Come back and test my generosity

Let's pray.

Gracious Father, we thank you again for your word.

And we know that this passage,

the implications of this passage,

strike fear into the hearts of your people.

And so we ask that by your spirit,

we might see the glory of this passage

and the glory of what you have called us to,

the glory of what the Lord Jesus called his disciples to.

And I pray, Father, that we would make sure

that we would labour, in fact,

to have the covenant order in the right way

and that we would obey and then you would bless.

So help us now, we pray, as we look at your word

and I pray that it would result in action from your people.

Amen.

Keep your Bibles open in Malachi 3

and also, if you've got a chance,

2 Corinthians 8 and 9 and Luke 12.

I'm going to go three fingers in there somewhere.

It should work well.

What has become clear as we've gone through Malachi

over the past three weeks

is that unless you have a clear grasp

of who God is and what he's like,

you won't relate to him correctly.

Or to put it another way,

to have a true relation with God

requires a vivid understanding of the character of God.

And we saw that in the very first chapter.

God reveals himself in chapter 1, verse 2

with, I have loved you and Esau I have hated.

We saw a vivid picture of the love of God there,

that God's love is sovereign, elective, unconditional, free love.

Unfortunately, the people of God in Malachi's time

didn't see or feel the greatness of God's love so clearly.

We also saw in chapter 1, verse 6,

that God is a father and a master.

He is worthy to be honoured and revered.

Malachi gives us a vivid picture of the greatness of God

by consistently calling God Lord Almighty or Lord of hosts.

He is the master, the king,

over all the starry hosts

and the hosts of angels and everything.

That is, Malachi wants us to get the sheer majesty of God

and God's people didn't see or feel that so clearly either.

They didn't see or feel the sheer greatness of God's love

and they didn't see or feel the sheer greatness of God's majesty.

And when you've got a small view of God's love and his majesty,

what you do is you give him the leftover of your life.

He fits in around your life, around other things in your life.

Why would you give your all or your best

to something or someone who you don't value?

And the evidence of how little they valued their relationship with God

was their carelessness in their worship

by bringing the dodgy sheep

and unfaithfulness in their relationships

and the way they treated each other

and particularly the husband and wife relationship.

The faithfulness of God to his covenant

and the faithlessness of his people to that covenant.

That is the picture so far.

And yet, what chapter 3 verse 6 says

is that that's the consistent picture of all ways of this relationship.

I, the Lord, do not change

so you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Ever since the time of your forefathers,

you have turned away from my decrees

and have not kept them.

Now, the title, Lord,

at the beginning of verse 6 is very significant.

It is quite literally

God's special covenant name, Yahweh.

I, Yahweh, the covenant God,

do not change.

I have not failed to keep my promises.

I am consistent.

And it is because of God's consistency

to love his people

that they have not been destroyed.

Interesting,

his people have been consistent too.

Ever since the time of your forefathers,

you have turned away from my decrees

and have not kept them.

And so, if consistency was a virtue,

they'd be on top.

But, unfortunately,

it's not in this case.

It's quite striking

that God uses his covenant name, Yahweh,

but he refers to his people

as the descendants of Jacob

rather than using their covenant name, Israel.

What God is doing here

is he's pointing out

what is the nature of the consistency

of his people

and that is not as a covenant people.

Their consistency in their behaviour

is that of the scoundrel Jacob

who often swindled and stole and robbed.

That's not what you'd expect

from the people of God.

They have consistently breached

the covenant relationship.

And so, as many times in the past,

Yahweh again calls his people

to come back to him

in the second part of verse 7.

He's calling them to repent.

But at the end of verse 7

reveals just how seared

their consciences were.

But you ask,

how are we to repent?

In other words,

what they're saying is,

us?

Who, us?

What do we need to repent of?

What have we done wrong?

You see, in their estimation,

there was nothing wrong

with their conduct.

Repentance wasn't needed.

They weren't aware of any guilt

on their part whatsoever.

And so, as the case

when someone is,

their perception of reality

is so wrong,

God kind of grabs

his people

by the scruff of their collar

and goes,

slap, slap,

to try and, you know,

smack them out of it,

if you like,

to help them to wake up

to reality.

