I know that it’s been a while (4 weeks to be exact) since we last looked at John’s gospel. So, I want to remind everyone very quickly of where we left off. Prior to our look at biblical stewardship, we had been working our way through John’s gospel. We had just seen Jesus heal a man who was almost completely paralyzed, defend his authority as the Son, and most recently feed some 10,000 to 15,000 people with some scraps of food given by a young boy. At the end of these accounts, Jesus and his disciples had to retreat quickly so that the people did not take him away and crown him king right there on the spot, because the type of king that they wanted and that they had in mind for him to be wasn’t the type of king that he is. That evening, after their retreating, Jesus’ disciples went out onto the Sea of Galilee in a boat in order to row back across the sea to Capernaum, but Jesus stayed behind for a time of solitude. We are told in Mark’s account of this event, that Jesus ordered them to leave him behind, meaning that he is purposefully placing them in this situation at this time. I have never been to this part of the world. I want to, and it’s on my bucket list, but I have talked to a great number of people who have stood along the shore there and even a few who have been in a boat in the middle of this sea. They have all told me how beautiful and surreal this particular sight is in person. They all tell me that you can almost feel the magnitude of all of the events that took place nearby when you are in that place. They all tell me that there is nothing like standing in a place where you know Jesus to have stood to make you feel the power and presence of God.
A little geography lesson here about this area will help us, I think, to gain a little better understanding of the situation at hand. You see, the Sea of Galilee is about 650 feet below sea level and 150 feet deep. It is almost completely surrounded by hills on all sides; almost as if it were at the bottom of a bowl. These particular physical features make the Sea of Galilee subject to sudden violent storms. The area over the open waters can be somewhat of a wind tunnel at times. I think that we can relate very easily to this type of atmosphere. One of the most unusual things to me during my first year here in Houma is how a perfect day outside can, seemingly without warning, turn into a downpour. The rain lasts for only a few minutes and then it’s almost as if nothing ever happened and the beautiful day continues. However, there is that brief time where it comes down and it comes down hard. When it comes to the Sea of Galilee, strong winds can come seemingly out of nowhere and catch those out in open waters by surprise. Fishermen would feel like they were out on a sheet of glass, and quickly find themselves in an all-hands-on-deck type of situation. Now, it was common knowledge that this occurs from time-to-time, but it still frightened those out on the water at the time. Think about it, just because you know that something is coming doesn’t mean that it isn’t frightening. I’m terrified of rollercoasters. I can see exactly what path it takes. I know what’s coming when I sit down, but that doesn’t prevent my heart from beating nearly out of my chest when the ride begins. When we look at this group of disciples, we see several of them who were either experienced fishermen or had at the very least spent a great deal of time on a boat. Even though they had such a wealth of experience on the water, they still were a little frightened by what was going on around them once the storms began.
As the disciples are trying to fight the elements, stay afloat, and row to their desired destination, they look out across the waters. They don’t expect to see anything, but they are just making sure that they aren’t about to crash into anything because of the massive winds and the fact that it is dark outside. I don’t know if you have ever been out on the water when it is pitch black dark with no lights, but it can be an intimidating thing for even the most experienced of boaters. As they look out, they see something coming towards them. In fact, it isn’t a something at all, but someone. They see Jesus walking towards them, and he’s not in a boat. He is walking on the surface of the water. In that instant, they probably think that due to the amount of terror and stress that they are experiencing in that moment, that they are seeing things. We’re told in the other gospel account of this event that they think they are seeing a ghost. However, they quickly realize that what they are all witnessing is very much a reality. Think about what the disciples had to be experiencing in that moment. They are witnessing their Master walk to them as if there is nothing going on at the same time that they are fighting for their very lives in the midst of this storm.
Then Jesus speaks, “It is I; do not be afraid” or if we were to take the full translation of the Greek text here we would find, “Don’t be afraid. It is I AM WHO I AM.” Yes, that is the very same name that God uses of Himself when speaking to Moses in Exodus 3, as well as other places in the Old Testament. In other words, do not fear, because God is with you. Simple words found in a moment that is anything but simple. This text of ours today is often lumped with the prior feeding of the 5,000 or our text for next Sunday where Jesus’ bread of life discourse is recorded, but that causes us to gloss over this account too quickly. In these 6 verses, by all accounts a short account in John’s gospel, there are seemingly two miracles that take place. The first is Jesus’ walking on water and the second is what we find in verse 21: “Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” Immediately they were at their desired destination. By the mere presence of Jesus Christ, those in the boat were safely upon dry land. The storms stopped and the seas were calmed because Jesus has authority over them. He has authority over all things.
Now, it can be a dangerous practice to read things into Scripture that aren’t there. Not every narrative in the Bible is meant to be read as if it were a parable. Most narratives simply tell the story and the events as they happened. This particular narrative both tells of the events, and provides us with a great lesson similar to those taught in the parables of Jesus. When we have Christ with us, there is something different. To quote R.C. Sproul, “life is a time of pulling against the oars, against resistance, trying to get somewhere. However, we’re not getting anywhere and we’re about to be engulfed. But as soon as Jesus gets in the boat, we’re home free.” No don’t misinterpret Dr. Sproul’s words here. He’s not saying, nor am I, nor does Scripture, that once we become a Christian and proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that things become easy. In fact, I will tell you without hesitation that many times it is quite the opposite. When we live out our faith and try and adhere to the principles set forth for us in Scripture, many times life becomes even more difficult.
No, I’m not saying that Jesus makes life easier at all. What I am saying is that when Jesus enters into our hearts and our lives, He gets us through the darkness. He gets us through the violence. He carries us through the storms. However, there is much more to it than simply saying that you are a Christian and then allowing Christ to carry you through all of life’s trials and tribulations. Your faith, your relationship with Christ can’t just be a part of you; it has to be who you are. I know that personally I have had to learn this particular lesson the hard way. Unfortunately, I have had to have been taught this lesson on more than one occasion. It would have seemed the best idea for the disciples to keep paddling and keep rowing because if they stopped then they might meet their end, but that’s not what we see in our text. They hear Jesus speak to them and they stop and take him into the boat. The problem that I have had in my life, and maybe you have had this problem too, is that I refuse to stop rowing. I say that I am waiting for Christ to act and to see me through whatever I’m experiencing, but I won’t stop moving or talking or planning so that I can see or hear what He is telling me.
