Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread - Reflecting On God's Provision

Matthew 6:11b "Give us this day our daily bread."

Luke 11:3 "Give us each day our daily bread."

Introduction: A lesson I learned from a spider

When Debi and I first got married, we lived in an upstairs two bedroom apartment. One day she and I were looking out the back window at the back yard. We both were feeling down due to challenging circumstances. We both prayed but found ourselves still struggling on the inside. As we both kept peering out that window, we noticed a little spider making its way between the outside screen and inside window pane. 

The spider, though small, was bigger than the tiny screen holes. We reasoned that the spider had crawled in between the screen and window at an earlier time. As we watched closer, we noticed little tiny gnats flying in through the screen holes. Remarkably, those little gnats would get caught in the little spider's web. As soon as we witnessed this spectacle of the spider and the gnats, a rainbow appeared across the sky. Both my wife and I were reminded of God's promise to Noah (Genesis 9:13) that He would never again destroy the earth by a flood. Moreover, in seeing the spider, we realized that unless the gnats flew in through the screen, the spider would die. It had no way of getting out to fend for its food. The spider was completely at God's mercy to provide food (see Psalm 104:20-24).  

My wife and I were taught a valuable lesson that day concerning God's provision. We learned that His promises are always in the background of every circumstance (see 2 Peter 1:3-4). Secondly, though He may place what we perceive as restrictions into our lives, the "restrictions" are actual "releases" to free one's faith to trust God rather than themselves. 

Suggested reasons for the two renderings of the Lord's prayer

Whenever one reads the two versions of the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4, the instructions from Jesus on prayer are given on two different occasions. As any good teacher will oft repeat a lesson or topic throughout the course of their teaching - so it is with our Lord. Although the two versions are similar, they contain distinctions.

The petition on requesting God's provision in Matthew 6:11b reads "give us this day, our daily bread". Luke 11:2 states the same petition in this way: "Give us each day our daily bread." Matthew's version had Jesus emphasizing provisions for today - right now. Luke's version deals with the distribution of God's provision for everyday into the future or for however long the need may be. The former addresses my request to God in meeting my immediate needs. The latter version of the prayer is requesting of God in meeting my needs for the long haul. Matthew's version is focused on the little picture of today. Luke's rendering is dealing with the bigger picture. 

I find the priority of these versions remarkable. Matthew's rendering of "gives us this day our daily bread" represents Jesus teaching this lesson in the earlier part of His ministry. He is preaching his first major sermon. When He arrives on this part of the prayer, the challenge to the believer is whether or not to trust God for today. 

Until I can learn the lesson of trusting God for today, I won't be ready for how much He wants to give to me tomorrow. Luke's version reminds us that each day is going require differing amounts and types of provision. Jeremiah writes in Lamentations 3:21-24 - 

"This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:34  “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Thoughts for application: three types of provision

In as much as Jesus uses the term "bread" in His instruction on prayer to refer to request for physical needs, one must not restrict God's provision to the physical realm. Certainly the physical realm is where we begin when considering God's provision (see Philippians 4:19). Physical provision of God covers food (Deuteronomy 8:14-15) and finances (Malachi 3:6-10; Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:19). It is normally  in this first sort of provision that many people conceive of God's provision. 

However, trusting God to provide every need addresses two other areas that are pointed to by the physical realm. The second area has to do with one's emotional needs. Philippians 4:6-7 promises the provision of God's "peace that surpasses all understanding". How often I have found that before the physical provision arrives, God's peace arrives ahead of it. 

Yet, there is one more sort of provision to which physical and emotional provisions point - namely spiritual provisions. Unless our spiritual provisions are met in Christ, physical and emotional provisions will not long satisfy. Whenever Jesus instructs His disciples on prayer in these verses, notice how little space He devotes to petitioning for physical needs - i.e. "daily bread". Jesus devotes the first quarter to one-third of the prayer to the praise of the Heavenly Father. Then, the latter part of the prayer is devoted to protection from temptation and the evil one. 

Closing thoughts

As we pray for God's provision, the drift of our prayer life ought to invert the typical order people follow in terms of their priorities. Rather than dwelling only on physical needs or perhaps graduating to emotional needs and going no further, the reversing of such order ought to follow. Imagine what happens when an individual or church begins with the spiritual need - a need for closer fellowship with God and deeper acquaintance with scripture. As the spiritual needs are prioritized, the emotional and physical needs are more effectively met. Undoubtedly, human experience drives one from dwelling only on the physical to consideration of one's emotional plight and then spiritual need. Traumatic events will call of course for addressing immediate physical and emotional needs - since such needs can lead one to ponder on the state of their soul. Yet, in the normal courses of one's Christian spiritual life, the order should follow the course of spiritual-->emotional-->physical. Consequently, such an approach prioritizes God, then others and lastly - oneself.  As we can see, God's provision covers all the bases. We only need to trust, wait and look to Him who knows what we need, when we need it.   

