WHEN THE CHURCH TALKS ABOUT

YOU-KNOW-WHATDr. Rich Brown

Trinity Alliance ChurchJune 22, 2014

THE CHURCH TALKS ABOUT GIVING BECAUSE…

1. IT IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY

THE CHURCH TALKS ABOUT GIVING BECAUSE…

1. IT IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY2. IT IS MORE THAN JUST AN OLD TESTAMENT

LAW

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

1. GIVING IS A MARK OF BELONGING TO THE LORDA tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

Leviticus 27:30

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

2. GIVING BEGINS BY GIVING FIRSTFRUITSHonor the LORD with your wealth,

with the first fruits of all your crops;Proverbs 3:9

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

3. GIVING CELEBRATES OF THE BLESSINGS OF GOD

17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.

18 Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to.

Deuteronomy 12:17,18

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

4. GIVING SUPPORTS THE WORK OF GOD24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: “They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.”

Numbers 18:24

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

5. GIVING HELPS THOSE IN NEED28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

6. GIVING CAN BE A FREEWILL GIVING1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.

Exodus 25:1,2

PRINCIPLES OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING

7. GIVING INVOLVES AN INTENTIONAL AMOUNT32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod—will be holy to the LORD.

Leviticus 27:32

ABRAHAM: GENESIS 1417 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer

and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

ABRAHAM: GENESIS 14 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the

people and keep the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised

my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath

23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'

24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me…

JACOB: GENESIS 2816 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought,

"Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."

17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.

JACOB: GENESIS 2820 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will

be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear

21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God

22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

THE CHURCH TALKS ABOUT GIVING BECAUSE…

1. IT IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY2. IT IS MORE THAN JUST OLD TESTAMENT

LAW3. IT IS MORE ABOUT PRINCIPLES THAN

PERCENTAGES

MATTHEW 23:23

23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

1. GIVING IS A MARK OF BELONGING TO GOD 1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability…

5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.

2 Corinthians 8:1-3,5

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

2. GIVING BEGINS BY GIVING FIRST FRUITS33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

3. GIVING CELEBRATES THE BLESSINGS OF GODI have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

Philippians 4:18

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

4. GIVING SUPPORTS THE WORK OF GODIn the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:14

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

5. GIVING HELPS THOSE IN NEEDAt the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality

2 Corinthians 8:14

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

6. GIVING CAN BE A FREEWILL GIVING…Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

2 Corinthians 16:3,4

PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT GIVING

7. GIVING INVOLVES AN INTENTIONAL AMOUNT On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

1 Corinthians 16:2

THE CHURCH TALKS ABOUT GIVING BECAUSE…

1. IT IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY2. IT IS MORE THAN JUST OLD TESTAMENT

LAW3. IT IS MORE ABOUT PRINCIPLES THAN

PERCENTAGES4. IT IS GOD’S DESIRE THAT EACH OF US

BECOMES MORE OF A GIVER THAN A TAKER

FROM TAKERS TO GIVERS8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me."But you ask, 'How do we rob you?‘ "In tithes and offerings.9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:8-10

FROM TAKERS TO GIVERS

He who has been stealing must steal no longer but (he) must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28

As each of us becomes more of a giver than a taker we will have enough

to do His ministry