Sermons by Ken D. Trivette from The Living Word

The Book of Malachi
#10 JOHN DILLINGERS IN THE CHURCH
Malachi 3:7-12

1. I doubt that any of us are not familiar with the name John Dillinger. Born in 1902, he deserted the Navy take up armed robbery. In 1933 he robbed his first bank in Daleville, Indiana taking $3000. Within 3 weeks, he and his gang robbed $10,000 from a Montpelier, Indiana bank and $28,000 in Indianapolis. They took $28,000 from a bank in Racine, Wisconsin. They robbed an East Chicago bank killing a guard in the process. His crimes spread until on May 15, 1934, Congress asked for the public's help - offering a $25,000 reward for his capture. Dillinger was officially Public Enemy Number One, according the FBI. Over 600 FBI agents were assigned to capture Dillinger. The FBI finally got Dillinger, July 22, 1934 when he was shot down as he came out of the Biograph Theater in Chicago.

2. Not all John Dillingers have been shot down. There is a type of Dillingers that commit robbery week after week, and the FBI could care less about them. Congress has not offered any kind of reward for their capture and never will. Even though their robbery is more serious than robbing a bank, no policeman will ever bother them, nor will a FBI agent will ever search for them. In fact, there is no law on the books to make their robbery a crime. I'm talking about the Dillingers in the Church that rob God of their tithe and offering.

3. Before us is most familiar passage in all the book of Malachi. It deals with a believer robbing God of their tithes and offerings. It is one of the great passages of the Bible about the giving of a believer. It's instructions are very illuminating and its rebuke is very penetrating.

4. Many Christians have never learned the blessing of giving to God. You could say that many Christians are TAKERS and not GIVERS.

5. I heard about the Jewish Rabbi that went to get his hair cut at the local barber. When he started to pay for his haircut, the barber said, "Rabbi, there is no charge for I don't charge the clergy for haircuts." The next morning when he came in, he found a loaf of rye bread sitting at his door. Later a priest came in and got his haircut. The barber said, Father, there's no charge for I don't charge clergy for hair cuts." The next morning he found a bottle of wine sitting at his door. A Baptist preacher came in and got his hair cut. The barber said, "Preacher, there's no charge. I don't charge clergy for hair cuts." The next morning he found 15 Baptist preachers lined up at his door.

6. We often are willing takers of all God has to offer, but are unwilling to give to God that which He requires. Notice what Malachi had to say about giving and his rebuke of those who don't give as God expects.

1. WHAT THE LACK OF GIVING REVEALS!

1. In Vs.7-8, we see that a lack of tithing is a symptom of one's spiritual condition before God.

A. We See A Defrauding Of God.

1. God declares that they had robbed Him? They ask, "How have we robbed God?" They were guilty of robbing God of their tithes and offering. The word "rob" speaks of "thievery" or "fraud."

2. There are people who would never think of holding up a liquor store or robbing a bank. Yet, they never think twice about robbing God. They fear the law of the land but not the Lord of their life.

3. I read recently that the average Church member gives less than 2.5% of their income to his Church. A Gallop poll taken in 1990, stated that giving among members of the major denominations in the U.S. is far below 10%. On an average:

4. According to the 1995 records, the membership of the Southern Baptist Convention was 15,668,077. The giving for the same year was $5,635,014,266. That breaks down to approximately $360.00 a year per person.

5. Such figures lead to 3 conclusions: Many Christians are not tithing and giving to God at all. Many are not giving a 10% of their income to God. There are a lot of robbers in the Church.

6. The IRS had determined that the average taxpayer gives only 1.7% of his adjusted gross income to any type of charity whatsoever, including the Church.

7. Ron Blue, the noted financial counselor, says that if all Christians were reduced to a welfare income, and they tithed on that amount, the church would double its receipts.

B. There Is A Departure From God.

1. The declaration of their robbing God is a follow-up to a previous announcement by God.  [Cp. Vs.7]  They were away from God. They had been disobedient to God and had departed from God. The lack of tithing was a symptom of a deeper trouble.

2. When a man's heart is right with God, giving will not be a problem. If his heart is not right, usually one of the first symptoms is he quits giving. The truth is; many problems of the Christian life are but symptoms of a heart not right with God: Church attendance, service and witnessing, Bible reading and prayer, and etc.

3. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. A person whose heart is right with and toward God will be a giver! Giving discloses the condition of the heart.

1. What The Lack Of Giving Reveals!

2. WHAT THE LAW OF GIVING REQUIRES!

1. [VS.1OA] . . . The Bible has much to say about our giving. Malachi's words are one of the most defining statements on giving in the entire Bible.

A. The Percentage Determined By God.

1. They were to bring their "tithe." The word "tithe" simply means a "tenth." The law required that the Jewish people bring a 10th of all produce and livestock, or the financial equivalent, into the Temple for distribution among the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of their tithe to the priests.

2. Every third year the tithe was held within the hometown to be distributed among sojourners, the fatherless, and widows. Failure to tithe defrauded these groups of their due.

