Worship God!

Let’s go to worship carries a lot of various meanings in today’s modern world.  As Christians we call Sunday, a day of worship.   We encourage people to meet for a worship service.  Do we really understand who it is we worship and what it is to be a true worshipper.

  For many years I myself coming up in a Pentecostal mind set have had many ways of worship expressed to me. Frankly, I am not sure if anyone truly knew what worship was all about.  Who we worship and how has been an age old debate that maybe we all should take a closer look at.

Personally I have come to understand that if you do not have who we worship right, we will never get the rest of it right.  My eyes have been opened to see through history and study of scripture, that many of the problems we deal with in the church and God’s people are directly connected to the understanding of who we worship.

I might as well be point blank with you.  Today, we have come to the place in our churches we are practicing what we call proper worship and it can not be found anywhere in scripture.  We have been deceived and taught to worship others such as Jesus, Holy Spirit, and men of God.  We have confused praise with worship, and the actual Sunday service as worship, even though they are not.  Can we have a time of worship in a Sunday service or moment of praise?  Yes, we can, but praise is not worship and going to a Sunday service does not make you a worshiper. 

 Now that I stirred up your thinking, hopefully let’s see what worship is all about.  I do not consider myself an expert but I do believe the Word of God does have a few things on such a subject. Let’s start with what Jesus said to the woman at the well.

(John 4:20-24 NIV)  Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." {21} Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. {22} You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. {23} Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. {24} God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

You see this is an age old debate on where and how to worship.  Even churches that may believe in similar doctrines will still say “the way they worship is right and everyone else is wrong”.  Jesus spends very little time with the debate but draws he attention to pure worship and who is to be worshiped. 

Throughout the four gospels Jesus was always quick to let everyone know he did not seek to be worshiped, but to get all men to worship the Father.  “The time is coming” he said, people would worship GOD.

(Mat 4:10 NIV)  Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

(John 8:50 NIV)  I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

(John 17:3 NIV)  Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Now before you dig out scriptures to show me that there were people that worshiped Jesus, let’s take a look into what worship was and what it meant to the people of the time.

In the New Testament there are two words used for worship.  The first is, proskuneo, pros-koo-neh'-o; (mean. to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (lit. or fig.) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore):--worship.  This carries a wide range of meaning that many in today’s modern world do not understand.  This is a positional expression of honor and reverence.  Like in England they still bow to the Queen in respect. We are a prideful people and bow to no one these days not even God.

In today’s churches we stand and sing on an average two to three fast praise songs and follow up with a couple slow songs, closing our eyes, raising our hand or hands and call this worship. This would be very unfamiliar to the people of Jesus’ time.  This is also a reason why Jews and Islamist think we are not serious about our worship, for they to this day prostate themselves in worship.  To be fair I am not saying one has to lie on the floor to worship and I hope to make that clear as we go.

The second word used in the New Testament is sebomai, seb'-om-ahee; mid. of an appar. prim. verb; to revere, i.e. adore:--devout, religious, worship.  This word is used less often to describe the act of worship such as, the people are worshiping together.  Or the word is used to describe a type of religious person. This is not the word Jesus used at the well it was the first, as he was telling her God was seeking true worshipers.

So what does it mean to worship as Jesus described to the woman?  I think since Jesus referred to the Hebrew way of worship we need to look into the Old Testament to draw out what is worship.

(Gen 24:52 NKJV)  And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

(Deu 26:10 NIV)  and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him.

(1 Chr 16:29 NIV)  ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

(2 Chr 7:3 NIV)  When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever."

(Psa 29:2 NIV)  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

 There are three Hebrew words for worship and they all basically mean the same varying from the act of worship to the position of worship. They are shachah, shaw-khaw'; a prim. root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (espec. reflex. in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.  Then there is cagad, saw-gad'; a prim. root; to prostrate oneself (in homage):--fall down.  Then the last one is in like manor of the second word, cegid, (Chald.), seg-eed'; corresp. to cagad:--worship

So’ what does that mean to us today in how we should worship?  Do we need to bow down to the floor to worship?  I don’t think so, but it may not hurt some of us to do it now and again.  I feel it is what that position represented that we need to understand.  When God created man His intention was to have relationship with that created man.  God wanted to provide for man in every aspect of life, free from all worries and cares of life.  All man had to do was worship God, recognizing His higher position and power over man.  It was on this basis that Satan tricked man.   (Gen 3:5 NIV)  "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  Adam and every man until Jesus (Jesus is the only one who did not fall for the lie, Matt. 4.) and still after have believed this lie.  We want to be our own god, controlling our own world, but we can not handle it.