Gospel-Shaped Giving - Proverbs 3:5-10 and other scriptures

Proverbs 3:5-10 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Introduction: 

Years ago when I served in my very first official ministry capacity as an assistant pastor, a particular family in the church had invited everyone to their farm for a celebration. It was during the time of corn harvest, and this particular family was known for their generosity. Every year people from all over would come to get free bags of corn offered by the family. The family believed in the Biblical teaching on giving of one's "first-fruits". Our family had the opportunity to partake of the corn they offered - a blessing we never forgot. When a heart is committed to Biblical giving and stewardship, people get blessed and God is glorified.
Message: Gospel-shaped Giving

Today's post is going to explore the Bible's teaching on tithing and stewardship. Stewardship refers to how God takes you and I out of ownership and places us into the management of His resources. When we say resources - were not only talking about finances. Resources such as time, talents and our attention could be included. Nonetheless, one's finances tends to be the most tangible means of grasping this vital concept of what we will call: "Gospel shaped giving."

To summarize, every resource God gives is informed by and directed toward the Gospel. By the end of today’s post, you will know what you need to do in evaluating how much you trust God in the realm of Gospel-shaped giving. Gospel-shaped giving involves….

God’s Prescribed Amount = 10%. Prov 3:9

It doesn't take long getting into the Bible to find out what God has to say about tithing and stewardship. Three particular men occupy what we could call: "The Bible's first tithers", namely Abel, Abraham and Jacob. First, Abel in
Genesis 4:4 "Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering." The term "firstlings" or "first-fruits" tells me the “when” of giving, upfront, the very best. 

The second man is Abraham. Romans 4 and Galatians 3-4 describe Abraham as "the father of faith" and "an example of faith". Abraham is referred to as the example to Christian today due to the walk with God He had prior to the revelation of God's law. In Genesis 14:19-20 we read the following encounter Abraham (Abram) had with a mysterious figure, Melchizedek: "He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand. He gave him a tenth of all." Per New Testament scriptures such as Hebrews 7:5-10, Melchizedek is none other than an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. Hence, Abram was giving the tithe to Jesus!

The third man whom we could consider a "first-time tither" is Abraham's grandson - Jacob. Jacob's conversion and subsequent actions are found in Genesis 28:22 "This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Where did Jacob learn about tithing? Undoubtedly his grandfather. This reminds us of a very important point: it is up to parents and grandparents to model and teach Biblical stewardship to the children. 

The whole point of bringing forth Abel, Abram and Jacob is to show how God's prescribed amount, from the beginning, is 10%. Tithing is the ground-floor from whence one begins to give to God. I have often remarked how when we tithe, we begin to hear God on the matter of finances. The principle of first-fruits reminds us of the "when" of giving, meaning we give off the top, from the "gross" rather than the "net". After all, was it not God who supplied the gross? So God's prescribed pattern is 10%. Now lets hasten to the second point of Gospel-shaped giving...

Inviting God’s Blessing. Prov 3:10
God's blessing deals with His power and presence in our lives. Undoubtedly, scripture abounds with prime examples of how God's blessing is connected to tithing and stewardship: Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." 

So much could be said about these verses. Nevertheless, one thing is for sure, God wants to bless His people! He wants them to have more of His power and presence in their lives, their finances, in everything! When we tithe, we are opening a window to allow the fresh breezes of God's power and presence, by His Spirit, to breath upon our minds, our hearts and the material possessions. We find out how much God means to us and how much He is interested in the "little things". We find how powerful He is and how much He truly loves us. Finally, we find out that everything we have is not our, but what He has given us.

Validated Biblical Patterns. Context of Pr. 3:1-10

The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 notes: "According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth." In studying the roughly 100 scriptures on stewardship in Bible, we find the following Biblical validated patterns…

A. First, tithing was instituted pre-law as the ground-level for stewardship, hence it is a standard that was not abolished despite the doing way of the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law.

B. Second, the New Testament never one time shows tithing as being either prohibited, replaced or removed from the Christian's responsibility of stewardship. Hebrews 7:5-10, the last mention of tithing, is not abolished. Hence, Christians ought to give.

So, Gospel-shaped giving entails God's prescribed amount (10%), invites His blessing and is validated Biblically. But the whole point of today's post is to remind us of the goal of giving to God's work - namely to...

Exalting Jesus Christ. Prov 3:9 “honor the Lord”
Gospel-shaped giving is gospel-shaped when it exalts Jesus Christ. The terminology of stewardship "i.e first-fruits") is used to describe Christ Himself. Note for example 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming." 