What do we need to make it through struggles? What do we need to overcome difficult times in our lives? Family, friends, vacations, stress-relievers, etc. Don’t you think that God uses all of these things to deliver us; that He places people in our lives to help us through our difficult times? Life isn’t an easy thing. We are going to experience joy, happiness, laughter, and victory, but will also know pain, suffering, loss, and defeat. No matter whether in good times or bad, I think that it is important to remember the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples during the storm. There is no need to be afraid because God Himself is with us. We may not come out of whatever situation it is without a few bumps and bruises, but He will see us through it. We may not enjoy our time spent enduring trials and tribulations. Things may turn out differently for you than you would have hoped or than you would have imagined. I know this has most certainly been the case in my life. However, God has not, nor will He ever, fail to deliver on His promises to see His children through any situation. Do not be afraid, for God is with you. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 "It's Not What, But How"
Over the last month, you have all patiently tolerated my thoughts and ramblings about giving, tithing, and stewardship. In addition to that, you have been so kind as to read a letter of preparation about how we were going to approach this stewardship season. Finally, you have listened to fellow members of your church family talk about what stewardship means to them. My hope is that as a result of all of this, that you have all challenged yourself to grow in your understanding of biblical stewardship and what makes a faithful Christian steward. As I said at the beginning of this series, both from this pulpit and that previously mentioned letter, I don’t want you to interpret this short series as a fundraising effort, but as a spiritual growth effort. The things that we have talked about over the last several weeks are much more important matters than the need for the church to have more money or the pastor to feed his family. Y’all can take one look at little Thomas and tell that nobody at my house is going hungry. This look at stewardship hasn’t been done as if it was a pledge drive or fundraiser. This look at biblical stewardship has been done for the purpose of helping all of us to think about what we are (a) commanded to give to God and (b) called to give to God. I hope that you have, and will continue to for the rest of this week, to sit down with your family and to determine the answer to both of these questions.
We’ve spent enough time looking at and talking about what we should give, and I want to end this look at biblical stewardship by looking at something a little different: how we should give. We’ve said that we hesitate to give to God because of worries about there being enough left over for ourselves and our family. We are hesitant and reluctant to give, and I’m not just talking about money. If you dedicate more time to God, will you have enough left over for your loved ones and your responsibilities? I know what it’s like to have an overcommitted schedule and feel like you are neglecting those at home. I will openly admit that while being enrolled in seminary full-time, working as a youth director, and doing some other odd jobs, that I made it as if Amy were a single parent for the first year of Ashby’s life. My desire to provide something and work towards a goal drove me to miss out on the very thing that I was working for. I had to learn that everything else would be fine. I had to learn that what mattered to my family was time with my family, and they needed me much more than the wages and fruits of my labor. I was so worried that if I gave up providing certain things, that they would be unhappy with me. I was letting a lack of faith keep me from giving of myself freely and generously to my family. I was not trusting that God would provide all that we needed in order for us to survive as a family. Paul tells us the same thing when it comes to giving to God. “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all time, you may abound in every good work.” The Lord has promised that He will provide for our needs.
Did you notice those few words there in the middle that seem somewhat counterintuitive: a cheerful giver? These words have caused many Christians a good deal of confusion for quite some time. What in the world is a cheerful giver? What does that even look like? I know many people who give and give generously, but how do you give cheerfully? Unfortunately, far too few people enjoy giving when it is done freely. Sure, we all enjoy giving presents to our family, friends, and our kids, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I love the look on my wife or my kids’ faces when I give them a present that they like, but I’m not really talking about giving someone a gift or present. I’m not even really talking about giving to a local or national charity or mission organization. I’m talking about specifically giving to God being something that is done out of joy instead of obligation. I’m talking about a tithe offering being the Christian returning lovingly to God what He commands us to give Him because of all that He has given to us. I’m not talking about begrudgingly giving our tithe to God because we feel guilty if we don’t. Hear me when I say this, if the only reason why a Christian gives to God is because of the command to do so, then I think that there is something missing there. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very important and proper for the Christian to respond to God’s commands with obedience, but there’s a little bit more to it. If the Christian views tithing as simply an unregulated and voluntary tax paid to the Church, then a great tragedy has taken place.
Our attitude when we give is more important than the amount that we give. Some of you may question this and wonder what many have thought before us and say, “Isn’t it better to give a larger gift or make a greater commitment to God? Isn’t the purpose to commit as much as we can to God? I thought the entire goal was fully committing all that we have to the Lord, or at the very least our firstfruits and our ten percent.” Or maybe you even look at it from the other side of the coin. Maybe there is a sense in which you are embarrassed with your ability to give only a small gift. I have talked with more people than I care to about them feeling less than someone else. Sometimes, we think that the value, the true worth, of a gift is measured in the amount, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. God is far more concerned with how we give from the resources that we have than what we give. Personally, I don’t care if you give 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, or any other percentage to God. What I do care about, however, is how you give it to Him. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not dismissing the principle of tithing. I’m simply saying that as I see things, the attitude is even greater than the amount. If you don’t want to take my word for it, you need only look at Mark 12:41-44 and the story of the poor widow’s offering. In this account we are told of all the people coming to pay their offering. We’re told how so many brought it in the most visually stunning way imaginable; similar to how we would pay for a $100 item in all quarters instead of simply a few paper bills. To give their offering, the people would come forward and drop these multitudes of coins into these large metal boxes, making as loud of a noise as possible so that everyone in attendance not only knew they were giving, but that they were giving greatly. All those in attendance were basing a persons’ wealth and generosity and piety on the amount of noise generated by their offering. Then this widow comes forward, and she places two small copper coins in the bins. Now, with this small offering, she shows everyone in attendance what true faith is all about.
