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Showing posts with label Tithing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tithing. Show all posts

Monday, July 24, 2023

The Sermon on the Amount

Introduction
At home in my personal devotion time, I recently finished reading through Matthew chapters 5-7 and paraphrasing it in my own words.  These chapters are Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount.”  I hope to preach a series of messages soon on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” because it is full of wisdom we need to hear.  I will probably start that message series in about a month.  But today I want to preach a different message.  Today I want to preach a message I call “The Sermon on the Amount.”

You can probably guess the subject of the message from the title. It's a sermon to answer a question people often ask:  “How much money should I give to the church?”  Money is a sensitive subject—especially when a preacher is the one talking.  But I hope you will listen closely. 

Jesus talked about money a lot, because He understood how people handle money is one of the main things that reveals the inward and unseen state of their hearts.  Since Jesus cares deeply about us, he cares deeply about how we handle money; and we should too. 

The Tithe
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the guideline for giving was called the tithe. A tithe is a tenth of a person’s income.  This tradition giving 10% of your income goes all the way back to the patriarch Abraham in Genesis 14.  Abraham gave God 10% of all the assets he recovered from a battle with an invading army.  Abraham knew God was the one who gave Abraham success in battle.  The tithe was a way for Abraham to thank God for the victory.

 Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, also practiced tithing.  God promised in a dream to bless Jacob with land and many descendants.  In gratitude, Jacob promised in Genesis 28:22, “I will give God a tenth of everything he gives me.” 

The tithe became the standard for giving throughout the Old Testament and was codified as part of Jewish religious law.  Leviticus 27:30 – “A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.”  And verse 32 – “The Lord also owns every tenth animal counted off from your herds and flocks. They are set apart to him as holy.”

Besides being a way to show gratitude to God, the tithe was also used to support people who had no other means of support—priests, refugees, widows, and orphans (see Deuteronomy 14:28-29).  The Bible says the practice of tithing also taught people to trust and revere God (see Deuteronomy 14:23).

Tithing continued in the New Testament and is still the standard for giving in churches to this day.  So if the question is “How much money should I give to the church?”  Many Christians would answer, “10% of your income.”  So for example, a person who earns $50,000 per year would give $5,000 per year to the church (or about $96 per week).

Now, I could spend the next 10 minutes trying to convince you why you should give a full tithe to the church; I could quote Bible verses and speak of my own personal experience with tithing and what a blessing it’s been.  And it would be very challenging, because most people in the church don’t tithe and it’s not easy to give away 10% of your income.  But the truth is, that message wouldn’t be challenging enough.  God has a greater challenge than just to demand you start giving 10% of your income in the offering each week.  So I want to read to you from the Gospel of Mark 12:41-44.

Mark 12:41-44
41 
Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

The Collection Box in the Temple
In the Temple in Jesus day, the collection boxes kind of looked like a trumpet on top of a box.  The “horn” was made of brass.  So as you dropped coins into it, the metal coins would rattle against the brass horn as they went into the box (and back then all money was coins; there was no paper money).  So as people entered the Temple, it was all designed to show off how much money people gave (and by implication, how wealthy were the people who gave). 

You can imagine the scene:  Maybe one person drops a small bag of coins into the collection box and you can hear the sound of numerous coins rattling down the horn.  And everyone hears it and thinks: “Hmmm…”  Then a wealthier person empties a large bag of coins into the box and it really makes a lot of noise.  And people think, “Wow!”  And the family that dropped that money in can stand a little taller—proud of their wealth and the fact that everyone also knows it.  And the Bible says Jesus was sitting there near the collection box watching people drop in their money.  

That’s an interesting thought.  Jesus was interested in what people did with their money.  In our day, we are very private about what we give to the church.  We are very careful at Pleasant Grove to keep your financial giving confidential.  There’s only 2 people in this whole church that can find out specifically what you give.  And we keep that information very confidential.  But Jesus also knows what you give.  Jesus knows not only what you give, but what you can give and why you do or don’t give.  Jesus knows your heart.  Just as Jesus watched as the crowds giving their money to the Temple, Jesus watches as people give money in the Church today.  And just knows not only what you give, but He knows your heart as you give.