In terms of salvation, believers represent  and are called the “first-fruits” or fore-taste of better things to come. 1 Corinthians 16:15 states - "Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints)". Or again, James 1:18 "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures." 

What makes giving to God's work "Gospel-shaped" is how it points us to Christ and goes towards supporting the work of God towards evangelization. God has ordained at least four areas which He promises to bless: preaching, praises, missions and prayer. Those four areas are used greatly by God. Now there is a fifth area God has promised to bless and which He uses to support the first four: tithing and stewardship. All is for the sake of making Christ known so that people can know Christ. 

In closing out this post, I point the reader to a great prayer that enables us to know what to pray as we consider Gospel-shaped giving. We read the following in Proverbs 30:7-9 "Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, 9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God." As we've seen today, Gospel-shaped giving entails...

1. God's ordained amount of 10%

2. Inviting of God's blessing

3. Validation in the Bible

4. Exaltation of Jesus

Four Reasons To Give To God's Work

Deuteronomy 26:10-11 Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O Lord have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God; ¹¹ and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.

Introduction:

Moses was a statesman, a prophet, a man who walked face-to-face with God, a shepherd, an administrator, a theologian and of course a preacher. The Book of Deuteronomy records the last three sermons he would preach in the 120th year of his life. As Moses prepared the people of God for what waited for them on the other side of Jordon River, He was instructing them on how they ought to handle the resources God provides for them. Each generation of God's people needs to learn, hear and apply what God has to say about how we handle the time, spiritual blessings and finances God provides. Today's post aims to introduce the subject of giving the God's work.

Five things the Lord has pledged His Personal Presence and Blessing to in His church

When we look to the Bible in general and the New Testament in particular, we understand God pledging His Personal involvement or blessing in five main areas:

1. The preaching/teaching of His word
2. The singing of His praises
3. Obedience
4. Missions
5. Tithing/Stewardship

The first four areas cover the major areas that comprise God's work. The first of these areas involves preaching and teaching. The Spirit Himself attends the preaching of the word, convicting sinners and strengthening saints (John 16:8-16).  The second area, the singing of His praises, is described as the Lord inhabit the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Thirdly, obedience to God's Word covers believers on both the individual and corporate church levels. God plainly promises to guide His people in their obedience to Him (Romans 12:2).  The fourth main area we find God promising His blessing is that of missions. Jesus Himself promised His apostles and church in the Great Commission that "He would be with her always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Now let's think for just a moment of how those first four areas operate on a practical level. Could God in His Sovereignty operate all those areas without human intervention? Surely. Yet, God has included in His design of preaching, singing of praises, obedience and missions the involvement of His people. His work, as so designed by Him, is to be supported by the means of tithes and offerings. To put it plainly: ministry requires financial support from God's people, since the God that supplies the power has also supplied funds to His people to support His work. 

Thus, when we think of that fifth area: tithing and stewardship, we find God pledging His special presence and blessing. It is that particular area which will occupy the remainder of today's post.

Why G.I.V.E to the Lord's work

As Moses is concluding his second sermon, he turns his attention to the area of stewardship and tithing.  Deuteronomy 26 represents one of the most complete statements on the subject, giving principles whereby the child of God can look to when attempting to understanding the area of giving.

As we come into Deuteronomy 26, instructions are given to the people about what to do when they present the first portion of their harvest upon their entry into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 26:1-10). What remains in Deuteronomy 26:10-19 are four reasons for giving to God's work.  

God is a Giving God.  Deuteronomy 26:10-11
Seven times in Deuteronomy 26 we find reference to God having given to the people the resources and strength.  I would suggest this is the primary reason for giving to the Lord's work - because He gave. Now notice the second reason to give to God's work... 

Invites God's Blessing.  Deuteronomy 26:12-17
What do we mean by "God's Blessing"?  Certainly we could include the notion of prosperity in the material and spiritual sense.  However the chief idea behind "blessing" is the fact of God's presence, power and Person operating in our lives.  God wants to bless us without question.  How much of God do we want in our datebook and checkbook? As Jesus notes in Matthew 6:33 -  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." So giving to God's work is motivated by the fact that God gives and that by giving, we are inviting God's blessing on our labors and life. Now notice the third reason to give to God's work....

Verified throughout Scripture.  Deuteronomy 26:18
I have often heard throughout my years of ministry, as well as heard myself say from time to time: "how much does the Bible have to say about tithing and stewardship?"  Is tithing only an Old Testament teaching?  Does only the Law of Moses (of which Deuteronomy is part) teach tithing?  When the New Testament began, did Jesus and the Apostles do away with the practice? Can we as Christians decide how much or how little we want to give?  I have heard pastors preach sermons on tithing and stewardship, whereas I have heard other Godly and well-studied men who love the Book of God proclaim that Christians are not obligated to tithe.  I believe as you study scripture, you will be surprised by what you find it saying - and not saying - about tithing and stewardship. This particular matter has been covered in previous posts, but we must hasten on to the fourth reason for giving to God's work....

