INTRODUCTION:

  A. PREACHING ON THE AMOUNT
    1. You have heard of the Sermon on the Mount.
    2. Today I'm going to preach the sermon on the AMOUNT.
    3. The sermon on the amount is not to be confused with the sermon based on the amount.
    4. The sermon based on the amount happened one hot summer on a sweltering Sunday morning.

The pastor of a struggling church with no air-conditioning announced: "Brethren, I have THREE sermons this morning. I have a $1000 sermon that lasts only five minutes.  I have a $500 sermon that lasts one hour. And, I have a $200 sermon that lasts two hours. We're going to take up the offering, and see which sermon you folks want preached!"  I've been told that the church got a very short sermon that morning, and they were able to pay their bills that week.

I. HOW MUCH AM I SUPPOSED TO GIVE?

 THE TITHE IS HOLY UNTO THE LORD

 Lev 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed  of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is  holy unto the LORD.

 B. THE "TITHE"
    1. Webster's says it means 1/10
    2. This is a commonly understood term
    3. Why make something hard or mysterious out of it?
    4. God owns you and everything you have
    5. You are a steward of His possessions
    6. He wants 1/10 to go straight back to HIM
    7. This will indicate that you acknowledge that it is ALL HIS

 C. THE TITHE "IS"
    1. The tithe "is" holy unto the Lord
    2. The tithe is not "going to be" holy.  IT IS HOLY.
    3. Malachi 3:8 says you have robbed God in tithes and offerings
    4. You rob somebody by taking what doesn't belong to you.
    5. The tithe doesn't belong to you.
    6. It "IS" God's already.

 D. THE TITHE IS "HOLY"
    1. Holy means set apart for a special purpose
    2. "Saint" is a rendering of the literal Greek for "Holy Person"
    3. As a "saint of God" you are set apart - you belong to God
    4. You don't want the devil messing with you because you are set apart unto God
    5. Well what about the tithe.  It is set apart too.
    6. THE TITHE IS HOLY.  IT IS GOD'S.
    7. GOD ALWAYS RESERVES SOMETHING FOR HIMSELF TO REMIND US THAT HE OWNS EVERYTHING.
    8. In the Garden of Eden God reserved the TREE OF KNOWLEDGE for Himself.
    9. In the wilderness God reserved the SABBATH DAY for Himself.
    11. In the promised land God reserved the city of JERICHO for Himself. (Remember ACHAN)

 E. THE TITHE IS HOLY "UNTO THE LORD"
    1. It is holy "unto the Lord"
    2. So how do we get it to HIM?
    3. This is why my next question is:

II. WHERE AM I TO GIVE IT?

 1 Cor. 16:1-2  1 Now concerning the collection for the saints,  as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do  ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay  by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no  gatherings when I come.

Deut.12:11-14 11 Then to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the LORD.  12 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.

III. WHY AM I TO TITHE?

 A. TITHE BECAUSE YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOU GIVE
    1. This is the least important reason to give
    2. But it is still valid
 
 B. TITHE BECAUSE THE CHURCH AND ITS MINISTRIES NEED IT
    1. Your pastor, your church staff, and your missionaries need you to tithe.
    2. In Nehemiah 10:34-39 Nehemiah had the people tithing to take care of the Temple and the priests.
    3. In Nehemiah 13:6 Nehemiah returns to King Artexerxes for a short period.
    4. He returns in 13:10-14 and found the people had quit tithing and the priests were back in the fields
    5. The priests and Levites were supposed to dedicate themselves to the Law of God.
    6. But, when the people quit tithing, the priests had to do something else to feed their families.
    7. These worship services, pastoral ministries, youth programs, and children's programs all cost money.
    8. If you want to see these things at your church, it requires tithing.
    9. The tithe provides for those who devote themselves to the teaching of God's Word.
    10. A LIVE CHURCH COSTS MONEY

In 1954 my parents had their first born son.  They named him after my dad.  They spent a lot of money on him over the years. They had to feed him, clothe him, buy glasses for him, by shoes for him, and many other expenses.  When my older brother was 14 years old, he accidentally touched a 20,000 volt power line with an irrigation pipe and he died.  After that, my brother never cost my parents anymore money.  Dead sons don't cost money, and neither do dead churches. But as long as this church is alive it will cost money. The more alive it is, the more expensive it will be.  TITHE BECAUSE THE CHURCH AND ITS MINISTRIES NEED IT IN ORDER TO STAY ALIVE.

IV. ANSWERING OBJECTIONS TO TITHING

  A. SOME SAY, "TITHING IS NOT A NEW TESTAMENT PRINCIPLE"
    1. But, Jesus endorsed tithing in Matt.23:23 "...these ought you to have done..."
    2. The New Testament church tithed according Heb.7:8

Heb.7:8 "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."

  B. SOME SAY, "I CAN'T AFFORD TO TITHE."
    1. Don't you think God knows what you can afford?
    2. I'm reminded of a Chinese grocer who was asked to take over the church treasury.
    3. The church was $5000 behind on its bills and in financial disarray.
    4. Since the Chinese grocer was the only one in the church who had any money they asked him to be the new treasurer.
    5. He agreed on the one condition that no one would ask questions for a year.
    6. At the end of a year he gave a report.
    7. The church had caught up on its debts.
    8. It had paid over $2000 to missions, and there was $1800 in the bank.
    9. People were amazed.  They asked him how he did it.
    10. He said, "You know I no speak very good Engrish and not write well either."
    11. "You all buy grocery from me, and put grocery on credit."
    12. "I charge you extra 10% and give it to church."
    13. "Congraturations! Praise God!  You are all tithers!"
    13. I believe everyone can tithe if they try.

  C. SOME SAY, "I ALREADY GIVE MY TIME, THAT'S ENOUGH."
    1. Giving your time is important.
    2. We appreciate the time you put into God's ministy here.
    3. It is a part of your gifts to God.
    4. But God said to bring the tithe into His house, not just your time.

  D. SOME SAY, "CHURCHES THAT ASK FOR MONEY ARE JUST GREEDY."
    1. Think this through now.
    2. This CHURCH teaches the BIBLE.
    3. The BIBLE teaches TITHING.
    4. Therefore this CHURCH teaches TITHING!
    5. We teach tithing because it is taught in the Bible.
    6. It comes from our conviction to preach the Bible, and not from any arbitrary desire concerning money.
    7. On the other hand, Christians who don't tithe are trying to hold on to their money.
    8. Our conviction is to teach the Bible.
    9. The non-tither's conviction is to hold on to his money.
    10. Now, who's being greedy?

CONCLUSION

    1. As we close, you may be asking yourself, "Will God love me any less if I don't tithe?"
    2. That's really not the right question to ask.
    3. The real question is, "Will you love God any less if you don't tithe?"
    4. Tithing is about loving God.
    5. Tithing is about giving to God because you love Him.
    6. You aren't gaining favors from God by your tithing.
    7. You are displaying your own love for God by your tithing.
    8. God's greatest commandment is to love Him with all of your heart, soul, and mind.
    9. That means God commands you to love Him with everything you have.
    10. James 2 says faith without works is dead.
    11. In like manner, love without action is dead.
    12. If you love God, then show it by paying your tithes to your local church.