TEXT:
‘They must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him. All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God’ – Deuteronomy 16:16-17 NLT
THOUGHT:
There are various motivations for teaching the Word of God. Sometimes it comes as an exciting revelation from the Holy Spirit and we want to share it. Other times it can come as a result of perspiration as we struggle to meet the deadline of Sunday! It can even be out of frustration as the reactions of Christians upset us and make us think, “Is it worth all the blood, sweat and tears?” Whatever the driving force, God’s truth has this wonderful ingredient. It’s able to set people free if they allow it to, by receiving it with meekness, thankfulness and faith.
Today’s Teaching concentrates on God’s instruction to His people, that when they gather together for worship, they do not come empty-handed, but bring an offering that will help to bless and support those called by God to concentrate on full-time ministry rather than secular paid employment, as well as the other financial commitments of the church
The teaching presupposes one thing that we do come to worship. God did not say, “Send your offering” but, “Bring it”! Paul instructed the Corinthian Church to bring their offering on the first day of the week – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. Sunday is a great day to walk into church with your tithes and offerings. Why is it so important not to come empty-handed?
- It is an indication that you want to share
We are created in God’s image and He is a giver. ‘For God so loved … that He gave’ – John 3:16. So it stands to reason that Christians ought to be givers too. You have not come just to take, but you want others to share in what God has blessed you with. A selfish Christian is surely a contradiction and dereliction of duty.
- It is an indication that you recognise the cost
It always costs something to put on an event, to provide for those you love. Parents long for the day when their children appreciate what it cost to provide them with a caring home. Unfortunately it’s usually only the day when they leave and have to set up their own home. It costs to hire a hall, buy a building and meet the running expenses, plan evangelistic and social outreach and support church leaders. Someone has to pay the price or it cannot continue. With salvation, only Jesus could have done it and He willingly paid the price. That’s why it comes as a free gift. But for everything else, God says, “Recognise the cost and contribute. Do not come empty-handed!”
- It is an indication that God has a right over your finances
David got it exactly right when he handed over vast sums to launch the temple building programme. ‘O Lord, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a temple to honour your holy name, but it all came from you and all belongs to you’ – 1 Chronicles 29:16 GNB. We need to be thankful that God only asks for a tenth, when He could ask for everything. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness’ – Psalm 24:1. Do not say, “It’s my bank balance!” Realise that it is His and He is allowing you to manage it. That way we will handle it all the more wisely. Governments impose their taxation programmes and there are severe penalties for non-compliance. It would make life much easier for many churches if they could do the same, but they cannot and so have to rely on God’s people not wanting to come empty-handed.
- It is an indication that you do not want to sacrifice or give using someone else’s money
Taking my children to church, it was normal to give them something to put into the offering bag. But then we gave them pocket money and they had to learn to start giving out of their own resources, tithing their own income including extra money that was given or earned. It was all part of the learning process. God told David to purchase some land which eventually would become the site for the temple. The owner of the land was willing to give it to David free of charge, but he replied, ‘No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!’ – 1 Chronicles 21:24 NLT.
Many churches and Christians facing money issues would find the problem resolved much quicker if the Biblical principle of tithing was clearly taught and practised. After all, the only place in the Bible where God invites us to put Him to the test concerns tithing – Malachi 3:10.
If you have been lax concerning giving and have been coming to church empty-handed, then it is not too late to turn things around. Start by bringing your tithes and offerings in your hands, and then use your hands in prayer, praise and expressive worship!
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