And their sin

is spelled out to them

in very practical

and personal terms

by God.

Verse 8,

will a man rob God?

In other words,

how is that possible?

And yet,

you rob me.

But you ask,

how do we rob you?

In tithes and offerings,

you are under a curse,

the whole nation of you,

because you are robbing me.

You see,

what that's meant to do there

is it's meant to

quicken

a dull conscience.

That's what God's doing here.

It's like,

poke in the eye.

Wake up.

It's meant to knock them

out of their apathy.

It's meant to help them

to see the dire danger

that they are in.

It is unthinkable

that any person

would rob God.

And he says,

but you rob me.

You see,

this is personal.

The total gravity

of the offense

is clear.

Rob God.

How is that even possible?

How is it even possible

that a mere mortal

would somehow storm

into the throne room

of God

and put a gun to God

and snatch his purse?

So to speak.

How is that possible?

This is personal

because this is not

a sin primarily

against the priests

and the Levites

and the temple ministry

as bad as that would be.

This is a crime

against God.

They were robbing God.

How were they robbing God?

And notice this bit

because this is very crucial.

Verse 10.

Bring the whole tithe

into the storehouse.

They weren't robbing God

by not tithing.

They were robbing God

by not tithing enough.

Withholding the full tithe

was tantamount

to armed robbery

against God.

And it's quite possible

that they were giving

two, six, seven, eight,

nine percent

and yet God says,

you're robbing me

by withholding

some of the tithe.

And they were oblivious

to any wrongdoing.

What do we need

to repent of?

I mean,

we're giving something

to God.

That should be okay.

He should be happy.

It is careless.

It is apathetic.

In the same way

they thought it was okay

to bring,

oh, that sheep's nearly dead.

Quick, get down

on the sacrifice.

The same as they thought

it was okay

to bring God

the worst.

That somehow

it would be okay

that they would

just give God

a bit of the tithe.

He'll be okay

with that.

Something's better

than nothing.

Beggars can't be choosers.

What apathy.

What carelessness.

What faithlessness.

It is casual.

It's flippant.

It's presumptuous.

It is arrogant

and it is not obedient.

Not only were they

not giving God

their best

but they weren't

giving God

their all.

And the consequence

of withholding

the tithe

is the terrible

statement

in verse 9.

You are under

a curse.

The whole nation

of you

because you are

robbing me.

Let me tell you

why that's so terrible

that statement.

Back in Deuteronomy 28

God having

told the people

about the

covenant

then

says

he talks about

covenant blessings

and covenant cursings.

At the beginning

of Deuteronomy 28

he says to them

covenant blessing

is this

you obey me

and life

will be so good

that it will be

even better

than you could

possibly imagine.

If however

you do not

obey me

you will wish

your mother

never met your father

it will be that bad

for you.

You just wish

you were never born.

And

the term

he uses

is curse

and it's the term

he uses here.

You are under

a curse.

And the second

really bad thing

about this statement

this verse

is the term

nation.

The covenant

God

Yahweh

uses the same

name

that is

nation

the same title

nation

that he does

with everyone

else

out there.

It's the same

title he gives

to the people

who are not

his people.

He doesn't

use the name

Jacob

he uses the same

names he gives

to the nations

who are not

in a covenant

relationship

with him.

That is

the people

of God

in withholding

the full

tithe

are acting

like the

pagan nations

and not

giving God

his due.

And in not

giving him

the full

tithe

they are no

different than

the nations.

You cannot

tell them

apart from

the nations.

So I think

it's really

unhelpful

when

some

Christians

set aside

the teaching

of this

text.

What they

do is

they say

things like

true

statements.

Galatians

doesn't

tell us

we're no

longer under

the law

and that

Jesus

has

abolished

the

tithe.

The first

thing I want

to say

in response

to that

is that

the tithe

wasn't

introduced

under the

law.

That is

it's not

the first

time you

see it.

God

didn't

just sort

of out

of the

blue

say to

his

people

at

Mount

Sinai

here's

a bunch

of

good

stuff

and

by

the

way

give a

tenth of

all you

got

slipping in

there

before they

realise

what's

going on.

