Wealth and Eternity Part 3: God's Instructions

Money Possessions and
Eternity Part Three:
God's Instructions on
How to Use Our Money
Bible Readings:
Malachi 3:6-18 (Page 677)
Luke 16:1-15 (Page 741)
1
Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Money and possessions are a
fundamental part of our lives.
We need to know what the
Word of God has to tell us about
how we are to use them.
There is a strong relationship
between the way we use our
money and possessions and our
relationship with God.
Our attitude toward money and
possessions and the way we use
them has eternal consequences.
2

Jesus’ Teaching
We must choose to store up
treasures in heaven by good
deeds and generous giving.
If our eyes are good we will
look at this life the way God
sees it: good deeds and
giving are investments into
eternity.
If we don't choose to serve
God with our money, money
will become the master of
our lives by default.
3

The Bible’s Teaching:
Giving is a lifestyle.
People can live their lives in one
of two ways:
Trying to get the most out of
life for themselves.
Seeking opportunities to give
of themselves.
For an inward self‐focussed life
giving is an unnatural action.
For a outward generous life,
giving is a natural action.
4

Lima shanty town of Pamplona
5

“A tithe of everything from the
land, whether grain from the
soil or fruit from the trees,
belongs to the Lord; it is holy to
the Lord.”
(Leviticus 27:30, NIV84)
A tithe means one tenth part,
10%. Ten percent belongs to the
Lord and is therefore holy.
First tithe supported the priests
and the Levites so that they
could devote their time to
serving the Lord in the Temple.
6
Three Tithes

A second tithe was to be eaten at the
sacred festivals
“You must not eat in your own towns
the tithe of your grain and new wine
and oil, or the firstborn of your herds
and flocks, or whatever you have
vowed to give, or your freewill
offerings or special gifts. Instead, you
are to eat them in the presence of the
Lord your God at the place the Lord
your God will choose—you, your sons
and daughters, your menservants and
maidservants, and the Levites from
your towns—and you are to rejoice
before the Lord your God in
everything you put your hand
to.” (Deuteronomy 12:17–18, NIV84)
7
Three Tithes

A third tithe was collected once
every 3 years for social welfare.
“At the end of every three years,
bring all the tithes of that year’s
produce and store it in your
towns, so that the Levites (who
have no allotment or inheritance
of their own) and the aliens, the
fatherless and the widows who
live in your towns may come and
eat and be satisﬁed, and so that
the Lord your God may bless you
in all the work of your hands.”
(Deuteronomy 14:28–29,
NIV84)
8
Three Tithes

Tithing began long before God
gave Moses the Law.
Abraham, after he had successfully
recovered his possessions from a
raiding party, tithed to the High
priest Melchizadek.
“And [Melchizedek] blessed
Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram
by God Most High, Creator of
heaven and earth. And blessed be
God Most High, Who delivered
your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of
everything.”
(Genesis 14:19–20, NIV84)
9
The 10%

Jacob ﬂed his father's house
and encountered God in the
desert. He promised to give the
Lord 10% in return for His
blessing and protection.
“And this stone that I have set
up as a pillar will be God’s
house, and of all that You give
me I will give You a tenth.”
(Genesis 28:22, NIV84)
Ancient Egyptians, Chaldeans,
Assyrians, Chinese, Greeks,
Romans and Arabians tithed.
10
The 10%

The 10% belonged to God. In the
Old Testament people didn't
“give” a tithe but repaid it to the
Owner of all things.
The OT speaks of “bringing”,
“presenting” or even “paying”
tithes, not “giving”.
Giving was different, a “freewill
offering”.
“All the Israelite men and women
who were willing brought to the
Lord freewill offerings for all the
work the Lord through Moses had
commanded them to do.”
(Exodus 35:29, NIV84)
11
The 10%

Freewill offerings were over and
above the tithes.
Some were purely spontaneous acts
of giving something extra to the
Lord because you were so grateful.
Some were were for a specific
purpose such as the construction of
the tabernacle.
The Israelites got so carried away in
the excitement of giving materials
and gifts for the Tabernacle that
Moses had to stop them because
they had more than enough to do all
the work.
The freewill offering is an act of
worship that defies logic.
12
Freewill Offering

When the Israelites’ faith and
commitment to God fell away so
did their tithing and their freewill
oﬀerings.
When revival happened so the
tithes were paid and the temple
worship was able to be restored.
Through Malachi the Lord
challenged the Israelites to pay
their tithes to Him. Then they would
experience a renewal of faith.
By taking the ﬁrst step of paying to
God what was rightfully His, their
faith and joy in the Lord would be
renewed.
13
Faith and Tithing

All the sacriﬁcial laws were completely
fulﬁlled by Jesus.
Principles of moral behaviour and human
relationships remained.
Jesus insisted that His disciples’ behaviour
should exceed the demands of the Law.
“You have heard that it was said to the
people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and
anyone who murders will be subject to
judgement.’ But I tell you that anyone
who is angry with his brother will be
subject to judgement. (Matthew 5:21–22,
NIV84)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not
commit adultery.’ But I tell you that
anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her
in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27–28, NIV84)
14
New Testament Tithing

The principle of that 10% of
your earnings belong to the
Lord predates the Law and so
remains relevant.
Jesus assumed that His disciples
paid their tithes.
When He spoke about “giving
to the poor” He was teaching
about what we give beyond
that basic obligation to God.
15

Jesus challenged His followers to
live a self‐giving life style that was
far beyond the requirements of the
Law.
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If
any of you wants to be My follower,
you must turn from your selﬁsh
ways, take up your cross, and follow
me. If you try to hang on to your
life, you will lose it. But if you give
up your life for My sake, you will
save it. And what do you beneﬁt if
you gain the whole world but lose
your own soul? Is anything worth
more than your soul?”
(Matthew 16:24–26, NLT)
16

The ﬁrst Christians tithed and
gave with great generosity.
(Acts 2:45)
In the early church (100 ‐
400AD) tithing 10% to the local
church was an unquestioned
fact of Godly living.
17

In the second letter to the
Corinthians,Paul's instructions
about giving were how to give
and collect a special offering.
Paul collected the offering for
the Christians in Jerusalem at
the time of a great famine.
This was a freewill offering for a
specific purpose which had
nothing to do with their basic
obligation to give to God the
10% that belonged to Him.
18

“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.”
(2 Corinthians 9:6–8, NLT)
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Wealth and Eternity Part 3: God's Instructions

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