2017.1.17 礼拝

2017.1.17 礼拝

2017.1.15 Malachi 3:6-10 ”Making God your first priority this year”

➀ Treasure the tithe

Genesis 28:20-22 20 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 ret urn 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.”

Before considering what the correct interpretation of the word “tithe” is, consider your attitude towards tithing. Is it because of your love of God?

Deuteronomy 14:22-23 22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first born of our herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for this Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.

Tithing could help you realize how much you love the Lord and whether you have put God first in your priority.

Malachi 3:10　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.

Matthew 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.

The important matters of law must not be neglected in order to observe a tithe; at the same time, a tithe must not be neglected and keep the law.

People who observe tithe: strict keepers of law were among them did so to appeal to others or for self-satisfaction as against people with faith.

People who do not observe tithe: insincere to law and insincere to God’s love = non-believers

➁ Being tested by “testing God”

Malachi 3:10　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.

It is God’s will to bless us and love us. He knows what it is to be blessed and loved. He wants us to experience his blessings through tithing.

“Test me in this” is different from “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 6:16), but rather, it guides and encourages us to “try anyway.”

We can learn a lot from tithing

・ Do we believe the promise of blessing from our heart? Remembering God wherever/whatever we are doing and putting God first – including one tenth of what we get.

・ Are we sparing with our gifts? Are we questioning between God and money?

・ Do we fear God?

・ Do we love God?

　— We are not testing God, we are but being tested.

➂　Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness = No matter what we have, we should make God our first priority.

Matthew 6:33　But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.