In the story from Mark, Jesus wasn’t impressed by all the rich people giving their money at the Temple.  He knew most of them had so much extra that they could give and it didn’t even hurt.  It might sound impressive to hear such a loud clanging as a sack full of money rattled down into the collection box, but Jesus knew it was money a rich man would never miss.  And Jesus knew their hearts.  Maybe Jesus wasn’t impressed because He knew many o the richest givers cared more about what people thought about them than what God thought.  Maybe Jesus knew the richest givers really didn’t care about the poor or the needy, they just wanted to be admired.  Jesus knew their hearts.

And then a poor widow came to the collection box.  She dropped in two small coins—what we might think of as a few pennies.  Yet Jesus admired her because He knew it was all she had to live on.  Jesus said:  “This poor widow has given more than everyone else. They only gave a tiny part of their great income; but she gave everything she had to live on, even though she is very poor.”  The law only required 10%, but the widow gave everything she had.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.  The world and all its people belong to him.”  God already owns everything.  He’s the only person in existence of whom you can truthfully say, “He’s independently wealthy.”  He doesn’t need your money or my money or anyone’s money. 

And He certainly doesn’t need a poor widow’s 2 cents.  But the widow’s gift is remarkable because it shows she is content with her life the way it is and she figures she can live just fine without those 2 pennies.  She believes God will take care of her.  She had incredible faith.  She trusted in God rather than her money.  And so she already gave God what He wanted most of all—her heart.

Your Heart. Not Your Money.
It is far better to give someone your heart than your money.  How much better off would we all be if everyone understood this principle?  It is better to give your heart than your money.  How many marriages have deteriorated into emptiness because the husbands do not hear the silent yearnings of their wife when she says, ‘I don’t want your money.  I want you.’?  How many parents have lost their children because they failed to interpret the signs, ‘I don’t want your presents, [Mom and Dad].  I want you.’? [i]  Too often we try to buy people off—but no amount of money can substitute for our heart. 

The biblical standard for financial giving is 10%.  10% is the minimum, not the goal (and et so few do the minimum).   According to a national survey by the Barna Group, Christians in America only give, on average, 2.2% of their income to the church.[ii] Why do you have so little faith?  Do you not trust God enough to give what He asks?

Others may feel very proud they do give a full tithe on their income.  They are true tithers.  They’re giving at least 8% more than most other Christians. They may feel like they’ve done their duty and they aren’t challenged to do more. “Why, look at me!  I’m a tither!”

Whether you do or don’t tithe, don’t miss the heart of Christ’s Gospel.  In Jesus Christ, God says, “I don’t want what you have; I want you.”[iii] 

What is it that John 3:16 says?  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but… give Him 10% of their income…  No!  That’s not what it says.  What does it say? So that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” 

And where would this eternal life be?  With God, forever.  God didn’t send His son to die on the cross of Calvary so that He could just have 10% of our income.  He did it because He wants you—every part of you.  And God doesn’t just want you 10% of the time; He wants you all of the time and for all eternity.  You see God doesn’t want your money.  He wants you!  And where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.[iv]

What’s more, Jesus didn’t just come to save you; he came to save the whole world.  And He appointed the Church as His Body to carry out His mission.  He said, “Go and make disciples of all the nations…”[v] We are nothing less than the Body of Christ.  His mission has become our mission.  His passion has become our passion. What an awesome responsibility; what an incredible honor—to spend ourselves and all we have for the souls of our brothers and sisters here in Whitfield County and even to the ends of the earth. 

The Apostle Paul understood the full ramifications of this. He said in all sincerity, “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good…”  That is the attitude I pray we will have.  How far are we willing to go for the spiritual good of the person sitting next to us today?  Are we willing to expend ourselves and all we have for the people in our community? 

The True Amount = Everything
You see, the real question is not: “What amount of money should I give to the church?”  In light of our purpose as Christians and the tremendous need around the world, the question is: “How much dare I spend on myself?”  The question is not: “Can I afford to give 10% of my income to the church?”  The question is, “Can I justify to Jesus the lifestyle that consumes 90% of my income?”  

We live in one of the most prosperous nations in the world, and a lot of good has come of it, but is it enough?  Have we done all we could do with the vast wealth God has given us?  Have I done all the good I can do with the wealth God has given me?

A lot of people would say the problem with the church today is that only 2% of Christians actually tithe.  I disagree.  The problem isn’t whether or not we tithe.  The problem is we haven’t followed the example of the widow.  We haven’t given everything to God. 



