["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Now let's go ahead and sing it out on the first.
["To God Be the Glory"]
Amen, great team. Welcome to Verity Baptist Church here on our Sunday evening service.
We are glad to see everyone here this evening. Let's bow our heads and open the service with a word of prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father and Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to come out to church this evening.
Good evening, Lord. Thank you for the great things you've done today.
We pray that you bless the service, bless the singing, and we pray that you bless the preaching to come.
And we love you in Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
All right, it's now time for favorites, where if you're selected, we will sing a stanza from the song that you picked.
Josiah, go ahead.
Song number 3-0.
Song number 30.
["The Blood of Jesus"]
Nothing but the blood. Song number 30 on the first.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make my world again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh, precious is the food that makes me white and small.
No other ground I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
One more on this side. Madison.
19.
Song number 19.
["The Blood of Jesus"]
Song number 19 on the first.
There is a fountain filled with what's drawn from manual space.
And since what we need, the blood loses all the guilty sins.
Loses all the guilty sins.
There is a fountain filled with what's drawn from manual space.
Loses all the guilty sins.
Justice.
4-1-1.
Song number 411.
Let's sing, Hope, the fourth, where I am coming.
Song number 411 on the first.
Oh, my comrades, see the signal waving in the sky.
Reinforcements now are near and victory is nigh.
Hope, the hope, for I will come and tease the signal still.
Wave the answer back to heaven.
By thy grace we will.
Miss Kimmy.
102.
Song number 102.
He hideth my soul.
Song number 102.
A wonderful savior is Jesus my Lord.
Sing it out on the first.
A wonderful savior is Jesus my Lord.
A wonderful savior to hear.
He hideth my soul.
And wherever you are,
There is a pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul.
And wherever you are,
There is a pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul.
And wherever you are,
There is a pleasure I see.
And wherever you are,
There is a pleasure I see.
Um, you.
What was it?
232.
Song number 232.
Tell me the story of Jesus.
Song number 232 on the first.
Tell me the story of Jesus.
Right on front every word.
Tell me the story was precious.
As sweet as that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels before us
Sang as they loved his birth.
Glory to God in the highest.
Peace in the tightest breath.
Tell me the story of Jesus.
Right on my heart every word.
Tell me the story was precious.
As sweet as that ever was heard.
Brother Alan.
138.
This will be the last song for favorites.
138.
The Haven of Rest.
Amen.
Song number 138.
This will be the last song.
Sing it out on the first.
My soul is at exile.
What's not on life's feet?
So bear with me till I'm distressed.
Till I would see Christ.
Take with me your church.
And I enter the Haven of Rest.
I thank my soul.
In the Haven of Rest.
I feel what's here in my heart.
The tempest may sleep.
All the wilds will meet me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
All right, we welcome you to the evening service tonight.
Let's go ahead and take our bulletin and we'll look at some announcements real quickly.
If you do not have a bulletin raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you.
If you need a bulletin, just put your hand up and we will get one for you.
Of course, the verse this week, first Chronicles 39 and 14.
What is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this or for all things come of thee and of thine own?
Have we given thee and that's a good verse there
We like that if you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service time Sunday morning service 10 30 a.m
And we had a wonderful service this morning
We're glad you're back out tonight for the evening service
And then of course we invite you to be with us on Wednesday night for the Wednesday night
Bible study if you look at our soul winning times our main sewing times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m
And then we have additional sewing times on
Thursdays Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m. If you are a soul winner
Don't forget to add your salvations on the communication card on the card
There's a place for you to write down
Whether you've had a salvation or not and that way we can track it
In the bulletin and also don't forget to turn in your maps
If you have a map that you did not finish just mark what was done
What was not done and place it in the bin in the foyer and that way we can get it finished up
And if you're running late in college or Texas at the number there nine one six eight six eight nine zero eight zero
Let us know you plan on being there
But you're gonna be late that way we can have a map and a partner and everything that you need
We of course are a family integrated church
What that means is that children and infants are always welcome in the service
We do not separate children from their parents for any reason
We do have mother baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience
So if you have a child that's been distracting during the service if you need some privacy
We encourage you to use those rooms as needed if you need to be baptized
Please let us know we'd love to baptize you and you can let us know on your communication card
We'll follow up with you and talk to you about that
And then of course we have the announcements and upcoming events
The big announcement is the vision offering and that is on Sunday March 26
We spent the morning talking about that, but I want you to notice there
We've got our goals to continue to save for a down payment for a future building
Can they continue to support our missions work and the church plants in Manila from Funga be cold and of course our missionaries?
Brother Matthew Secchi and Dave kabuntala and then host the eighth annual red hot preaching conference
And we hope that you'll just be thinking about that praying about that if you look at the giving options
There are some options there for you to be able to give of course
You can bring a one-time gift on the day of the vision offering Sunday morning or Sunday night and in your
bulletin you should have
Several things that are there for you regarding the vision offering first of all
You should have this
Card that gives you the information about the vision offering and we hope you use that and be praying for the vision offering and of course
You've got the vision offering envelope and this is what you can use
on Sunday tonight on Wednesday whenever you want and
for your vision offering gift
If you don't use one of these envelopes is fine
It doesn't matter which envelopes you use but if you write vision offering
Somewhere either on the check or on the envelope let us know it's for the vision offering
We would appreciate that that way we can track that and then of course
You've got your commitment card if you would like to maybe you can't give on Sunday
But you'd like to commit to give in April or May or June
You've got a card for you to be able to make that commitment and many of you commit to do all of it
You give on Sunday, and you give every month and all of that and we appreciate your generosity with that
So please make sure that you are thinking about that praying about that and considering what you can do of course this morning
We showed our vision offering video if you have not seen it
You can go on our website very Baptist calm on our homepage is the video there for you
if you'd like to see that and it just shows a lot of
Information about the vision offering and then of course if you continue there in our announcements
We have the Lord's Supper coming up on Wednesday April 5th at 7 p.m.
And we invite the entire church family to be here for that and then of course Easter is on Sunday April 9
So we have our Easter service. You should have one of these cards as well for our Easter service
We hope you'll join us of course on Sunday morning for Easter
We've got lots of special things going on in the morning service. Of course, the choir will be singing
We'll have special music from the choir in the orchestra
We're gonna have a gift for every guest in attendance and we'll have Cadbury eggs for all the children in
Attendance we want to encourage you to be here for Easter and invite someone to come to church with you on Easter Sunday
Choir practice that practice at 5 p.m
Other things there for you to look at please
Don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent during the service
So I do not a distraction to anybody if you look at the back of the bulletin
Birthdays and anniversaries for the month of April this week. We have one birthday
Birthday Zuri o2 is on March 23rd
And then there's praise report money matters all those things are there for you to look at I do have one
Baptism certificate to hand out this evening. Let me go ahead and read this it says
Certificate of baptism this certificate is awarded to Jacqueline de Dios in
Recognition of her baptism on the seventh day of March of the year 2023
Presented by Verdi Baptist Church and then of course the verse from in 64
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death
That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should walk a newness of
Life and we've got pictures here for Jacqueline to remember the day of her baptism and we'll go ahead and give her a round
And I think that's it for all of the announcements
So we're gonna go ahead and sing the chorus of the week as we prepare to receive the offering this evening
And we'll sing I stand amazed we'll sing it out on the first
Oh
I
Second
Oh
I
Amen good singing we'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time
And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Heavenly Father Lord, we
Do thank you for allowing us to gather together tonight Lord
We pray that you bless the offering the gift and the giver
We ask that you meet with us as we take time to open up the scriptures to learn from the Word of God in
Jesus name we pray. Amen
You
Please open up to Malachi chapter 3
Malachi 3 if you need a while you can put your hand up and I'm not sure we'll come by bring your Bible
Malachi chapter 3 if you need a rock you panda pressure will come by
Malachi 3 will read the entire chapter as a custom
Malachi 3 being a verse from 1
Behold, I'll send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom he seek shall suddenly come to his
Temple even the messenger of the Covenant who mean delight in
Behold, he shall come say it the Lord of hosts
But who may abide the day of his coming and he shall stand when he appearth
For he is like a refiners fire and like Fuller's soap
and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purify the sons of Levi and
Purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old as in former years
And I'll come near to you to judgment and I'll be a swift witness against his sorcerers
But against the adulterers and against false swears
against those that oppress the hireling in his wages the widow and the fatherless and the turn aside of the stranger from his right and
Fear not me say it the Lord of hosts for I am the Lord
I changed not therefore you sense of Jacob were not consumed
Even from the days of your father's year gone away from mine ordinances and I've not kept them
Return unto me and I'll return unto you say it the Lord of hosts, but he said wherein shall we return
Will a man rob God yet?