The position of worship carried a lot of meaning. When one would bow to a King they would be saying, “You are greater than I or of a higher position than I”.  When we are worshiping God we need to be saying from our heart, “God you are greater than I”.  Sometimes it may mean we have to humble ourselves, put our faces to the floor and cry out to God the Father, letting him know we are unable to carry life’s burdens.  We may be a god of our own world, but God you are the God of all gods.  It is not the song we sing it is the words from our heart in humble honor to God who is God alone that we submit our entire lives to.

God chose a nation of people that their very lives depended on him.  He wanted their everyday life to be an expression of worship.  All that they did centered on the Tabernacle and His presence.  The daily work, crops of the field, how they treated each other was to be in complete submission to God.  Through Jesus this is the way it should be for each and every believer.  Our very life and daily work, and how we relate to others needs to bring honor to God.  To do other wise is an act of rebellion, no matter how often you sing a worship song and go to church. 

Lord I am nothing without you!  I need you in every second of the day!  Paul put it so well in his sermon on Mars hill.  Read what He said take it to heart and we will pick this up next week.   

(Acts 17:23-31 NIV)  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. {24} "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. {25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. {26} From one man(Adam) he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. {27} God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. {28} 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' {29} "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill. {30} In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. {31} For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man (Jesus) he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Tithe: The Christian’s Ball and Chain IV

They Didn't Tell Us The whole Story



As I conclude these articles on my thoughts on tithes, I hope we can come to an understanding of what the word teaches on this matter.  If I have learned anything over the years, is that when there is a doubt don’t just trust in man, but, go back to the word and search it out.  There will always be those who will disagree no matter what is said, so love must be shown and felt. I have been in that place where I felt they never told us the full story.  When tithes was taught for some reason the complete story was left out, but if one was to read it for themselves they should raise questions or find answers. So let’s look at what is said in the Old Testament.

I know that there are those of you that will bring up Abraham, and Jacob, saying they gave tithes before the Law (Gen. 14.20). If one is to use this argument, should it also not apply to other things we no longer do, but was before the law.  Such as sacrifices and burnt offerings, these were done before the law and we have many more records of such.  If you will read Abraham’s giving closely you will find that for Abraham this was only once and it was not for the same purpose as under the law.  There is no other recorded reference of Abraham giving, and then it was not from anything but the spoils of war.  There is no recorded giving of Abraham from his own livestock or crop.  Then Jacob made a promise to God to give, if He would bring him back home safely. (Gen.28.22) I guess we should assume Jacob kept that promise but there is no record of such.  If we follow their examples then we need to only give once and from what we take in war, or promise God we will, if He does what we need him to.

Then there is the famous Malachi 3. 8-10, but once again we are not told the whole story. Context is everything in the teaching of Malachi to understand what is being said.  The better question should be who is God is talking to in these scriptures.  Then we should understand what was happening at the time God was speaking.  To answer the first you will find the key in the previous chapters.

(Mal 1:6 NIV)  "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'

(Mal 2:1 NIV)  "And now this admonition is for you, O priests.

God is talking to the Priest and temple leaders who were corrupting the worship and sacrifices of the temple, and tithe was a part of their duties.  Now let’s look at what was happening at the time God was upset with the Priest.  Malachi was written about the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah, so we can go to their writings and see what was happening.  Read Nehemiah chapter 5 and you will find how that the leaders were taking advantage of the poor.  Then in Ezra chapter 2 the priesthood was not even worthy to handle the things of God.  There had to be a cleaning and rededication to the service of the Lord.  Another key to this whole story is in the same chapter in Malachi 3.  The storehouse is mentioned and we need to understand what the storehouse was for, it was not just the preacher’s paycheck.  Dealing with the storehouse is also mentioned in Nehemiah 10, 12, and 13 as well.  

