Stewardship In Finances

 Temple Baptist Church - 11-5-2023

Genesis 14:17-24; Malachi 3:8-12

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  In Genesis, chapter 14, we find the first war recorded.  It was a major war of 4 kings against 5 kings with possibly at least 8 battles fought over a short period of time. 

 

1.  I will not go into the details of the war but, during that war, the 5 kings of the south (the 5 nations that God would destroy in chapter 19) broke their bondage to the 4 kings of the north and were defeated. 

 

2.  Lot, with all his possessions and people, became captives.  Abraham was told and made war against the kings of the north, defeated them, and brought back Lot will all his possessions and family.

 

B. Abraham was met by two men, the King of Sodom, and the King of Salem.

 

1.  The King of Sodom offered Abraham bounty in exchange for Lot’s family.  The devil will give you the world but it will cost you your family.

 

2.  Melchizedek, the King of Salem and the priest of the most high God, brought forth bread, wine, and a blessing.

 

3.  The First Mention of a “priest” found in your Bible.  And this first priest was a priest of God.

 

C.  Prior to this time, there were only two offerings mention: 

 

1.  Atonement - Genesis 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

 

2.  Thanksgiving - Genesis 8:20  And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

 

D.  Abraham gave tithes of all that he had in verse 20.  Here is my point: I find no place previous to this where the tithe is mentioned, and Melchizedek did not ask for them.  But Abraham knew about the tithe and what it was!

 

1.  Tithes not solicited.  Melchizedek did not ask for Abraham’s tithes.  He came to give and to bless, a beautiful type of our High Priest who is after the Order of Melchizedek.

 

2.  Tithes not commanded.  God did not command the tithe here.  Though the first fruits of men were required from the beginning of time.

 

3.  Tithes not wasted.  Evidently Abraham had previously known to tithe or give the first fruits, he had kept them for the proper time and place.

 

4. Found in the word “tithe” is a tenth.  Now the precedent was set for the rest of the Bible concerning the tithe: what it is, where it goes, and to who it goes.

 

5.  Here we find a two-fold blessing:  a)  Abraham was blessed in verse 19  b)  Abraham blessed God in verse 20.

 

E.  In Malachi, chapter 3, we find the Lord chiding Israel concerning their “robbing God” by not brings tithes and offerings.

 

Malachi 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

 

1.  The Place of the Tithe.  “storehouse … mine house”  The local church.  Why? 

 

a.  Because God said it.  This in itself should be enough for God’s children to be obedient in the tithe.  This is compelling love. 

 

b. Because God sacrificed His Son for the local church. Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

 

c.  Because it is our local church.  Not my church alone, not everyone else’s church, but your church.

 

d.  The fourth reason:  With your local church, there is fiscal accountability.  Our church operates with checks and balances as well as provides financial reports to every member.

 

2.  The Purpose of the Tithe.  “that there may be meat in mine house” 

 

a. It takes a lot of money to properly run a church  Tithing pays the bills and furnishes the local church with everything that it needs to run efficiently.

 

b.  It takes a lot of money to properly keep a church in pristine condition.

 

c.  The tithe pays your pastor’s salary and benefits. 

 

d.  The tithe and offerings pay missionaries a living so as to carry the gospel to places we cannot go.

 

3.  The Proving of the Tithe.  “prove me herewith” 

 

a.  This is something that experiential!  I can tell you a thousand times how God blesses the tither but you will never know these blessings until you try it. 

 

b.  There is an old saying, “The proof is in the pudding.”  Taste and see! 

 

4.  The Pleasure of the Tithe.  “a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive.”  It thrills my heart to place both tithes and offerings in the collection plate on the first day of the week along with every service that I attend.

 

Conclusion:  Our Lord called money “the least” and “the unrighteous mammon.”  If He cannot trust us with these, He cannot “commit to your trust the true riches.”  That is a quote!