When we look at what seemed important to Jesus in the Bible; seeking out the ‘undesirables’ of society; the sick, the
leper, the sinner, it was all very much ‘people’ issues. Bearing this in mind then, it might come as bit of a surprise
how concerned Jesus was with what people contributed financially to the kingdom of God. Many have thought Jesus
to be too spiritual to be concerned about such material things, but on at least one occasion whilst in the temple,
Jesus sat near the treasury and watched intently as people made their contributions.
Luke 21:1-4; ‘While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”’ [NLT]
He was intensely interested in what was taking place on that occasion. And Hebrews 13:8 tells us that; ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.’ [NLT] So He was interested in the offerings of both the rich and the poor back then, and He continues to be interested in our gifts today, because as that reading said, He doesn’t change.
It has been said that money talks and nowhere does it speak louder than when we are faced with an opportunity to make an investment in God’s kingdom.
- Our gifts indicate our love for God.
- Our gifts indicate our interest in extending His kingdom.
- Our gifts indicate where our treasure is; whether God or money comes first in our lives.
- Our gifts are also an indication of our obedience to God.
The word Tithe, literally translated means ‘tenth’ 10% of our first fruits belong to God. Well actually,
everything we own belongs to God! Psalm 24:1 says; ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’ So, God isn’t asking us to give Him something we own, but a tenth of what we don’t own! Because it already belongs to Him!
We can make this easy, that’s 10% of your take home pay.
So, if you take home £250.00 a week, God is asking for £25.00 per week.
If you take home £600.00 per week, God is asking for £60.00 per week. If only £10 per week, then it’s only £1.00
and so on.
Now I know what you’re first thought is going to be; I can’t afford to do that! My response would be; “Can we afford not to!”
Malachi 3:10 tells us; ‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’ [NLT] I have seen this happen on numerous occasions where people have starting tithing, or increased their giving, and have said to me; “I haven’t been out of pocket at all!” I have yet to see a faithful giver get into financial difficulty because of their tithing.
So why don’t some of us tithe?
Well, we’ve talked about one of the first reasons; sometimes we just don’t trust God enough to provide for us. And if that’s the case, He never will… until we let Him! How can God provide for us when our aim is to provide for ourselves? Maybe some of us don’t tithe because we love what we already have? Thinking that money and material things is what life is all about. But Jesus tells us that real living is not found in an abundance of things. Luke 12:15; ‘Then he (Jesus) said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”’ [NLT]
Or maybe it because as human’s we have a natural tendency to procrastinate, and this may have caused many
of us to delay tithing. All of us hesitate to do something which requires discipline and sacrifice.
Or maybe it’s because we think the church doesn’t need our money. Well, if that’s your thought, think again. I’m
astounded by the cost of running our physical building!
I know there have been swathes of time when we’ve been absent from our churches due to the pandemic, but the bills
still keep coming, even though our income has diminished. So those who tithe, God says He will bless.
Malachi 3:10b; ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’ [NLT] We can do literally that, because His promises are as sure today as they were then! //
If you are a consistent tither and God has blessed your heart in doing so, then when the opportunity arises, give your
testimony to this fact and this will give strength to those who need encouragement in trusting God more fully in their
financial lives.
If you have not yet discovered the joy of being a tither, I challenge you to become one. If you don’t have faith to
make the full decision in one big step, then gradually take small steps in the right direction, and begin by increasing
your regular giving.
Again, God says; “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in!’ [NLT] So, the question isn’t can I afford to tithe, but can I afford not to!
If you would like to start giving on a regular basis or make a one-off donation Leigh Wesley’s bank details are shown
below:
Sort Code: 09-01-52
Account Number: 15898702
Your giving is, and will be, greatly appreciated as we find our way out of this pandemic and continue to undertake
God’s mission for His church.
Every blessing,
Pastor Steve