The first time the term storehouse is used, is in 1Chr.26, when David was setting up the plans and order for the Temple Solomon was to build.  To get any reference to what it was we need to go back to (Deu 14:28-29 NIV)  At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, {29} so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Notice why this tithe was stored up and to whom it was to be given.  So we should be able to conclude that in Malachi chapter 3, God was rebuking the Priest for not doing their duties.  They were not storing up for the people of Levi and the poor.  They were mishandling God’s affaires.  This was not a rebuke to all the people of Israel but, just the priesthood.  This should warn each and every one of God’s leaders, that God does take what we do serious, and we should give more heed to teaching the whole Word and handling God’s affaires rightly.

    

Let’s look at the law of tithing.  Before I give any scriptures I want you to know that even though tithe is preached today it is not according to the Law.  In the laws of Mosses there were several types of tithe.  In all there was about a 33%- 40% tithe in all when added up; this was basically a temple tax.  There was tithe of all the increase of their livestock and crops. (Lev.27).  Then there is the tithe to the children of Levi which was offered in heave offerings (Num.18.24)  There were various offerings and commands to provide for the poor and the Levites. (Deu 14:22-29 NKJV)  "You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. {23} "And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. {24} "But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, {25} "then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. {26} "And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. {27} "You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you. {28} "At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. {29} "And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

In all my study I found that most of the tithing was sort of a storehouse and a savings program for the commanded feast.  It seems that every time there was a festival and sacrifices made there was eating involved and the Priest had his share, then the Levite, poor, and then the giver and his family ate the tithe.  We could go on an on and each time you will find that many benefited from the tithe.  It was only the Sin offering that nobody ate, not even the Priest. (Ex.29)

(Deu 12:12-19 NIV)  And there rejoice before the LORD your God, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no allotment or inheritance of their own. {13} Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. {14} Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you. {15} Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the LORD your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. {16} But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. {17} You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. {18} Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns--and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to. {19} Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

(Deu 16:6-7 NIV)  except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. {7} Roast it and eat it at the place the LORD your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents.

Then one day in study I got out my calculator out and started adding up numbers according to the commands of God given in Exodus and Leviticus.  All the offerings that were commanded by the Lord to be given at certain times multiplied by possible households based on the number of men came up at an astronomical number.  Using any common sence and logic one would have to conclude that it would be humanly impossible to sacrifice that many animals.  I then studied Hebrew structure and the family unit and found that a family could be a large unit of people several generations, by tribe and fathers.  Land was owned more often than not by a whole family consisting of several brothers, uncles, direct family members and their families.  So, a family unit could easily consist of several hundred people, and their giving was done as a family.  Now this would make these numbers more manageable for the priest to sacrifice such animals. (Read Numbers chapter seven)     

  There is so much more we could talk about and show in scripture.  You need to sit down and read carefully the Word of God.  Take off your orthodox religious glasses and mind set, divide the word of truth.  Ask the tuff questions and don’t let anyone stop you from finding the truth.  If you read the scriptures and only ask questions from those you know that will agree with you then you may not find the truth.  Step out of your box take a deep new breath of life, look beyond your sphere and find that there is a whole lot more to God’s word than what we have been told.

  I know there will be some who will defend the tithe no matter what is said.  I have been told if we did not teach tithe people would not give, and I found this to be the opposite.  I myself will only take time once a year to teach giving and God’s principles in good stewardship.  I will go as far as teach budgeting and a good understanding that everything we are and have is the Lord’s.  If I am asked how much I should give, my response is always, seek the Lord and then in faith according to your ability give.  If you need an amount to start with then I say 10%, its just easier math.  To some that may be too much of a burden, and to others that may be not enough. 

Every church should be a storehouse ready to meet the needs of those in their midst first then to others, no mater if they have given or not.  If I may get a little political, if every church was teaching giving right and did their part there would not be a need for the Government to provide for the poor.  God speaks very loudly and often about taking care of the poor in the Old and New Testaments, as a matter of fact God looks very hard at those who abuse and take advantage of the poor.

There were times I wish I learned what I now know earlier in my life, but like many I was hard headed at the times when I was confronted with truth.  Let’s talk about this.  