Ye have robbed me, but he say wherein have we robbed thee in ties and offerings
Ye are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation
Bringing all the ties into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and
Prove me now herewith say it the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and
Pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it now rebuke the devourer for your sakes
They shall not destroy the fruits of your ground
Now that shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field say it the Lord of hosts
And all nations shall call you blessed for you shall be a delights in land say it the Lord of hosts
Your words have been stout against me say it the Lord yet you say what have we spoken so much against you?
You have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and
That we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts and now we call the proud happy
Ye they that would work wickedness are set up. Ye they that tempt God are even delivered
Then they that feared the Lord speak often one to another and Lord
Harkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name
And they shall be mine say the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels
And I'll spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him
Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him
Not let's pray Heavenly Father. Thank you for this evening
God, I thank you for your word for a church and for everyone that's here as he pleased me with us tonight
God as he pleased me other pastor tonight to strengthen him if there were spirit. We love you. Just ain't praying. Amen
Amen
Alright, we're there in Malachi chapter number three, and I would like you to keep your your place there
We're gonna get back to Malachi chapter three
But if you would go with me to the book of Genesis Genesis chapter number 14, and of course on Sunday nights
We've been taking
The Sunday evening services to go through a series called declaring doctrine and
Our declaring doctrine sermon series is a systematic study through the major doctrines of the Bible
And we've been of course on this series for a couple of years now not in a row
But we'll be on it for a little bit and then take a break come back to it and take a break
And what we've been doing is we've been
treating this big sermon series because the declaring doctrine sermon series has 60 sermons that I've
Lined up 60 different doctrines
That are the most important doctrines or the things that I'd like you to be aware of if you're gonna do a study on
Systematic theology. These are the 60 sermons and thoughts that I wanted to bring to you. Of course, that's a really long sermon series
So what we've done is we've divided that series into sections
So for example, we spent several weeks studying the doctrines of the Godhead and we spent several weeks studying
The doctrines of different things we are actually currently
In a section on the subject of the church and we're not done with that section
We still have two more sermons in that section of the church and we're gonna get back to that
But I'm actually taking a break from that and jumping to another area of the same series if that makes sense
And maybe that doesn't make any sense to you and that's fine. Just you know
I'm just saying this for my own because when I go back and listen to this to
figure out what I was trying to do, I'll remind myself and
tonight I'm preaching on the subject of the doctrine of tithes and offerings and
The reason that I'm doing that is because these 60 sermons have to get preached either way one way or another
I'm gonna preach all of them and this sermon actually be
belongs in a different family
Which is the family of Christian living which we will get to that
Section at some point, but I figure we've got the
The the special offering coming up the vision offering on Sunday
and I thought what better time to preach on the doctrines of tithes and offerings then on the Sunday night before that so
This sermon doesn't belong here, but that doesn't matter. It's the Word of God and
And it's good and I just figure I'm gonna preach it
anyway might as well preach it to you as we prepare for a special offering and
What we're gonna look at tonight is the doctrine of tithes and offerings and we're gonna look at it in two different sections under two
different headings
The first is the doctrine of tithes of tithing or tithes and then the off of the doctrine of offerings now
I realize that I preached a sermon on giving this morning and
You know now I'm preaching on giving tonight and you're really starting to feel like an old IFP Church
but um
You know
I figure my sermon this morning wasn't much of a giving sermon and I actually thought I should re-preach that sermon somewhere else
For another conference or something not on on giving
but tonight I want to deal with the subject of tithing and the subject of giving and
The Word of God is good
now good for the good thing for you is you get you you have to listen to the sermons on giving but you
Get them both in one day
And then that way you can like get it out of your system and forget about it and never think about it again
If that's the way you feel about it Genesis chapter 14, I want to begin by talking about tithing
So I'm gonna give you six kind of thoughts or characteristics on the subject of tithing and then I'm gonna give you some thoughts on
the subject of offerings and
I'll explain kind of the difference
There but I want to begin and if you're taking notes
Like I said, we're gonna look at it in two different sections two different headings the doctrine of tithes the doctrine of offerings
But in those headings, I want to give you some different points. So six thoughts on tithing
From the Bible. We'll start here in Genesis 14. And if you're taking notes, maybe you can write this down number one
Let's talk about the practice of tithing the practice of tithing in Genesis 14 and verse 20
The Bible says this and blessed blessed be the most high God
Which have delivered thine enemies into thy hand and he gave him tides of all now
We have a lot of scripture to look at tonight
So I don't want to spend a lot of time on the stories and the context you can study the context out on your
Own but just for your own knowledge in Genesis 14
We have a story of Melchizedek who is actually an Old Testament appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that
Some people don't agree with that, but that's fine
We have Melchizedek who is speaking to Abraham and the Bible says that he is saying to Abraham and blessed be the most high
God which have delivered thine enemies into thy hand because remember Abraham just came back from
delivering lot from
From captivity
After he had lost a battle and he was on the side of Sodom and Gomorrah here
We have Abraham coming back and Melchizedek is telling him blessed be the most high God which had delivered thine enemies
Into thine hand and then the Bible says the last little part there in verse 20
It says and he and the he there is referring to Abraham gave him and the him there is Melchizedek
Tides of all now we know that the he is Abraham and the him is Melchizedek just simply by the context
Which I'm not taking the time to look at tonight
but even if you want to argue that the book of Hebrews actually recaps the story and makes it clear that
Abraham tied to Melchizedek and that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and
We see here and the reason that I'm bringing this up and I want to show this to you
When we begin with the subject of the practice of tithing is because today there are those who teach
That New Testament believers do not need to tithe and they'll say that tithing is something that was
connected only to the Mosaic law and once the law has been done away with then
Tithing is no longer needed. It's always really interesting to me that the same people that tell you
The Mosaic law is what taught tithing so that we don't have to tithe are the same people
That will also tell you that we shouldn't get rid of
Certain parts of the law the ceremonial law or that it doesn't apply and it's just kind of kind of an interesting thing there
But I want to show you that though the Mosaic law
Obviously does teach about tithing and we're talking about the Mosaic law
We're talking about the laws that Moses gave after he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt
Of course, he gave him the Ten Commandments
But then he gave them a lot of commandments and he made a covenant with them that they were to follow these laws
Obviously Moses did teach a lot about tithing and the Mosaic law does teach about tithing
But what I want to show you is that tithing was mentioned in the Bible before the Mosaic law in Genesis 14
We have Abraham who was before Moses
Abraham Isaac and Jacob are the patriarchs of the children of Israel and really the patriarchs of our faith and they are
hundreds of years before Moses and here we see
Abraham tithing to Melchizedek
So for someone to say oh the tithing has done away with the law and we don't longer
No longer have to tie this New Testament believers
Well, the problem with that is that they were tithing way before the Mosaic law way before Moses gave the law
Way before Moses ever came on the scene. We see
Abraham tithing to Melchizedek. Let me give you another example go to Genesis 28
Genesis 28 you're there in Genesis 14 just flip over
So we're talking about the practice of tithing the practice of tithing still exists today
Don't
Let anybody tell you oh you don't have to tie them or we're not under the law now
Here's what I always tell people
Because in the New Testament
there is obviously this this idea in the New Testament of doing more than the old and
So when people say to me like well
I don't believe in tithing and I don't think we need to do it based on law
My response to them is great. You don't have to tithe. Why don't you give 20%? I
Mean why why is it? Oh, we're not supposed to tithe
So in the Old Testament God wanted us to do 10% in the New Testament now
He wants to do zero that doesn't really follow the rest of Scripture in the Bible. We see that
Christianity got stronger and our walk with God got more clear in the New Testament
So if you say well, I don't want to type you don't have to tie you give 20% you give 30%
Nobody's telling you can't give 90% go ahead
but to say that
Tithing is connected to the Mosaic law and because the Mosaic law has been done away with
Which is not necessarily true parts of the law
The ceremonial parts have been done away with but even if you believe that the Mosaic law has been done away with therefore tithing
Been done away with that is being intellectually dishonest
When I can point you to a scripture where Abraham is tithing to Melchizedek
The Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament before the Mosaic law before Moses was ever even born
Let me give you another example Genesis 28 look at verse 22
Genesis 28 22 this is Jacob now again the patriarchs who are they Abraham Isaac Jacob?
