Two Doors

 

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.  Proverbs 15:1

--- The Word of God for us, the People of God ---

Jacob and Esau (for me) are two names that, once said, immediately raise the thought, Oh, I know that story[1].  There’s the deception of their father, Isaac, who is nearly blind and cannot recognize the younger son who is impersonating the eldest, the one entitled to the birthright and double blessing.  Jacob steals both and must leave town because his brother is madder than a hornet’s nest.  So Jacob the trickster sneaks out of town in the middle of the night and runs to his Uncle Laban’s place, spends the next 20 years there manipulating his way into getting rich. 

In time, Jacob meets his cousin, Rachel, and wants to marry her, but she has an older unmarried sister, Leah, who isn’t exactly the prom queen.  Laban agrees to the match, but on the wedding day, he switches the brides; Jacob gets a veiled Leah to marry.  After the wedding Jacob discovers this, and now his Uncle, who is now also his father-in-law, turns the table on the trickster and makes him agree to work for him another 7 years to have the right to marry Rachel. 

Jacob learned a lesson from Laban that he desperately needed:

Those who live by deception eventually get deceived.

So, Jacob has worked twenty years, gotten married twice, and then God instructs him to leave town again, go back home.  Once again Jacob leaves town in the middle of the night because this time his cousins are angry over the way Jacob was getting rich right under their noses, while he’s supposed to be working for Laban. 

Having made just about everyone in the family mad at him at some point, Jacob is a man without a family to call home.  He’s headed back to where he used to call home, but has no idea if Esau is still ticked at him.  The night before crossing the last river (Jabbok), Jacob realizes he’s at the point of no return.  Messengers tell him his brother, Esau, has heard of Jacob’s return, and now, accompanied by 400 men, Esau is coming Jacob’s way to meet his deceiving little brother.  With nowhere else to turn, Jacob lays down his head to try to sleep, and is confronted by an angel of God. 

A wrestling match ensues, lasting until just about daybreak.  The angel tells Jacob to let go, or he would die with the breaking of dawn.  Jacob, now fully past the point of depending on his own wiles and wits, decides to let God be the boss.  He refused to let the angel go until he received the blessing.  That blessing came in the form of two doors. 

This story of two brothers has to do with the two doors we all face.  The back story telling us how, and why, the brothers parted is door #1, anger. 

Then they both spent the next 20 years without seeing each other.  Jacob was busy getting rich, and Esau had time to cool off.  That is like the space between the anger door, and the second door marked reconciliation. 

Both brothers had walked through door #1 steeped in anger in the early part of life, then languished in the unknown space leading up to the reunion.  When confronted with each other after being apart for 20 years, and being faced with door #2, they had to make a decision what was going to govern the end chapters of their life; would they stay controlled by anger, or swallow deeply and reconcile. 

It turned out that both Esau and Jacob wanted reconciliation.  They just weren’t sure about the other until the moment they faced each other.  This fact, that they wanted to be brothers again, never occurred to me in all the times I’d read their story. 

I always knew Jacob didn’t want to die, and so he was somewhat forced to face Esau and the anger he’d escaped 20 years prior.  Being confronted by a Mixed Martial Arts black belt angel, and the throbbing pain of a dislocated hip joint, Jacob got his head handed to him, so he hedged his bets and sent a gift ahead to buy Esau’s favor.  And I figured when Esau heard Jacob was headed his way, he probably wasn’t sure what was on his mind, so he gathered up 400 of his closest friends to accompany him, just in case Jacob didn’t come to shake hands.

Seeing the brother who had sworn to kill him, but now embraced him and kissed him, was as welcome to Jacob as a breath of air to a drowning man, compared to what that wrestling angel could have done to him.  It became clear to Jacob his family meant more to him than all the riches he’d earned the previous twenty years.

For Esau, we’re left wondering exactly what changed his mind about killing Jacob.  But we do see the smile on his face in meeting his long, lost, slinky brother, Jacob.    It was a genuine, heartfelt welcome Esau gave to Jacob; the younger brother said, seeing your friendly smile is like seeing the face of God.