Expresses Worship to God. Deuteronomy 26:19
Moses' entire life was about beholding and promoting the glory of God (Exodus 33:16-17; Psalm 90). Whenever God's people give as they should and would desire, God's name and work is promoted.  Giving leads to missions, and missions aims to turn (by the Spirit's gifting and conviction) wicked people into worshippers of God.  The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 in Article 13 has this to say about stewardship: "According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth."

Closing thoughts

Today we introduced four reasons why you and I should give to God's work:

1. God is a giving God
2. Invites God blessing
3. Verified throughout scripture
4. Expresses worship to God

Principles For Beginning To Tithe To God's Work

Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows."


Introduction:

In today's post we want to explore what one needs to consider when heeding God's Word in starting to give 10% or the tithe of one's income to God's work.


Important concepts to grasp when starting to tithe

I will never forget when my wife and I made the commitment to God to begin tithing our weekly income. It was a commitment that I especially wrestled with and, at the time, didn't have an opinion either way. However, when I studied God's Word on the subject and my wife and I had heard a couple of sermons on the topic - we knew God was dealing with our hearts. The time for Biblical giving needed to begin. 

For anyone who is a first-time giver, knowing the Bible's terminology for stewardship can be very eye-opening. A quick survey of the entire Bible reveals two interrelated terms to describe the beginning act of tithing and stewardship.  

A. First-fruits. We find the term "first fruits" (for crops) or "firstlings" (for animals) used over 30 times. First fruits has to do with the "when" of giving, that is, giving the very first portion, off the top, of our gross earning. Practically speaking, whenever you cash your paycheck, taking out the tithe ought to occur before grocery money, bill money or fun money.

B. The term "tenth" used in giving situations almost 25 times and the word "tithe" used 40 times.  This term speaks of the "how much" of stewardship. 10% represent the ground floor of giving. Anything beyond is "offering" and extraordinary amounts enter into the "sacrificial" giving categories. Further exposition on these categories will be given below.

Now we just mentioned what the Bible calls "offerings", which are those amounts given beyond the tithe. I would suggest that Paul's collection for the church in Jerusalem in Romans 15:25-33; 1 Corinthians 16:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 is a form of offering beyond the tithe - with the tithe assumed but not mentioned in the context. 

We could also talk about what is called "sacrificial giving", that is, the type of giving that involves extraordinary proportions of one's income or even all of one's income to God's work. The woman with the "mite" or the equivalency of two pennies is an example of sacrificial giving - meaning that Jesus commended her for "giving everything" (see Mark 12:41-44). 

Now I only mention these other concepts to drive home the point that the level of "tithing" one's income is not the goal, but the ground-floor of Biblical stewardship. It is at this entry-level that one is able to hear God in terms of how they are to proceed with their finances and resources. At first it may seem hard, however, once you get in the practice of giving the tithe - you will find yourself gradually wanting to give above that level - whether of offerings or even the rarer but exceptional sacrificial level.  

Meet three first-time tithers in the Bible: Abel, Abraham and Jacob

Three ancient believers mentioned in Genesis could be termed "the Bible's first tithers".

The first is Abel. In Genesis 4:4 "Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering." Quite literally, God decided to bless Abel for the fact he had brought the "first" or the "best" to God.  The principle of first fruits or firstling is connected to "tithing" in passages such as Deuteronomy 18:4,12,21,24. 

The second first-time tither is Abram in Genesis 14:20.  This passage is significant being that it is the first mention of the term "tithe" in the Bible. God gave Abraham a mighty victory over the confederation of the five kings of Chedorlaomer. As Abraham returns from battle, he meets the mysterious figure Melchizedek, whom according to Psalm 110 and Hebrews 5-7 is none other than a pre-incarnate (before the flesh) appearance of Jesus Christ. As Melchizedek blesses Abraham, we read in Genesis 14:18-20 "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. (19) He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; (20) And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all." There we see Abram giving Melechizedek, who is Christ in disguise, a tenth of the spoils of victory. 

The third tither in the early Biblical record is Abraham's grandson Jacob. Genesis 28:22 reads: "This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Just as his grandfather before him, Jacob had "believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness" (compare Genesis 15:6). Undoubtedly we can say that Genesis 28 marks Jacob's conversion.  What is one of the first-fruits that a change has occurred in Jacob's life? How he views his possessions! It is in this text where we see the word "tenth" used, which is the exact meaning of the word "tithe" and of course is associated with the term "first-fruits".  All three of these early "tithers" are significant being that they establish God's pattern for giving hundreds of years before the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.