This is Jacob speaking to God and notice what he says
He says and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be
God's house and of all that thou shalt give me
I will surely give notice what he says the tenth unto thee
So we're here. We have Jacob
saying I'm going to establish this our this this pillar this this altar as
The house of God as God's house and then you say well, what do you do at God's house?
he says well one thing you do is you bring the tenth of
Everything that you have given me God
I'm gonna bring the tenth back unto thee he says of all that thou shalt get me
I will surely give the tenth unto thee so we see that the Old Testament
records tithing
Before the Mosaic law so therefore it is false. It is incorrect
It is a lie to say that tithing is only connected to the Mosaic law and it's been done away with the Mosaic law
Let me give you another argument go to Matthew chapter 23
this is the book first book in the New Testament Matthew chapter 23 and
Look at verse number 23
Matthew 23 in verse 23
Do me a favor when you get to Matthew put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there because we're gonna leave it
And we're gonna come back to it Matthew 23 in verse 23
The Bible says won't you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites?
For ye pay tithe
This is Jesus speaking and look
Oftentimes what I found with simple people is that
they
The Bible can sometimes be a little too complicated for them and I'm not saying that the Bible is complicated
I don't think there's anything complicated about what I'm gonna show you right now
But I am gonna say this that to understand Matthew 20 23
You're gonna have to read at a higher lever level than you know cat in the hat
Okay, so you're just gonna have to pay attention a little bit
It's not that hard because here's here's what people don't understand
They see Jesus speaking in a negative tone towards the
Towards the Pharisees in Matthew 22 23, and then they make this simplistic thought they say well
Jesus is being negative. So therefore everything he's saying he must be against. Okay, that's stupid
That you know, you you gotta you gotta graduate from hop-on-pop and you you've got to
develop some communication skills and some skills of being able to read and
Comprehend you ever heard of reading and comprehension
Let's let's use a little bit of reading and comprehension. Yes, Jesus is upset in this verse
Nobody's arguing that but I want you to notice what he says
He says whoa unto you scribes and Pharisees. Who's he upset at? He's upset at the scribes
He's upset at the Pharisees. He's calls them hypocrites
Why are they hypocrites for he paid tithe of mint and anise and coming now?
This is where the simple mind stops and says see he was against them paying time. Is that what it says?
notice what he says for you pay tithe of mint and anise and coming and
Have omitted the weightier matters of the law judgment mercy and faith
Okay, so here's the question
Reading and comprehension is he upset that they tithe or is he upset that they would do something as simple and basic as
tithing and yet forget something that's weightier or
Heavier or more important regarding the law, which is judgment mercy and faith
So the question is is Jesus upset cuz they're tithing and the person says see Jesus like they're tithing. It's an idiot
That's not what he's saying
Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. Here's what he's upset about
For the word for means because you pay tithe and mint and anise and coming and I've omitted the weightier matters of the law
Judgment mercy and faith and then people say well, how do you know? He's not upset at both
Well, look what he says these are ye to have done
He's upset now hold on
Look, and I don't think the Bible is complicated. I think the Bible is for everyone and everybody could read it
But but it isn't a little higher level than than third grade
So
What is he saying here?
He is he upset that they're tithing or is he upset that they're tithing which is
Less important than these other things judgment mercy and faith, but then notice this these are you to have done
What were they doing that he was upset about?
Supposedly they were tithing
He says they're tithing but then he says these are you to have done and not to leave the other undone
He's saying I'm glad you tied but make sure you don't forget about
judgment mercy and faith and
If people want to flip it and say no. No when he says these are you have done
He's talking about judgment mercy and faith. Okay
Well, either way it doesn't matter because he says in both instances these are you to have done and not to leave the other undone
It sounds like he wants you doing all of it
He's not saying hey have judgment mercy and faith and forget about tithing. Is that what this verse is saying?
Everybody sounds upset
So therefore he must be negative. That's why you don't even understand preaching cuz I get up here
He's yelling. So he must be hateful
No, maybe he's passionate
Maybe he's trying to get your attention. Maybe he's trying to wake you up
For you pay tithe and mint and anise and coming and I will median the white omitted the white
The waiter matters of the law judgment mercy and faith
Hey, these are you to have done and not to leave the other undone
The point is he wants you to do all of it
He doesn't want you to do part of it and not the other part and here's the whole point that I'm bringing up here
We have Jesus in the New Testament
Bringing up tithing the perfect time for him to say, oh by the way, no more tithing
By the way, here's a change. I don't want you tithing anymore
Notice that Jesus not only does he bring up tithing and he does not repeal it
He actually gives them the one compliment that they're doing it
So not only does the Old Testament record tithing before the Mosaic law the New Testament never
repeals the practice of tithing
Jesus brought it up in a negative context in a positive way
And you've got to have a couple of brain cells to maybe understand that one
Keep your place in Matthew go to Hebrews chapter 7
Hebrews chapter 7 you say why are you so upset about it? You know, I'm not upset about it
But sometimes I do grow weary of talking to dumb people
Sometimes you're talking to people and you can just tell like
The plane took off but it's not landing anytime soon and it's just kind of like I think we're done
Hebrews chapter 7
Here's the other argument you're like well Matthew Jesus died yes, technically still the Old Testament, okay
Okay
Hey, I'm not an idiot. I can I can track with that
Hebrews as Jesus died yet
Hebrews chapter 7 look at verse 6 now now here now
Let me give you the context of the book of Hebrews, you know what the entire book of Hebrews is about
I mean, it's a lot it's about a lot of things but you want to know what the main
Purpose of the book of Hebrews why we have the book of Hebrews in the New Testament
Why there's a book in the New Testament called the book of Hebrews
referring to the Hebrews the physical descendants of Abraham
The whole point of the book of Hebrews is to explain to us how the Old Testament
correlates with the New Testament and in the
Book of Hebrews we are told hey remember these things in the Old Testament
They were actually pictures of the New Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ is that in the book of Hebrews
We are told specifically and by the way, because Jesus died you there's certain things you don't need to do anymore
and he takes away a
Portion of the Mosaic law because the mosaic laws divided into two sections
You have the ceremonial law and then you have the civil law or the criminal law or just the laws of the land
Whatever you want to call it
The ceremonial laws were everything that was a ritual
Even this I don't think this is that hard to understand but people act like it's very difficult
The ceremonial laws were just things that were symbols
Sacrifices, washings
Rituals they did the criminal law was stuff that was right and wrong like don't kill someone
Don't rob someone don't commit adultery. Okay, he says in the book of Hebrews
Hey, you don't have to sacrifice the lamb anymore because that was just a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ
And we don't have to sacrifice the lamb anymore because the Lamb of God has already came in the book of Hebrews
He says hey, you don't have to keep the Sabbath day anymore because the Sabbath day was a picture of
Ceasing your work and entering into rest was actually a picture of salvation
You don't have to work your way to heaven. You can enter into the rest of the Lord Jesus Christ
So we have to keep the Sabbath anymore you can because the Sabbath that you need is Jesus
Those are the ceremonial laws
Just hint hint. God still doesn't want you to commit adultery
Because you're like, oh the same one the law's been done away so now I can commit adultery and kill people
That makes no sense
So here's the point
the entire book of Hebrews
We're being told don't have to do this anymore. Don't have to do that anymore. Don't worry about this. Don't worry about that
It's been fulfilled in Jesus. That's what the book of Hebrews is about
and
Yet in Hebrews chapter 7 verse 6
tithing comes up and
The Bible says but he whose descent is not counted from them
Received tithes of Abraham. I just think it's really interesting
Almost like God knew
That there would be idiots out there who would say you have to tithe based off the Mosaic law
And God's like well the Mosaic law the tithing happened with Abraham before the Mosaic law and then in the book of Hebrews
After the Mosaic law, he's like by the way, remember Abraham. I
Think he's trying to make a point
but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham and
blessed him that had the promise and without all
Contradiction the last that's Abraham is blessed of the better. That's Melchizedek
why was Melchizedek better because he's the best the Lord Jesus Christ and
Here men that die received tithes
But there he received them of whom it is witness as he liveth and as I may so say Levi also
Who received tithes paid tithes in Abraham?