[i] John Wilkerson, “I Seek Not What is Yours, but You”

[ii] According to The Barna Group – http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=36

[iii] 2 Corinthians 12:14

[iv] Mathew 6:21

[v] Matthew 2:19a

Monday, May 16, 2022

A Message for Graduates and Everyone

Introduction
Graduation.  To be 18-19 years old.  To be poised on the precipice of starting your own life.  Your life, where you make your own choices, live out your own values, and decide who you want to be.  I’m so glad I get to share a message for graduates today. 

I’m 48 years old.  Is that old?  I don’t know.  It’s a lot older than our graduates, but it’s still a lot younger than many people!  In many regards, I do feel old.  Why do my feet hurt in the morning when I stand up for the first time?  How can they hurt?  I haven't done anything yet.  I've only been sleeping!  I guess they just hurt because I've been walking on them for 48 years.

But in many ways, I feel like I am still the young man sitting out among the graduates poised to begin my adult life.  I will forever be linked to my senior year of high school, because it was the year I began dating the woman who became my wife.  So much of the man I am today was shaped by that decision and the dreams we had together--dreams we worked so hard to realize.  1992 was the year that I began the journey of who I am today.

My words today are for the graduates, but they are really for all of us.  We all need to remember what it is to be young and charting the direction of our lives.  We also need, at times, to recalibrate our lives to get back on the path of righteousness.

Luke 12:13-21
13 
Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Don't Be A Fool
The best advice I can give to graduates, to anyone really, if have a rich relationship with God.  Graduates often start with very little money.  If they have a job, they usually aren't earning much.  Their parents probably paid most or all of their expenses.  Then, suddenly, they are out learning to pay for groceries and clothing and laundry detergent and other things.  They may just barely scrape by for a few years and they may long for the day when their finances aren't so tight.

So here's an important word for you.  You're not doing this all by yourself.  Even when you think you are all on your own, you parents, your family, your church are still pulling for you.  And even if no one else is there, God is surely with you.

But don't be a fool like the man in Jesus’ parable.
  He was a fool because he was greedy and selfish. He didn’t think of others.  I do feel some sympathy for him, because farming can be a tough business.  Most years, farmers are just scraping by.  Insects and plant diseases and drought often eat up your produce and you may barely have enough or maybe even come up short.  There are many lean years.  I'm sure there were people who helped the farmer in Jesus' story during his lean years.  But when he finally had a good year with a surplus, all he thought of was himself.  Instead of turning to help others who may not have been so fortunate, he thought only of himself and how he could enjoy the pleasure in this world.  He planned to take it easy saying, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come” but didn’t realize he was about to die and lose it all.

None of us knows how many days we have.  and when this life is over, the things of this world will belong to others.  We can't take them with us.  Therefore, we should think of others instead of clinging to what we have.  And we should value our relationship with God above any worldly goods because they are only temporary.

Be Generous
Be a generous person.  Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Always remember, God is taking care of you, and therefore, you can be a generous person who does what God calls you to do.  

You don't have to live out a scarcity mentality.  When you live for a long time barely making it or not having enough, you can get in the habit of clinging to what you do have.  You always have this mentality that you've got to hoard up every little bit you do have because tomorrow you may be without.  Some people get into this way of thinking so strongly that even when they have extra, they still feel as though they must hoard what they have.

That's why I'd like to challenge you today to tithe.  A tithing is giving 10% of your income to God through His Church.  I'd like to clear up some confusion about the tithe, because even a lot of older people misunderstand this term.  I hear people from my church say things like, "I just stopped by to drop of my tithe."  But they weren't really giving a tithe, they were giving and offering because their donation was not 10%.  And I'm not saying I don't appreciate the offering; that's not my point.  I just want to be sure we use precise language.  A tithe is a very specific offering--it is 10% of your income.  If you are giving an offering, great!  But call it an offering and reserve the term tithe for when you give 10% of your income.

The minimum standard for giving in the Bible started with the tithe--giving 10% of a person income to God through His Church.  For graduates, I challenge you to start tithing now while you don't have a lot.  You may think, "That's just not possible.  I hardly have anything to start with."  That's OK.  If you hardly have anything, your see, your tithe won't be much.  10% of $10 is on $1.  However, if you start tithing now, you will develop the habit while it's easy and then later when you do have a lot, it will already be a way of life for you.  If you wait to start tithing until you are wealthy and making 6 figures, your tithe will be very large and harder with which to part.

