Latest revision as of 15:58, 23 March 2022

Theological Proposition/Focus: God is the ruler of all and deserves our obedience, especially in the area of finances.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: Those who would call themselves people of God must give to God what he demands.

Introduction:

Image: Rules vs. Legalism the image of staying on the trail during a long hike without enough water.

Unfortunately, we tend to swing like a pendulum, from one extreme to the other. One such case occurs in the realm of law and grace, or legalism and liberty. You see we are under grace. That is we enjoy God's unmerited favor and can never achieve righteousness by perfectly following a bunch of rules. However, that does not mean there are no rules. In fact, there are a number of rules we should follow, it is simply the case that following a bunch of rules does not make us more righteous.

So how should we think about rules? I like to think about rules as trail markers. Emily and I love to go on hikes. A couple of years ago Emily and I were hiking and it was hot. We had been excited to get out on the hike and as a result had not really talked about some critical questions like: how far, how long, and who was responsible for what aspects. It was a very hot day and the sun was beating down. I grabbed my bag and a couple of bottles of water and Emily grabbed her bag and the dog. About an hour into the hike Emily asked if we could stop for a water break. We sat down and I took out my water and started drinking. Emily asked me for a drink of water and that was when I realized the problem. Emily thought I was bringing all the water and I thought we were splitting the water carrying responsibilities. I had brought enough water for myself but not for Emily and the dog. Have you ever made a bad decision worse?

Well we looked at where we were and how far back we needed to travel and realized it was going to be tight. However, the trail had been winding and so I suggested what if we just hike straight back, that was a bad idea. The underbrush was thick, the rocks were steep. Once we traveled about 1/2 we decided the only way to do this was for me to take all the remaining water and hike the rest of the way back. Load up with a bunch of water and then return to help Emily and the Dog. Going off the trail was a bad idea!

I think the principle in life is that God has rules in place to keep us on the trail. We can leave the trail but it is going to be harder and more painful. Staying or leaving the trail does not earn us God's favor, but life is much better on the trail.

Today we are going to talk about some rules and I want to be clear. Following the rule will not make you more of a Christian, but following the rule will certainly keep you more on the trail.

Need: We need to tithe!

Subject: Giving/Tithing

Preview:Within Malachi 3:6-12 we are going to see that being a citizen of heaven comes with certain rules, that these rules neccesitate obedience, and that we should step out in faith and obey.

Text: Malachi 3:6-12.

Setting the Stage: (Post Babylonian cativity, return 536 BC, new temple 516 BC, Nehemiah returns in 432 BC, Xerxes king, heavy taxes)

Post Babylonian cativity, return 536 BC, new temple 516 BC, Nehemiah returns in 432 BC, Xerxes king, heavy taxes

Malachi was written to a Jewish remnant in Palestine. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, the people were deported. In 536 BC some of the people were allowed to return and in 516 BC a new temple had been constructed. Nehemiah who had come to help rebuild the city returned to Persia in 432 BC. Xerxes was king and he imposed heavy taxes on Palestine. Malachi wrote to the people in this context.

The theme is one of patient hope in God and special emphasis is placed on God's demand for justice. Malachi taught that spiritual apathy is unacceptable before God. God has plans for the future and expects his people to change their attitude and worship him through faith always trusting that he is sovereign. God’s standards have theological, social, and ethical implications and God expects his people to live by those standards.

Malachi Style: Asking Good Questions

Malachi's style is one of asking good questions and significantly, Malachi is the last prophet to write before John the Baptist comes on the scene more than 400 years later.

Several problems: False Teaching 2:7, Unfaithfulness to others 2:10, Unfaithfulness to spouse 2:14, Idolitry 2:11, Toleration of exploitation (3:5)

In Malachi 2-3:5 the prophet noted several areas where Israel had failed to obey God: false teaching (2:7), unfaithfulness to each other (2:10), unfaithfulness to one's wife (2:14), profaning the sanctuary with idolatry (2:11), toleration of exploitation of the defenseless (3:5). Israel had messed up but one area which really stood out to God was Israel's refusal to give God what he demanded.