Closing thoughts for today

More could be said about what to consider when starting out to give of one's tithe in stewardship to the Lord. For now at least, we have a solid, Biblical foundation to build upon as we seek to follow the Lord in giving to His work. We saw how tithing and first-fruits are interrelated concepts. We also saw how tithing represents the ground-level at which one enters when taking to heart God's promises in the realm of finances. Then finally, we saw three illustrations of first-time tithers (Abel, Abram and Jacob). May this post prove helpful to those who are desiring to know better what God has to say in terms of tithing and stewardship. 

How You Can Know That Tithing Is For Today

Genesis 4:4 "Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering."

Genesis 14:18-20 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High,Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.

Genesis 28:20-22 "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Introduction:

Today's post is going to tackle the question of whether or not tithing is for today. In the above opening verses, we find reference to the Bible's "first-time" tithers: Abel, Abraham and Jacob. These three are particularly important in illustrating how the giving of 10% of one's gross (not net) income is a Divinely ordained pattern from the opening of human history. For many who think that tithing is just a legalistic practice only discussed in the days of Moses and the Mosaic Law, we find in Abel, Abraham and Jacob three examples of people who were giving 10% centuries and millennia before God's revelation of the Mosaic Law atop Mount Sinai. 

What follows will be a survey of the Biblical text in both Old and New Testaments. The aim again is to demonstrate to the reader the validity of tithing today and other surprising elements of giving to God's work.

Surveying the Bible's teaching on tithing and stewardship

As you read through scripture, the particular word "tithe" or "tithing" or its equivalent idea more than forty times. In all, God mentions stewardship or giving in roughly 100 places. The last time we find it mentioned in the Old Testament is in Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." Now many well-meaning Christians assume that tithing was nothing more than an Old Testament regulation, given by God under the period of the Law. 

Often I have heard Christians say that since we are no longer under law but under grace, that means we can now give whatever we want, since tithing went away once Christ had died on the cross.

Is that true? Did Jesus' death, burial and resurrection do away with the standard of tithing? Whenever studying both the Old and New Testaments, unless God has either removed or replaced a given institution or command, we can assume that the command or institution carries forth from Old to New Testament. 

For example, the Levitical priesthood was done away with when Christ came, since His priesthood is of a different order (Hebrews 7-10). We also don't sacrifice animals due to the fact that Christ's substitutionary death satisfied the wrath of God against the sins of those who receive His work by grace through faith (1 Peter 3:18). 

Now whenever we come to the New Testament, we discover not one prohibition against tithing. As we saw at the beginning of this post, the standard of 10% was ordained by God some 400 or so years before the giving of the law. Abel, Abraham and Jacob were tithing millennia before Christ and centuries before the giving of the law. The law of God served to reinforce the standard which had begun from the days of Abel. When Christ came, the standard was never removed, replaced nor repealed.

The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 has the following to say about tithing and stewardship:

"According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth."

In studying the over 100 passages that speak on the subject of stewardship and tithing, here is what we discover:

1. A person is free to give whatever they want (offering) only after they have been already tithing. 

2. Tithing represents the most basic level of stewardship, the ground floor if you will. Whenever we begin to tithe is whenever we begin to hear God in the realm of giving.

3. Wherever the believer is told to give freely as to whatever amount He feels necessary to give, it can be assumed that the believer has already been tithing. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)

The Bible's final mention of tithing

Remember where we first met the word tithing? Recall Abraham in Genesis 14 as the first recorded tither? In this blogger's mind, the main proof we have that tithing is still the basic standard driving the New Testament teaching of Biblical stewardship is found in Hebrews 7:5-10. Amazingly, the final mention of the term "tithe" in the Bible is connected to the first time we find the word mentioned in Genesis 14. 

Here is what we read in Hebrews 7:5-10: "And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. 6 But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

Five times is the word "tenth" or "tithe" or "tithes" used in this New Testament text! Furthermore, the final mention of tithing in the Bible connects to the first mention! Thirdly, we who have believed on Jesus Christ are considered children of Abraham by faith (Romans 4:16). Fourthly, Christ, who lives today, received a tithe from Abraham. (Hebrews7:8) Fifthly, in a chapter like Hebrews 7, wherein the writer is showing how Christ is superior to all of the Old Testament Jewish institutions, he never once shows tithing to be abolished! 

Conclusion

So what can we conclude about whether or not tithing is for today? Should Christians tithe? Yes, and here is why: 

1. First, tithing was instituted pre-law, hence it is a standard that was not abolished despite the doing way of the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law. 

2. Second, the New Testament never one time shows tithing as being either prohibited, replaced or removed from the Christian's responsibility of stewardship. 

