North Anderson Baptist Church
What about our Christmas spending for Americans? Let me share some figures with you. Most are projected but according to the Gallup Poll, National Retail Federation, Dave Ramsey and others, these figures are fairly representative of Americans. The total spending projected for 2019 on Christmas is to exceed $1 trillion nationwide. 29% are expected to spend on a gift between $100-499. Some even project that people will spend $920 on gifts per person. American families are expected to spend on average of $1007.24 this year on Christmas. Dave Ramsey says that if a family has an income of $50,000 their Christmas budget will be on average $800 and if $25,000, half of that at $400. There will be 32.8 million real Christmas trees sold this year. 60% of people will buy their Christmas on line and Americans will spend an average of $123 on their spouse. And to finish this off, 22% of people are expecting that they will go into debt because of buying for Christmas.
How about you and your family? Do you know what you have spent and will you be like the average American? Did you go in debt because of buying for Christmas?
Do you believe that Americans, as a whole, are wasteful, extravagant and at times wildly unrestrained and irresponsible in their spending? Would you include yourself, your children and grandchildren in that group? Do you shake your head at the prices some people are willing to pay for things and services which you do not even consider essential? There are so few people who seem to appreciate the value of a dollar. When it comes to handling money do you think yourself any different from others? Are you more careful and deliberate than others in your spending? Are you insightful and more shrewd in handling your money? Are you more conservative than others in your lifestyle and able to get more for your money than most others? Do you understand the value of a dollar? How about, do you understand the value of a dollar when given to the Lord?
The Bible is full of wisdom about money and giving what you have to God and His church, others and causes that are honorable to God. Whether you are a financial genius or overwhelmed by debt or have money problems, sometimes Jesus and others in the scripture like Solomon, Malachi, David and Paul, have words to share about money that are hard to swallow and follow. We are called on to be liberal in our concern, care and giving to those who are of God’s family and to the community at large to show the love of God to a lost and dying world.
The Bible gives us great advice on how to give and where to give our money. Today we are speaking about Christians giving to the church fellowship of which they are a part. God calls for us to be generous and faithful in giving to the work of God through the church.
Our first thought today is “Don’t Rob God!”
Malachi 3:6-10 NIV
Remember last week we said that the Bible declares that all the world is God’s and that everything in it is owned by God? Since that is true, then all you have is God’s and if God says that you are to return a portion back to Him and you choose not to do it, then that is what God is calling here “robbery!” Not only years prior to this writing did the Jewish nation rebel against God and robbed Him of His tithes and offerings, but also in the days of Malachi, the priests, the leadership and Jews in general, did not give what God required them to give. He called them all robbers and cursed them but just like God, He was willing to give them mercy if they would just obey and start giving what He asked and what was rightly owned by God, in the first place.
With that said, what you and I have is God’s! We first need to admit it and then declare that what we have is owned by God and given to us by Him through His mercy and grace. Since God owns it - our lives, possessions and our finances - let’s give back to Him what He desires us to give.
He wants us to give tithes and offerings to Him through the “storehouse,” which is His, and where we are fed and nurtured. Today it is called the local church where you have become a member and from where you receive your fellowship as part of a community of believers and growth in your Christian life. There is something we must address today that might help us understand this “storehouse.” God does not expect or desire that we take what is God’s for His storehouse and give it to a separate ministry, such as a radio or tv program that is religious. Or to a ministry that does the work of God through different ways all over the world. There are countless ministries of that type but they are not the storehouse. You are to make sure that it is the storehouse that you are giving to. I know that there are many who disagree with me and that is fine, I am just looking to the Word to find my guidance.
Now, if you are not sure what your tithe is or what your offering would be, then ask for help to determine what it is and let’s make sure there is no mistake in your giving. The basic thought is the tithe is 10% of all you receive and then an offering is above that.
Have you robbed God?
Notice in verse 10 that God says that He will bless you abundantly more than you can imagine if you give what God requires. Not only that, if you want to test God on His promise just try and He will show you how faithful His truly is.
Solomon as well as Malachi, says that God will bless you and provide for your needs in abundance when you honor the Lord with your wealth. Proverbs 3:9-10,
Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
Let me make something clear here. God is not saying once you get to the tithe level, of your giving, you can stop there and that is enough. No, He is saying what the phrase, “tithes and offerings” mean, that the tithe is a starting place and the offerings are over and above that which is required of God’s Word. I will speak more about this in the next part of this sermon. If you want to give an offering to the Lord, you can do it through the church, but you must first give the tithe and then what you give is an offering, such as Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Or, you can then give to ministries that honor God, to a ministry like that of David Jeremiah. You see that “offering” is not to come out of the tithe you give, it is “over and above the tithe.”
Our second thought today is, “Give Systematically”.
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 NIV
Paul is speaking specifically about a “special offering” that is being taken for the mission work of feeding the starving believers in Jerusalem because of a terrible drought and difficult conditions in that great city. But here is where we can get a really great picture of the systematic giving of the Christian church.
Systematic giving is the encouragement of Paul because it is easier to do. As a follower of Christ and I am seeking to be obedient to the Lord in my giving, I want to be faithful without harming my family. So God says if you are giving an amount, setting it aside, every week, then it will be much more manageable for you. The first thing you do when you are following God with all your heart is to remember what you have is God’s! Second, then you have to figure out how can I give God what is God’s and still live. This is the way. Whether it is weekly or monthly or some other “plan,” as long as it is systematic then you will be successful in learning how to give the tithes and offerings God is asking you to give.
Let’s just say that you earn $1,000 a week. 10% of 1,000 is $100. Plan on giving $100 for your tithe every week and if you are to give an offering then it is above the $100 you are giving. You may give a total $150 in the offering plate which means you gave an offering of $50 above you tithe. God is saying when you are faithful to give, I will be faithful to pour out a blessing upon you in ways you might not expect. Now, we don’t give our tithe to get a blessing, it just comes because we are faithful to trust God with his money and He is faithful to reward His children who believe in Him and who trust Him.
Can we get a witness about trusting Him to take care of our every real need when we give back to God a portion of what He gives us, in the way of finances. Is it easy to do or to try? Not always, no. But, it is a matter of faith!
What kind of faith do you have? Are you searching for the faith to trust God? Faith is not a leap into the darkness because we have a God of Light and of Glory! You take the step of faith and He will match you with even more than one can imagine or think is possible.
It is the same as trusting Christ as your Lord and Savior. You surrender your will to His and repent of your sins and He will give you eternal life for a forgiven believer.
Is there one who is willing to turn their life over to Christ today in total surrender of all that they are?
God is ready to receive you with all His heart for He has been waiting for you to come to Him!