It's like

we didn't

expect to

sign up

for that

one.

Before

the law

in

Genesis

14

Abraham

gave a

tenth of

everything

to

Melchizedek

he was

prompted

by God.

tithe

that

wasn't

law.

Jacob

did

the

same

in

Genesis

28

and so

the idea

of giving

a tenth

which is

what the

word

tithe

means

is not

restricted

to the

law.

It

came

before

the

law

and it

was just

prompted

by

generosity.

Now

it's

true the

New

Testament

doesn't

command

Christians

to

tithe

and I

think

that

too

many

therefore

go

wow

that's

fantastic

so all

of a

sudden

generosity

is up

to what

I

decided

to be.

I

don't

think

God

operates

like

that

in the

same

way

he

tells

us

what

love

looks

like

he

doesn't

let

us

make

up

our

own

mind

what

we

think

love

looks

like

you've

never

read

anywhere

in the

New

Testament

truly

truly

I

say

to

you

you

you've

heard

you

5%

or

even

2

will

do

you've

never

read

that

on

the

contrary

Jesus

says

in

Luke

Luke 11:42

11

verse

42

woe

to

you

Pharisees

because

you

give

God

a

tenth

of

your

mint

your

rue

and

all

other

kinds

of

garden

herbs

but

you

neglect

justice

and

the

love

of

God

you

should

have

practiced

the

latter

without

leaving

the

former

undone

he

says

be

careful

that

your

giving

is

not

some

sort

of

cover

up

from

sin

but

he

doesn't

throw

it

out

it's

also

noteworthy

in 1

corinthian

16

Paul

makes

proportionate

giving

the norm

of the

christian

life

just

like

the

tithe

if

you

prosper

you

give

more

if

you

prosper

less

you

give

less

giving

is in

proportion

of

income

and so

I

think

that

we

are

on

dangerous

ground

if

we

think

that

Jesus

has

given

us

an

exit

strategy

to

give

less

and

that

somehow

it

doesn't

apply

and

that

God

is

going

to

be

happy

with

less

from

us

than

he

was

with

his

people

in

the

Old

Testament

and

I

think

this

Malachi

3

passage

is

a

timely

reminder

for

the

people

of God

at

St.

