lord

1. Provides for the ministry of the house of God

• All throughout scripture we see the first fruits given for the tangible needs of the house
• The priests had to sacrifice, they had to make shew bread, they had to build a house or tent
• All of those tangibles came from the people who wanted to provide for the Lord’s house
• Same thing today- When you give of your first fruits- it provides a place where God is worshipped- and every last bit of it costs money, but it provides a ministry To God and others
• This is a principle people miss- worshipping God is ministry. Word is ministry. Gathering. 
• 1 Chron 29: 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver:

2. Provides for the Levites

• A principle of the Bible is that when first fruits are given to the house of God, it provides for the ministers of the Temple, tabernacle, Church etc. 
• Now obviously, I’m not a Levite or in the Levitical priesthood, but the principle is that those who work in the ministry are supported by the tithes given to the house of God
• Numbers 18: 21 “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting
• 1 Cor 9:14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
• It’s a principle. You should have pleasure in knowing that you support the ability to have full time pastors who are concerned with the affairs of the Church to provide the ministry. 
• People will scoff at this idea. Honestly, the amount of vitriol in regards to pastor pay gets old
• Talk to Pastor Musembi- There is scholars in America because of buildings and full time. 
• Then again, people complain about how much an electrician or plumber makes
• You know, Paul said “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” and then immediately after recognizes that it was the church of God that provided for him monetarily
• Philippians 4:18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
• It wasn’t baked goods- It was financial support. Paul felt the strength of Christ while simultaneously getting his tangible needs met through others giving. 
• Simply- the principle is this- people of God financially support the work of the house of God and the ministers therein with their first fruits. Many call it tithing. 
• Truth is we don’t tithe. We give closer to 18% with missions and offering. Not counting cash

Why I love giving money to God.

1. It always reminds me who is in control of my life. I came to Jesus in August of 1990 and I have given ever since. Giving the first fruits of all my increase to the Lord helps. 

It’s a constant tangible reminder of God’s sustenance. His provision. Who did what. 

I have prayed for God to provide for me and my family since day one. Always had. 

2. It helps me to not love money. The bible says love of money is root of all kinds of evil. That you can’t serve God and mammon. The truth is that the money that I give to the Lord could give me some great toys, vacations, cabin etc. Invest and make more money. 

But when we give off the top- I learn- I don’t love this money. I love Jesus. There is nothing more important in my whole life. If I can never see or do something- I will go to heaven. 

3. It produced fruit in my life. I have a great marriage. Great kids. Great church. Many years ago, kids asked why we don’t go to Hawaii. We tithe. We invest in the Kingdom. We live it. 

I don’t need to go to Hawaii. I need to go to heaven. I don’t care where I don’t go

But I live a budgeting disciplined life because God taught me to live on less

4. I have been well taken care of. My whole life. Blessings upon blessings. Places I shouldn’t have been able to go. Meals I got to eat. Gifts I shouldn’t have Got. And that’s from the beginning of our apartment on Judy Lane. I’ve eaten steak my whole marriage. 
5. I know what My money is doing. I’m not sure about financial retirement, but I know, on this side of heaven, My money has changed lives. I haven’t thrown it away on food that becomes waste, or vacations that fade. I know people who are going to heaven because of my money. It is the greatest joy. I don’t feel guilty when I see a ‘dogs are dying’ commercial. I know I’m giving money to change lives and God does it. 
6. It builds my faith. After 30 years of Giving, and never going without, I can trust God for my present and my future. I will sing of the goodness of God. All my life you have been faithful. Wont he do it. I have never seen the righteous forsaken or begging bread. 

Why this matters to you

• Many erroneously believe that when I pastor speaks about giving it is for his benefit. 
• It’s simply not. God is my provider, not you. He provided for me long before I met you
• It’s Paul’s heart- Phil 4:17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. I WANT THAT FOR YOU AS WELL
• Paul knew- and why he talked about giving in Philippians is that those Who give are always blessed. They just are. Not just financial. Spiritual. Emotional. Relational. 
• The fruit of your account when trusting God in all areas of your life will over flow
• Story of friend- working with him at Ctas. Making not that much. Hard provision. Christian. Are you tithing? Just had coffee this week. Sold biz for 700k. Making over 300k a year. Blessed
• Many times people in this church- Start giving- pay raise, promotion, blessing. Time and time again. I have never met someone destitute because of tithing and giving. NEVER not ONCE
• more than that- you get the same spiritual confidence of tangibly seeing God move in your life
• You learn to trust. To budget. To see God move. People say “I cant afford to tithe” you can’t afford not to. Go to FPU. Get on track. Tell your money what to do. Jesus said “this you should not have neglected” Don’t neglect it. First fruits.

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