3. A tithe (10%) is a standard established by God as the basis and guide for our giving. It is a model for giving. Someone might argue that tithing is under the law in the Old Testament and is not binding on us that live under grace in the New Testament Yet, tithing (giving at least 10%) was a standard of giving before the law was ever established. In Genesis 14:20 we read that Abraham paid the tithe and in Genesis 28:22, we also read that Jacob paid the tithe. The practice of giving at least a tenth was established long before the law. The law simply made it a universal command.

4. I would say to those that argue that we are under grace and don't have to give 10%: it would be a disgrace under grace to give less than a Jew gave under the law.

5. Notice in Vs.8, there were not only the tithe but the offerings. The word comes from a Hebrew word that means, "to be raised up, lifted up, or exalted." It usually refers to a sacrificial offering or giving over and above the tithe.

6. The tithe was what God demanded. The offering was what God deserved.

B. The Place God Designated To Give.

1. God not only has told what to give but also where to give. We read in:

Duet 12:8 "Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes."

Duet. 12:11 "Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I have command you: your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes..."

Duet. 14:25 "Then thou shaft turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shaft go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose.

2. They were to bring a percentage as determined by God to  a  place  designated  by  God.  [Mal.3:1O "Storehouse"] These were storage rooms in the Temple in which was clay jars in which the oil, wine, grain, and fruits of the tithe of the people were stored.

3. The New Testament Church is the counterpart of the Old Testament Temple. We read in:

I Cor.16:1-2 "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay be him in store, as God hath prospered him..."

4. The words "in store" are based on the concept of the storehouse in the Temple. The Church is the designated place for our giving.

5. Note something interesting in our text. The word "tithe" literally means "whole tithe." The whole tithe was to be brought to the Temple. The whole tithe is to be brought into the place God has designated to give.

6. The tithe belongs to the Church. I am not saying that it is wrong to support other ministries and give to other things. That is to be done out of your offerings not your tithe.

7. Someone gets mad at the Church, preacher, etc., and they began sending their tithes to a radio preacher. THAT'S NOT TITHING. Someone gives to the Sunday School Class but not the Church. THAT'S NOT TITHING. Someone gives to a charitable organization. THAT'S NOT TITHING. The tithe belongs to the Church.

8. Remember that Duet.12:8 said we are not to do your our own thing. The tithe is not ours and the decision where to put it is not ours.

C. The Purpose Defined By God.

1. We see what to give, where to give, and now, why to give. The purpose defined was that there would be meat in God's house. The tithe was a means of supporting the work of the Temple and the workers of the Temple. The priests and Levites were supported by the tithe. The maintenance and daily operations of the Temple were provided by the tithe. The ministry of caring for the fatherless and widows were provided by the tithe.

2. The purpose of the tithe is provide the means whereby the Church can provide for its pastor, staff, and perform the ministries of the Church. The financial needs of the Church are provided for by the tithe.

1. What The Lack of Tithing Reveals.  
2. What The Law of Tithing Requires.

3. WHAT THE LIFE OF TITHING RECEIVES!

1. Malachi tells us that there are results for both a giver and a robber.

A. A Failure To Tithe Is Reproved.

1. (VS. 9) . . . This is the second time in Malachi that we find a curse from God. (Cp.2:14) To be cursed by God is a removal of His blessings. A failure to give will be divinely disciplined by God.

2. I remember seeing a Pastor one day and talking to him. He said he was heading to the hospital to visit one of his members. I asked if it was anything serious. He said, "Oh, he is just getting his tithe taken out."

3. Some can't tithe because they have gotten themselves in such debt, and others are in debt because they don't tithe. A person will be able to do more 90% when they give 10% to God, than they could with the 100% and rob God of what is His.

4. Someone says, "Pastor, I can't afford to tithe." If God's Word is true, you can't afford not to!

5. Someone has written:

The bride bent with age leaned over her cane,  
Her steps uncertain need guiding;  
While down the Church aisle, with a wane toothless smile,  
Came the groom in a wheelchair gilding.  
And who is this elderly couple thus wed?  
You'll find when you've closely explored it,  
That this is that rare most conservative pair  
Who waited till they could afford it.

B. A Faithfulness In Tithing Is Rewarded.

1. [Vs.10-12] God said that if we will open our wallets He will open up His windows. The blessing described has to be understood in light of God's promise to Israel as a nation. He promised them that if they tithed He would protect and prosper both their life and land.

2. I believe that if a person gives to God what He has required, that person will be blessed of God. I can't say that God will increase your salary, but I have heard of it happening - I can't say God will give you better things, yet I have known of  case after case where it happened. But some way and some where God will bless and meet your every need.

3. If the bank offered to give you 30% monthly on a CD, everyone here would be taking every dime and buying CD,s. I wouldn't blame you. Yet God has promised to bless you immeasurably and you are passing up His offer.

4. Now in closing notice carefully a challenge God gives. He says, "'Prove Me now"' God is saying, "Put Me to the test." Tithing is not what you think about giving, it is what you think about God!

5. Some need to take God up on His challenge and see that God will bless those who obey Him! Your investment brings God's involvement.