Paul's

because

by

our

own

admission

in

the

last

National

Church

Life

Survey

only

32%

of

us

give

10%

or more

out of

our net

income

that's

about a

third

so

why

is the

tithe

not

commanded

in the

New

Testament

I

can

only

speculate

but

I'm

going

to

speculate

with

scripture

2

Corinthians

8

and

9

flick

over

to

there

and

I

want

to

particularly

focus

on

the

Apostle

Paul

firstly

I

want

to

say

that

I

think

one

reason

the

Apostle

Paul

didn't

command

a

tithe

is

probably

because

he

wanted

to

emphasize

willingness

rather than

compulsion

so it's

not

commanded

2

Corinthians

9

7

says

each

man

should

give

what

he

has

decided

in

his

heart

to

give

not

reluctantly

or

under

compulsion

for

God

loves

a

cheerful

giver

the

Apostle

Paul

says

in

another

passage

that

he's

talking

about

the

need

to

love

and

he

says

I

could

command

you

to

do

it

but

I

rather

you

did

it

willingly

so

have

a

crack

at

willingness

first

and

in

2

Corinthians

he says

I

am

not

commanding

you

but

I

want

to

test

the

sincerity

of

your

love

by

comparing

it

with

the

earnestness

of

others

and

so

Paul

downplays

the

possibility

of

commanding

a

certain

level

of

giving

because

he

wants

to

emphasize

loving

willingness

rather

than

constraint

I

also

think

he

didn't

use

the

command

to

tithe

because

he

wanted

to

emphasize

generosity

rather

than

limitation

I

don't

think

he

wanted

the

Christian

church

to

go

well

I've

given

10%

so

that's

it

so

any

new

need

comes

up

sorry

done

my

bit

while

he

affirms

giving

in

proportion

to

one's

income

he

also

wants

to

urge

people

to

go

beyond

the

old

constraints

of

simple

proportion

of

giving

for

example

in

2

Corinthians

8

3

he

commands

the

poverty

stricken

Macedonians

like

this

for

I

testify

sorry

he

commends

the

poverty

stricken

Macedonians

like

this

for

I

testify

that

they

gave

as

much

as

they

were

able

and

even

beyond

their

ability

entirely

on

their

own

they

urgently

pleaded

with

us

for

the

privilege

of

sharing

in

this

service

to

the

saints

in

other

words

he

commends

the

Macedonians

for

going

way

beyond

and

in

2

Corinthians

9

6

he

says

remember

this

whoever

sows

sparingly

will

also

reap

sparingly

and

whoever

sows

generously

will

also

reap

generously

in

other

words

the

issue

isn't

meeting

a

minimum

amount

a

minimum

limit

the

issue

for

Paul

is

how

to

unleash

maximum

generosity

and

so

the

command

to

tithe

just

doesn't

suit

that

approach

but

I

also

think

that

Paul

didn't

use

the

command

to

tithe

because

he

wanted

to

emphasize

that

all

getting

should

be

designed

for

giving

here is both practical and it is costly and it requires trusting God. One of the problems

is that they, and I think us, we kind of want God to go first. That is, what we do is we

invert the covenantal order. The order of the covenant is, in Deuteronomy 28, you obey,

I will bless. What we want to do is you bless us and then I'll obey it. Give me the money

then I'll give it away. And that's an inversion of the covenant. And my friends, it's actually

idolatry. It's actually idolatry. They want fruitfulness before they will obey the law

of tithing. And so what happens here in Malachi in calling the people of God to obey and to

trust is simply the same as what Jesus calls his disciples to do in Luke chapter 12. It's

Luke 12 · chapter mention

very, very simple words. Seek first the kingdom of God and I'll take care of the details. I'll

take care of the material details. Pursue the kingdom and you'll have everything that you

need in order to pursue the kingdom. And that is a scary thought. I'll tell you a reason why

I think it's a scary thought for Jesus' disciples. It's because the major thrust of Luke chapter 12,

Luke 12 · chapter mention

where those words are in the middle, is do not be afraid. So Jesus must have realized it was a scary

thought for his disciples. I don't think it's a mistake that Jesus refers to God in verse 30 and

verse 32 of Luke 12 as their father. And in verse 32, he refers to the disciples as the little flock.

That is their father, their heavenly father is the infinite God of the universe. That's him. And down

here is us. And we are little lambies in a paddock, all scared of foxes and wolves.

There's a big difference between us and God. And so Jesus says, do not be afraid, little sheep.

But did you notice specifically what the threat is that makes Jesus says, do not be afraid?

In verse 32, you need to have your Bibles. If you're not at Luke 12, you've got to get there.

I want you to see that this is God's word. It's not my word.

What are they being tempted to fear in this context? You can find the answer by going back

a couple of verses and by going forward a couple of verses. If you go back into verse 30,

the thing that they were in danger of fearing is the call to no longer be like the nations

who seek the accumulation of stuff. Jesus says, don't be like them. And his disciples

go, oh my goodness, that's scary. I mean, all of a sudden the heart starts to pump and the

adrenaline starts to rush. Will I be happy? Will I survive? Will I have enough? And Jesus

says, do not be afraid, little flock. Do not be afraid to stop seeking things. Or if you go

forward to verse 33, the things that they're in danger of fearing is giving things away.

Oh my goodness. Generosity. Getting rid of my possessions. The heart starts to thump. Adrenaline.

That's scary. Will I have enough? Will I be happy? How could I possibly enjoy life? And in verse 33,

do not be afraid, little flock. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. You see, seeking the kingdom

includes both of those things. We stop focusing on our quest on things and we start selling what we

don't need and turning our stockpile of resources into ministries of kingdom bringing love. And Jesus

knows that that message right there goes boom, straight in the hearts of his disciple and fear

is what they feel. And there is fear in many of us when this word is brought to us because there's a

possibility that we have consciously or subconsciously inverted the covenant order.

