Calvary Church
Why I Tithe - Strength to Strength - Part 2
‘We see a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference.’
Locations & Times
Calvary Sunshine Coast
212 Crosby Hill Rd, Tanawha QLD 4556, Australia
Sunday 5:00 PM
Why I Tithe
What is tithing?
• “Tenthing”
• It’s a spiritual discipline the Bible teaches - bringing the first tenth of my income to God as a tangible way of acknowledging His place and provision in your life.
Tithing is modelled in Genesis by Abraham (Genesis 14) and Jacob (Genesis 28), encoded in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 27), endorsed by Jesus (Matthew 23) and affirmed by the Church (Hebrews 7; 1 Corinthians 9).
1. I tithe because it provides for God’s House
God’s economic engine for His house has always been the bringing of tithes and offerings from His people. If the kingdoms of this world have an economic strategy, doesn’t it make sense that the Kingdom of God would have an economic strategy?
From Old Testament to New, God designed an economic strategy for His people that, if followed, would ensure there is more than enough for the Church to meet every need, reach every person, and touch every city.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
God’s vision is for there to be food (provision) in his house so it could feed its community.
We “bring” the tithe into the storehouse, our local place of worship where we receive spiritual nourishment and instruction.
2. I tithe because it tells God I trust Him
Christianity is a belief system grounded in trust. (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:6; John 3:16)
It’s not our gifts, or our talents, or our intellect that commends us to God – it’s the fact that we trust Him. To trust God is to affirm the integrity of His character – that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.
If we don’t trust God with money, we don’t trust 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 there will not be room enough to store it.
Tithing is a tangible expression of trust – that we believe God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised to do.
3. I tithe because it reminds me that I am not self-made or self-reliant
We are far too quick to forget who it is that is the source of all that we have.
Deuteronomy 8:17–18
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Tithing is a systematic way of reminding me that I am not a self-made man.
When I tithe I express gratitude for how He’s provided for me yesterday, and I express faith that He will provide for me tomorrow.
God is our source (Acts 17:28; Romans 11:36; James 1:17) and tithing reminds us of this truth.
4. I tithe because it breaks greed off my heart
There are appetites, lusts, and desires at work within us that are always seeking to take root, then take over our hearts.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
• If you don’t gain mastery over money, then money will gain mastery over you.
• If you don’t tell money who is first in your life, then money will assume first place
• Either you will serve God, or you will serve money, but the throne of your heart is only big enough for one.
For example, Judas (John 12:6), Gehazi (2 Kings 5:23), and the Rich Fool (Luke 12).
If God is not the central piece of our lives, the organising principle around which everything else finds its place, then someone or something else will be. Probably money.
In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke about 3 spiritual disciplines that He assumes believers will practice.
• The habit of private prayer, which breaks us free from the applause of others.
•The habit of fasting, which breaks us free from the appetites of the flesh.
•The habit of giving, which breaks us free from the grip of greed.
5. I tithe because it gives my job a kingdom purpose
Whether or not I feel my job is “spiritual”, by tithing my job achieves three purposes:
• Provides a good or service to community
• Provides an income for my household
• Provides resource for Kingdom purposes
Understanding this elevates the purpose of my job and gives it eternal significance.
6. I tithe because 100% of my life belongs to God
When we get saved, we give God all of our lives.
Romans 12:2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Only when we lose sight of God’s mercy, God’s sacrifice, God’s generosity, do we get uptight about giving.
2 Corinthians 8:5
They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
Until you’ve settled the Lordship issue, you’ll always struggle with the tithing issue. But when you’ve settled in your heart that God is my Maker, my Master and My Lord, everything else flows from that.
What is tithing?
• “Tenthing”
• It’s a spiritual discipline the Bible teaches - bringing the first tenth of my income to God as a tangible way of acknowledging His place and provision in your life.
Tithing is modelled in Genesis by Abraham (Genesis 14) and Jacob (Genesis 28), encoded in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 27), endorsed by Jesus (Matthew 23) and affirmed by the Church (Hebrews 7; 1 Corinthians 9).
1. I tithe because it provides for God’s House
God’s economic engine for His house has always been the bringing of tithes and offerings from His people. If the kingdoms of this world have an economic strategy, doesn’t it make sense that the Kingdom of God would have an economic strategy?
From Old Testament to New, God designed an economic strategy for His people that, if followed, would ensure there is more than enough for the Church to meet every need, reach every person, and touch every city.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
God’s vision is for there to be food (provision) in his house so it could feed its community.
We “bring” the tithe into the storehouse, our local place of worship where we receive spiritual nourishment and instruction.
2. I tithe because it tells God I trust Him
Christianity is a belief system grounded in trust. (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:6; John 3:16)
It’s not our gifts, or our talents, or our intellect that commends us to God – it’s the fact that we trust Him. To trust God is to affirm the integrity of His character – that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.
If we don’t trust God with money, we don’t trust 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 there will not be room enough to store it.
Tithing is a tangible expression of trust – that we believe God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised to do.
3. I tithe because it reminds me that I am not self-made or self-reliant
We are far too quick to forget who it is that is the source of all that we have.
Deuteronomy 8:17–18
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Tithing is a systematic way of reminding me that I am not a self-made man.
When I tithe I express gratitude for how He’s provided for me yesterday, and I express faith that He will provide for me tomorrow.
God is our source (Acts 17:28; Romans 11:36; James 1:17) and tithing reminds us of this truth.
4. I tithe because it breaks greed off my heart
There are appetites, lusts, and desires at work within us that are always seeking to take root, then take over our hearts.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
• If you don’t gain mastery over money, then money will gain mastery over you.
• If you don’t tell money who is first in your life, then money will assume first place
• Either you will serve God, or you will serve money, but the throne of your heart is only big enough for one.
For example, Judas (John 12:6), Gehazi (2 Kings 5:23), and the Rich Fool (Luke 12).
If God is not the central piece of our lives, the organising principle around which everything else finds its place, then someone or something else will be. Probably money.
In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke about 3 spiritual disciplines that He assumes believers will practice.
• The habit of private prayer, which breaks us free from the applause of others.
•The habit of fasting, which breaks us free from the appetites of the flesh.
•The habit of giving, which breaks us free from the grip of greed.
5. I tithe because it gives my job a kingdom purpose
Whether or not I feel my job is “spiritual”, by tithing my job achieves three purposes:
• Provides a good or service to community
• Provides an income for my household
• Provides resource for Kingdom purposes
Understanding this elevates the purpose of my job and gives it eternal significance.
6. I tithe because 100% of my life belongs to God
When we get saved, we give God all of our lives.
Romans 12:2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Only when we lose sight of God’s mercy, God’s sacrifice, God’s generosity, do we get uptight about giving.
2 Corinthians 8:5
They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
Until you’ve settled the Lordship issue, you’ll always struggle with the tithing issue. But when you’ve settled in your heart that God is my Maker, my Master and My Lord, everything else flows from that.