We have a story of two brothers who hadn’t seen each other for twenty years, who had parted company angry and fearful, and now were confronted with what to do with each other…would it be a fight to the death? 

Which door pray tell!

A couple of observations about what had to give way for there to be reconciliation between Esau and Jacob:

          1.   Esau had the easier path

Esau was the eldest of the brothers, and it was Jacob’s deception (on more than one occasion) that had wronged his brother.  Everything about fairness and balance tells us Esau’s anger was somewhat justified.  Except for wanting to murder his brother…that is never acceptable.

But, 20 years is a long time, and Esau somehow had managed to let go of the animus toward his brother.  He may have forgiven Jacob in absentia, or because he never saw him, even for family holidays, his anger just cooled off.  However, it was certain something caused a change in Esau, because he was ready to accept his brother back, even though Jacob had stolen his birthright and blessing.

          2.   Jacob had the harder task

Coming to the place of confession that you were wrong is one of the most difficult changes in human experience.  That was exactly the place Jacob was headed for the night before he was going to cross the River Jabbok. 

I believe God engineered the whole scenario to push Jacob into that corner of decision-making; he needed that wrestling match with the angel to come face to face with his character, and, more importantly, face his disobedience to God.  As stubborn, manipulative, deceptive, and self-centered as Jacob was, it was going to take a lot of travail in rolling around in the dust on the riverbank, and a dislocated hip to convince Jacob to admit he owed Esau an apology.

That’s common in many areas of human interactions.  So many relationships go sour because of stubbornness and pride that just will not admit to being wrong.  Many people refuse to accept Christ and become part of a church, because that means confessing sins, and admitting they’ve been out of place where God’s holiness is concerned.  Nobody does that without some strong convincing by the Holy Spirit to put aside pride and stubbornness.  Some (perhaps many) manage to fight off God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal life, but I’d hardly call that a victory. 

Did Jacob REALLY change?

I think so – in at least 3 ways:

          ·       He went from TAKER to GIVER

Jacob sent a fortune ahead of him as a gift to his brother.

          ·       He went from SNEAK to SERVANT

When Jacob met Esau he didn’t say a word at first, he bowed in the dust to him 7 times, a custom in the Middle East at that time, but the self-centered, win-at-any-cost, in-any-way Jacob was long gone.  He called himself the servant of his brother, and called his Esau my lord, and my brother.

          ·       He went from EVIL to GODLY

By bowing, and respectfully placing himself below Esau, Jacob elevated the need to make things right for his deception of the past.  He put aside any concern for his own safety or needs.  He had learned the lesson of wrestling with God’s angel – you don’t let go until the blessing comes.  In this case, Jacob didn’t let go of the humility he’d learned until Esau ran to embrace him and accept him…they reconciled…brothers once more.

So, what does this mean for the 21^st Century?

We have something of an Esau and Jacob boiling anger pot today.  Just a few examples:

·       The Traditionalist brothers and sisters in the Methodist tribe could certainly be Esau, upset with the actions of the young, upstart Progressive Jacob siblings.  There has been an informal separation for many years, and the pot is once again at boiling temperature. 

·       Esau and Jacob have their counterparts in the racism, threats, riots, violence, and protests that fill our land.  And the hotter it gets in July, the greater the temperature in the boiling pot. 

·       There is even division over whether COVID-19 deserves our discomfort of wearing masks.  We have Jacob freewheelers concerned only for themselves, and Esau cautionaries, not wanting anyone to breathe.

Some people today, perhaps like the 400 who went with Esau to meet Jacob’s return, may have anger in their hearts, just looking for a little payback.  Had Esau showed even a little of that, the story may have been written in Jacob’s blood. 

In just the same way there are those today who are not serious about reconciliation, or doing heart-justice; for them, it’s all about payback for ancient wrongs, and seizing any rope to lynch even a bystander to prove a point. 