Glory to God He is Risen

On this Easter day, Christians around the world celebrate the greatest event in Christian history.  In churches all around there is pageantry and celebration. People adorn their best and dress up the children.  There are Easter baskets, eggs, and candy.  There are some that make the once a year journey to a church to reaffirm their faith in such an event.  Even many that never enter a church celebrate the season and what it stands for.

Then among others the debate continues, did Jesus really rise from the dead.  There are even some so called bible scholars and schools that teach Jesus’ resurrection was just a symbol and a spiritual thing, he never really rose from the grave.  There are pastors that preach behind pulpits that do not believe it really happened.  If you were to ask the average Christian what it all really means, I wonder how many could completely confess its wonder and truth. 

Let me, if I can shine a little light on the subject, as we celebrate such a wonderful day and give honor and praise to the one it is due.

1.  Jesus accomplished the cruel death on the cross as a man just like you and I.  Jesus himself tried to teach those that followed him that he as a man had to suffer and die.  It was not by accident that he would refer to himself as the son of man.

  (Mat 17:12 NIV)  But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."
(Mat 20:18-19 NIV)  "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death {19} and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
(Luke 24:7 NIV)  'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"The terrible cruel death he suffered was not under any supernatural power given to endure.  Jesus was tempted in all points as you and I are.  He was pushed to the human limits of sin, giving up, or just finding another way. ( Heb. 2.18, 4.15, 5.8)
 (1 Pet 2:21 NIV)  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
(1 Pet 3:18 NIV)  For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

As Peter teaches us that Christ accomplished it all in His body or flesh, so we could understand that we too can overcome as he did.  If Jesus had done all this as a supernatural person or God/man then there is no way we could be able to do it as well.  For every human is bound by the limitations of the flesh, subject to failure and despair.  Jesus is the perfect mediator, man, over comer, enduring the horrific pain and suffering in his body, yet staying faithful and obedient all the way to death.  He had to trust in the fact that his Father would keep His word to him.

Paul teaches us that Jesus is that second Adam, fulfilling all that was needed for our redemption.  A man had to die, as Adam brought death by death of a man, life could be given.

(Rom 5:14-17 NIV)  Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. {15} But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! {16} Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. {17} For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

(1 Cor 15:22 NIV)  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.This is why Paul tells Timothy that Jesus is the one who can stand before God for us as a man.

(1 Tim 2:5 NIV)  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

2.  Jesus did die a complete death.  There are so many today that tell us that Jesus really did not die.  If Jesus did not die then how could the price for sin be paid? 

(Rom 5:10-14 NIV)  For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! {11} Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. {12} Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- {13} for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. {14} Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

(Rom 6:10 NIV)  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Rom 6:23 NIV)  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Mark 8:31 NIV)  He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Now I know that there are many cute songs and stories about what Jesus did in those three days, but where are the actual scriptures to back up any such claims?  The matter of truth is Jesus suffered death just like you and I will, if he does not come back in our life time.  Plain and simple, he was dead and in a tomb for three days waiting for the Father to raise him up. He had to completely trust in His Father, that if he would lay his life down, His Father would then raise him up again.  He paved the way of faith in the Father for us.

This brings me to the last thought!

3. Who raised Jesus up from the dead?  In all our celebration I hear a lot of thank you Jesus, spoken.  But, did Jesus raise himself or did the Father raise him up?  Thank you Jesus for obeying the Father all the way to the cross and death!  Thank you Jesus, you showed us how to have faith in your Father, the one who gives us the hope of a resurrection.  But, most important THANK YOU FATHER GOD for raising up Jesus our lord! 

Over and over the writers of the New Testament tell us that it was God the Father that raised Jesus from the dead.  Jesus did not have the power within himself to rise from the dead, the power came from God.  Then they teach us that that same power is given to us the believer.   Just read a few of the scriptures that tell us so,

(Acts 2:32 NIV)  God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.

(Acts 13:33-37 NIV)  he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.' {34} The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' {35} So it is stated elsewhere: "'You will not let your Holy One see decay.' {36} "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. {37} But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

(Rom 6:4 NIV)  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

(Rom 8:11 NIV)  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

(1 Cor 6:14 NIV)  By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

(2 Cor 4:14 NIV)  because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

(Gal 1:1 NIV)  Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

(Eph 1:18-23 NIV)  I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, {19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, {20} which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, {21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. {22} And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, {23} which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

(1 Pet 1:21 NIV)  Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Wow, and there are many more such scriptures.