You see, these two small copper coins, or two lepta, are worth nearly nothing. As a matter of fact, in this day and age, where the value of a coin was based off of its thickness and weight, a lepta was referred to as a “thin-one.” It was by all accounts as worthless a currency as there was at this time. Each of these coins was valued at less than the modern day equivalent of a penny. Think about today’s society where many toss pennies aside as if they have no value at all, and here is this woman, who places such a seemingly insignificant amount in the offering bins. In the midst of all of these people giving such massive amounts of coins, Jesus praises this widow for her seemingly miniscule offering. “Jesus called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” The value of a gift is not determined on the amount, but by the spirit in which it is given.
We’ve all heard stories of anonymous donors and mystery providers, so there’s really no need to go into such tales. However, I fully believe that if you were to ever sit down with one of these men or women who have ever made such donations, none of them would say that they did so in order to feel better about themselves or that they would have felt guilty had they not done so. I’ve sat with folks who have made such contributions to others, and I can tell you this, that every single one of them gave a donation because of how blessed they felt they had been. They didn’t feel like the owed it, but they wanted to show gratitude for what they had been given.
During our look at biblical stewardship, we have seen that we are to give a tithe (10%) out of our first and best fruits, but not only that, we are to give it cheerfully. I know that each of these truths come with their own set of challenges. I understand the difficulties that lie in making these things reality, but I want all of us to hear the closing words of our text from Paul on what happens when we give cheerfully. “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” I’m not going to stand up here and tell you that you will be given everything that you want when you give to God what is rightfully His. For me to do so would be a flat out lie and has no biblical standing whatsoever. What I can tell you with complete certainty is this: When we treat our Christian responsibility of giving to God what He commands, there will never be a time in which we do not have what we need. You may not see a difference in those two things, but there is a world between them. I don’t need many things to survive. Sure, there are a lot of things that I have gotten accustomed to and it would take a great deal of adjustment to do without them, but I don’t need them.
I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have felt before like I’m doing without because one of my families two cars won’t work right, or I have to eat at home every night because restaurants are too expensive, or I can’t take a vacation because my kids’ school costs too much. Here I am complaining and focusing on the negative side of everything. Instead of being thankful that my family has transportation, food, and education, I focus on what I want instead of need. I’m not asking, nor does God command, you to give up everything in your life. I don’t think that there is a Scriptural command to give every last thing that we have, but I do think that we should commit everything to the Lord. I don’t hesitate for one second in saying that the blessings that God gives to us, which He has already given to us, could ever be mistaken for what He commands of us. Quite simply, there is absolutely no way that we could ever come close to giving to God what He has already given to us. Shouldn’t we rejoice and want to cheerfully give back to Him but a portion of what is rightfully His? Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We’ve spent enough time looking at and talking about what we should give, and I want to end this look at biblical stewardship by looking at something a little different: how we should give. We’ve said that we hesitate to give to God because of worries about there being enough left over for ourselves and our family. We are hesitant and reluctant to give, and I’m not just talking about money. If you dedicate more time to God, will you have enough left over for your loved ones and your responsibilities? I know what it’s like to have an overcommitted schedule and feel like you are neglecting those at home. I will openly admit that while being enrolled in seminary full-time, working as a youth director, and doing some other odd jobs, that I made it as if Amy were a single parent for the first year of Ashby’s life. My desire to provide something and work towards a goal drove me to miss out on the very thing that I was working for. I had to learn that everything else would be fine. I had to learn that what mattered to my family was time with my family, and they needed me much more than the wages and fruits of my labor. I was so worried that if I gave up providing certain things, that they would be unhappy with me. I was letting a lack of faith keep me from giving of myself freely and generously to my family. I was not trusting that God would provide all that we needed in order for us to survive as a family. Paul tells us the same thing when it comes to giving to God. “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all time, you may abound in every good work.” The Lord has promised that He will provide for our needs.
Did you notice those few words there in the middle that seem somewhat counterintuitive: a cheerful giver? These words have caused many Christians a good deal of confusion for quite some time. What in the world is a cheerful giver? What does that even look like? I know many people who give and give generously, but how do you give cheerfully? Unfortunately, far too few people enjoy giving when it is done freely. Sure, we all enjoy giving presents to our family, friends, and our kids, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I love the look on my wife or my kids’ faces when I give them a present that they like, but I’m not really talking about giving someone a gift or present. I’m not even really talking about giving to a local or national charity or mission organization. I’m talking about specifically giving to God being something that is done out of joy instead of obligation. I’m talking about a tithe offering being the Christian returning lovingly to God what He commands us to give Him because of all that He has given to us. I’m not talking about begrudgingly giving our tithe to God because we feel guilty if we don’t. Hear me when I say this, if the only reason why a Christian gives to God is because of the command to do so, then I think that there is something missing there. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very important and proper for the Christian to respond to God’s commands with obedience, but there’s a little bit more to it. If the Christian views tithing as simply an unregulated and voluntary tax paid to the Church, then a great tragedy has taken place.
Our attitude when we give is more important than the amount that we give. Some of you may question this and wonder what many have thought before us and say, “Isn’t it better to give a larger gift or make a greater commitment to God? Isn’t the purpose to commit as much as we can to God? I thought the entire goal was fully committing all that we have to the Lord, or at the very least our firstfruits and our ten percent.” Or maybe you even look at it from the other side of the coin. Maybe there is a sense in which you are embarrassed with your ability to give only a small gift. I have talked with more people than I care to about them feeling less than someone else. Sometimes, we think that the value, the true worth, of a gift is measured in the amount, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. God is far more concerned with how we give from the resources that we have than what we give. Personally, I don’t care if you give 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, or any other percentage to God. What I do care about, however, is how you give it to Him. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not dismissing the principle of tithing. I’m simply saying that as I see things, the attitude is even greater than the amount. If you don’t want to take my word for it, you need only look at Mark 12:41-44 and the story of the poor widow’s offering. In this account we are told of all the people coming to pay their offering. We’re told how so many brought it in the most visually stunning way imaginable; similar to how we would pay for a $100 item in all quarters instead of simply a few paper bills. To give their offering, the people would come forward and drop these multitudes of coins into these large metal boxes, making as loud of a noise as possible so that everyone in attendance not only knew they were giving, but that they were giving greatly. All those in attendance were basing a persons’ wealth and generosity and piety on the amount of noise generated by their offering. Then this widow comes forward, and she places two small copper coins in the bins. Now, with this small offering, she shows everyone in attendance what true faith is all about.