There’s no reconciliation in some people’s hearts.  And they are as far from being in tune with God as a twenty-year-old snowball in Hell.

And that’s the whole point.  Whether you’re Esau or Jacob in the story – the one who was wronged, or the abuser, both men came with reconciliation in the heart.  That is a rarity in today’s I want MY RIGHTS culture!

In the unrest and violence we see today across generations, sexuality, gender issues, all the rules, legalities, ordinances, and power stands will never change a thing.  The battle began in the heart, just like it did when Cain got overcome with anger towards his brother Abel. 

The battle for getting people to live in harmony was never about the laws of the land, it’s always been about hate in the heart.

When life gets rough you can get angry or you can get reconciled…but it is much like the choice between walking through two doors…you just can’t do both.

Our Lord, Jesus, Christ said:

“No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.  Matthew 6:24

Jesus said that about love of money, but it’s just as true about loving the hatred we hold in our hearts.

Our Prayer

Father God, you’ve made it clear to us in so many ways that anger and violence will have offspring…and none of it is ever pretty.  Lord, where we prone to be ‘young Esau’, ready to kill our brother when the opportunity comes, help us to remember your cross, and that we’re already guilty of murdering Heaven’s Prince.  And where we would be ‘young Jacob’, deceitful, taking what we can get, showing no respect for others, help us to remember we’re already guilty of standing silent while the crowd yells ‘crucify’.

In all things, and at all times, help us to keep our lives rooted, grounded, and operating in Your love, sensitive to Your Spirit, and ready to run from the anger door, straight to the door of reconciliation.

For the glory, honor, and praise to which You alone are worthy, o Lord, we pray in the Name of the Son, cooperating with the Spirit, to honor and exalt the Majesty of the Father. 

Let it be so in each of our lives…Amen!

Title Image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation  Matthew 10:24-39©

Image of Jacob and God's Angel wrestling via Wikimedia Commons

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[1] You can read the story of Jacob and Esau’s Reunion in Genesis 33:1-17

Forgery

[1]

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

“No one can serve two masters.

Matthew 6:24a^(NLT)

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The following is a rather odd quote from 1982; it isn’t odd in word or thought – just that I’m quoting my own words from that time:

“Today we live in an extremely complicated and complex society with lightning fast computers, space travel and lifestyles.  It seems that in all the hurry-up and confusion of our modern existence, some Christians tend to compromise on what is sinful, passing off what used to be called sin as acceptable social behavior.” 

I wrote those words 34 years ago as a young pastor; true words then, and no less accurate today.

An issue that is constantly in the news media today, and therefore, agonizingly highlights the timeless reality of human compromise of core principles of the Christian faith, is LGBTQ behavior; in particular, same-sex marriage.

For the denomination I serve (United Methodist), this past Saturday (April 23, 2016) in Charlotte, NC, a door was opened in this ongoing conflict which will be impossible to ignore, much less close.  Two men exchanged wedding vows and were legally recognized by the state as married.  Those officiating at the ceremony were a retired bishop and the current pastor, both ordained in the UMC. 

What was door-opening about this ceremony is that it was held inside the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church of Charlotte.  The actions (both using a denominationally-owned building, and officiating the ceremony by UMC clergy) are clearly in violation of the denomination’s rules, The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.

A larger, and for me more disturbing reality, is that this isn’t the first time for the bishop, Melvin Talbert.  This wasn’t his first same-sex marriage rodeo, or as I call it, denominational and ordinational disobedience. 

Here are more 34 year old words from my note file:

“…some Christians have lost the Spirit-guided ability to distinguish between what is and isn’t sin.  They see things as grey – not black and white.  However, the Bible says we cannot serve two masters.”

Marriage between two persons of the same sex is counterfeit.  Just like forged currency is supposed to trick you into thinking you possess the real thing, two men or women standing before a preacher at a church chancel does not result in marriage in any sense of the Biblical meaning; it is merely an appearance of the real thing.