Body

Principle: Citizenship comes with rules but is impossible to lose (6-7).

Image: The penalty for speeding

As a citizen of a country, there are certain rules you are expected to follow. Suppose you are caught speeding, what is the penalty? You are fined. Suppose you get caught speeding again? Again you get fined. Now suppose you are caught stealing, what is the penalty? You are fined and might get placed in jail. Do you ever risk losing your citizenship? No.

In Malachi 1 the people had asked an important question. Does God even love us? You see the people had returned to the land and built the temple, yet they had not been blessed the way they expected. The people were stuck in the absence of blessing wondering if God still loved them.

God faithfully waits for obedience (6-7a)

The Bible is filled with examples of people who disobey God. Time and time again, The people of Israel failed to obey.

Exodus 32:7–9

In fact, as Moses was receiving the very law of God, the people were breaking the law.

God patiently waits for his people to return

However, as we see in the second half of the verse, God promises to return to those who return to him. The people of God never cease to be the people of God. God is faithful and is simply waiting for us to return to him.

It seems that Israel, in response to God's call for them to obey responded with the classic, I didn't know better, what do you want me to do.

MTR: Ask God to search your heart.

=Psalm 139:23-24 Search me

In Psalm 139 David talks about God's ability to truly know him. God knows his inner being. God knows what no one else knows. God knows the thoughts of his heart. Then David says something profound in verse 23 and 24. "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." David asks God to search him and root out anything unpleasing. We need to do the same. No matter who you are, no matter what you have done, no matter what you have thought, God remains faithful to you and he is waiting for you to come to him with an open heart. He alone can root out the evil, he alone can fix your heart.

Principle: Citizenship warrents Obedience (8-10a).

Image: My House, My Rules

I thankfully had a good relationship with my parents in the two years between graduating High School and when I moved out. However, not everyone has such a relationship. Nevertheless, even as an adult, while living with my parents there were some rules I was expected to follow. I was expected to attend all the regular church services, I was expected to let my mom know which meals I would be present for, and I was expected to be home by midnight even on weekends. These rules were not a problem for me, but even if I had not liked those rules it really would not matter. Why? Because it was not my house. Yes, I was an adult, but the cliche "my house my rules" is fitting. I was enjoying the benefits of living in a clean house and having food provided for me, I was responsible for following the rules. One of the most striking aspects of our society that I see today is when people expect to be able to make their own rules. That is not how it works, membership in something warrants you following the rules. Indeed God has certain rules for his people and one of those rules involves our Stewardship. As Stewards, we are to give back to God.

In verses 8-10, God calls the people out for robbing him. The wording "Will a mere mortal rob God?" in verse 8 carries the idea of incredulity. How could someone even think about doing such a thing as robbing the God of the universe?

Recall that the idea behind Israel's inheritance of the land was actually one of Stewardship. The people never owned the land, rather they worked for the owner-operator God. As such, the people had a responsibility to God.

God is supreme and deserves his tithe (8, 10a)

The Tithe מעשׂר is literally a tenth and served as a reminder of stewardship to a faithful God

The word for Tithe (מעשׂר) here in verse 8 literally means a tenth. We will talk a little more about tithe later but here it is important to recognize that God expected Israel to set aside 1/10 of everything for God.

Based on verse 10 it seems that people were shorting God. It seems that people may have been bringing a little less than a 10th, or rounding down. Maybe people were only bringing a 10th of what was left over. In any case, God is clear, bring me the whole tenth, anything less was robbery.

This is a hard passage because we really like to do things our own way. However, God really does not give an out here. The simple fact was that the people were wrong and God makes a very strong case that they needed to change.

In fact, God had implemented several checks and balances so that the people might remember that they were merely stewards and needed God. Some of these checks included taking Sabbath rest, making regular sacrifices, and the tithe. Did you catch that? The tithe served as a reminder, a reminder that God was the owner and a reminder that God is faithful. When the people tithed they placed themselves under God and trusted that he could take care of them even if they only had 90% of what they had produced.