You see, these two small copper coins, or two lepta, are worth nearly nothing. As a matter of fact, in this day and age, where the value of a coin was based off of its thickness and weight, a lepta was referred to as a “thin-one.” It was by all accounts as worthless a currency as there was at this time. Each of these coins was valued at less than the modern day equivalent of a penny. Think about today’s society where many toss pennies aside as if they have no value at all, and here is this woman, who places such a seemingly insignificant amount in the offering bins. In the midst of all of these people giving such massive amounts of coins, Jesus praises this widow for her seemingly miniscule offering. “Jesus called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” The value of a gift is not determined on the amount, but by the spirit in which it is given.
We’ve all heard stories of anonymous donors and mystery providers, so there’s really no need to go into such tales. However, I fully believe that if you were to ever sit down with one of these men or women who have ever made such donations, none of them would say that they did so in order to feel better about themselves or that they would have felt guilty had they not done so. I’ve sat with folks who have made such contributions to others, and I can tell you this, that every single one of them gave a donation because of how blessed they felt they had been. They didn’t feel like the owed it, but they wanted to show gratitude for what they had been given.
During our look at biblical stewardship, we have seen that we are to give a tithe (10%) out of our first and best fruits, but not only that, we are to give it cheerfully. I know that each of these truths come with their own set of challenges. I understand the difficulties that lie in making these things reality, but I want all of us to hear the closing words of our text from Paul on what happens when we give cheerfully. “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” I’m not going to stand up here and tell you that you will be given everything that you want when you give to God what is rightfully His. For me to do so would be a flat out lie and has no biblical standing whatsoever. What I can tell you with complete certainty is this: When we treat our Christian responsibility of giving to God what He commands, there will never be a time in which we do not have what we need. You may not see a difference in those two things, but there is a world between them. I don’t need many things to survive. Sure, there are a lot of things that I have gotten accustomed to and it would take a great deal of adjustment to do without them, but I don’t need them.
I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have felt before like I’m doing without because one of my families two cars won’t work right, or I have to eat at home every night because restaurants are too expensive, or I can’t take a vacation because my kids’ school costs too much. Here I am complaining and focusing on the negative side of everything. Instead of being thankful that my family has transportation, food, and education, I focus on what I want instead of need. I’m not asking, nor does God command, you to give up everything in your life. I don’t think that there is a Scriptural command to give every last thing that we have, but I do think that we should commit everything to the Lord. I don’t hesitate for one second in saying that the blessings that God gives to us, which He has already given to us, could ever be mistaken for what He commands of us. Quite simply, there is absolutely no way that we could ever come close to giving to God what He has already given to us. Shouldn’t we rejoice and want to cheerfully give back to Him but a portion of what is rightfully His? Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Malachi 3:7-10 "Don't Hold Back"
Our continued look at biblical stewardship and what makes a faithful Christian steward brings us today to the prophet Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament. Now, for us to fully understand what our text today is really saying I think that we need to have a sense of what’s going on at this particular time. You see, this book is the last of the prophets, and the 400 years of silence known as the intertestamental period begins with the close of Malachi. So, what is contained in this prophetic book are the final words of God before a period of silence from Him that lasts for 400 years until the time of John the Baptist. Now, Malachi is speaking to Israel (the Jews) almost a century after their return from exile. When they were initially allowed to come back from their exile from their land, they returned with a great fervor for the Lord. They almost immediately began rebuilding the temple and were very committed to the service of their God. However, that did not last very long. The people began to not tithe because of their own interests and what they wanted to do with their money. Now the purpose of the tithe was to provide for the Levites, the priests. This notion of a tithe, or ten percent, was initiated in Leviticus 27 when God, through Moses, commanded that a tenth of all possessions should go to supporting the priests, their ministry, and the tabernacle. This was done since the tribe of Levi was the only one that did not inherit any land of their own. Since the Levites, the priests, were not being support through proper tithing, they were forced to go and make a living for themselves. They were forced to enter into some other line of work in order to provide for their needs and the needs of their families. In doing so, the priests began to neglect their God-given responsibilities of caring for the temple and conducting the worship services. After years of this type of behavior continuing to happen, things had become pretty unruly and God’s chosen people had gone astray. Eventually, there was almost an entire generation of the people of Israel that knew putting oneself before God and didn’t know the importance of tithing.
So Malachi enters the scene and God speaks through him and paints just a stunning picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness. This picture leaves us with no other conclusion than that Israel deserves complete and total condemnation. Roughly 46 out of the 55 verses in this book are words condemning both the sinful people and unfaithful priests. And it’s near the end of those condemning words that we find our text for today. You see, it isn’t as if this is a new problem that has arisen with God’s chosen people. We are told in verse 7 that “from the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you says the Lord of hosts.” God’s patience seems endless. Throughout history, both prior to this account, during this account, and even after this account extending through today and I’m sure into the future, God’s people have ignored and disobeyed Him. Sure, some of it has been unintentional, but many times it has been something that we knew was contrary to how God would have us behave. Despite man’s numerous acts of rebellion and disobedience, God has always been willing to accept us back. It truly is one of the great pillars of the Christian faith that our God loves us so much that He is willing to forgive anything if we will simply come before Him and ask for forgiveness.