3. Thirdly, tithing is the standard established by God as the starting point for stewardship. 

4. Then finally, Hebrews 7 reveals that tithing is still mentioned in the New Testament, not abolished, and thus there is no reason to prohibit Christians from tithing.

P2 - God's Provisions - Matthew 9

Matthew 9:36-38 "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them,because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples,“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Introduction:

Yesterday we began considering some of God's provisions in Matthew 9 - namely God's provision of forgiveness and His provision for discipleship. Today we will close out our study of Matthew 9 and God's provisions. Notice how God provides....

God's Provision of healing. Matt 9:18-35

The Lord God near the beginning of the Old Testament identified Himself as "The Lord who Heals" (Jehovah Rapha) in Exodus 15:26. Equally significant is the fact that the Old Testament revelation closed out by predicting the 2nd coming of the Messiah with "healing in His wings" in Malachi 3:2. Clearly Jesus' ability to heal body, soul and most importantly the human spirit demonstrated His identity as God in human flesh. Jesus opens up His public ministry in His first coming by referencing a prophecy pertaining to His ability to heal. By the power of the Holy Spirit today Jesus still offers various remedies, with the first (spiritual healing) and last type of medicine (scripture) being His chief remedies that govern the other three.

Jesus' healing power deals with four major sicknesses that were chronic and severe. The first was most severe - raising a girl from the dead (Matthew 9:18-19; 23-26). The second miracle of healing addressed a long-standing blood hemorrhage (Matthew 9:20-22). The third miracle performed by Jesus was the curing of blindness (Matthew 9:23-26). Then finally, Jesus would perform an exorcism (Matthew 9:27-35). We notice that Jesus' methods varied from direct laying on of hands in the raising of Jarius' daughter and curing blindness to having the hem of His garment touched by the woman with issue of blood. Matthew doesn't say how Jesus did the exorcism, however other Gospel texts often portray Jesus commanding demons to flee. God's provision of healing is always available - albeit He may dispense such gradually or delay for the sake of God's glory (compare Mark 8:24-25; John 11:40). The purpose and power of God is what effects healing. The presence of faith - even faith the size of a mustard seed - acts as a container to receive God's provision of healing. Faith cannot affect healing nor do the healing - just as an unplugged electrical cord is ineffective to deliver electricity to a given appliance. The father of of the girl expressed faith in Jesus power to heal (Matthew 9:18); as well as the woman with issue of blood (9:22) and the blind men (9:28). These observations serve to show how Jesus acted as God in human flesh to provide healing to all who came to Him. Notice one more provision...   

God's Provision in evangelism. Matt 9:36-38

Jesus makes the comment regarding the fields being white with harvest - referencing the amount of people needing to hear the Gospel. The Geneva Study Bible has this note under a similar statement from John 4:35 - "When the spiritual corn is ripe, we must not linger, for so the children of this world would condemn us." What does Jesus mean when he says "the fields are ripe"? Several commentaries on both this text in Matthew 9 and Jesus' use of this imagery in John 4:35 suggest either the ripening of a grain field or corn field. As a boy growing up in rural Pennsylvania, our home was adjacent to a field that would alternate every other year with either wheat or corn. The wheat would be harvested in the late spring/ early summer and the corn by later summer. We knew that the corn was ready by the little "tassels" that grew atop. One could peer across those oceans of waving light yellow tassels and expect to hear the whine of a farm tractor gathering the harvest. 


Jesus' point in these images was to convey the fact that in the natural realm, people discern the timing of natural processes. The Creator God is the One Who gives the plants life and the farmer wisdom to know how to plant and harvest the field (Mark 4:26-29). In like manner, the supernatural process of bring people to saving faith requires similar discernment. God equips His people with the Holy Spirit and the Gospel and provides what is needed to fulfill the Great commission and gathering of souls. 

Closing thoughts
Today's message has aimed to consider God's provisions as spelled out by Jesus here in Matthew 9. In this study we have considered four of them:

1). God's provision for forgiveness
2). God's provision for discipleship
3). God's provision for healing
4). God's provision for evangelism

P1 - God's Provisions - Matthew 9

Matthew 9:36-38 "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them,because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples,“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Introduction:

Two phrases occupy my attention as we begin today's post. The first is where Matthew describes how Jesus "felt compassion". Quite literally, it was if Jesus suddenly paused long enough to drink in the human predicament and at the core of His being identified with the crowds as a shepherd would His flock. The second phrase of interest in the above text is where Matthew records Jesus telling His disciples to prayer to "the Lord of the Harvest". The size of the field of souls was immense, and thus required more workers. 

The Lord Jesus is intensely interested in providing whatever is needed to accomplish the callings He gives to us. His own heart and will drives the mission to reach as many souls as possible. Today, I want us to consider some the ways the Lord provides for His people. Matthew 9 will be our text and in it, Jesus lays out the ways in which the Lord provides. Notice how God provides....