As I wrap this up the point I hope to convey is this.  Jesus, a man born of God lived and suffered a cruel death for you and I.  This same Jesus was the Christ, the Jewish messiah, the second Adam.  He called himself the “son of man” through out the gospels to teach us that we as men could also obey the Father and overcome.  He is the first born of many brethren (Rom. 8), to give us hope in a new life through him.  Paul teaches us the important factor of the resurrection and the hope it gives.

   (1 Cor 15:12-22 NIV)  But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? {13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. {14} And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. {15} More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. {16} For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. {17} And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. {18} Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. {19} If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. {20} But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. {21} For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. {22} For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Praise God and Glory to the Father!  God has raised Jesus from the dead over two thousand years ago, and because of that I can have faith and hope in the Father for eternity.  If I die one day I will rise again and be with the Father and His son Jesus for evermore.  Because of Jesus I can have boldness to go before the throne and receive from the Father.  Because of Jesus I can have a life free from sin and condemnation.  I am free to worship and give glory to the Father.  I can overcome in this life and walk in the power of His spirit.  I have a mediator with the Father, who stands up for me and intercedes on my behalf.  I have been made righteous, been justified, given resurrection power to live like Jesus to the glory of the Father.  Resurrection is not just an event but the power of my very life; it is the hope of my eternity.   

Tithe: The Christian’s Ball and Chain III

I know tithe is a tuff issue for many.  We all have grown up to believe certain things to be true, and have seen what happens to those that question the status quo.  We have been entrenched into the ideal of this is how God blesses His people, that tithes most and should be given so the church’s and minister’s needs may be met.  I wish it would be just that simple, but let’s be honest here, it does not work. 

  It is like a car engine, there are so many moving parts that make up the whole.  Not just one thing will always stop it from running.  You can keep giving it gas and drive it about never paying attention to the other things that make it work, and one day it stops working.  You can look at the gas gage and say I have not given it enough gas, but the real problem could be you never changed the oil.  This is what tithing is like in today’s churches.  You keep giving into it so to speak filling its gas tank, but not paying attention to the real problems that needs addressing.

  (Mat 23:23 NIV)  "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.

Before you jump up and say that Jesus was teaching tithing, look at the context of this scripture.

Jesus is addressing the self-righteous legalist of His time.  The tithe that they were doing was strictly according to the law.  Jesus himself was under the law, for the perfect sacrifice was not yet given.

What Jesus was dealing with here is the way these rulers were oppressing others by the heavy ordinances of the law (like tithe today).  Much like those who use tithe to make people give, they neglect justice, mercy and faithfulness.  

Paul himself said in I Cor. 13.3, that even if he gave all that he had, and did not have Godly love it did not matter. 

I have come to understand that God wants us to deal with the whole and not split hairs over just a couple of things.  Good stewardship is what God is looking for (Matt 25.14-30) in all of us.  As in the story in Acts 5, Peter told the Ananias that what he had sold his property for was his do with as he wanted.  There was no demand for tithe in this story, but there was a deeper issue.  In not dealing with the deeper issue a bad choice was made and they paid the price for it. 

Its not if we give or do not give that demands blessings in our life, but how we live each day before the Lord.  If you keep wasting money, no amount of giving is going to fix it.  If you keep getting into debt no amount of giving is going to fix it.  You have to understand that God has empowered you to live a godly life and to make good choices so you may be blessed.  If you are not being blessed it is time to go to the Father and find out why.  Don’t ask someone else, they will only be able to give you an opinion based on what they see (read Job).  If you go to most preachers they may ask if you have been tithing, but God sees the deeper issues.

Now if you really want to get God’s attention start giving to the poor.  I feel every church should be a store house for the poor.  If you want to know what kind of churches are good ones to give to, look at how they first take care of their own and then the poor around them.  I could spend weeks on this subject alone.  There are so many scriptures about how we should deal with the poor and take care of them.  I feel today’s churches as a whole has failed in this area.  We should be leading the way, instead we are letting governments and others lead in this area.