However, the people in Malachi’s day don’t admit their guilt; they wouldn’t admit that they had gone astray. They even had the audacity to imply that they in fact had never disobeyed. They had asked the question, “How shall we return?” God responds to this question by saying, “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” God doesn’t leave anyone out. He doesn’t go easy on them. He doesn’t say, “I know that you have had great difficulty rebuilding your lives. I know that things have not been easy with all that has transpired.” He doesn’t even say to the people, “Look, I know that not having the priests in their usual role has made it difficult for you to worship, so I understand a little bit why you have neglected your responsibilities as you have.” There are no words of comfort and understanding here. Our God is a loving and caring God, but make no mistake about it; He is a just God who expects what He commands.
He goes on to tell the people “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” He demands that the full tithe, the full ten percent be brought before Him. One of the greatest stories that I have ever been told about tithing came from the pastor of my previous church, Rev. Steve Bryant. Many of you got to meet Steve at my ordination and installation service back in February. Well, shortly after beginning his pastoral ministry Steve found himself the sole pastor of a fairly large church in Florida, one of the largest Presbyterian churches in the state at that time. They were going through a season of stewardship much like we are today. At the end of the season, they submitted pledge cards similar to what we will do in a few weeks. As the secretary of the church was going through the cards and writing the amount that each family pledged, she came across an unusual amount written on the card of one particular individual in the church. She came into Steve’s office to tell him and to ask him what should be done about it. Well, Steve, much like myself, doesn’t really want to know what any particular member of his congregation is giving. After some discussion he consented to look at the amount and he was blown away with what this man pledged. He figured that it must have been an error on the part of the man and that they would just hold out that one man’s pledge from the overall total until it got straightened out. Well, beginning at the first of the year this man wrote a check that was in line with what he had pledged a few months prior, and each month after his checks were in line with that pledge. This was a great blessing to Steve and to this church because it allowed them to do so many things with this money that they really weren’t even expecting.
The end of the year came, and Steve got a call from this particular man and all he would say was that he had just gotten off the phone with his accountant and there was a problem and he needed Steve to come to his office as soon as possible. Steve has admitted more than once that that was one of the scariest drives that he has ever made. He didn’t know what he was about to find when he got to the man’s business. For all he knew the church was getting ready to have some explaining of its own to do to federal authorities. Steve got to the man’s business, went back to his office, and closed the door so they could talk. He asked the man what the problem was almost not wanting to hear what the answer was going to be. The businessman looked at him and said, “Steve, I was talking to my accountant this morning and it turns out that I actually made $80,000 more than I thought I did this year and I didn’t tithe any of that. I need your help because I don’t want to not tithe, and this means that I’ve got at least $8,000 I need to give back to God. Steve, can you help me with this problem? Am I being an unfaithful steward?” Now, every time Steve tells this story he begins to smirk and chuckle at this point. He told the man, “Yeah, I don’t think that we’ll have any trouble helping you to resolve this problem, and I don’t think that God has a problem with you stewardship at all.”
We hear this story, and there are many just like it out there floating around, and our first instinct is to laugh about it. Our first thought is to say something along the lines of “That’s a problem that I’d like to have,” and I understand that. All of us would love for issues about money to be how we are going to spend it all instead of where is it going to come from. But I want you to think about this man for a moment and his situation as it compares to the people of Israel in Malachi’s day. You see, as we were told earlier, God condemned the people and He was angry with them for not giving Him the FULL tithe, for not giving Him the FULL ten percent. This man in Florida, had he just stayed with his original pledge, even though it was substantial, it would not have been his full tithe.
Friends, it is very easy for any one of us to become complacent in what we give to God and I’m not just talking about financially. Every single person who bears the name Christian is called to examine themselves each and every day. Just as we are called to examine ourselves before partaking of these elements on the table that sits before us, we are called to examine and evaluate whether or not what we are doing for God’s kingdom is enough and is our FULL tithe. As all of us continue to pray and discern what God’s will is for us in the coming year and what He wants each of us to commit to His Church, I want to encourage you to not become complacent. I want to encourage you to not just stay with something because it’s familiar and you’re comfortable with it. In order for truth Christian growth and maturity to occur, there is a sense in which we must truly place our faith at the forefront and put ourselves out there. What happens when we do this? In verse 10, God tells us, “Put me to the test, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” You can’t out-give God, and He has promised to bless us beyond all that we can imagine when we return to Him what is rightfully His. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
So Malachi enters the scene and God speaks through him and paints just a stunning picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness. This picture leaves us with no other conclusion than that Israel deserves complete and total condemnation. Roughly 46 out of the 55 verses in this book are words condemning both the sinful people and unfaithful priests. And it’s near the end of those condemning words that we find our text for today. You see, it isn’t as if this is a new problem that has arisen with God’s chosen people. We are told in verse 7 that “from the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you says the Lord of hosts.” God’s patience seems endless. Throughout history, both prior to this account, during this account, and even after this account extending through today and I’m sure into the future, God’s people have ignored and disobeyed Him. Sure, some of it has been unintentional, but many times it has been something that we knew was contrary to how God would have us behave. Despite man’s numerous acts of rebellion and disobedience, God has always been willing to accept us back. It truly is one of the great pillars of the Christian faith that our God loves us so much that He is willing to forgive anything if we will simply come before Him and ask for forgiveness.
However, the people in Malachi’s day don’t admit their guilt; they wouldn’t admit that they had gone astray. They even had the audacity to imply that they in fact had never disobeyed. They had asked the question, “How shall we return?” God responds to this question by saying, “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” God doesn’t leave anyone out. He doesn’t go easy on them. He doesn’t say, “I know that you have had great difficulty rebuilding your lives. I know that things have not been easy with all that has transpired.” He doesn’t even say to the people, “Look, I know that not having the priests in their usual role has made it difficult for you to worship, so I understand a little bit why you have neglected your responsibilities as you have.” There are no words of comfort and understanding here. Our God is a loving and caring God, but make no mistake about it; He is a just God who expects what He commands.