Whatever the state does or doesn’t do in recognizing the “marriage forgery” of same-sex unions – and whatever the UMC legal entities do or don’t do concerning appropriate consequences for the bishop and pastor who have violated their sacred vows of ordination, my prayer is that Christ is lifted up for the whole world to see.  Because in that witness is contained either condemnation (for those who choose to “ordain a forgery”) or a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is, according to Paul^{(Romans 1:16)} the power of God unto salvation. 

In all, may all men be brought low, and Christ’s name be praised.

For You Today

Homosexuality isn’t the only failure to honor God in our culture today.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today…and have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image:   By ** RCB **, via Wikimedia Commons

We Promise Our Gifts

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.  All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.    Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in Heaven.  “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others.  Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.       Matthew 6:1-4 (NRSVA)

Our vows in the church of Jesus Christ, specifically the United Methodist Church, are our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.  We have arrived at promise #3 our vow to give our gifts to God’s church.

If you are a believer, you have heard many times how it is a Christian's responsibility and joy to give.  If you are human, your heart probably rebelled, alerting you to the fact that you really didn't want to give.  You might have even had the thought cross your mind, who does that preacher think he is, telling me I should put MY money in HIS plate? 

There are three responses I've come to understand:

a. It’s not my plate; 

b. It’s not your money; 

c. The preacher is supposed to tell the congregation to put the Lord's tithe in the Lord's plate on the Lord's Day, and in the Lord's way (cheerfully!!).

Cheerful giving is what I want to talk to you about today.  This speaks not so much about how much, but how we give our gift.  I have read the Bible, attended seminars on Biblical stewardship, studied human nature and history.  In all, I have not been able to discover more than two basic motivations, or reasons why people give – worship and prestige.  Worship is a love-motivated response; prestige is the idea that, if I give, I’m going to get something out of it.

What is it that decides the difference between an act of selfish prestige-seeking and an act of worship?  The simplest answer is motive.  Our text is right in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, His primary teaching on how to live like a follower of Christ.  It shows that Jesus was attempting to teach the disciples that true worship only happens when the motive is pure. 

The finest act of Christian activity, that does not have love, or unselfish devotion to God as its motive does not, and cannot, please God.  You can never be giving as a love-response when you’re seeking something in return. 

The difference can be illustrated this way.  I have a habit of giving items I don’t need to Good Will.  It is a worthwhile way of contributing to a good charity.  It has a secondary benefit of making inexpensive items available to people who cannot afford to buy new things.  Now, it is easier for me to put those items out for the garbage than to load them in the car and spend part of my day off driving to Good Will.  The question becomes this: 

Would I still donate to Good Will if they didn’t give me a receipt for a tax-deduction?

Jesus further nailed that down later in His sermon when he said,

No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.     Matthew 6:24 (NRSVA)

So, if there are really only two motives for giving, our questions as followers of Jesus are:  what are they, and what do we do about them.   Let’s see what Jesus says:

I.  GIVING MOTIVATED BY PRESTIGE

Giving is neither good nor bad by itself...it is simply a transfer of goods, services or promises from one entity to another.  The hidden trap Satan lays-out for the Christian congregation is in how we FEEL about the giving we do. 

If giving becomes a competition for the attention of others, the motive is prestige.  When we give in order to be elevated in the minds of others we cancel any reward our giving may bring.  Giving like that is an investment, not a gift.  The reason for this is that the attention becomes directed at the giver rather than God. 

In June of 2006, Warren Buffet, the world's second-richest man at the time, announced that he would donate 85 percent of his $44 billion fortune to five charitable foundations.  Buffet said: There is more than one way to get to Heaven, but this is a great way.[1]

Buffet is wrong on two counts – there is only one way to Heaven and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ, and His gift of salvation on the cross. 

The other reality is that, even if it WAS a way to Heaven, the greatness of that way is diminished by attempting to purchase salvation with money.  God gave His priceless Son for our salvation; or giving, like our worship at the Lord's Table must direct the attention towards God if it is to be valid.

