Show “Skinny on tithing” clip
This
morning we are going to conclude our series called Treasures of the Heart. This
series has focused on what the Bible has to say about our money and possessions
Over
the last three weeks, we have looked at various Scripture passages that have
all tied in with our key thought that says: “It’s better to give to God what’s right,
not what’s left (over).
God
is not interested in getting our leftovers. God doesn’t want what’s left over of
your time; God doesn’t want what’s left over of your talent; and God doesn’t
want what’s left over of your treasure.
God
wants the best part of your time, the best part of your talent and the best part
of your treasure.
So,
as we get underway this morning, I would like to pick up where Pastor Mike left
off last Sunday. If you remember, he left us with a question, which was also
challenge.
I
hope you took a few moments to reflect on this question this past week, because
we’re going to do something with it today.
The
question that Pastor Mike left us with was “Am I holding back on God?”
This
is a fantastic question for us to consider as we conclude this sermon series.
Am I holding
back on God? Am I keeping the best part of my treasure for myself
and giving God what’s left over at the end of the week- If anything is left
over at the end of the week?
Am
I keeping the best part of my time for my shopping or TV watching, while God
gets what little time there is left at the end of the day?
Am
I keeping the best part of my Talent (abilities) for the things I want done,
while the work in God’s house is neglected?
Am I holding
back on God?
Chances
are if this was true for God’s people in the book of Malachi, it’s probably
true of us today. Some of us are holding back on giving God the best.
Please listen
carefully: some of us are giving God what’s right: some are giving Him the best
parts of our time, talent and treasure, but others are giving God the left
overs.
You squeeze Him in
when you can, or when it’s convenient for you… If this describes you, you are
giving God the left overs, and God doesn’t deserve left-overs.
So, are you holding out on giving God what’s right by
giving Him what’s left over?
As we’re
considering what we are giving to God, I would direct your attention to our Scripture
lesson for today... it’s taken from 2 Corinthians 9 beginning at verse 6:
“Remember this—a
farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who
plants generously will get a generous crop.
7 You must each
decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in
response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8 And God will
generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need
and plenty left over to share with others.
9 As the Scriptures
say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will
be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for
the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase
your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
(2 Cor. 9:6-10, NLT2)
Those of you who
plant gardens know what Paul is referring to in verse 6.
If you plant only a few seeds, you will
get only a small crop. However if you plant several seeds, you will get a huge
crop, more crop that you will know what to do with.
ILLUSTRATION- For the last several years,
my wife and I--- more my wife than I—have planted a garden. One of the many
things we include in our garden is squash.
Every
year we plant several squash seeds, and every year the squash over take the
garden.
This
year was no exception. The squash plants came out of the garden box, and
started growing on the front lawn; the result was well over 20 squash in all
sizes.
Paul
used this analogy to remind us of our giving to God. While he was speaking
specifically of our treasure, I think the case could be made to whatever we are
giving to God.
If we give God
little; little will come back. But if we give God much, much more will come
back.
Paul also
explains that if we give what we have to God with a cheerful heartà
not reluctantly, or even in response to pressureà God will give us everything that we need: not
everything we greed, but everything we need.
This promise
sounds very similar to the truth we examined last Sunday, the truth found in
Malachi 3.
It’s in this
chapter that God tells us to: “Bring the whole tithe—the best part of your
treasure, 10% of your income—bring it -- into the storehouse, into the church, that there may be
food in my house.
Test me in
this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it.
11 I will prevent
pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast
their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "Then all the
nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says
the LORD Almighty.”(Mal. 3:10-12, NIV)
Just as God
issued this challenge to the folks in Malachi’s day to test Him and see if He
wouldn’t blow their mind with blessings if they gave to Him what was right, so
Paul issued a challenge to the people of his day:
“If you give to God what’s right
instead of what’s left over, God will “…generously provide all you need. Then you
will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with
others.” (2 Cor.9:8b, NLT2)
Church: God is in the business of giving
His people what they need!
He is the One
who provides the seed for the farmer, and the bread to eat, and He will give
you just what you need, as long as you are honoring Him with your time, with
your talent and with your treasure.
But if you are
holding back any part of what you have, you shouldn’t expect to get a blessing
from God. Why would you—you are robbing God of what’s rightfully His.
So consider
again what you are giving to God. Are you giving Him what’s right? Are you
giving Him the best part of your time, the best part of your talent, and the
best part of your treasure, or are you holding out and giving Him the
leftovers?
If you are
holding out on giving God what’s right, you are missing out on having Him
provide for you in a spectacular and supernatural way.
If you are
holding out on giving to God, you are also living in disobedience, because as
we’ve been looking at over the last three weeks, “It’s better to give to God what’s right,
not what’s left (over).
So, as we bring
this series to an end, we want to be very specific in our challenge.
In just a moment
you are going to receive a response card. I would like for you to take a few
moments and fill out both sections of this form.
Go ahead boys,
pass out forms
I’m going to
wait for everyone to have a sheet, because this is not going to make sense
unless you have one. If you need a pen, we have some of those as well.
As you know, we
have been challenging you to give to God the best parts of your time, talent
and treasure, so we want the response to reflect that.
If you are willing to
give to God the best part of your income—that’s 10% of everything
that you make—I want you to write that percentage on the first line of what you
are going to give to God.
If you’re not
quite ready to commit to giving 10% to God, but would like to get there, circle
“Yes” on the very next line, and indicate how much you are willing to give to
God in the meantime.
If you are willing to
give to God the best part of your talent, you can check of that box,
and then list at least 3 things you are good at. Not 3 things you would like to
be good at...
I’d like to be
good at driving an 18 wheeler, but I’m not, so I’m not going to list it. List
at least 3 things you are good at.
The next category
you can check off is are you willing to give to God the best part of your
time.
If you are
willing to do so, circle the time of day that you are the most alert and
attentive and commit to giving a portion of that time over to hear from God,
through prayer, bible study and other spiritual disciplines.
Prehaps you have
never given your heart to Jesus.. you can't commit to giving Him your Time,
Talent and Treasure unless you first give God your heart, so if you would like
to give your heart over to Jesus, put a yes in that last blank.
Then on the
other side of the page, copy what you wrote, fold it in two and rip it in half
and hold on to it for just a moment longer…
Friends: giving to God is a matter of the
heart. God wants an obedient and willing heart more than He wants a left
over reluctant heart.
God gave His
best to us in the form of His Son, and the least we can do is give our best
back to Him, so as we prepare to transition into a time of responce, I’d like
for all of us to consider what we are giving to God, and how He might be asking
us to continue our current commitments—or increase them.
I want you to
know that Pastor Mike and I will be taking time this week to review these
commitments, and we will be praying over them, and quite possibly contacting
you to encourage you and help you figure out how you can give the best to God,
so be honest in your responses…
(BAND come)
If you want to
take a peek into a person’s heart and see what is truly important to them, all
you have to do is look at what they treasure, which is why Jesus said: “Where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew
6:21, NIV)
So what do you
treasure? Are you willing to give to God what’s right, or will you give Him the
left overs?
If you’re
willing to give to God what’s right, as the band leads us in our song, bring
your response to the front of the church and place it on the alter.
Doing so will
signify your willingness to give to God what’s right, not what’s left over.
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