And the Church needs your financial support.  Our bills and our staff need to be paid, and this is only possible when people give generously.  The Church can only function to the degree it is funded.  That's just the way it works. So we need people to give and the tithe is the biblical standard of giving.

However, the tithe isn’t just about what the church needs.  It’s also about what you need.  Tithing helps you remember life isn’t all about you.  It helps you guard against greed.  It’s also something to help you practice your faith in God’s providence—that He is going to take care of you.  Tithing is an exercise of faith that strengthens your trust in God, helping you build a rich relationship with Him while building His Kingdom.  The tithe is a win, win, win--a win for the church, a win for God's Kingdom, and a win for your spiritual life.

Trust God
Trusting God and maintaining a strong relationship with Him is something young adults really, really need.  The ten years after high school graduation are the most formative of your whole life.  Thin about it.  From the ages of 18 to 28, people are leaving their parents home, maybe going to college or joining the military or starting a career.  They may be choosing a spouse and who will be the most influential person in their life of the rest of their life.  They may be having kids of who be a minimum 18 year responsibility.  If ever there is a time in life when people need God's guidance, grace,  and help, it is those young adult years.  

Sadly, these are also the years when most people drift away from church.  I know it can be difficult to stay connected in that time of life, but it is so worth it and so needed.  I challenge graduates to not drift away but to delve into their relationship with God through the Church.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Us older people also must continue to trust God.  And sometimes we struggle.  The last 2 years have been a huge exercise in trusting God because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  As church, we struggled.  I remember vividly our church leaders concerns in the March of 2020 when we learned we had to shut down in-person worship for an undetermined period of time.  "How will we pay our bills if people aren't attending church and putting offerings in the offering plate?"  We knew we could survive for a few weeks, maybe a few months, but how long without continued giving?

What we found is that God was faithful and people continued to give faithfully.  And as the days and weeks and months wore on, people continued to give.  We actually saw an increase in giving.  We were cautiously optimistic, but we thought, "Well, we don't know how long this is going to keep going on and how this pandemic is going to affect the economy and trickle down to our supporter's personal finances."  However, by the end of 2020, I found that the church ended the year with a surplus--something that hadn't happened in the last 10 years I'd pastored the church.  

And it was in that moment I sensed the Lord leading me to the parable we read today of the rich man who built bigger barns.  I sensed God asking me, "What is your church going to do with this extra?  Are you going to build bigger barns to store it all away? Or are you going to trust Me and help people?"

So I shared this with the finance committee and said, "I think we need to help people in our community, because a lot of people struggling right now."  And Finance was wise and cautious.  They said, "Well, we still don't know what the future holds.  Let's wait a little while longer and see if giving continues to provide a surplus."  So we waited a few more months into 2021.  When giving continued to be generous, finance recommended and the elected Church Council approved a new charitable program called Operation Mercy Drops.  With Operation Mercy Drops (OMD), church members identify and sponsor people in our community who have a special need to receive a $1,000 grant.  (Click here to read about Operation Mercy Drops.)  We made a commitment to give a $1,000 grant each month for at least 12 months.  So many people have been blessed by this so far.  God has been good to the givers and the receivers because we chose to give instead of building bigger barns.

You can't even imagine how much good can be accomplished when people trust God, are faithful, and give generously.  Lives are changed when we choose to think of others instead of hoarded our extra in bigger barns.

Recalibration
A few weeks ago, a member of my church gave me a book titled One Man's Wilderness.  It's the story of Richard Proenneke, who in the 1970s moved to the Alaskan wilderness to build a log cabin and live off the land.  It's a fascinating story; I love that kind of thing.  Well, since Richard was cut off from civilization, a man named Babe would fly in some supplies every so many months.  After about 10 months of isolation, Richard asked Babe what time it was.  He found his watch had drifted off by about 15 minutes.  He had to recalibrate his watch to get back on the right time with the rest of the world.