1. God's Provision of forgiveness. Matt 9:1-8

Matthew 9:2 reads - "And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” What follows from this pronouncement is the charge of blasphemy by the Pharisees against Jesus. In their minds, Jesus had crossed the line. From their perspective, Jesus was nothing more than a mere mortal man. Mark 2:7 provides a parallel summary of their thinking: “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus then follows up with a statement in Matthew 9:6a "But so that you may know thatthe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. We must understand that what Jesus was claiming to be in His authority was nothing less than God. From a Jewish perspective, such charges of blasphemy would had - on the surface - contained plausible grounds. The Old Testament repeats throughout that Yahweh, Jehovah God, was the Only One who could forgive sin (Psalm 25:18; 79:9; Isaiah 43:10). The problem with their charges were that they were wrong. Jesus was exercising very appropriate behavior - being that He was and is God in human flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9). Moreover, with Jesus being both God and man, anything He achieved on the cross and from the empty tomb results in forgiveness for anyone who receives such by faith (Ephesians 1:7; John 3:16). This is the first provision. Now notice a second closely related provision...   

2. God's Provision in discipleship. Matt 9:9-17

We read of Jesus' call to Matthew in Matthew 9:9 "As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him,“Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him." Matthew was into his career, his life. He was making money. Christ’s call to Matthew seemed like an interruption, an inconvenience. Yet when Christ’s voice cut through the air, it penetrated Matthew’s ears straight into his heart. Suddenly the clinking of coinage and the rustling of bills were over-powered by the voice of the One who was now laying claim on Matthew. The Call of discipleship, in the timing of God, arrived to rescue Matthew out of the poverty of his sinful condition to begin the journey of following the King of Kings. This was a voice that was unlike any voice he had ever heard. 

Two words were said that spoke volumes into His heart: "Follow Me". What comes next is as shocking as it is unexpected - Matthew, the man of means, the man of money, was touched by Divine Grace. The same voice which created all life and through whom came the entire universe was now through human vocal cords penetrating the dark heart of Matthew. The command to follow Jesus is backed up by the grace of God. Paul spells out this provision most clearly in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

More tomorrow.......

Giving your all to God - View everything as belonging to God

Mark 12:41-44 "And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of theirsurplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Introduction:

In yesterday's post we began considering how the widow in Mark 12:41-44 gave her all to God. We saw that God is just as concerned with how we give and we also labored to show that God clearly lays out how much we give. Today's post is going to finish up our consideration of this widow and her giving of two little coins. In addition to the facts that God is interested in how we give as well as how much we give, we can notice a third observation from this widow woman's giving:

How must we view resources? We must view everything as belonging to God. Mark 12:44
Notice what God's Word says in Mark 12:44 "for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” I think it is interesting that Jesus tells us how much the woman gave - two little coins. The coins in question were common coins of the lowest denomination - a Bronze Lepton. According to one source - two of these coins could buy 1/3 of a loaf of bread. When this widow gave her last money, she was expressing her willingness and desire to give more to God than to feed her own stomach. As far as ironies go, the specific treasury that the widow was contributing to was designed to help out people like herself. This woman was a woman of faith and thus viewed God, not man, as her source of sustinance. She purposefully gave in expression of her belief that God, not man, supplies all her needs. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 37:25  - "I have been young and now I am old,Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."

So why would this woman go to such extremes? She viewed everything in her life as coming from God and belonging to Him. The other people in this short account gave their pocket change. This woman on the other hand did not struggle with this concept of everything belonging to God. Again, Jesus commends her, which means she had God's favor already. She practiced the principle found in Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine." Or how about Malachi 3:8-10 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'"

Though the widow was poor by finanical standards, yet to have one's needs met and to be content is far richer than to have a bulging purse or wallet with discontent. Psalm 50:10-11 reminds us - “For every beast of the forest is Mine,The cattle on a thousand hills. 11 “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. 12 “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains." Romans 11:36 reminds us that "from Him and through Him and to Him are all things....". To be able to view everything as belonging to God, as well as to consider how we give and thus how much we give are necessary if we expect to give our all to God. 

