Red Letters: Honest Offering – Pastor Josiah Elias

FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and the vision is Jesus. Last week Pastor Josiah spoke on the second installment of “Stake Claim.” This week the lesson centered on Luke 11 where Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s home, and Jesus sat down to eat without performing the ritualistic hand washing. The Pharisee was rather surprised to see Jesus not perform “the hand washing ceremony.” Luke 11:37b (NLT) Did Jesus purposefully neglected the ceremony to set

the stage for the next teaching? “Then the Lord said to him, ’You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and wickedness!” Luke 11:39 (NLT) He prepared the world to see the shed blood of Jesus (not the cleansing of hands) that washed away the unholy world-inside and out.

Jesus continued,”Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.” Luke 11:40-41 (NLT) Jesus emphasized authentic cleansing and giving, not superficial, showy offerings. Another phrasing of Luke 11:41 is “If you free your heart of greed, show compassion and true generosity to the poor, you will have more than clean hands; you will be clean within.” (TPT) Your outside will always reflect your inside. What does our society emphasize the inner or outer

person? How much time did you spend preparing your body for church? How much time did you spend with God to prepare to be in His presence corporately? The religious care greatly about things that don’t matter and care little about things that matter greatly. In this situation, the religious leaders did not recognize Jesus, the Savior, the Messiah, who was standing right in front of them.

Jesus furthered this conversation with

”What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful

to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,

but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe,

yes, but do not neglect the important things.” Luke 11:4 (NLT)

Jesus was warning the Pharisees and us about setting our priorities. “No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (NLT) Those are His priorities for our motivations and our actions.

One priority that honors Him is tithing.”Tithe-Grk. apodekatoo-to pay a tenth." There are benefits in learning about tithing of money, time, talents and testimony. Since God is the source of all we have, Any gift we give is only made possible because He first gave to us. His generous giving all began in the garden. “Then God said,’Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.’” Genesis 1:29 (NLT)

Pastor Josiah stated,” Multiplication is made in the fabric of faith.” What does that mean? It means that hoarding what He gives us was not His purpose. In the story of the loaves and fishes where Andrew gathered the boy’s lunch, when they offered it to Jesus and He offered to His Father, it multiplied and fed five thousand men-probably a total of twenty thousand people with twelve

baskets of left overs. What a generous Abba Father we have.

Next Pastor Josiah introduced Melchizedek, who was a king of Salem and a priest of God. He is known as a type of Christ, and he foreshadowed the NT Christ. Melchizedek blessed Abram and the Lord Most High. Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe. Melchizedek-My King is righteous, King of righteousness, King of justice. In the NT, the connection is overtly stated in Hebrews.

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our

eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19 (NLT)

And in Hebrews 7:2 it explained again that ”Abraham gave a tenth part of all.” (NLT) Abraham gave the gift willingly, and it was the first fruits. The tithe should always be given from a posture of honor. Think of when you give a gift to one you love. Don’t you give the gift with joy and blessing not obligation. That is what Abraham did and what we should do as we worship the King of Heaven and Earth. Your giving is a beautiful act of worship to the Lord.

In addition, the Levites used to accept sacrifices to the Lord from the Israelites.

“It could even be said that Levi, the ancestor of every Jewish

priest who received tithes, actually paid tithes to Melchizedek

through Abraham. For although Levi was yet unborn, the seed

from which Levi came was present in Abraham when he paid

his tithe to Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:9-10 (TPT)

These two verses emphasize legacy. When the heart posture is right in every form of worship including tithing, generations are affected. When Abram tithes to Melchizedek, Levi gets the credit. My motivations and actions affect my children and grandchildren. May they be God- focused not worldly aimed. It is important for me to worship God rather than be subjected to the world’s demands and destruction.

Practical steps to tithing:

Prioritize the Tithe.”Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase.” Proverbs 3:9 (NKJV)

Pray over your giving. You are not paying a bill with your tithe. You are worshipping the LORD and obeying Him. He is such a generous Father. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has one for you.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Trust His timing.

Align with God’s promises. Anchor your hope and life in Scripture. If you have a question, read, His Word and ask Him for guidance. “Give generously and generous gifts will be given back to you, shaken down to make room for more. Abundant gifts will pour out upon you with such an overflowing measure that it will run over the top! The measurement of your generosity becomes the measurement of your return.” Luke 6:38 (TPT)

1. Trust beyond the Immediate. The immediate events or loudest voices demand our attention, but should they get it? When we prioritize and keep our loving Father the focus, we can trust beyond the loud immediate. Last week we learned that Elijah heard the LORD in a whisper. “He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.”

Romans 4:21 (NLT)

2. Give joyfully. If you give to the Lord out of fear or obligation, is that worship? When I took my twelve year old granddaughter to lunch and shopping for her birthday, I was so glad I got to do it. I love her so much. That is how God feels about you. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV)

Returning to the Pharisees in Luke 11, Jesus warned the Pharisees of their future. They loved to be honored in special seats and places of status, but they did not serve the lowly and were corrupt inside. “What sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease their burden.” Luke 11:46 (NLT) Further Jesus condemned them for persecuting and killing the Lord’s prophets. For these actions they will suffer. Finally, He condemned them for removing

“the key of knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.” Luke 11:52 (NLT) May what we think, say and do honor the Lord Almighty and not discourage others from knowing and loving Him.

The Paramount Point is The honest offering will always please Him. The offering can be time, talent, treasure or testimony. Let us honestly and lovingly give to Him, and may we not be stumbling blocks to others’ walk with the Lord, but let us be salt and light in this troubled world.

Calendar:

6/24-6/27-VBS 9:00am-12:00pm

6/27-Men of God Movement 6:00

7/6-All church prayer night-6:00

7/18-LB potluck, worship, and speaker LaMar Key will share at 6:00 in the Youth Center

(used to be One Way Inn). We are trying a new thing.

7/18-Midnight Hour 8:00pm-12:00am

Submitted by

Larry and Annette Linthicum