So here's the way that I want to make
The book of Hebrews was given to tell us what we no longer have to follow from the Old Testament law
the book of Hebrews brings up tithing and
Doesn't repeal it
What does that tell you? Well, it tells you this it's not repealed
He didn't repeal it
He didn't say there. You can't show me a verse in the New Testament where he says, oh by the way, stop tithing
You don't have to do anymore. I can show you a verse what says stop following the Sabbath. I
Can show you a verse where it says you don't need Levitical priests anymore. I
Can show you a verse where it says you don't have to do the Passover letter
I can show you a verse a book and reference where it says you don't need the Lamb of the Passover anymore
You don't need this, you know that but you can't show me a verse where it says stop tithing
You know why because he wants you to tithe
So the practice of tithing shows us that we are always we are still supposed to tithe
Don't tell me it's part of the Mosaic law
Abraham was before the Mosaic law Jacob was before the Mosaic law and once part of the Mosaic law was repealed
which the book of Hebrews tells us about
It still didn't get repealed
So we see the practice of tithing. What is it?
You and I are supposed to tithe
As New Testament Christians as soon as those believers we are supposed to type and you say well, I don't like that
I don't want to be under law. Okay, don't be under law give 20%
We'll couch that check
No problem with that
But the problem I have is where people want to do less. I
Don't follow the law. I'm only gonna give three percent. What are you a check cashing store?
Give them the 10%
Number two
Not only do we see the practice of tithing but let me say this we see the payment of tithing
Hebrews chapter 7 verse 9 and as I may so say Levi also who received tithes. I want you to notice a little phrase paid
tides in Abraham
paid tides in Abraham
We talked about the practice of tithing, but I want to point out to you the payment of tithing
Say what do you mean by that? Here's what I mean. You do not give your tithe you pay your time
When you tithe you and I have not given anything to God. All we've done is paid a bill that we owe to God
there is a bill that is owed to God by every human being on this earth and it is called the time and
As I may so say Hebrews 7 9 Levi also who received tithes
Paid tithes in Abraham go to Matthew 23 look at verse 23
Matthew 23 verse 23 Matthew 23 23 woe unto you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites
Notice what Jesus said for ye pay tithe
You pay tithe
See tithing is something we pay it's something we owe
We don't give the tithe if all you do is tithe. I don't mean to hurt your feelings
I'm not trying to hurt your feelings
I'm trying to teach you the Bible if all you do is tithe to God you have not given anything to God
You've only paid what he's already told you you owe him
And by the way, God owes a hundred percent of it
He allows us to keep 90% and he says because I've given you the hundred percent
I want you as an acknowledgement and
appreciation of what I've done for you to acknowledge the fact that all of it came from me and I want you to
Give 10% of it to the house of God and he said you don't give that to me
You owe that to me you pay the tithe
Go to Malachi chapter number three
Malachi chapter number three if you're there in Matthew if you just go back one book
Into the book of Malachi first book in the old a last book in the Old Testament Malachi chapter 3
Malachi chapter 3
And look and and this is the honest truth and and I hope you you you can sense this from me
But when it comes to tithing and giving and these things all of these things are between you and God
and honestly, I
Could not give a rat's tail what you do with your money and you can do whatever you want
You know people have been like our preachers are trying to get your money. You know what?
I'm trying to get you to follow the Bible
So you're preaching that you're preaching the you're preaching the sermon kind of kind of forceful
I preach this just as forceful as I preach Bible reading
Just as forceful as I preach prayer
Just as forceful as I preach soul winning you say why because I'm trying to get you to do all of it
Everything is in the Bible and I want to teach you what the Bible says
But the Bible does say and the Bible does teach that you're not giving
Because he giving gives you this idea that like well, I don't have to do it
I just do it if I want to that great. There's another term for that a free will offering
We'll talk about that. That's not tied. You pay your time. You owe your time
Malachi chapter 3 verse 8. Does this sound like a free will offering Malachi 3 a will a man Rob God
He says you're robbing me
Will a man Rob God yet? You've robbed me
But you say wherein have we robbed thee notice what he says in tithes and offerings
I'm gonna come back to that phrase there
But I want you to notice when we fail to give God what we owe him. We are robbing him
Well a man Rob God the tithe
Belongs to God keep your place there in Malachi if you would we're gonna come back to it
Go back to the bit. I'll go to Leviticus chapter 27 Leviticus 27
Lovers 30 Leviticus 27 30 Genesis Exodus Leviticus Leviticus 27 30
You say well you're pretty well we're taking a special offering you're preaching on tithing
Well, I'm gonna get I'm gonna get to the offering
But you know, honestly if we just get the people that are supposed to type to tie wouldn't even have to take special offerings
All of all
Everything that God has ordained for us to do would be taken care of simply by God's people tithing
And being consistent not robbing God
Leviticus 27 verse 30
Notice what the Bible says and all
the tithe
How much of the tithe all of it all the tithe of the land?
weather of the seed of the land of the fruit of the tree is
The Lord's it is holy unto the Lord
So all of it belongs to God. It's his it's his time. You said well, why does it why does God just just
You know make us go through this process of giving us. Why doesn't God say hey, you know
Whatever you get it was 90% of what I actually wanted to give you but I kept 10% back
Why does God make us go through this practice of?
He gives us a hundred percent
But then tells us you must learn to live off 90% and I want you to give 10% of it back
Why does God make us do that? Well, God makes us do that
For the exact reason the act the exact opposite reason of why the government just takes the taxes out of your paycheck
You understand what I'm saying? You got to follow me a little more than dr. Seuss here again
Why does the government take the check the money out of your paycheck
Before you ever see it, you know why because if you have to write them a check
Every every paycheck for what they're trying to take from you. There'd be a revolution
There'd be a war
There'd be a revolt
You know, so they take it so you don't feel it because they don't want you to think about it or acknowledge it
Why does God want you to sit there and consider how much money do I have?
Why does God bless me and then write a check to give it back because he actually wants you to think about it and
Consider it and acknowledge it and he wants to see whether you will obey or not
So it all belongs to God so we talked about the practice of typing we are still supposed to type
It's not something that's only in the mosaic law. It is intellectually dishonest for you to say that and
The only parts of the mosaic law that were removed anyway with a ceremonial law
God still doesn't want you to come in adultery or go to bed with your aunt
Okay, it doesn't make any sense
But then you got the payment of tithing the payment of tithing. What does it mean?
