First Presbyterian Church

Every year I try to preach on stewardship.  And trust me, that's a difficult task.  How many ways can you think of asking people to be generous with what God has given them?   How many times can you use the word "tithe" without repeating yourself over and over?

At the same time, I believe in tithing, stewardship and giving.  Finances and time and gift are huge parts of our daily lives, and managing those areas is serious business.

I'm excited to teach this particular sermon series, because I believe the Old Testament passages I preach from will help you understand the heart of God revealed in the expectation of our giving.

In this series, starting with the first sermon, we will attempt to demonstrate the connection between worship/church life and generosity.  The life changing idea that we will highlight is that what we bring to God in worship is given back, in direct proportion, in the life of the body of Christ in which we participate.

Deuteronomy 12                                Stewardship Sermon:  Feeling Right At Home

Question:  How will the tithe and offering be used?  (the heart of God revealed)

Part I:  Warning

            The "worship" of the pagan Canaanites

            Earth, sex, drink, food, rain, sun, trees...fun (?)

            Risky                but not              Rewarding

            Selfish              and                   Empty

Part II:  Worship in God's House

            God-Centered

            Bring gifts, tithes, offerings, sacrifices, special gifts, freewill offerings...

            Generosity        and                   Worship

            Bring Gifts        and                   Leave With Full Hearts

            Connection to Jesus

Part III:  What Happens to the Gifts that We Bring?

            Joy                   Merriment                    Celebration

Questions for Reflection, Deuteronomy 12:1-7.

1. If someone were to ask you, "How does your church use the money you pay into the offering plate," how would you respond?

2. What part of your answer most excites you?  concerns you?

3. Read Deuteronomy 12:1-3.  This teaching occurs within an expanded section that will actually to through chapter 17, involving worship and how the Jews were to approach God.

4. Verses 1-3 actually talk about how the pagan Canaanites worshipped their gods.  If you get a chance, look up baal and asherah worship in a Bible dictionary (if you Google those words, you will get articles).  In what ways are baal and asherah worship of old like the lifestyles that many Americans live today?  Any differences?

5. We might summarize the baal and asherah worship as "risky (alcohol, sex), earthy (celebration of what is), self-centered (get what you can)."  How is Christian worship so different from that approach?

6. Read vv. 4-7.  Verse 6 instructs the people to locate their worship in a particular place (BethelShilohJerusalem), where God's Name will dwell, and to approach that particular place for worship.  What, today, corresponds to that sanctuary?  What New Testament passages can you use to support that idea?  (hints:  John 1:14; I Corinthians 6:12-20) and, eventually, and

7. Notice, in the context of worship, the people were to bring offerings to God:

a. What do all of the various kinds of offerings tell you about the many ways that we should think about giving to God? 

b. What does bringing gifts of all kinds to God every time they/we worship tell you about the attitude and preparation that God wants when we come to worship?

c. If you can imagine, people entering the tabernacle/temple came with arms full and left with hearts full.  In what ways might giving to FPC reflect that same kind of dynamic?

8. In verse 7, we see the first instruction about what was to happen to the gifts that the people gave.  They were to eat and rejoice together!  Imagine:  you bring the lamb and vegetables and make the offering to the priest, who would take them to the altar for sacrifice.  And then, you and your family would be invited into take the offering off the altar and eat!  Tabernacle worship would have been loud, celebratory, generous, family style... What does the picture of this verse (amplified by Deuteronomy 14:22-29) tell you about how God perceives worship, and what worship would look like in this OT time?

9. Many people, especially of older generation, say "give with no thought of return."  What does it do to that idea when God tells you to come with a giving and generous heart, and then enjoy the very gift you brought?

10. Seeing worship and tithing/giving in this light helps to shed some insight into the persistent problems the Jews had:  making bad sacrifice.  God continually called his people to task for bringing defective sacrifice, coming with selfish hearts, etc. (Malachi 1:6-9)  By connecting worship to gift, a bad gift will automatically lead to bad worship.  In what ways do giving and worship/church life in our day connect as well?