In our text Jesus mentioned the giving of alms.  He was talking about benevolent, freewill offerings.  The "tithe" (giving of one-tenth of income) was a practice in Jesus' time.  But he was specifically pointing to the gift above that tenth. 

The Pharisees, who Jesus called the hypocrites in this passage had a ritual of blowing their own horn; on a day when they were about to donate, they literally had trumpets play to call attention to their generosity.  Now, I've never seen that in any church.  But we certainly have our own ways of making sure others know.  

Chuck Swindol told about a “hi-tech” offering box he heard about in a church.  It has a laser that reads the contribution immediately.  When you drop in a $5 bill or more nothing happens.  Any coins that total fifty cents or more sounds a little bell.  A quarter will get you a gong; and a dime sets off a siren.  If you walk past without giving, a camera pops-up and takes your picture, faxes it to the treasurer and puts a flag on your membership letter.  Some churches would run out of film!  Jesus says giving for personal glory or popularity is wrong. 

The reason Jesus abhorred the blowing of horns is that it put people on different levels.  When the rich man gave his large contribution, it announced to the poor man that he had no esteem in the Lord's house.  This is why the Lord's chosen way of stewardship is tithing.  No matter how much or little you earn, 10% is still 10%. 

(Incidentally, if you’re one of those who actually do give 10% and imagine someone ought to be impressed with that – the Jews in Jesus’ day typically gave ¹/₃ of their income…33%.  And that was average!)

God's way is equal sacrifice, not equal amounts.

My personal view on tithing is that it is both good and bad; a GOOD place to START, and a BAD place to STOP! 

It starts a Christian off with God's minimum standard for stewardship.  But if a person stops there, never growing in his giving, we end up with a theology that says:  "God owns 10%; the other 90% is mine."  And, frankly, with most of us that could lead to creative thinking about how to hold onto some of God's 10%. 

In the early part of this century, a southern Senator by the name of Vardeman once rented out a plot of land to a sharecropper.  The Senator was to get a fourth-part of the produce.  He never got it. 

When he saw the man he asked, did you plant? 

Yessir! was the answer.  Did you harvest?  Yessir! 

Where's my fourth? 

Said the sharecropper, That's just the trouble, sir...They wasn't no fourth, they was jus' 3 loads, an' they was mine! 

Beloved, when we start cutting up what belongs to God – and what we are entitled to, we miss the point altogether.  This is God's world; He owns it all, and the prestige, glory and honor are His – and His alone!

II.  GIVING MOTIVATED BY LOVE

As we recall, this passage is set in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, which is Jesus' teaching about love.  The word "alms" is translated literally as acts of mercy.  The one motivating factor in our giving is to be our love. 

I find the greatest sermon of all in John 3:16:

For God so loved the world He gave..."  

And I find the greatest explanation of that sermon in 2 Corinthians 8:9,

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

In 1930 up in Connecticut, a 19 year old boy was sent to prison for second-degree murder.  He was paroled in 1955, and settled in Williston, Florida.  He worked as a baker. 

About twenty years ago he gave his life savings to the Florida Sheriff's Boys Ranch at Live Oak.  Why?  He wanted to help steer boys away from the kind of trouble into which he’d fallen. 

His statement to the press was, I felt it was the most Christian thing I could do.  He will never see the faces of most of those boys, or know their names; but he loved them.  People's lives are affected by love.

It is a response of love, for a God who gave.

Today we celebrate deliverance.  Christ gave more than His life savings.  He went to a place called Golgotha to give us His best; there He cancelled for once and all time the debt of sin. 

And to all who will come to Him, calling on Christ for forgiveness and fellowship, He bids, Come.    

God loved us, so He gave us Jesus.  If we want to love Him, what shall we give? 

If you wrestle with that awhile – your heart will hear an answer from Heaven.