He goes on to tell the people “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” He demands that the full tithe, the full ten percent be brought before Him. One of the greatest stories that I have ever been told about tithing came from the pastor of my previous church, Rev. Steve Bryant. Many of you got to meet Steve at my ordination and installation service back in February. Well, shortly after beginning his pastoral ministry Steve found himself the sole pastor of a fairly large church in Florida, one of the largest Presbyterian churches in the state at that time. They were going through a season of stewardship much like we are today. At the end of the season, they submitted pledge cards similar to what we will do in a few weeks. As the secretary of the church was going through the cards and writing the amount that each family pledged, she came across an unusual amount written on the card of one particular individual in the church. She came into Steve’s office to tell him and to ask him what should be done about it. Well, Steve, much like myself, doesn’t really want to know what any particular member of his congregation is giving. After some discussion he consented to look at the amount and he was blown away with what this man pledged. He figured that it must have been an error on the part of the man and that they would just hold out that one man’s pledge from the overall total until it got straightened out. Well, beginning at the first of the year this man wrote a check that was in line with what he had pledged a few months prior, and each month after his checks were in line with that pledge. This was a great blessing to Steve and to this church because it allowed them to do so many things with this money that they really weren’t even expecting.
The end of the year came, and Steve got a call from this particular man and all he would say was that he had just gotten off the phone with his accountant and there was a problem and he needed Steve to come to his office as soon as possible. Steve has admitted more than once that that was one of the scariest drives that he has ever made. He didn’t know what he was about to find when he got to the man’s business. For all he knew the church was getting ready to have some explaining of its own to do to federal authorities. Steve got to the man’s business, went back to his office, and closed the door so they could talk. He asked the man what the problem was almost not wanting to hear what the answer was going to be. The businessman looked at him and said, “Steve, I was talking to my accountant this morning and it turns out that I actually made $80,000 more than I thought I did this year and I didn’t tithe any of that. I need your help because I don’t want to not tithe, and this means that I’ve got at least $8,000 I need to give back to God. Steve, can you help me with this problem? Am I being an unfaithful steward?” Now, every time Steve tells this story he begins to smirk and chuckle at this point. He told the man, “Yeah, I don’t think that we’ll have any trouble helping you to resolve this problem, and I don’t think that God has a problem with you stewardship at all.”
We hear this story, and there are many just like it out there floating around, and our first instinct is to laugh about it. Our first thought is to say something along the lines of “That’s a problem that I’d like to have,” and I understand that. All of us would love for issues about money to be how we are going to spend it all instead of where is it going to come from. But I want you to think about this man for a moment and his situation as it compares to the people of Israel in Malachi’s day. You see, as we were told earlier, God condemned the people and He was angry with them for not giving Him the FULL tithe, for not giving Him the FULL ten percent. This man in Florida, had he just stayed with his original pledge, even though it was substantial, it would not have been his full tithe.
Friends, it is very easy for any one of us to become complacent in what we give to God and I’m not just talking about financially. Every single person who bears the name Christian is called to examine themselves each and every day. Just as we are called to examine ourselves before partaking of these elements on the table that sits before us, we are called to examine and evaluate whether or not what we are doing for God’s kingdom is enough and is our FULL tithe. As all of us continue to pray and discern what God’s will is for us in the coming year and what He wants each of us to commit to His Church, I want to encourage you to not become complacent. I want to encourage you to not just stay with something because it’s familiar and you’re comfortable with it. In order for truth Christian growth and maturity to occur, there is a sense in which we must truly place our faith at the forefront and put ourselves out there. What happens when we do this? In verse 10, God tells us, “Put me to the test, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” You can’t out-give God, and He has promised to bless us beyond all that we can imagine when we return to Him what is rightfully His. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Proverbs 3:9-10 "Giving God Our Firstfruits"
You may not have discovered it yet, but I can be difficult to deal with many times, and I will be the first to admit that. I give my sweet wife all the credit in the world, because I can frustrate anyone with my behavioral quirks and idiosyncrasies, but she remains patient when it comes to my odd behavior. She tolerates my strange requests and habits with little-to-no complaining. One of my more prominent quirks is that I like to plan as much as I can plan when it comes to certain things. Now, when it comes to things that I know, like Bible studies, group discussions, or something that most people spend time planning for, I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. However, when it comes to things like budgets and orders of operation, I am a very planned person. I’m the type of person who goes on vacation, but keeps a tentative schedule in my head as to what I want to happen and when it should happen. I’m the type of person who sits down at the beginning and ending of each work day and makes a list of things that I need to get done that particular day. I’m the type of person who makes a list on Friday of all the things that I want to have done by the time that Monday morning rolls around. I’m the type of person that every time there is a change in our financial situation at home, I sit down and I figure out how much is spent on bills, groceries, gas, childcare, etc. I like to have every piece of information at my fingertips. I enjoy being able to find an answer to any and all questions that I may have about our families welfare. I like to have all the information in front of me. Regardless of what the information may say, it helps me knowing that I have a clear understanding as to what’s going on.
As you can probably imagine, there has been a great deal of change that has taken place within my family over the last year, and really over the last 5 years. In July of 2007, I began my studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. Now, I was still getting a paycheck from my previous employment as a high school science teacher and baseball coach, but that was getting ready to change; July was my last check. So, Amy and I sat down and we figured out what we were spending each month in order to figure out where we needed to cut back and it seemed like almost every time we attempted this, we would remember at the very end that we hadn’t accounted for our church offering. And our offering was pretty simple, at least 10% of whatever our income happened to be, but we’ll dive into that a little more next Sunday when we look at the prophet Malachi. So, we had our adjusted budget for the time being. Since that time, we have seen our family grow twice, a change in employment for each of us, a move from MS to Houma, and that’s only the major changes. Each time we experienced one of these changes we would go through the same process and adjust our budget accordingly. Each time, we would figure everything out and it seemed like nearly every time we would remember at the end that we had to account for our tithe. So we made a promise to each other a while back that when new family budgets got configured and monthly expenses got checked, that our giving to God would be the first thing that we set aside. It was important to us for that to be first.
