TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: 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”.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 Ma’ser (Hebrew) – Tenth Part (10%) 1.Abraham offered a tithe to Melchizedek in gratitude to God for his blessing (Gen 14: 18-20) 2.In God’s law, the Israelites were required to give one-tenth of the livestock and the Land’s produce, as well as of their income, as a recognition that God had blessed them (see Lev 27: 30-32; Nu 18;21,26; Dt 14:22-29) Lev 27:30 NOTE: The Tithe was primarily for the expenses of the worship and for the support of the priests.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 Why do we have to pay tithe???? 1.Acknowledge that God owns everything (Ex 19:5, Ps 24:1, 50: Hag 2:8). 2.Humans are Gods creation, and we owe to him every breath we take (Gen 1:26-27; Acts 17:28) 3.Thus no one has anything that he or she has not received from the lord (Job 1:21; Jn 3:27; 1Co 4:7)

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 What other financial obligation apart from tithing do we have to observe as Christians??? 1.Offerings made by the Israelites to the lord the Burnt Offering (Lev 1; 6:8-13); the grain offering (Lev 2; 6:14-23); the sin offering (Lev 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30) the guilt offering (Lev 5:14 – 6:7; 1-10) and Freewill offerings (see Lev 22:18-23

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 SACRIFICEOT REFERENCESPURPOSE BURNT OFFERING Lev 1; 6:8-13 Voluntary Act of Worship, Atonement for Unintentional Sin, Expression of Devotion, Commitment and Complete Surrender to God GRAIN OFFERING Lev 2; 6:14-23 Voluntary act of Worship; Recognition of Gods Goodness and Provisions; Devotion to God FREEWILL OFFERING Lev 22:18-23 Voluntary Act of Worship, Thanksgiving and Fellowship SIN OFFERING Lev 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30 Mandatory Atonement for Specific Unintentional Sin; Confession of Sin; Forgiveness of Sin; Cleansing from Defilement GUILT OFFERING Lev 5:14 – 6:7; 1-10 Atonement for Sin, Cleansing from Defilement

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 What other financial obligation apart from tithing do we have to observe as Christians??? 1.In Joash’s time, the high priest Jehoida made a chest into which people cold put freewill offerings to finance needed repairs on the temple and they gave generously (2ki 12:9-10) 2.Similarly in Hezekiah’s time, people gave freely for the reconstruction work required on the temple (2Ch 31:5-19) 1.What form of offerings today can we likened to the examples above??

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 What are the underlying reasons for the non-payment of tithes and offerings?? 1.Interest in pursuing one’s own personal gain – See Hag 1:3-6 – as a result many are suffering financial hardships. 2.A similar thing was happening in Malachi’s time and God’s Judgment came upon the people (Mal 3:9-12)

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 Stewardship of Our Money 1.As NT believers, everything we owe belongs to the lord, our possessions are entrusted to us by God, we don’t hold any rightful ownership of our possessions (How do we really get to know this truth??) 2.Servitude to God (Welfare of the Church and God’s) must come before money (Mt 6:19-24). 3. Any Greed is seen as Idolatry (Col 3:5)

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 What should be our mindset towards tithes and offerings?? 1.To advance God’s Kingdom, especially the work of the local church and the spread of the gospel throughout the world (1Co 9:9-13; Php 4:15-18; 1Ti 5:17-18). 2.To store up treasures in heaven (Mt 6:20) 3.And to learn to fear the lord (Dt 14:22-23) 4.Our giving should always be in proportion to our income (Mal 3:8- 10; 2Co 8:3) 5.Our giving should be voluntary and generous (Ex 25:1-2 & 2Co 8:1-5)

TITHES AND OFFERINGS Memory Verse: Malachi 3:10 What should be our mindset towards tithes and offerings?? 1.We should not hesitate to give sacrificially (2Co 8:3) +