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[1] Associated Press, "How Do You Spend $1.5 Billion a Year?" CBSNews.com (6-27-06)

Not More Than ONE Master

⁸Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In your tithes and offerings!  ⁹You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you!  ¹⁰Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.  ¹¹I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the LORD of hosts.                                    Malachi 3:8 - 11 (NRSV)

“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.       Matthew 6:24 (NRSV)

I was tempted to preach a sermon about total-life discipleship this morning and deftly weave-into the message precepts and principles of money.  That would have been my “comfort zone”. 

I repented!  God never called me to preach in a comfort zone, or to provide one for the church family.  God’s Word has also convinced me that although we human beings have a tendency to say “my this” or “my that” – it is all His, not mine. 

While stewardship extends to every area of life…time, health, family, I am specifically talking about money this morning.  This sermon is about money; specifically, the money in your pocket.  My meaning is clear…we may say, “my money, my real estate, my family, my time, my, my, my” But, it is not your money or time, it is His! 

The Lord IS the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills – and, oh yes, He also owns the hills and the air over them!

This will be a Biblical message in the tradition of Jesus.  Jesus said more about a person’s possessions (and what he does with them) than He did about heaven, hell, love or the second coming. 

This is also a straight-forward message – these are urgent times!  I could attempt to make us all feel good by reciting the statistics of how much we gave to missions last year.  I could try to make us feel guilty that we aren’t building new buildings like some other churches do.  But, “feel good” or “guilt-trips” aren’t what is called-for by God’s Word.

So-called “feel good” messages are like putting a band-aide on a cancerous tumor.  If a doctor tells you things are well, that you should go home and you’ll do just fine, when in reality you have only a few weeks to live, he is not a doctor – he’s the enemy.  It is the same with a preacher who won’t give you the Word of God without candy-coating. 

A guilt-trip preacher might get you to part with a few bucks, but you don’t get near the heart of God with guilt-giving.  If we give out of guilt it only takes a little time until the guilt subsides; then we slip back into our old ways.  Once the guilt emotion wears off, we rediscover our real heart’s desire – self!  Guilt doesn’t last.

What DOES last is the Word of God.  And so, this morning I want to share with you the BASICS OF CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP from the “Owner’s Manual”…God’s Word

When you start with basics you must start with…

DEFINITION

The question is, “What is Christian Stewardship?”  The answer is simple – it is the “whole tithe” (as we read in Malachi).

 Mathematically the tithe is 10% of your income.  The first time we encounter the word “tithe” in the Bible is Genesis 14:20, where Abraham paid a tithe to a priest named Melchizedek. 

 Positionally it is not just A tenth; it is the First Tenth!  When most of us are introduced to the idea of giving a tithe we mentally picture all our other financial commitments, and then try to “fit” tithing into the program. 

That is not what God has told us to do.  All the way through Scripture we encounter the principle of “firstfruits”.  God’s people are not to bring leftovers to worship. 

Abel’s brother, Cain imagined his choice of offering was just as good as what God had required.  He was wrong; it got him in big trouble.  God requires “firstfruits” – in other words, He requires the best you have.  In Malachi’s day the people brought sick and disfigured animals for sacrifice, keeping the best for themselves.

The first tenth…the tithe…is not only the first you get; it is to be the best you have!

 Definitely…the tithe is the Lord’s! 

All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the LORD’S; they are holy to the LORD. Leviticus 27:30 (NRSV)

We may be tempted to say, “That’s Old Testament law; we’re under grace!”  That is true, but Jesus also said rather clearly that He came to fulfill the law, not do-away with it. 

The early church took that seriously.  You can see (in Acts and Philippians) that the first century believers not only gave a tithe – that was their base; gifts and offerings were given above the tithe.  Giving was a sacrificial completing of the law.

You may also say, “OK, tithing is Biblical, but I just can’t afford that much right now.”  I have heard those words many times.  Often that means the person has obligated their income to the point that he is way over his head, to the point that the concept of tithing brings fear.  You fear that the charge cards won’t get paid!  Folks, that fear is an indication that things you buy or want are more important than obedience to God; that is a dangerous game to play.