Giving your all to God - How do we give and how much should we give

Mark 12:41-44 "And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of theirsurplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Introduction:

In yesterday's post we considered the wider context of Mark 12 as a way to better understand the significance of the widow's giving of her final bit of money in Mark 12:41-44. Today's post is going to consider this account and what Jesus teaches us about giving and stewardship through her actions. Let's notice some observations:

1. God is interested with "how you give" as well as "how much you give". Mark 12:41

When I started studying this account of the widow's mite, the phrase that immediately leapt of the page was found in Mark 12:41 "And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums." Amidst the hustle and bustle of people dropping in their contributions, Jesus watched "how they gave". That made me realize that even if we are giving 10% or more of our gross income, could it be that we could still be giving in a sinful manner? If we are going through the motions without consideration as to why we are giving or for whose glory we are giving, will our heart be found pleasing to the Lord? How we give is as important was how much we give. Notice what 2 Corinthians 8:1-3 states about how Christians gave in the churches of Macedonia in the first century - "Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord." Paul emphasizes the manner of giving as being paramount in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." If we are to give as the Lord has commanded us to give in Biblical stewardship, we must begin with the heart. As the saying goes: "the heart of the matter is the heart". So where is your heart and my heart? When this widow approached the treasuries of the temple, we note no hesitation. Jesus had just mentioned the fact that there were those in charge of the treasuries who were so unscrupulous as to exploit such widows as the widow in Mark 12:41-44. Regardless of that fact, the widow gave with a willing heart dedicated to her Lord. How she gave was noted by the Lord Jesus in his teaching of the disciples. Hence if we are to give our all to God, we must first ask: how am I giving?

2. How much should I give? Mark 12:42-43
In Mark 12:42-43 we read - "A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury." Jesus' statement to his disciples regarding how the widow gave "more" is obviously not a statement about here quanity compared to the other people's quanity of giving. By man-made standards - it is clear that those giving that day must had given enormous sums. But we must remember that in the Bible's teaching of stewardship, we are urged to look at resources not through man's eyes but God's. God's commands in terms of "how much we ought to give" begins with a minimum amount in proportion to one's income. 

As we study the scriptures on the subject of giving, the standard of 10% or "the tithe" is evoked as the beginning point of giving. Whatever goes beyond the tithe is offering and to the degree that one gives to the point of seeming impoverishment to themselves is classified as "sacrifical giving". The Macedonian churches for example in the above cited passage of 2 Corinthians 8:1-3 gave "beyond their ability" - hence sacrifical giving. One could argue that in regards to Paul's statements in 2 Corinthians 9:8, what is being advocated are offerings that extend beyond the tithe. God's directions in terms of how much one ought to give is built on two principles: proportion and willingness.  

I think it is fair at this point to ask the question: is tithing or giving 10% of one's own gross (not net) income still for today? As you read through scripture, the particular word "tithe" or "tithing" occurs more than forty times. The last time we find it mentioned in the Old Testament is in Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." 

Now many well-meaning Christians assume that tithing was nothing more than an Old Testament regulation, given by God under the period of the Law. Often I have heard Christians say that since we are no longer under law but under grace, that means we can now give whatever we want, since tithing went away once Christ had died on the cross. People holding to this viewpoint may very well advocate the willingness aspect of stewardship, however they neglect the other principle of proportion in our giving.

So did Jesus' death, burial and resurrection do away with the standard of tithing? Whenever studying both the Old and New Testaments, unless God has either removed or replaced a given institution or command, we can assume that the command or institution carries forth from Old to New Testament.

For example, the Levitical priesthood was done away with when Christ came, since His priesthood is of a different order. (Hebrews 7-10) We also don't sacrifice animals due to the fact that Christ's subsitutionary death satisfied the wrath of God against the sins of those who receive His work by grace through faith. (1 Peter 3:18)

Now whenever we come to the New Testament, we discover not one prohibition against tithing. The standard of 10% was ordained by God some 400 or so years before the giving of the law. Abel, Abraham and Jacob were tithing millennia before Christ and centuries before the giving of the law. The law of God served to reinforce the standard, however when Christ came, the standard was never removed nor replaced.

In studying the over 100 passages that speak on the subject of stewardship and tithing, here is what we discover:

1. A person is free to give whatever they want (offering) only after they have been already tithing.

2. Tithing represents the most basic level of stewardship, the ground floor if you will. Whenever we begin to tithe is whenever we begin to hear God in the realm of giving.

3. Wherever the believer is told to give freely as to whatever amount He feels necessary to give, it can be assumed that the believer has already been tithing. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)

Hence the principles for stewardship laid down by God in the Old Testament (willingness and proportion - i.e tithing) still remain in effect in the New Testament. If anything, for those who try to still argue against tithing, I would point out that if anything, the New Testament raises the standard. When we see this widow in Mark 12:41-44, she is giving her last. She did not pay her bills and give God the left-overs. In her extreme level of love and faith - she gave her all. 

I truly believe that based upon other accounts in scripture that speaks of God's care of widows (1 Kings 17 for example), I think one could argue that Jesus' commendation of her giving meant that she had the grace of God already operating in her life - and that she was going to not only make it, but be blessed far beyond what her fellow givers could even begin to imagine. 

More tomorrow......