In our text today, we’re told about giving to God. The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom, primarily from Solomon, for the purpose of guiding people through life in such a manner so that they honor God appropriately. The first nine chapters are information that Solomon is passing down to us just as a father would pass down to his son. He is giving us some very practical advice for leading Godly lives. In verses 9 and 10, he is telling us a little bit about how we are to conduct ourselves when it comes to giving. “Honor the Lord with you wealth, with the firstfruits of all your produce.” The firstfruits refers to a practice that we’re first told about in Deuteronomy 26. We’re told to give to God using the first and best portion of our harvest. We’re told to give back to God what is rightfully His. We’re told that it is only fitting that we give our firstfruits, our greatest and our best, back to the one who has first given to us. Unfortunately, many Christians today give to God only out of their surplus and their leftovers. If they can afford to give something after all of their monthly bills are paid, then they do. If money or time is tight, then they just don’t give.
Some people, and for that matter some of you, may hear these words coming out of my mouth and say, “Preacher, does it really matter whether I give first or give last? Isn’t it just important that I give, and that’s all that matters?” Well, yes and no. It is important that you give, but that isn’t all that matters. We will see in a few weeks that giving back to God shouldn’t be a painful or joyless concept. We should be able to recognize how God has so richly blessed us and we ought to rush to give back to Him and give but a portion of what He has given to us already. God doesn’t require that we give all of our possessions and our wealth back to Him, but he does demand a portion. He does demand that we honor Him with our wealth.
This language of fruit makes me think about the process of buying fruit, which is a humorous thing to me. If you’ve never watched someone pick out fruit, then try it next time you’re at the grocery store. Everyone has their own method for telling when a particular fruit or vegetable is ripe or “good”. We inspect, squeeze, tap, smell, or I’ve even seen some people shake fruit to see if they want to buy it. And we do this because we want good fruit; we want the best fruit available. We don’t want to buy something and then get home and realize that it isn’t what we thought it was. We love going to the store and seeing that the produce has just been put out and that there are seemingly innumerable choices before us. Very few of us in here like it when we want some bananas and there are only those few brown ones left that no one else wanted. We want first pick; we don’t care for the leftovers. We’re not happy that we got the bananas, we’re upset that we got only the lesser and leftover bananas. We got what was remaining after everyone else. Why in the world would we think that God would want our leftovers? If we know that we’re not happy with them, then why would we expect God to be happy with them?
You see, it would be really easy for all of us, myself included, to say that we “need” this and that and if there’s anything left over then I’ll give it God. But what happens when we think like that is that we place ourselves about God. We start to think that our needs and our goals are the top priorities in our life. Remember, as I have said, it isn’t as if God is calling all of us to give everything and take a vow of poverty. He is simply demanding that we give back a portion of what He has given to us already. It is better to give God the first part of our fruits. This shows that God, not possessions, take precedence in our lives and that our resources belong to Him. After all, we are only managers of God’s resources. There is nothing that is completely ours. Giving to God first helps us conquer greed. It helps us to properly manage God’s resources. Perhaps most importantly, it opens us up to receive God’s special blessings. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on the entire Bible, says of these verses, “God, who is the first and best, must have the first and best of everything; his right is prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first. Note, it is our duty to make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion, to use them and the interest we have by them for the promoting of religion, to do good to the poor with what we have and abound in all works of piety and charity.”
So, what happens when we give to God in the manner in which He commands us to? Well, we’re told here that, “Your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.” The picture being painted here is one of abundance and plenty and not that of lacking and want. You see, it’s not as if we are forced to make a choice between giving to God and taking care of ourselves and our families. Just like we saw two weeks ago when we witnessed the young boy give the basket of food to Christ, and it was used to feed 10,000-15,000 people and have twelve baskets of fragments left over, there will be plenty. Just like we saw last week, it isn’t about what we have to put in, but that when we invest what God has given to us, and given to us in abundance, then our return is never empty. Our return is never less than 100%. I can’t think of a businessman alive who would ever tell you that you should not invest in something that offers a minimum of a 100% return. Why would investing in the Gospel be any different?
Now, I’m not saying that if you give something to God that you get that exact thing back and then some. What I am saying is that there is no such thing as an empty investment in God or the Gospel. There is no such thing as a worthless investment of time, talents, money, or any other resource when we are speaking in terms of committing and growing in the Christian faith. I can’t imagine anyone ever coming into my office and sitting down across from me and saying, “You know Tommy, I give and give and give to the church, but I don’t really feel like I ever get anything in return.” If someone ever did, my answer would be simple, “Well, first off, it isn’t about you, and second, I bet that I could point to several things and show you just how blessed you have been through your investment in God’s kingdom.”
God has given us all more gifts than we could ever count. He has blessed us so much that we wouldn’t know where to begin when listing all that He has done for us. Despite all that He has given to us and all that He has done on our behalf, He simply commands for us to honor Him with what He has given us, and to give it to Him first. God wants our best, and He deserves our best. In fact, He really deserves more than our best, but unfortunately that’s all we can give Him. As you continue to pray about what you want to commit to God in the coming year, I want all of us to take some time and to think about how richly we have all been blessed. When we truly see how great our blessing are, then we will never think that God is asking too much when He commands our firstfruits. His blessings will never cease. Glory be to God; the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
As you can probably imagine, there has been a great deal of change that has taken place within my family over the last year, and really over the last 5 years. In July of 2007, I began my studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. Now, I was still getting a paycheck from my previous employment as a high school science teacher and baseball coach, but that was getting ready to change; July was my last check. So, Amy and I sat down and we figured out what we were spending each month in order to figure out where we needed to cut back and it seemed like almost every time we attempted this, we would remember at the very end that we hadn’t accounted for our church offering. And our offering was pretty simple, at least 10% of whatever our income happened to be, but we’ll dive into that a little more next Sunday when we look at the prophet Malachi. So, we had our adjusted budget for the time being. Since that time, we have seen our family grow twice, a change in employment for each of us, a move from MS to Houma, and that’s only the major changes. Each time we experienced one of these changes we would go through the same process and adjust our budget accordingly. Each time, we would figure everything out and it seemed like nearly every time we would remember at the end that we had to account for our tithe. So we made a promise to each other a while back that when new family budgets got configured and monthly expenses got checked, that our giving to God would be the first thing that we set aside. It was important to us for that to be first.