Common sense says you must pay your bills; otherwise you’ll get hauled into court.  Spiritual sense overrules the objection here.  Given a choice, I’d rather be hauled into any court in the land and be publicly humiliated, have all my worldly possessions taken away, and be put in prison for life-without-parole, than to stand one second before God’s court in heaven, having withheld what belongs to the Lord! 

The first basic of Christian stewardship is definition; it is the first tenth that is holy to the Lord.

DESTINATION

 Where should I give my tithe?

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse…  Malachi 3:10a

The storehouse is the church; more accurately – your church!  Someone once called the paying of our tithes “an act of worship AT God’s house of worship.”  The place where you have chosen to worship is the place you are to worship with your tithe.

Whenever God’s Word is specific (such as “thou shalt not steal”) we are to be obediently quiet.  There is no question that the Bible tells us to bring our tithe where we worship.  It is my personal belief that when and what you give ABOVE the tithe is discretionary.  You give those gifts where the Spirit impresses you the greatest need exists.  But the tithe belongs where you worship.

Sometimes I am asked for counsel by folks on the Internet.  One person considers me a “temporary pastor” for their family.  They live in another state and are looking for a church home.  They wanted to know what to do with their tithe until they found a church…should they send it to me?  I told the person to give the tithe where they worshipped each week.

A lady in a church I once served told me that it was a joy to bring her tithe to the worship service.  She counted it a privilege to offer to God her tithe and other offerings.  She also told me that the greatest joy she experienced was putting away several dollars each month, in addition to her tithe, so that she could be “in” on meeting needs for the poor children in her neighborhood.  Folks, that woman bought more new shoes and blue jeans for kids that weren’t hers, than anyone I’ve ever met.  These were her gifts above the tithe.

However, for the ongoing mission and work of the church, God’s people who make up that church body are to faithfully BRING their tithes to worship each Lord’s Day.

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come.              1 Corinthians 16:2 (NRSV)

Definition – the first10%, Direction – my church, and…

DISBURSEMENT

 What will my tithe do?  It meets the needs which God chooses.  Notice that it meets spiritual needs:

²²Set apart a tithe of all the yield of your seed that is brought in yearly from the field.  ²³In the presence of the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose as a dwelling for his name, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. Deuteronomy 14:22 - 23 (NRSV)

One of the chief needs we all have is to learn to worship.  A man came to his pastor with a check for $10,000.  He said, “Preacher, this is my tithe for the next two years; I want to pay it up in advance.”  The pastor wouldn’t take the check.  He told the man, “You bring it as you receive from the Lord.”

Giving is connected to our regular need of worship.  You wouldn’t pray one good long prayer at the beginning of the year; or eat one good meal.  Your spiritual needs are met in ways you can’t describe when you bring your offering regularly.  On the first day of the week you bring yourself, and your offering.

Our giving also meets temporal needs:

²⁸Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your produce for that year, and store it within your towns; ²⁹the Levites, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you, as well as the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, may come and eat their fill so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work that you undertake.                        Deuteronomy 14:28 - 29 (NRSV)

God’s people should never have to beg or go hungry.  That is God’s promise, but it is based upon the fidelity of believers in the local church to bring their tithes for the meat in the storehouse.

The formula for revival has always been humble prayer, mixed with earnest obedience!  When God’s praying people are God’s obedient giving people, the world sees the demonstration of God’s power and love in action. 

 Needs are met.

 Miracles take place.

 Society is deeply affected.

Now, there are three basics –

     Definition:  Christian stewardship is the tithe,

     Destination:  given in the local church,

     Disbursed:  to meet the needs God has ordained;

     Of course “stewardship” is a word that encompasses all of life, not just things related to money.  We must be careful to remember that all we possess (our time, health, family, etc), are all gifts from God; they should be well-taken-care-of as acts of ultimate stewardship.  There is another caution, however.  We must also beware of:

DELAY

 What if I reject this?  Simple answer; you are robbing God!

