Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

-Romans 8:7

At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

-Luke 20: 10

‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, 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 there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord Almighty.

-Malachi 3:6-12

‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

-Malachi 3:6-7a

‘But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

-Malachi 3:7b

‘Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.’

-Malachi 3:8-9

   

1. “Tithe” means one tenth or ten percent.

  

  

2. “Tithe” describes the immediate gift of 10 percent of your income at your first opportunity.

  

Immediately convert the cattle and crops to cash…and bring the money to the temple (Deuteronomy 14:15).

It was so important that the tithe not be withheld, even for a few days.

Immediate gift of ten percent.

At first opportunity.

  

3.“Tithe” is off the top of what you make. Not after you have paid your bills.

  

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

-Proverbs 3:9-10

Sacrilege:

Taking something that is sacred and using it profanely.

-G. Campbell Morgan

vs

Sacrilege is the act of taking something that means little or nothing to you and giving it to God.

-Dictionary Definition

  

4. “Tithing” is a universal principle.

  

Abraham, 100’s of years before Moses, brought tithes to Melchizedek.

Cain and Abel:

Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.

-Genesis 4:3b-5

  

5. Tithing is a thermometer of spiritual vitality.

  

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

-Matthew 6:21

  

6. Tithing is the starting place for New Testament giving.

  

‘Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings…’

-Malachi 3:8

Tithe: one-tenth of your total income.

Offering: What you give above and beyond what is required.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

-2 Corinthians 9:6

“God loves a cheerful giver…”

“See, that’s why I don’t tithe!”

   

7. Tithes are to be brought into the storehouse.

  

‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house…’

-Malachi 3:10a

Modern application:

The Local Church

The Tithe belongs to Him.

  

8. The tithe is the only area in life where God says, “Try Me.”

   

‘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…’

-Malachi 3:10

“Try me!” (“Test” me or “Prove” me)

Let’s get it on! Right here! Right now! Try me! Just try me!

  

9. Tithing positions me to receive blessings from God.

  

‘…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.’

-Malachi 3: 10b

Hebrew: Open the windows: Pressure against the glass.

Meaning: I am going to pour out so many blessings you will not be able to hold it.

No tithe: No returning: Windows of Heaven are shut. Poetic license illustrating a barrier!

The adverse is true: If we tithe: God opens the window releasing free-flowing blessings into our lives.

  

I. Disobedience in tithes and offerings equals stealing from God.

  

“Don’t tell me that I have God’s money in my pocket!”

  

Our culture: Marketers have made us believe that we have a “right” to everything, including what we can’t afford.

  

As a result, we are pursuing things we think we can’t live without at the expense of what we truly can’t live without.

  

In other words, we are not rich toward God but rich toward ourselves.

  

II. Stealing from God has significant consequences.

  

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.

-Psalm 24:1

Every good gift comes from the Father above.

-James 1:17

“Bless us now as we give back a portion of what you have given to us.”

Disobedience in this area has serious consequences.

The absence of God’s protection on your finances.

The guilt regarding the hypocrisy.

“When I am tithing, there is a peace that comes in knowing that when hard times come, I am not reaping the whirlwind of my own disobedience to God.”

Stealing from God means the loss of blessing.

‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.’

-Malachi 3:6

‘I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. ‘Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord Almighty.

-Malachi 3:11-12

God wants to show the nations what happens when we honor Him with our wealth.

   

  

  

  

What are your main takeaways from this sermon?

Make a Decision Toxic Charity by Ralph D. Lupton