We all need a recalibration from time to time.  Do you remember being a graduate, with your whole life ahead and you had your great goals and ideals you wanted to realize?  Or maybe it was at another time in your life, when you had a clear vision for the kind of future for which you wanted to strive.  How are you doing?  Are you still on the right path? 

We all drift off course from time to time.  It may not even be by much, but over time a little drift can make you miss the target by a lot.  So, it is good for us to stop every now and then and think about it and commit to do the things we need to do to get back on the right path.

What do you need to do today to get back on the right path?
Or if you are just starting out, what do you need to do to help you become the person you need to be?
I invite you to pray to God about it and ask Him for help.
And if you've never don it before, I invite you today to accept Jesus invitation to come follow Him.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

The Transforming Gift of Giving


Introduction
We’ve been studying how the power of God transforms all believers through the Holy Spirit so that we in turn can help transform each other and the whole world.  The Holy Spirit everyone who follows Christ as Lord a special gift.  Romans 12:6-8 tells us tells us the Holy Spirit gives some the gift of Prophecy, others the gift of Serving, or Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, or Kindness.  Today, we will consider the spiritual gift of giving.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
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. 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.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Giving Transforms Lives
When I was 21 years old, I started volunteering as a youth counselor at East Cobb UMC in Marietta.  We had a wonderful Youth Pastor, Eddie Bradford, who did a wonderful job.  I was there as a volunteer to just hang out with the kids, build relationships, and offer encouragement.  The kids seemed to respond well and I was truly blessed to be with them.  The youth of that church, like most, took several trips every year--a ski trip in the winter, a beach trip in the summer and a few camping retreats throughout the year.  It was a great time for each kid to spend focused time building relationships with each other, the youth pastor and volunteers, and of course God.  The youth's parents paid a fee to cover the cost of their trips and of course the youth pastor was on the church staff so his cost was covered.  However, I was just a poor, broke and starving college kids.  My parents weren't even able to help me pay for college (I was working my own way through) so I had no money for youth trips.  Some of those trips could cost between $300-500.  Thankfully, there were a number of generous sponsors at East Cobb UMC who anonymously paid to cover the cost of any youth or counselor who couldn't pay for a trip.  Because of their giving, I was able to go and build deep relationships with the youth and with God.  I was never even able to thank those donors, because their giving was intentionally anonymous.  But look at what a fruitful investment they made.  I have been a minister now for 20 years and those early youth trips were a large contributing factor to my decision to follow this path.  So all the lives my ministry has touched is an extension of the financial gifts of those donors at East Cobb.  Their investment has born more fruit than they could have ever imagined when they gave.  Even my family has been dramatically effected, because all three of my kids and my wife grew up engaged in a parish ministry setting.

Every Christian is Called to Give
Every Christian is called to give.  It is built into the very identity of the Christian faith.  Jesus paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross in our place.  Christ gave his life to save us from sin and death and to offer us enteral life with God.  We become a Christian when we surrender to God.  We admit we are sinners who desperately need the saving grace of God.  We repent of our sin—primarily, the sin of thinking and acting as if our life belonged to us when, in fact, our life belongs to God because He made us and gave us a purpose.  So we repent and give our life to Jesus, God’s one and only Son.
  
Jesus talked about money a lot; more than prayer, sin, heaven, or hell.  He talked about money so much because he knew how much people value money.  Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21).  In other words: if your heart truly belongs to Jesus (because you’ve surrendered your life to him), then the things you treasure most deeply (including your money) will devoted to him too.  A quick test to see how much you “treasure” Jesus is too look at your finances.  What do you spend your money on?  How much is yourself?  How much is others?  How much is given directly to the things that really matter to Jesus?

The biblical standard for giving is 10%.  That means if you earn $50,000 per year, you would give $5,000 to Jesus through the Church.  This is called a tithe.  It was a law in the Old Testament and Jesus confirmed that people should tithe (Matthew 23:23).  I encourage all of you to tithe for two main reasons. 

First of all, it will bless the Church.  If every family here at Pleasant Grove gave a tithe we would have no trouble paying off our mortgage and paying our bills, and we would have plenty left over to do all kinds of incredible, life changing ministry—to kids, youth, adults, even seniors.  The simple fact is, the Church cannot reach it’s full potential because all of God’s people do not give what they are supposed to give.  That’s just the simple Truth.  But there’s another reason you should tithe. 