It means that when you do not tied you robbed God
Will a man rob God? Yeah, you have robbed me but you say aware and have we robbed thee in tithes
in tithes and offerings
Now let's talk about the proportion of tithing. You're there in Leviticus 27. We read verse 30
Well, let's read it again and all the tithes of the land whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree
Is the Lord's it is holy unto the Lord and if a man will at all redeem out of his tithes
he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof verse 32 and
Concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the rod notice these words the tenth
shall be holy unto
the Lord
The proportion of tithing is this that a tithe is a percentage
It is the tenth part or ten percent of the increase
It is ten percent that we're supposed to give back to God now
You may say well that's kind of simplistic doesn't everybody know that except for the fact that I've heard Baptist preachers get up
Let's tithe ninety percent. Thank you. That doesn't make any sense
The word tithe means ten percent or the tenth part Leviticus 27 32 and concerning the tithe of
The herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passes on the rod the ten shall be only until now
You can give ninety percent of your income to God if you want
But but that's not hiding that's you're given above what God has required because what God has required is ten percent and here again
We see where God is more just than the American government
Because you know what he does he gives you a percentage
That's ten percent. You know what that means. That means it's equal for everyone
because that's not an amount and
It's not like well if you make this much then it's you know seven percent
But if you make this much then it's thirty percent and if you make this much is like ninety percent
That's me. That's called being unjust
That's called being a crook
It's ten percent and here's the beautiful thing about about the tithe is that when people say and people say this people will make
Say I can't hide I can't afford to tie it and it's like you're a liar
Well, here's what you mean it really mean you either mean to one of two things you're covetous and you don't want to tithe
Or you suck at finances and you got to get your act together
But everybody can afford to tithe because it's ten percent. Look it you say well, I I only made $100
I only make $100 a week
Great. All you gotta do is put a $10 bill in the offering and you obeyed the Lord
You say I make ten thousand ten percent I make a hundred thousand ten percent
It's a percentage
the more you make the more you have to give and the less you make the less you have to get it's fair and
It's right and it's equal and everybody can do it
A tithe is the tenth part ten percent
Go to Deuteronomy 14 Deuteronomy 14 and I've taught on this in the past and I'm kind of moving quickly because I've got other stuff
I need to cover but I want to cover this and I want to make sure that I answer all the questions
when we talk about the proportion of tithing a tithe is the tenth part or ten percent and
It is the tenth part or ten percent of your increase not your income
Deuteronomy
1422 notice what the Bible says thou shalt true thou shalt truly tithe
Notice that he says truly he says truly because God realized not everybody's gonna truly tithe
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase now people like to say well
I need to tithe off my income, but you didn't get that from the Bible
Nowhere in the Bible does it say tithe your income
You know what? It says tithe your increase
So, what does that mean that means any time that you increase financially whether it's your income or not you should tithe
Did you just hear what I said?
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year
So here's the thing I get a paycheck. That's my income
I tithe 10% off that but then somebody gives me a gift if somebody gives me a hundred dollar gift
You know what? I didn't I'm not telling you what to do
I'm just telling you what I do and what I believe the Bible teaches to do somebody gives me $100 gift
You know what? I do I put a check for $10 in the offering claim
Say why would you do that? Cuz I just increased by $100
Well, what if somebody gives you a gift and you don't you don't know how much it costs you could guess
You could get an idea of me some people have given me nice gifts and sometimes I do a little research as well
High quality whatever and and I'm not researching it cuz I'm trying to judge I just want to be able to tithe
because somebody just blessed me and I increased by a certain amount and I want to be able to tithe and
Give because if I would say that you should tithe your increase
Not your income
You should tithe the increase of everything that God
Increases you go to go to doodrami 14 in verse 28
Do not be 14 verse 20 and honestly look usually when I preach a sermon like this
I'm a lot nicer and I'm not like, you know, and I'm just talking like, you know, you're new here
Blah blah blah and all that you you you know how I do it
Just just I don't have time for that right now
Okay
So just get that in your hand if you're a little wimpy and new and you just suck at Christianity
Just get all those disclaimers if you're new don't feel bad blah blah blah doodrami 1428 at the end of three years
Thou shalt bring forth all
The tithe of thine increase the same year and shall lay it up within my gates
You tithe your increase
You tithe of the increase that the Lord has given you and look is this is important because God blesses you
financially in more ways than just your income and
And look the reason the reason that I make a big deal about and you can do whatever you want
The reason I make a big deal about it because we're gonna get to it
There's a promise associated to tithing that I want God to apply to my life. So I want to make sure I'm doing it, right?
So we see the
Proportion of tithing and by the way, let me just answer this question because people ask me this question
Go to 2nd Chronicles 31 2nd Chronicles you learn Deuteronomy Joshua judges Ruth for second Samuel for second Kings for second Chronicles
2nd Chronicles 31, let me answer this question
I you know people often ask what do you tie it off the groves for the net, you know, honestly
Do whatever you want, but I tithe off the gross
You say well, well why because you think just because the government stole from you and
Took their taxes now you're gonna steal from God
You you're supposed to tithe off the increase
Just because the government took their portion. We should still acknowledge that God gave us the full amount
And and and you know, so I believe in tithing off
Off the gross and and because I believe that in all things he should have the preeminence
Seek ye out the kingdom of God the Bible says that we should seek him first and he should come first not after the government
We'll pay God after we pay the government. No. No, we're gonna pay God first
So anyway, I'll just throw it out there for the business owners
Let me just answer questions cuz I'm not gonna ask all the questions and my family's not feeling well
So I'm gonna leave right after the service. So let me answer all your questions you business owners. God bless you
We love you. All right you tithe off of what you make
All right, so you you you have a job that you get a thousand dollars for the job
But you had four hundred dollars in materials. You didn't make a thousand dollars. You made six hundred dollars
So tithe off the six hundred. All right, that's your increase. You don't tie off the expenses
So just to try to help you guys out and look that I'm telling you to tithe less in that instance
All right, so I'm trying to look out for you
And
Anyway, first chronicle is 31
So he's all the practice of tithing the payment of tithing the proportion of tithing. Let's talk about the priority of tithing
And I should have brought up the government in this point because of the point that I'm making the priority of tithing
Second Chronicles 3 1 5 and as soon as the commandment came abroad the children of Israel brought in abundance
The first fruit I want you to notice that phrase first fruits of corn wine and oil and honey
And of all the increase you see all the increase we just saw that with tithing
That's a connection to tithing of the field and the tithe of all things brought they in
Abundantly, so the first fruits of the tithe these terms first fruits and tithe are used interchangeably
Talking about the same thing. Let me give you another example go to Nehemiah chapter 10
You're there in second Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Nehemiah chapter 10
look verse 37
Nehemiah 10 37 and
That we should bring
the first fruits of
our dough and
our offerings and the fruit of all manner of trees of wine and of oil unto the priest to the chambers of the
House of God and the tithes of our ground
Unto the Levites that the same Levite might have the tithe in all the cities of our tillage
So notice that it says first fruits and then it says tithe first fruits and tithe
Those terms are used interchangeably why because your tithe comes from your first fruits you give God your first 10%
What does that mean that means that we prioritize God?
But in all things he might have the preeminence seeking first the kingdom of God
So this is what I mean when you when when I pay my bills I pay God first
And I'm gonna pay God before I pay the government
And I'm gonna pay God before I pay the mortgage and I'm gonna pay God before now
I'm gonna make sure everything else gets paid because I have character and integrity as well
But I'm gonna pay God first
So it's the priority of tithing. It's the first fruits, by the way
Here's another example for why we still should tithe in the New Testament notice the last part of Nehemiah 10 37
It says unto the Levites that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage
You know that in the Old Testament the way that the Levites the priests the spiritual
Authority of the nation of Israel, how do they get paid they got paid through the tithes
That wasn't the only thing the tithes went to but the tithe was how they
Got paid because they worked full-time in the house of God. They got paid to the tithe
Well fast forward to the New Testament in the book of 1st Corinthians
The Apostle Paul is telling us that the way you pay the New Testament pastor
He says to pay them the same way that the priests got paid in the Old Testament
Well, how'd the priests got paid in the Old Testament? He got paid to the tithe
So how is Paul telling us?