In our text today, we’re told about giving to God. The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom, primarily from Solomon, for the purpose of guiding people through life in such a manner so that they honor God appropriately. The first nine chapters are information that Solomon is passing down to us just as a father would pass down to his son. He is giving us some very practical advice for leading Godly lives. In verses 9 and 10, he is telling us a little bit about how we are to conduct ourselves when it comes to giving. “Honor the Lord with you wealth, with the firstfruits of all your produce.” The firstfruits refers to a practice that we’re first told about in Deuteronomy 26. We’re told to give to God using the first and best portion of our harvest. We’re told to give back to God what is rightfully His. We’re told that it is only fitting that we give our firstfruits, our greatest and our best, back to the one who has first given to us. Unfortunately, many Christians today give to God only out of their surplus and their leftovers. If they can afford to give something after all of their monthly bills are paid, then they do. If money or time is tight, then they just don’t give.
Some people, and for that matter some of you, may hear these words coming out of my mouth and say, “Preacher, does it really matter whether I give first or give last? Isn’t it just important that I give, and that’s all that matters?” Well, yes and no. It is important that you give, but that isn’t all that matters. We will see in a few weeks that giving back to God shouldn’t be a painful or joyless concept. We should be able to recognize how God has so richly blessed us and we ought to rush to give back to Him and give but a portion of what He has given to us already. God doesn’t require that we give all of our possessions and our wealth back to Him, but he does demand a portion. He does demand that we honor Him with our wealth.
This language of fruit makes me think about the process of buying fruit, which is a humorous thing to me. If you’ve never watched someone pick out fruit, then try it next time you’re at the grocery store. Everyone has their own method for telling when a particular fruit or vegetable is ripe or “good”. We inspect, squeeze, tap, smell, or I’ve even seen some people shake fruit to see if they want to buy it. And we do this because we want good fruit; we want the best fruit available. We don’t want to buy something and then get home and realize that it isn’t what we thought it was. We love going to the store and seeing that the produce has just been put out and that there are seemingly innumerable choices before us. Very few of us in here like it when we want some bananas and there are only those few brown ones left that no one else wanted. We want first pick; we don’t care for the leftovers. We’re not happy that we got the bananas, we’re upset that we got only the lesser and leftover bananas. We got what was remaining after everyone else. Why in the world would we think that God would want our leftovers? If we know that we’re not happy with them, then why would we expect God to be happy with them?
You see, it would be really easy for all of us, myself included, to say that we “need” this and that and if there’s anything left over then I’ll give it God. But what happens when we think like that is that we place ourselves about God. We start to think that our needs and our goals are the top priorities in our life. Remember, as I have said, it isn’t as if God is calling all of us to give everything and take a vow of poverty. He is simply demanding that we give back a portion of what He has given to us already. It is better to give God the first part of our fruits. This shows that God, not possessions, take precedence in our lives and that our resources belong to Him. After all, we are only managers of God’s resources. There is nothing that is completely ours. Giving to God first helps us conquer greed. It helps us to properly manage God’s resources. Perhaps most importantly, it opens us up to receive God’s special blessings. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on the entire Bible, says of these verses, “God, who is the first and best, must have the first and best of everything; his right is prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first. Note, it is our duty to make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion, to use them and the interest we have by them for the promoting of religion, to do good to the poor with what we have and abound in all works of piety and charity.”
So, what happens when we give to God in the manner in which He commands us to? Well, we’re told here that, “Your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.” The picture being painted here is one of abundance and plenty and not that of lacking and want. You see, it’s not as if we are forced to make a choice between giving to God and taking care of ourselves and our families. Just like we saw two weeks ago when we witnessed the young boy give the basket of food to Christ, and it was used to feed 10,000-15,000 people and have twelve baskets of fragments left over, there will be plenty. Just like we saw last week, it isn’t about what we have to put in, but that when we invest what God has given to us, and given to us in abundance, then our return is never empty. Our return is never less than 100%. I can’t think of a businessman alive who would ever tell you that you should not invest in something that offers a minimum of a 100% return. Why would investing in the Gospel be any different?
Now, I’m not saying that if you give something to God that you get that exact thing back and then some. What I am saying is that there is no such thing as an empty investment in God or the Gospel. There is no such thing as a worthless investment of time, talents, money, or any other resource when we are speaking in terms of committing and growing in the Christian faith. I can’t imagine anyone ever coming into my office and sitting down across from me and saying, “You know Tommy, I give and give and give to the church, but I don’t really feel like I ever get anything in return.” If someone ever did, my answer would be simple, “Well, first off, it isn’t about you, and second, I bet that I could point to several things and show you just how blessed you have been through your investment in God’s kingdom.”
God has given us all more gifts than we could ever count. He has blessed us so much that we wouldn’t know where to begin when listing all that He has done for us. Despite all that He has given to us and all that He has done on our behalf, He simply commands for us to honor Him with what He has given us, and to give it to Him first. God wants our best, and He deserves our best. In fact, He really deserves more than our best, but unfortunately that’s all we can give Him. As you continue to pray about what you want to commit to God in the coming year, I want all of us to take some time and to think about how richly we have all been blessed. When we truly see how great our blessing are, then we will never think that God is asking too much when He commands our firstfruits. His blessings will never cease. Glory be to God; the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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