It will bless you.  Giving the tithe is a spiritual disciple every bit as important as prayer, reading your Bible, attending worship, and serving.  You cannot grow the way God wants you to grow if you are not giving. Period.

So, if you aren’t giving 10% of your income to God through His Church, I encourage you to start.  Maybe you don’t think you have the faith or money you need to jump right into 10% giving.  Then start with a lesser amount and work your way there.  Don’t just talk about it.  Make a plan.  How will you work your way to 10% giving?  How long will it take?  One year?  Two?  Five?  Make a plan and then implement it.  Perhaps you could start with 3% or 5% and gradually work your way up to 10% in a year or two.  It can be done.  I know it, because Kelly and I started tithing when we didn’t have any money—in our early 20s when our combined income was probably less than $15,000 a year.  The good thing about tithing is when your income is small, your tithing is small.  If your income is only $10,000 per year, your annual tithe would be $1,000 per year (or $83 per month or $19 per week).  As your income increases, your tithe will increase; but by then tithing will already be part of your habit and you won't have to struggle with it.

Christians are called to begin with a tithe, and then go further.  Just because you are already giving 10% of your income doesn’t mean you cross your arms and proudly exclaim, “I’m done!  I don’t have to give anymore.”  Remember what the old hymn says?  “Jesus gave it all!  All to him I owe!”  Therefore, always look for how you can give more to Jesus.  You will find it is a great blessing to give.

The Spiritual Gift of Giving
All Christians are called to give.  However, just like some Christians have the gift of music or the special ability to preach, other Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit with the special ability to give in order to help transform our world.  Those with the spiritual gift of giving have a special ability to understand the material needs of others and then give generously beyond the normal standard to meet those needs.
A giver’s basic motivation is to live frugally and save as much as they can so they can give as much as they in order to help others. Givers take special delight in figure out needs that most people overlook and then meeting those needs.  Givers delight to find less expensive ways to do things, so that the Church gets the most bang for their buck.  A giver’s family often thinks they are cheap—too concerned about counting pennies—but the people to whom they give think they are extremely generous.  Saving resources brings a giver almost as much pleasure as giving them, because they regard saving as the key that opens the door to even more resources. They seem to be able to accumulate savings, even in hard times.  Lastly, most givers prefer to stay out of the spotlight.  They often give anonymously in order to avoid recognition.  Their reward is knowing God’s Kingdom is thriving because of their gift.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Givers
Spiritually gifted givers have some great strengths to offer God’s Kingdom.  They tend to avoid impulsive spending.  They understand authority and expect to be held accountable and diligently hold others accountable.  They are usually hard workers with conservative values.  They often like to be personally involved in the lives of the people in whom they've invested.  Givers manage their money well and hardly ever spend more than they make or incur debt.  Givers love to motivate others to save and to give generously.

However, with those strengths come some weaknesses givers should avoid.  Sometimes a giver’s efforts to conserve resources can degenerate into being “cheap.”  They might sacrifice quality for quantity or even miss a good opportunity altogether because they are unwilling to spend.  Spiritually gifted givers sometimes come to care more about the money than what the money can do for God’s work.  So, givers need a strong prayer life to know what God is doing and also the faith to give when God calls them to spend on His Kingdom work.  Pride can become another great weakness for givers.  They may become proud of their great resources and their ability to influence with their money.  If offended, givers may resort to withholding their giving as a weapon, letting their feelings interfere with God-given opportunities to give.  Furthermore, givers sometimes get too focused on one issue they see as a priority and ignore other issues that may be important to others or may be even more important to God’s Kingdom work.

Do You Have the Spiritual Gift of Giving?
Do you have the spiritual gift of Giving?  Do you have a knack for saving money—both by putting it away and also by getting a good deal?  Do you enjoy helping others more than spending on yourself?  Are you a hard worker with integrity, able to be held accountable for the way you use the resources God gives you?  Are you using your spiritual gift to have the greatest impact possible for the Kingdom of God?  As we get ready to close, I want you to pray about it.

