Part 1 of a 3 part series on stewardship. This sermon focuses on the Old Testament pattern of giving. It will shed some light on what tithing really is about.

1. Giving-Good News
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 & 9:8-14 various Old Testament

2. 1 Corinthians 16:1–4
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I
directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On
the first day of every week each one of you is to put
aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no
collections be made when I come. 3 When I arrive,
whomever you may approve, I will send them with
letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4 and if it is fitting
for me to go also, they will go with me.

3. Giving-Good News
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 & 9:8-14 various Old Testament

4. Giving to the church at Jerusalem
1. Once a week put something aside
2. The regularity of putting aside would prevent special
offering
3. Accountability by choosing someone with a letter
4. Paul may also go

5. What is this about?
Establishing biblical patterns
Tie New Testament giving and Old Testament giving
together
Regular giving and accountability

6. Remember Paul's Christian liberties?
1 Corinthians 9:7–14…Who at any time serves as a
soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and
does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and
does not use the milk of the flock? 8 I am not speaking
these things according to human judgment, am I? Or
does not the Law also say these things? 9 For it is
written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE
OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” God is not concerned about
oxen, is He? 10 Or is He speaking altogether

7. for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the
plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to
thresh in hope of sharing the crops. 11 If we sowed
spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material
things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do
we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but
we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to
the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who
perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and
those who attend regularly to the altar have their share
from the altar? 14 So also the Lord directed those who
proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

8. Examples
• Soldier was paid for his service
• Vinedresser received part of
the product
• The shepherd receive
sustenance
• The Law of Moses

9. Old Testament
• Oxen aren’t muzzled
• Plowmen and threshers receive
share
• The priest and Levites receive
wages for their service

10. Thumb nail
Giving is a biblical principle
New Covenant giving was different from Old Covenant
The Law serves as an example or pattern

11. They were
written for
our
instruction
Romans 15:4…For whatever was
written in earlier times was written
for our instruction, so that through
perseverance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we
might have hope.
4 Books and 3 writers

12. The Old Testament Example
Life on the farm
Life in the service in the Tabernacle/Temple

13. Purpose of
Old
Testament
Offerings
1. Atonement
2. Fellowship
3. Worship
4. Obligation

14. Different Types of Offerings
1. Burnt Exo. 29:18
2. Sin Lev. 4:3
3. Trespass Lev. 5:6
4. Drink Lev. 23:13
5. Heave Ex. 29:27
6. Meal Lev. 2:1
7. Peace Lev. 7:11
8. Wave Lev. 7:30
9. Votive Deut. 12:6
10. First Fruits Exo. 23:16
11. Temple Tax
12. Tithe

15. Different Types of Offerings
1. Burnt Exo. 29:18
2. Sin Lev. 4:3
3. Trespass Lev. 5:6
4. Drink Lev. 23:13
5. Heave Ex. 29:27
6. Meal Lev. 2:1
7. Peace Lev. 7:11
8. Wave Lev. 7:30
9. Votive Deut. 12:6
10. First Fruits* Exo. 23:16
11. Temple Tax*
12. Tithe*

16. First Fruits
• No set amount
• Recognized God’s blessing
• Recognized that all belonged to
God

17. Temple Tax
• Half shekel from
each man over 20
years old
• Used for the upkeep
of the Lord’s house
• An obligation

18. Word Wealth
Tithe
Maʿaser- tithe, tenth part. a tenth part. tithe, payment
of a tenth part.

19. Tithe history
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and
wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He
blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most
High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be
God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into
your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.
Genesis 14:18–20

20. Reason
• Given as a freewill
offering
• Recognized God’s
hand in his battle
• Blessed the man of
God

21. Tithe history
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me
and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will
give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return
to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my
God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be
God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely
give a tenth to You.”
Genesis 28:20–22

22. Reason
Not commanded
Bargain with God (obligation)
Worship?

23. General Guidelines
1. Every tenth part of seed or fruit is the Lord’s
2. Every tenth animal belongs to the Lord
3. It was given to the Levites as their portion for their
service to the Lord.
4. Levites tithed to the priests.
5. Offerings, including tithes, were usually bought to
the Temple

24. Which one belongs to God?
Leviticus 27:32…And concerning the tithe of the herd
or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the
tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.

25. Deuteronomy 14:22–26
You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that
the field produces year by year. 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.

26. Word Wealth
Tâbuwʾah-increase, revenue, gain, fruit

27. Deuteronomy 14:22
(NIV) Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your
fields produce each year.
(NKJV) You shall truly tithe all the increase of your
grain that the field produces year by year.
(NASB) You shall surely tithe all the produce from
what you sow, which comes out of the field every year.

28. Increase
10 lbs. of wheat
seed yields 100 lbs.
of wheat
Lawn mowing
service $100 start
up grosses $200

29. Did you notice this
You shall eat it before the Lord…

30. Clearer here
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.

31. Third year tithe
When you have finished paying all the tithe of your
increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you
shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan
and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and
be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 26:12

32. Purpose of tithing
Learn to fear the Lord (reverence)
That the Lord may bless you
Celebration
Provision for those without

33. But what about
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But
you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and
offerings. 9 “You are cursed with a curse, for you are
robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 “Bring the
whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be
food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the
LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of
heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it
overflows. 11 “Then I will rebuke the devourer for you,

34. so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor
will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD
of hosts. 12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you
shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 3:8-12

35. Curse?
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a
curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT
ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO
PERFORM THEM.”
Galatians 3:10
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having
become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS
EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”—
Galatians 3:13

36. Instead of a curse
Now this I say, he who sows
sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows
bountifully will also reap
bountifully.
2 Corinthians 9:6

37. Givers
1. Sometime givers
2. Regular givers
3. Tithers
4. Generous givers

38. 90 day giving challenge
Move up a level for the next three months
1. Regular
2. Tithers
3. Generous

39. How?
1. Pray
2. Talk about this with your spouse
3. Give for next 12 weeks
A. Take appropriate number of offering envelopes
B. Online at clovisbethel.org
C. Set up at your bank

40. Giving-Good News
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 & 9:8-14 various Old Testament