⁸Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In your tithes and offerings!        Malachi 3:8 (NRSV)

That is very plain language.  And even though it is disturbing information, this is a fact that demands very plain details. 

Many people are listed on the rolls of many churches.  But, they not only neglect to worship with their presence, they choose to spend God’s tithes on themselves.  That is not obedient, and it is not at all smart!  It is self-destructive. 

Worship and giving are activities you need in your life; they are designed to bless you and strengthen you.  Putting aside your need for both harms you.

Consider the principle of “The Widow’s Mite”.  If you remember Jesus and his disciples were sitting near the treasury of the temple.  People were coming and going; most were giving some kind of offering. 

An extremely poor widow walked-in and dropped in two coins…mites – pennies, if you will.  A “mite” was about 1/64 of a day’s wages.  In today’s economy it equals about 7^1/2 minutes of paycheck.  So, if you work for $10 an hour, it would be about $1.25.             Here’s the story from Doctor Luke:

²He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.  ³He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; Luke 21:2 - 3 (NRSV)

Now Jesus said her gift was greater than any other – even the rich folks who gave large sums.  The reason Jesus assessed the gift that way was that it was all the poor woman had.  The woman was down to less than the cost of a cheeseburger!  She gave out of her need…sacrificially. 

Two important facts here: 

1.           The woman was at worship – she was there with an open heart, and…

2.           She was going to give, even if it meant not eating that day.

Jesus pointed-out this poor woman in order to help us understand that giving to God is never hidden from the eyes of God.  He has promised that giving will bless us, and He is as good as His promises.

But, the reverse is also true in the principle; those who withhold that which belongs to God (worship and tithes) bring reproach on themselves – and the damage is considerable. 

You may recall the rich young ruler.  Jesus told him to “let go” of his riches…it would lead to treasure in heaven.  The young man went away sad, supposing he had more than heaven had to offer.  Jesus’ told his disciples that the young rich man was in peril of holding on to the weight that would keep him out of heaven.

If God will praise a widow for giving her last buck-and-a-quarter, he will certainly condemn anyone who steals what is rightfully His.  Would a man rob God?

DECISION

 What if I have not been faithful with the tithe?  Is God gonna get me?  Yes – or No, it depends on you…

⁷Ever since the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?”

¹⁰Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. Malachi 3:7, 10 (NRSV)

The promise of judgment for disobedience is real; but so is the promise of mercy and blessing.

    If you have been holding-out on giving God your best in stewardship, you can repent…that means return to God, begin anew.  You can start right now giving Him your best.  When you return to God, He returns to you.  It is done in faith…you take a step towards God, believing He will accept you; and His Word promises He will. 

    That is how the Christian life is begun; an act of faith as you pray for forgiveness…God accepts this genuine repentance and accepts you as a child of His. 

    That is also how the Christian life continues, we act in faith every day, worshipping and giving.  It is God’s way.

What is your decision?  Have you been faithful with God’s tithe?  If so, wonderful…continue to grow in the faith as you give tithes and offerings above the tithe.  Already there?  Teach others the joy you have experienced.

Have you not been faithful?  Begin now, and grow.  Return to God’s way, and His ways will bless you.

Have you not ever begun the walk with God?  You can start.  Remember, when it was time for God to give, He didn’t send some old, broken-down, left-over angel for which he had no further use.  God sent his firstfruits – His best – His one and only begotten Son…for you!

The tithe is God’s standard of Christian giving because what you have in your possession represents all you are.  It represents your labor, your work, and your worth.  You can choose to give God the leftovers, your least, what you can spare…but it will never be any better than that. 

The steps can be very definite this morning.  We have reserved taking the offering until now…you can begin to trust God by giving your tithe, even if you have never done that before. 

You can also trust Him by joining hands with this church family – become part of what is going on here to serve Him in worship and witness.

The firstfruits of what God requires is YOU.  Let the church say, Amen!