As we close, I want to share one more story.  When I was a young minister—about 26-years-old and just starting out in the ministry.  I left a good paying job as the director of quality assurance at 1888 Mills to work as a youth director at a small church.  Our first child, Gavin, was just a baby.  Part of my job was to lead worship for our church’s youth group.  I had an old guitar that was barely adequate.  It seemed like it broke a string just about every time I played. Then I’d have to stop the service and take 5 minutes to put anew string on and retune (and you just couldn’t get it tuned right in that type of situation).  One of my volunteers, Eddie, called me and said, “Chris, meet me up at guitar center today.  I want to buy a guitar and I want your advice…”

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

The Tithe

Introduction
Let’s start off with a few trivia questions:
  • Which of the following topics did Jesus teach about more often?  Was it:  Heaven, Hell, Money, or Prayer?  The answer is Money!
  • How many of Jesus parables talked about money?  Is it:  1, 4, 7, or 11?  The answer is 11!
  • How many verses in the Gospel of Luke refer to money?  Is it 1 out of 7, 1 out of 10, 1 out of 20, or 1 out of 30?  The answer is 1 out of 7! 
Jesus talked about money a lot.  Apparently, Jesus knew money was a very important aspect of our spiritual lives.  Just like your blood pressure is a symptom of your physical health, the way you manage your money is a symptom of your spiritual health.  The subject of this message is what Jesus said about tithing.

Luke 11:42
What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

Explain the Passage
In Luke 11:42, Jesus scolds the Pharisees for ignoring justice and the love of God, but he affirms their practice of tithing.  The obvious point of the passage is the most important thing in life is to love God and live the right way.  The Pharisees were famous for acting all righteous and following all the rules, but they didn’t really love God or people.  Jesus reminds them (and us) that doing all the right things doesn’t matter if you ignore justice and don’t love God.  We should do good because we love God.
At the same time, Jesus affirmed the Biblical standard of giving.  A person should give a tithe, which is the first 10% of their income (see Gen. 28:22; Lev. 27:30, 32).  In fact, if a person truly loves God and wants to do the right thing, he or she will tithe.  Notice what Jesus said, “You should tithe…” 
Now, I want to take a moment to clear up some misunderstandings in the church.  A concerned member of our church asked me a few weeks ago, “Pastor, I don’t think people in the church really understand the word tithe.  I hear them calling their offerings their tithe, but it’s not their tithe unless it is 10% of their income.”  That is correct.
Some people say they tithe (meaning they give money to the church), but they don’t really give 10% of their income.  They are giving an offering not a tithe.  If you are calling your offerings your “tithe,” you are using the wrong word—unless it is 10% if your income.  So let’s look at some examples, because I want everyone to understand this and use the right word.
The way you calculate a tithe is by taking your income and multiplying it times 0.10.  The answer is your tithe (or how much you should give according to the biblical standard).  See the picture below:

Now, let’s look at a few more real life examples.  The median household income in America is a little over $50,000 a year.  In other words, the average household (combing together what the husband, wife, and anyone else that lives in the house make) is about $50,000 per year.  How much would the tithe be?  $50,000 X 0.10 = $5,000.  So in order to tithe, the average household would need to give about $5,000 a year to the church (or about $100 per week).  Most people in the U.S. do not; therefore, they do not tithe.  They give an offering, but not a tithe.  

Let’s do another example:  My son, Gavin, just got a job as a lifeguard.  He’s only 18 so he doesn’t get paid much—only $10/hour.  Suppose he works 20 hours a week.  That means he will only make about $200/week.  How much would Gavin need to give in order to honestly call it a tithe?  $200 X 0.10 = $20/week (or $1,040 per year).

One more example:  Suppose you are retired and living on social security payments.  I looked up the typical social security payment.  I don’t know if this is accurate, but it’s what Google said so we’ll use it as an example.  Your social security income is $733/month.  How much should you give in order to call it a tithe?  $733 X 0.10 = $73.30 (or about $880 per year).

So, let’s be clear and let’s use the right word.  If you do not give 10% of your income in your offerings, you are not giving a tithe.  You are giving an offering.  Call it an offering or call it a tithe (if it’s 10%), but call it what it is.  Don’t call an apple an orange.

