To Tithe or Not To Tithe (July 17, 2022)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, July 17, 2022
Pastor Andy Lambert
PASSAGES: Malachi 3:8-12; Acts 20:35; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 9:7
Before we start I want to put a few things out there …
• I did NOT plan to preach this during a recession when the inflation rate today (July 17, 2022) is 9.1%
• I did NOT plan to preach this when the average price of regular unleaded gas is $4.53
• I did NOT plan to preach this when groceries, utilities and life cost more and more
• I did NOT plan to preach this when wages seemed to go up, hours get cut, but cost still goes up
However, given all these things, God is still God!!!
Also, before we get started … I am NOT here to convince ANYONE to start giving tithe, offering or anything to the church. I am, however, here to show you what the Word of God says and the rest is up to you.
Usually, when a Pastor starts preaching on giving, most believe that the Pastor is wanting more money for his own pocket. That is not me at all. I don’t mind telling you that Coosa Valley has a budget of $165,000 and that does NOT include things like the AC unit we just fixed in the foyer ($3,045) nor the AC units we are looking to have to fix in the future in the Sanctuary and other AC projects that we have been quoted at around $60,000.
Most people in the church think that most of the money that comes into the church goes to the Pastor. I am proud to tell you that my salary is 24% of our church budget, where polls show that the average Pastor Salary is around 50-55% of other church budgets. My reimbursement expenses is only 9% of the budget and when you add the salary and expenses together is it only 33%, still way below the average for other church budgets.
Why am I telling you this? First, I have nothing to hide. Second, I want the church to know that most of our monies goes to pay utilities, ministry and missions. What utilities you have at home, we have here and usually a bigger bill as well. EXAMPLE: The last seven months of power bills have been $5,330.47 to average $761.50 a month. It takes money to operate a church.
Now to the tithe and giving part. Many in our culture today believe that tithe is NOT a New Testament teaching. This is due to the most popular scripture for giving is found in …
Malachi 3:8–12 (ESV)
8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.
9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.
12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
The word TITHE actually means “to pay one tenth of something”.
In a world full of greed, excess and materialism, it is not uncommon to hear about multi-million dollar salaries, bonuses and contracts that are way more than many of us here or on live feed will ever see. Many athletes, movie stars and corporate executives receive more and more money only to spend it on things that they shouldn’t such as drugs, alcohol and other things. And when the price of everyday items for us keeps going up, it is easy to get discouraged. But we have hope and a blessing!
Why do people not tithe or give to God? Many times it is …
• selfish and greedy
• not trusting that God can provide for us
• feeling that we can’t give and still have enough for ourselves
• not giving our first and best to God, but withholding that for ourselves
• some give, but give begrudgingly or halfheartedly
• give, but ungrateful for what God had already given to us
We could go on and on, but you get the point. But I believe that God gives us a challenge in verse 10. God’s challenge to us is two fold:
• First, the people were to bring all their tithes into the storehouse (the church). Only by giving to God can we have any curse removed that has been brought on by not giving or by giving begrudgingly. Only by bringing into the storehouse (the church) can we begin to enjoy the blessings of God.
• Second, we are to test and prove the promises of God; we are to try Him and see. If we live up to our end, our responsibilities, God will live up to His!
What is God’s promises? Before we look at the promises, we must realize that God can granted these promises at anytime, regardless of how we live our lives. But to do so, while we are not living up to our side of the covenant, sends the wrong message. God is NOT willing to bless His people while they are unwilling to follow His Word and commandments. This is why God teaches us about the importance of giving, not only in tithes, but is offering as well, because the church exists as a people to bless others and be a light and testimony of God’s love to the whole world. If we test and obey God …
• God will open the floodgates of heaven and pour out unlimited blessings
• God will give abundant harvests and prosperity into our lives and guard against the destroyer
• God will give the obedient a life that is greatly blessed, a life full of joy and delight.
But this is still Old Testament teachings and not New Testament OR IS IT? We find in …
Acts 20:35 “35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””
1 Corinthians 16:2 “2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”
• When is the tithe and offering to be received? On the first day of the week, Sunday
• Who is to give? Each and everyone of us. No one is left out. No matter our income, no matter our expenses, we are ALL to give back to God
• How is the tithe and offering to be given? Placing it into the church, the storehouse, so that when the time comes for the need to be met, there will be no need for a special collection to be taken, it will already be in the church, the storehouse.
• Why are we to give? Because God has prospered us. God looks after His people and will bless us; but God can only bless on what we give back to Him
• Where are believers to give? At the regular services of their local home church. Paul is VERY clear about this.
2 Corinthians 8:5 “5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”
2 Corinthians 8:12 “12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
• The giver is to give back to God deliberately, not grudgingly and not from compulsion. It is absolutely crucial to not that God does not accept the gift of the one who does not want to give.
• God expects three things of the person who gives.
• The giver must give as he purposes in his own heart. This does not mean that we are not to be encouraged to give nor that they cannot be stirred to give. It means that we need to …
• Think about the need
• Think about what we can give sacrificially
• Make a deliberate decision about what to give
• Give exactly what we should give
• The giver must not give grudgingly, not out of sorrow, not with reluctance or regret.
• The giver must not give out of necessity. A person’s gift is not acceptable to God when we are …
• forced to give
• gives because we fear what others will think
• gives just to please others
• gives to keep others from pestering us
• gives out of a desire for personal honor and recognition
• The giver must give cheerfully if we want God to accept our gift
Pastor Andy Lambert ~ pastorandy@cvcog.church
Call/Text: 205.642.8744 ext 101