The offering תרומה was a way to show love for God

In addition to the word tithe, we are also introduced to the word for offering (תרומה). The word is related to the Hebrew word for "be high" and carries the idea of lifting something up as in setting aside or lifting it out of man's domain and into God's domain. Offering are always made to the Lord. The point here is that God deserves both tithes and offerings. I think that at times we don't distinguish enough between these two. You see, we think of both as charitable giving, a way of showing our love for God. But that is not entirely accurate. The tithe is simply what we are supposed to do. The offering is a way of showing our love for God.

Failure to tithe brought consequences (9)

When I read the Bible I am very encouraged. However, every once in a while, I see a verse that I find to be challenging or concerning. Verse 9 is one such verse. God in no uncertain terms tells Israel that their failure to tithe has resulted in his cursing of the nation. In verse 11 we are given some of the details of the curse: famine due to locusts and vines without grapes.

MTR: Determine to tithe, choose to offer.

Call to Action: Step out in faith (10b-12)

God is the ruler. He invited Israel to test him (10b).

I want you to be very careful as we look at verses 10b-12. This is not an open license to test God. This is a specific situation where God has given a specific group of people (Israel) permission to test him in a specific way (giving). Please don't overapply this. It is wrong to test God with complaining, rebellion, and unbelief and many passages of Scripture attest to this.

God the Lord of Hosts (יהוה צבאות)

Okay, that being said. Notice what God commands, he commands the people to test him. He then follows that with his own personal name. The NIV translates the words יהוה צבאות as Lord almighty, it would be better translated as Lord of Hosts. Specifically, the God of heaven is the God who God declares that he will bless beyond what the people can even use. The Lord of hosts is the one who can throw open the flood gates of heaven.

God is the ruler. He invited Israel to receive his blessing (11-12).

In verses 11-12, a couple of items stand out to me. First, God was allowing a plague to impact the people's crops. If Israel took the step of obedience in tithing, God would remove that plague. Second, I see that God promised extensive visible blessings on the people if they turned to God and obeyed him in this area.

Relevence to the Church

First, I want to be clear, the book of Malachi was written for Israelites living under the promises of the Mosaic covenant which explicitly promised physical blessing in exchange for obedience. These same promises do not apply to us today as we are part of the New Covenant, not the Mosaic covenant. I cannot promise you that God will give you physical blessing because of your tithe. However, there are principles that we must recognize even today. One of the first places I want to turn is First Corinthians 16:1-2

Proportional Giving is Expected (1 Cor. 16:1-2)

In First Corinthians 16:1-2 I see a couple of important aspects about giving in the New Testament. First, it is to be regular. Second, it is to be in proportion to your income, i.e.e a percentage. Third, it is to be set aside first, i.e. before taxes, groceries, etc. What I want you to notice is that everything about this sounds just like a tithe but without having given a specific percentage.

Ten percent is a biblical starting point (Gen 14:20)

Recall the story of Melchizedek. After defeating a coalition of kings Abraham honored Melchizedek by paying him a tithe of the spoils of war. Significantly, Abraham paid a tithe or 10%. In the timeline, this precedes the Mosaic covenant by more than 400 years. In other words, long before the law was given there was a precedent for a tithe to be paid. I am not going to stand here and tell you that if you are giving 9% then you are sinning but I will say this. there is a clear command to give proportionately, even before the Law Abraham gave 10%, Second Corinthians 9:6 teaches that "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." If I were you, I would make 10% my baseline starting point.

Second Corinthians 9:6 teaches that "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."

I have never met someone who is regularly tithing and wishes they were not. I have met plenty of people who don't tithe and are struggling to make it financially.

MTR: Evaluate your own finances and tithing

Conclusion

Consider both the idea of a tithe and an offering. How are you doing with you tithe? Do you give proportionally to your income? What about your offering? Does your offering represent sacrificial worship to the Lord who saved you. I am reminded of what King David stated in

2 Samuel 24:24

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

We should make sacrificial offering to the Lord our God.