People commonly ask the question, “Do you calculate the tithe before or after taxes?”  In other words, should I use my gross income to calculate my tithe (which would be more) or should I calculate the tithe after they take out taxes (which would be less)?  I say—it’s up to you.  If you are not currently tithing, my advice would be to start tithing your income after the government takes out their taxes.  Then, over time, perhaps you can grow to tithing your full income before taxes are taken out.  I can tell you this:  I have never known a faithful Christian to regret the practice of tithing.  It is hard to start, but once the practice is established, people find joy in it, are glad to give, and often wish to give even more.
Today, the sad truth is that 9 out of 10 people that go to church in America do not tithe at all (on either their before or after tax income).  The average Christian in America only gives about 2% of their income.  It is no wonder that the church struggles to do the ministry God calls us to do.  We don’t have the resources we need.  I am thankful for everything my church has, but the truth is, we could double our ministry budget and do so much more if all our church members tithed.
The saddest truth of all is what this lack of tithing tells us about the spiritual health of Christians in America.  Remember, how you handle your money (and how you give to the church) is a symptom of your spiritual health just like your blood pressure or temperature is a symptom of your physical health.  Therefore, we see that 9 out of 10 Christians in this country are spiritually sick.  It is no wonder our communities are slipping morally.  Church goers are more committed to worldly values than Christian values.  Why should we be surprised to find those outside the Church do not exhibit Christian values.  We need a revival of true Christian commitment.  Otherwise our churches, our communities, and even our nation are going to continue to suffer the symptoms of spiritual illness and apathy.

For the Sake of Argument...
Some argue that they don’t have to give money because they give their time instead.  That’s twisting what the Bible says, but I’ll play along to make a point.  If you want to give 10% of your time, you would need to volunteer at the church for 16 hours and 48 minutes every week.  If you’d like to do that, I can put you to work! 
Others argue, "Tithing was in the Old Testament.  Jesus did away with tithing."  Well, no, as we see in Luke 11:42, Jesus affirmed tithing.  And if you want to follow that line of reasoning, then you will find that Jesus actually goes much further than the tithe.  Jesus taught we should go the extra mile--which means giving more than the minimum tithe.  Ultimate, Jesus requires that you give everything--just as he gave everything for you.  That means giving 100%, not just 10%.
            There are other arguments people make to excuse not giving as much as the Bible instructs, because we want to cling to our money.  Oh how we love our money (or we love the lifestyle that requires so much of our money so we can't afford to tithe)!
            All this misses the larger issue.  Jesus doesn’t want what you have.  Jesus wants you!  Jesus doesn’t want just 10% of your income or your time.  Jesus wants your whole heart.  And if you surrender your heart to Him, you will surrender everything else.  You will stop asking questions like, “How much time, money, obedience, do I have to give?”  You will have an attitude that honors justice and the love of God.  You will ask, “How much can I give?  How much can I justify keeping for myself?”  For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. (Matthew 6:21) 
People who are wholeheartedly committed to Jesus, who are His true disciples—the way He calls every one of us to be—say, “Lord, all I have is yours.  Here, take my house.  Take my car.  Take my family.  Take my career.  Take it all, Lord.  It’s all yours anyway.”  True Christians sing the great hymn of the church, making the words their sincere prayer to God:

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

Conclusion
            People who join as members of Pleasant Grove UMC make a promise to support the church with their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service, and their witnesses.  It is not one or the other.  It’s all of the above.  Think how much good the church could do if every Christian started tithing?  Think of the wonderful children and youth programs we would have.  Think of the amazing music and worship we could provide.  Think of how many needy people we could serve and how many lives we could change.  Think of the difference we could make if we all simply stepped up and gave a full tithe.
            However, there is much more at stake than what tithing does for the church.  The fact is, we are spiritually sick.  We need healing in our soul.  Jesus forgives our sin, and he offers healing.  Healing.  Forgiveness comes with a word, but healing comes through treatment.  As when a doctor gives you medicine to take and says, “Stop smoking” and “you must do these exercises three times a week in order to rebuild your strength after a surgery,” healing for your soul comes through the daily practice of obedience to Jesus.  One of the treatments Jesus give us is to be generous.  He says, "You should tithe..."
            Our selfish attitudes (about sin, money, gratitude, giving, etc.) only change through practice.  Giving a tithe is like spiritual push ups.  It builds your faith muscles.  Why don’t you start building yours today?

Reflection

Take some time to:
  1. Calculate the tithe for your weekly, monthly, or annual income
  2. Reflect on how God might want you to begin the practice of tithing,
  3. Consider that Jesus deserves more than just your money.  He deserve your all.