And when we convert the covenant order, it is idolatry. I cannot be radically generous because God

hasn't given me enough.

And when he does, I will. That's an inversion of the covenant order and it's idolatry. It's a lack of trust.

And these words are scary because it's possible that God's will for us is that we might live a lifestyle

very different than the one that we are striving for and living right now. And Jesus knows that it's a

fearful message and he says, do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the

kingdom. You've got it already in Christ.

You've got the kingdom. You know the outcome.

He promises all the blessing of the kingdom and the pathway to the kingdom is the path of falling in love with

King Jesus, treasuring Jesus and trusting Jesus.

It means falling out of love with things and taking on a wartime lifestyle that maximizes all resources for the

cause of the kingdom that we are seeking.

And the promise here is that the majestic God who we have looked at in Malachi is good for it.

He never turns his back on any of his promises.

We will be provided for.

He is the covenant God who has never turned his back on his promise.

He will graciously, mercifully, lovingly give us everything that you need to fulfill his purposes.

We will never lack a single thing we need in order to seek the kingdom.

And so, that's the word of God.

That's his word.

And does it settle it for you?

That's the issue here for the people of Malachi.

And it's the same issue for us.

Will you trust his word?

I think there are two things from Luke 12 that would tell us where we are in trusting him.

And the first is our heart and the second is our wallet.

Verse 34, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Our heart tells us if we are anxious and our wallet tells us if we are generous.

And both of us will tell us if we're trusting Jesus and treasuring Jesus.

So, let's hear the warning of Malachi.

Let's not cast this text aside.

Malachi is written to people who claim to be the faithful people of God.

And they faithfully, if you like, or consistently turn up to the temple for worship.

And God says, I just wish someone would close the door.

So that you would not again and again bring such an offense before me.

Because their hearts were not right.

They failed to see and to feel the greatness of God's love.

And the greatness of his majesty.

And so, they threw half dead sheep on the altar for sacrifice.

And thought, that would be good enough.

They gave God, opened their wallets and went, five and a ten.

I'll give God the five, because the ten.

I've got to go out down to Jerusalem just after this.

Oh, he'll be happy with that.

And he says, you've robbed me.

You've robbed me.

It's tantrum out of the people of God sticking a gun in the face of the eternal, infinite God and saying, give it to me.

Let's not cast this text aside.

We do not want to be a people of whom God says,

St. Paul's, you are just like the rest of Chats would.

You have the same priorities they have and I cannot tell you apart.

The practice of our core value of radical generosity, I believe, radically sets us apart in a materialistic culture.

It reads, our gifts, possessions, finances of time belong to God.

We will therefore use them for his glory and not our comfort.

We desire to be like the Macedonians whose joy in Christ through extremely difficult circumstances resulted in rich generosity towards others.

We believe, and here's, I think, a crucial statement.

We believe that in a world that loves money, a lifestyle of radical generosity proclaims that Jesus is our greatest treasure.

That bit's essential because I think it lines up with the goal of God blessing his people in Malachi 3.12.

You see, God will bless his people when they give the full tithe and here's the result.

Then all the nations will call you blessed.

When God blesses his people because of their obedience, the nations see it and they don't marvel at the people.

They marvel at the God who has blessed his people.

The bottom line here is the reason God wants to bless his people is for the nations.

And that is the goal of radical generosity.

We want our neighbours, the nations at our doorstep to see that Jesus is our greatest treasure and that he is more valuable than their bank accounts and their superannuation and their houses.

Brothers and sisters, it is clear from Malachi that our worship of God not only requires us to give our best, it requires us to give our all.

And worship is far more than singing some songs and memorising some verses.

Worship requires everything.

Commitment Sunday is next Sunday.

And you've got pledge packs.

I want you to go away from tonight and in the course of this week, just commit to this.

To earnestly, consistently and honestly bring this whole matter before God.

Asking him specifically, God, am I robbing you?

Because I don't want to be like those people who had no clue whatsoever.

Am I robbing you?

Make it clear for me.

Because I do not want it be said of me.

You're robbing me.

Just like the nations.

Amen.