Hey pay the pastor and pay the spiritual leader the same way you paid the the the priests in the Old Testament
Through the tithe but by the way tithing's been done away. Haha
Makes no sense
Go back to Malachi chapter 3
Malachi chapter 3
So we see the practice of tithing the payment of tithing proportion of tithing the priority of tithing
And look, let me go ahead and give the disclaimer if you don't want to tie it. I don't care
You can come to this church and never put a cent in the offering plate and no one's gonna know no one's gonna care
I'm not gonna know and I don't care. It's between you and God
But I am gonna tell you that God wants to bless you and that God will also curse you for stealing from them
So the Bible teaches you should tithe
Let's talk about the purpose of tithing
Malachi chapter 3 verse 10 bring you all the tithes
Into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house the word meat means food
We just saw in Nehemiah 3 and Nehemiah 10 37 that the Levites got paid through tithing here
We read that there's food in the house of God through tithing
Look, I don't know if you've noticed and and and maybe I should let you in on a little secret
But I cuz I'm tired of people
Acting like
You know our church is subservient to other churches or whatever and look I love other children obviously new IP churches
I love them other churches if they're preaching the gospel god bless them, but let me tell you something
This place is a special place
and and if you don't know that it's just cuz you haven't been anywhere else and
And you know this I mean there there are events after events around here
We ask a lot of you as far as like the Bible forsaking the world and forsaking
The things of the world, but you know we we have a lot around here to keep you busy I
Mean we've got events and we've got married couple sweetheart banquet and ladies tea and like baby showers every other week
And you know next generation youth rallies and red hot pre
I mean we have stuff to keep you busy
But let me let you know a little secret that pizza doesn't just it doesn't fall from heaven like manna
Okay, it gets delivered and we have to pay for it. How do we pay for it?
We pay for it through the giving of the church
people tithe
Consistently to the house of God that there may be me and mine house
So the purpose of tithing is to pay the bills
To pay the bills around here to pay the bills
Pay the staff pay for the events and a long walk
Pay for the the soul winning resources and all the things that we use all the things we consume around here
And the van and the gas and the rides and all those things and then on top of that
We're trying to budget and be as frugal as possible and save a million dollars and all those things right so we that's how
You you that's why God established the idea of giving there's a purpose for it
The purpose is for you to show your obedience to God
But there's a very practical purpose, and it is that there may be me in my house
to provide for the needs of the church and
To meet the needs of the work of God going or being done in the house of God and in the Church of God
number six
we talked about the practice of tithing the payment of tithing the proportion of time the priority of tithing the purpose of tithing and
Then lastly let's talk about the promise of tithing
Malachi chapter 3 and verse 10 bring you all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be me in my house
Notice what he says and prove me now herewith
As far as I can tell in the Bible. This is the only time we get this tortoise this type of challenge from God I
think he does this because
People are so weird about money
And that's always funny to me
People are just it's just the secular world we live in and I get it if you're like this
You've just grown up in this culture or whatever
I just you know money honestly you would be better off in life if you just stopped caring so much about the stinkin money
It's just not that important
It's just it's really not you know so people get up say
Money, you know whenever I went to church and pastors preaching on money. I never thought anything of it. I didn't care
And and and I think God is making this point because so many people are just so attached to money in this world
It's really sad
But he says prove me now here with say it the Lord of hosts
If I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to
receive it
Now I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground
Neither shall your vine cast a fruit before the time in the field sayeth the Lord of hosts
You know what God says God says that if there's a promise associated to tithing and he says I
Will make sure that you're taken care of and he says proof me
He says proof me and you know honestly and here's a point that I want to make when it comes to tithing is you're going
To tithe whether you like it or not
God is gonna get his 10% out of you and if he has to force it out of you
It's probably gonna be more and I just I just believe I
Just believe that if you are a Christian who just writes that check gives it to God
With a good attitude and a good spirit, you know, you may not be able to identify it
But he's gonna keep your shoes from wearing out like the children of Israel and the in the walking in the wilderness
He's just gonna keep that car running
He's just gonna make sure he your your your wife's gonna go to to to cook that meal
It's gonna be like the feeding of the 5,000
It's just gonna keep breaking it and you're not gonna be able to identify where it's coming from a God's gonna help you
Or you can say no, I'm gonna keep the 10% I just need it
It's just whatever and then guys gonna be like, all right car break down. All right, you got this bill now
All right, you didn't get it
And if he may and if you make him get it he's probably gonna get more than the 10%
So, you know, I just rather put up put God to the test and say
All right, God take care of it
That doesn't mean you're gonna live in a mansion. I mean, maybe you will maybe you won't
But the Bible says that God has never the Bible says that God will take care of you
He says I've never seen the righteous babe writing
Proverbs 3 and verse 9 honor the Lord with thy substance you have to turn there
Let me just read this for you honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine
Here's all I'm telling you is that the Bible says that God
Promises to take care of you
He promised says to open the windows of heaven and to pour you out a blessing that you cannot contain
And I'd rather live on
90% with the blessing of God than a hundred percent while stealing from God
And you might say yeah, but pastor I've seen your house and I see what you drive and I'm not that impressed
But you know what? Maybe maybe God blesses because maybe you're so carnal
You don't understand that maybe God's blessing comes in different ways than just finances and things
Maybe I could keep the 10% and live in a nicer neighborhood, but I'd hate, you know
I'd hate my wife or she'd hate me
And I just never want to go home
I'd rather live off the 90% and have a good marriage
I'd rather love the 90% and and have children that are well behaved. I'd rather love
I'm just saying I'd rather love the 90% and have what it and have whatever blessing that wants to give me
And if it's not financial then I don't care
I'd give all the money in the world for certain for there's things I care about more
It's a matter of faith do we trust God do we actually believe God
And here's all I can tell you is if you tithe
God will take care of you
It doesn't mean won't struggle doesn't mean you won't have bills that come up
but it means that God will take care of you God will see you through it and
It'll help and God God will bless you and look God can and oftentimes does bless you in ways other than
Material things and one day
Hopefully all of you can grow to the place where you just realize that
What you drive and what you wear and where you live is just not that important
you
Go to Matt go look at Malachi chapter 3 and verse 8 again
We talked about the doctrines of time
Now let's talk about the the doctrine of offering the doctrine of tithing and now let's talk about the doctrine of offerings
So notice there Malachi 3 8 will a man rob God yet?
You've robbed me, but you say we're in word wherein means in what in what place?
Wherein have we robbed me and he says in ties and offerings
So I want to show you first of all the expectation of offerings
Now an offering is different than the tithe in the sense that it is something we do of our own will
I'm not gonna take the time to go through all the passages
In fact, go to 2nd Corinthians if you would 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 and the New Testament Matthew, Mark Luke John Acts Romans
1st Corinthians 2nd Corinthians, I'm not gonna take the time to go through all the passages
but all throughout the Bible you find this term called a free will offering a
Free will offering and I was thinking about that this week as I was studying the free will offering and I thought I should bring
This up to next time. I have a conversation with a Calvinist
Because if Calvinism is true, then why in the world do you read about all these free will offerings all throughout the Old Testament?
If Calvinism is true, there should be no such thing as a free will offering. Everything is ordained of God
Well, here's the thing. There is a such thing as a free will offering because God has given you free will
To give an offering now, here's the thing though
Will a man rob God yet you have robbed me
But you say where have we robbed thee in tithes and offering?