(Prov 19:17 NIV)  He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

  (James 1:27 NIV)  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

(James 2:16 NIV)  If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

(Mat 19:21 NIV)  Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

(1 Tim 6:17-18 NIV)  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. {18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

God wants us to be generous with what we have.  As a New Testament believer I have come to understand that all I have and all that I am belong to the Lord, so giving is just a part of my life.  It is when I need to depend on another to tell me what and how to give; I enter bondage and allow them to be my task master. 

Paul dealt with this issue, in the giving of the people of Corinth.  They must have made a pledge to give to the needs of the poor in Jerusalem and not kept up with the pledge.  Paul was careful not to put a burden on them, but encouraged them in their giving.  He used the example of Macedonia, (Rom. 15.26) in how generous they gave, but was careful to let them know it was out of a willing heart with liberty.  Notice Paul is not using any persuading words, making promises of returns, using a law of tithe or any such thing.  According to what you decide to give that is what you give.  God loves a cheerful, free flowing giver.      

(2 Cor 8:1-3 NKJV)  Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: {2} that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. {3} For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,

 (2 Cor 9:5 NIV)  So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. (2 Cor 9:7 NIV)  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

If I could speak plainly here, I feel that there would be a great number of people that would be better off, finding someone in need in their own neighborhood and giving to them from their heart, than giving a tithe to their churches.  I know I said it and I am sticking to it.  God will be more pleased with ones care for the poor than a person who feels obligated to give their tithe to their church.  

When we put men in charge we get only what a man can produce, but when God is in charge we get what God produces through obedient, willing servants of the Lord. 

In First Samuel chapter eight, you find God’s people wanted to have a king like everyone else.  In verses eleven through seventeen Samuel warns the people what it would be like to put a man in charge of their lives.  More or less we see this even to this day when we put our trust in men.  When we expect men even if they are godly to tell us what we need to do we are subjecting our lives to them.  If they tell us we have to tithe then we tithe, or it could be something else.  What I am saying is the church system has developed in such a way that it needs our money to survive.  It just might be more honest if some churches just had a membership fee based on what it took to operate, than demand tithing based on blessing and cursing.

I am not saying throw the church out, but let’s try to do it God’s way.  Does your church provide for its own in time of need, does it take care of the poor, widow, and fatherless?  What percentage of the ministries income goes for salaries, buildings, and functions?  Not one of the previous mentioned is bad in themselves, but are they out of balance.  Why is the tithe is so heavily preached or why is there such a push for money?   What is being promised for your giving, and are they over spiritualizing it.  Is their teaching on giving for the sole purpose to get you to give?  Is there balance with giving teaching and stewardship?  Does your church teach you to save, budget, get out of debt; all of these are scriptural as well.

I guess what I want to point out is in Paul’s teaching in II Cor. 8, that if all believers would understand God has blessed us so we may be a blessing to others.  We would not need to spend so much time in our services taking offerings.  Preachers might not feel the need to persuade you to give.  If the church would get the money issue in order large evangelical ministries would not be pulling for your money.  The poor would be taken care of and in times of trouble members would have no need to fear, for the brethren would be there to help.  The church is out of order in maters of money and the tithe is the ball and chain that keeps us off balance.

Let me end this week with a story I read a couple of years ago in Ministry Today.  A pastor of a mega church in California through an experience came to the realization he had become unattainable to his own members.  He was out of touch with the members of his own church.  He had developed a lifestyle far above the average member of His own church.  The church budget was heavy with staff salaries and building needs.  He realized a large portion of his staff were professionals in ministry straight out of college.  Some of his staff never held a real job or understood what the average member went through in day to day life.  

This pastor mad drastic sweeping changes.  The church stopped its plans to build another large facility.  He laid most of the staff off, and he himself went part time.  He sold His large home and moved into a smaller one and even moved another family in with him that had lost their home.  The church sold their facility that they owned and rented one for just Sunday worship.  Moved the members to the mind set of giving to the poor.  In a short time this church was filling Simi trucks with goods for the poor and missions every Sunday.  The money saved in budget changes became millions for the poor and the mission field. Yes He did loss some members, but to this pastor the church is moving in the right direction and they are doing better than ever in may ways.

Now I am not saying everyone should do this, but it should be food for thought.  I have said enough today, I only hope you can glean some good out of what I shared.  Next week I will take a break from this topic and share the Good News Message.