I want you to notice that there is an expectation from God for you to give an offering
Now, of course, this is in the Old Testament
So this is also including the offerings of the Old Testament like the animal sacrifices
But the point that God is making but those were financial sacrifices that cost people money and there is an expectation of God
For you from time to time to give an offering now people often get confused by this
They say well if God expects an offering then what's the free will part of it?
The free will part is that you get to give whatever you want
See the tide he tells you 10% and then he says but I also expect you to give offerings
Well how much whatever you want
Is to show your love
now the free will offering was meant to be a
gift that we return back to God to show him the appreciation of
his blessings on top of what he normally does for us and
You you could make the decision say well, I'm gonna give a free will offering but my decision is zero
Okay, but here's the thing you can do that
But what you're telling God is this is how much I appreciate you
Thanks for this and God said, you know, the Bible says every good gift is from above
Everything I have comes from God. So I should be able to appreciate a little more than this
So there's an expectation
For an offering the free will aspect of it. Is that nobody's gonna tell you, you know
I'm not gonna get up and tell you everyone needs to give 10% for the vision offering. No. No, that's called a tide
And
Then you give a free will offering on top of that and you decide what you want to do
And by the way, don't here's what a lot of people and look you do whatever you want
It doesn't matter
But I always think it's funny people will not tithe or people tithe and then at the vision offering
They just take their tithe and they just write vision offering
It's like that doesn't help us you understand like on a practical level that that's nothing if you're gonna give it
Anyway, that's you know, it's like you you did nothing. All right, so you've got the tithe
Look, whatever you give god bless you
This is all my disclaimers. God bless you. You're so great. You're amazing. Let me give you a little trophy
Do whatever you want, but the the
Expectation is that you tithe and you give an offering over that
we tithe every time we receive an increase or at
Scheduled times and then the offering is something we do of our own free will when we want how much we want
But there is an expectation that you give an offering. That's why I always think it's funny
I think it's funny that churches don't have special offerings because if God commands you to give an offering
Then we should give you an opportunity to present an offering
Is what I think so there's an expectation for offerings and then letter B if you're following along and or whatever if you're taking
Notes, let's talk about the explanation of the offerings. Let me just explain this
I went through this quickly this morning, but I want to show it to you from the Bible now
And we'll do this as quickly as we can
What is a spec because we talked about tithing?
Right, hopefully that's clear the practice of tithing
You're supposed to tithe New Testament Old Testament before the Mosaic law after the Mosaic law
It doesn't matter tithing has been a thing throughout the entire Bible the payment of tithing
You don't give it to God you owe it to God the proportion of tithing is 10% of my income
The priority of tithing I give it first before the government before anyone else
I give God the first fruits the purpose of tithing that there may be me in my house to practically supply the needs of
The church and then and look you say well
I don't know how I feel about supply the needs of the church and if you're if you're here
And this church has had any impact on your life
If your children are here and serving God and learning the Bible because you're sitting here
Then you should want to support this ministry
So the purpose of tithing and then of course the promise of tithing and the promise is that God says
prove me now here with
You said tithe and put me to the test and see if I don't take care of you
See if I don't open up the blessings the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing
Which you cannot contain that's tidy now. Let's talk about offerings free will offerings offerings above that
What are the explanations? What are the characteristics number one? They should be given willingly
2nd Corinthians 8 and verse 3 notice what the Bible says
2nd Corinthians 8 3 4 to their power I bear record. Yea and beyond their power. They were willing of
themselves
Notice they were willing they wanted to by the way 2nd Corinthians 8 all about a special offering
Look at verse 11 now therefore perform the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will so there may be a
Performance also out of that which we have for if there be first notice the words a willing mind
It is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not
So he says look I don't expect you to give from what you don't have
He says I do expect you to get from what you do have and he says if you have a willing mind
So it's called a free will offering for a reason you have to be willing to do it
It should be done with a willing attitude. You don't have to turn here
Let me just read these verses to you Exodus 35 verse 5
Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord whosoever is of a willing heart
Let him bring it an offering of the Lord gold and silver and brass
Exodus 35 21 and they came
everyone whose heart stirred him up and everyone whom his spirit made willing and they brought the Lord's offering
to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all this his service and for the holy garments verse 22 and
They came both men and women as many were
Willing-hearted and brought bracelets and earrings and rings and tablets and that's not the kind of tablets
You're used to all jewels of gold and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord verse 29
the children of Israel brought a
Willing offering unto the Lord every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work
Which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses
So an offering is to come from a willing heart and from a willing mind and look I've said it before I'm gonna
Continue to say it. I hope you understand that I really do mean what I'm telling you right now
This is honestly how I feel about it. If you do not have a willing heart, please keep your money
We don't want it. I can tell you I debt maybe it's pride, but I I dead sure don't want it
The last thing I want is for this church to have any money that some of you are going around
I can't believe we had to get keep it
Keep it
I'd rather honestly, I'd rather cancel the Red Hot Preaching Conference then then have you run around. I got manipulated into your way
How did we manipulate you look what I'm telling you don't give
If you don't want to honestly because God because God himself says I don't want it
And look if God doesn't want it, I don't want it
So
It should come from a willing heart
Giving should be done willingly
Number two giving should be done. Sacrificially. You're there in 2nd Corinthians 8 look at verse 2
Second Corinthians 8 verse 2 how that in a great trial of affliction. These are the people
Who were living?
He in in Macedonia Paul is telling the Church of Corinth about the people of Macedonia and how they had a great trial of affliction
You say what what is what do you mean well, you know
They had inflation and the economy has slowed down all the same reasons
We want to give reasons why we can't give how then a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep
poverty
Abounded unto the riches of their liberality. Here's what I want you. He's Paul says look
They had a great poverty and great affliction
But they outdid that through their the riches of their liberality the word liberality means
Generosity mean these people were generous. How were they generous verse 3 for to their power?
What does that mean? That means to their ability?
What they could do what they could do without any problems for to their power
I bear record yea and beyond their power
They were willing of themselves
He talks about how they were willing to not only give what they could but to even stretch themselves a little bit to even
Sacrifice a little bit someone put it this way. You gotta give till it hurts a little bit
And what does that mean you see, you know people ask what does that mean here's what I'm making is
That you know this morning. I told you how much my wife and I are giving
But I'll be honest with you and you think of what I think of us whatever you want
But when it comes to that amount
It's not just like hey, honey, what do you think about giving this much sure write the check put it because that's what some of you
could do
with
$2,500
for me it's like
Let's look at the finances
Okay, let's you know
This bill is actually not due till this day and we can hold off on this one and you know
Maybe we can let's move this around. Let's take this out of savings
Maybe we can and and we're you say what why are you doing all these things with the fight?
Cuz cuz it's gonna hurt us a little bit
You know, hey honey, we I know we were gonna plan on doing this
We're gonna wait on that for a couple of months
We're gonna put that on hold and let's do this instead of we're moving things around
Why because we're giving to our power and beyond our power
And I'm not saying to God in debt. I'm not saying that
But if it hurts you a little bit
If it means you have to sacrifice a little bit if it means well
Maybe I'll hold off on this or maybe I just won't buy that third latte every day
Then that's when you're giving to your power and beyond your power
So it should be done sacrificially again. We're not talking about tithing tithing should just be in your budget
Tithing shouldn't hurt at all should be part of your budget
Well, we're talking about a free will offering. It should be done willingly. It should be done
sacrificially
Number three, it should be done purposefully second Corinthians 9 look at verse 7 every man according as he purpose it
So how much should I give whatever you want?
What I should let me say it this way whatever the Lord lays on your heart
Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give I
Love that little phrase. So let him give
You say pastor minutes, you know, you preached about do it again Lord this morning
You're preaching about doctrines of tithing and offerings tonight. You know, what do you want to see done at?
This year's vision offering
Here's what I want to see that at this vision offering that every man according as he purposes in his heart
So let him get
That you per here's here's what I want. I don't care how much you get
Honestly, it doesn't make a difference to me
Because I know that God can can can multiply it
And we'll add some zeros to some of those checks anyway, and that would be fine
If you don't notice then you know, then then you know was of God, I'm just kidding I'm kidding
I'm totally kidding. All right, that is a joke. We should probably cut that off for the audio. Someone's gonna sue me
Here's what I want is
For you to show up on Sunday and say, you know, I thought I've prayed
I've talked with my spouse about it
I've asked the Lord to leave my heart and
Here's what we have purposed in our hearts
And if you can say that and so let him give
It should be done purposefully
Don't don't take this attitude. Like ah, I don't know. I don't care. Honestly, why don't you ask God?
God, how would you lead me to give how what would you have me to do and you might find that the Holy Spirit?
I'm not saying he's gonna speak to you audibly
But you might find that you start being led in a certain direction of what you should give so every man according as he purposes
In his heart, so let him give so we should give willingly we should give sacrificially
We should give purposefully number four. We should give cheerfully
Cheerfully and look I've taught you this every year. It's the same the Bible don't change
I don't know if you know
Every year is the same thing, but it's good for us to be reminded
Second Corinthians 9 7 every man according as he purposes in his heart so letting give not grudgingly or of necessity
For God loveth a cheerful giver, you know, you gotta give cheerfully
Carefully not grudgingly and
Again, I've said it I'm gonna keep you keep saying it if you have a bad attitude keep it
Keep it just honestly not grudgingly and also not of necessity
Don't have this other. Well, I don't want to give the passage, you know, he's gonna cancel the red-hot preaching office
Look, it's not of necessity
You know, my God doesn't need anything
God is not that God doesn't need you and God doesn't need me you and I need God
So don't give up necessity like well, I have to give or or or what God's gonna go out of business
Not of necessity you say why here's why for God loveth a cheerful giver
You gotta give with a good attitude. You gotta give cheerful and look if you can't smile when you're giving
That that check then don't give it honestly don't give it
You ought to have peace in your heart know that it's what God has had you to do and it should be a sacrifice
You're saying Lord
This is to help
My church that I love and to show you that I love you and thank you for all blessings. You've given me
And if you can do that cheerfully then praise the Lord
I've told you the story before go to 1st Corinthians chapter 16
I just feel like it's a good story when I was before I was full-time as a pastor. I was working
For an HVAC company while
Working obviously pastoring the church, you know and working a full-time job
But I remember we had a boss who would say this all the time
I mean, I think he said this probably every week. He would say to us. We only want happy money
And we only want happy money in this in this company
And here's what he was saying is as if you if the customers and upset if you have done
What you're supposed to do and you've tried and you've tried to make them happy you've tried and they're just not happy
He would tell us I'm giving you permission. Give him the money back. He said we only want happy money
We don't want angry money
Just if they're not happy even if you've done everything you're supposed to do
Even if they're being completely unrealistic and just not that they're just bad or whatever
So just give them the money back. I always respected that and I always had myself, you know, that's how church should be
Is we want happy money
We want cheerful money and and if you're not gonna have a good attitude about it
Honestly keep it and we can still be friends and I love you and whatever
first Corinthians 16
We should give willingly we should give sacrificially. We should give purposefully
We should give cheerfully and then number five we should give proportionally
Proportionally first Corinthians 16 verse 1 now considering the collection of the same for the Saints
this is regarding a special offering as
I've given order to the churches of Galatia even so do you?
Upon the first day of the week, is this what we're doing the first day of the week on Sunday
We're taking a special offering let every one of you lay by him in store
That speaks to purpose. You've thought about it. You've decided this what I'm gonna do as
God
have prospered
him
But there be no gatherings when I come
When when I come and the Apostle Paul is saying look I'm coming to collect the money and I don't want you
Figuring it out when I'm there
He said purpose to give it on this certain day that every one of you lay by him in store
But here's the point. Here's a section. I want you to key in on he says as God has prospered him
And here's what I believe if you and I go home this week and actually think and I've already done this obviously
But if you would do this and and and by God's grace my wife and I've done this if we would truly consider
What we can do
to our power and
What we could do that would maybe hurt a little bit beyond our power
And if we would truly consider the blessings of God upon our lives, and if we would truly consider how God has blessed us
Then we would happily give a free will offering unto the Lord
Now you can do whatever you want, but God expects it go back to Malachi chapter 3. We'll finish up
Malachi chapter 3
We're talking about the doctrines of tithing and offerings
What are the characteristics for the tithing? It's the practice of tithing you are to do it the payment of tithing
You don't give it to God you pay it. The proportion of tithing is 10% the priority of tithing
It's the first fruits you give it to him first the purpose of tithing to care for the needs of the church
The promise of tithing he says I will bless you
Maybe financially maybe other ways but I will bless you and I will take care of you
And then we see the offerings
These are free will offerings that we give above our time. How should that be done willingly?
sacrificially
purposefully
cheerfully
proportionally
Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 will a man rob God
Yet you have robbed me but you say wherein have we robbed thee in times and offerings
There are two different things
God expects both
You should be tithing on a regular basis
throughout your life and
Then your offerings are something you give
from time to time when you have the opportunity and
I hope you'll take the great opportunity to give to this year's vision offering. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for your word
Thank you for the Bible and
Lord I pray that you'd help us to learn these things from the Word of God
Regarding tithing and offerings and what I really do pray that everyone here would
Just have the right spirit towards sermons on giving and that they would know my heart. Honestly, they can do whatever they want
When it comes to their money that's between them and God and and we won't we don't care
But I want them to live under your blessing and I want them to live in your obedience and Lord
I pray that you would
help us to be able to
Do that Lord
I do pray that you bless this vision offering that your will be done
With the vision offering and then that if it's your will that we raise the money that we need for the goals that we
Have and Lord I pray you'd help us to do that in Jesus name we pray
Amen. All right, we're gonna have brother RJ come up and lead us in the final song
And I think we'll prepare for baptism. We have a baptism tonight
Hey, man, let's grab our psalm books and turn to page number three hundred and twenty-five
Song number three hundred and twenty-five and we will sing trust and obey song number three hundred
Twenty-five let's go ahead and sing it out on the first
Oh
324 saw number 324 just the page to the left
We're seeing drawing here as we prepare for baptism we'll see it out on the first
Oh
I
Good all right. Well, we have you want to take those off
We have Linda Rubely coming for baptism and Linda's been coming to our church for some time with her daughter
And we are glad to have her in our church family and Linda be accepted Lord Jesus Christ is your personal Savior
All right, Linda by your profession of faith
I baptized you my sister in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
Buried in the likeness of his death
raised to walk in newness
All right, well, thank you very much for being here tonight
I do want to just of course invite you to be with us on Wednesday night for the Wednesday night Bible study
I promise nothing about giving on Wednesday night. All right, I've read Amos chapter 9
There's nothing in there about giving at least not that I can think of so if anything changes
I'll let you know but we encourage you to be home Wednesday night for the Bible study
I do ask you be in prayer for the vision offering on Sunday
Just be praying and asking the Lord what you could do and where you could
Fit in that and if there's anything we do for you
Please let us know and I'm gonna ask with RJ if you would not mind praying to dismiss the service. Thank you
In prayer Heavenly Father Lord, we thank you for today. Thank you for the sermon that was preached for
thank you for the sermons that were preached pray that you'd help us Lord this week and pray that you would
Guide us and pray that we would ask you and talk to you and pray that you would lay something in our hearts
Lord to give and help with this ministry and everything that pastor is planning this vision
Pray that you'd bring us back to church on Wednesday and pray that you dismiss us with your grace and Jesus my pray
We pray that you would bring us back to church on Wednesday. We pray that you would bring us back to church on Wednesday
We pray that you would bring us back to church on Wednesday