Jun. 29, 2025

Background:

• To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)
• We need to obey what God says
• As Christians, we ought to be excited about giving to the work of God...especially when we know how much he has blessed us and delivered us from our sins and enemies
• Some will never experience God's blessings because we will not trust God by giving our tithes and offerings
• So many times we don't obey God's Word, but do things our way
• Some rob God of tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-10)
• God will open up the windows and pour out blessings...and we won't be able to handle it
• A lot of people won't experience that because they won't try God
• God will bless us financially, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically
• God wanted a place where he could meet with them...and instructed Moses to have the people build a sanctuary

Key Sermon Points:

1. It starts in the heart

• If God's people are to obey Him in giving, it starts in the heart
• God's primary concern is with our hearts
• Saul was a tall and handsome man, but God warned Samuel against the appearance alone
• Sometimes we get caught up in the appearance (1 Samuel 16:7)
• God rejected Saul, but God had another ram in the bush
• God knew that David had a good heart
• Our hearts need to be subject to God's Word
• Our inner selves, our thoughts, our motivations should be guided by God's Word
• This involves not only understanding and believing God's Word, but also allowing it to transform our character, our actions, and then our lives
• There ought to be some change in our lives
• Once the heart is right, then God can use us
• God was the source of their unique skills
• God has called some of us and given us gifts, but we are sitting on the gifts that God has blessed us with
• We all have a charge to help out with the gifts that God has blessed us with
• God what I have, I give to you
• Giving is a part of worship!
• We need to remember why we give:
• Not to get something in return
• Because God has given himself to us in Jesus Christ
• The people gave because:
• God stirred their heart and the people responded to the stirring
• The unbelievable faith of the people
• There is no retiring from ministry

2. The unbelievable faithfulness of the people

• God touched the Egyptians to give the people with what they worked for
• God blesses us to be a blessing to Him by blessing someone else
• God blesses us as we continue to give
• God gives to us because He counted us trustworthy
• We have to give an account because we are just stewards of His things
• We have to be trustworthy to give it back to God...instead of going shopping and buying things
• We have to give to God first
• If God would give to us according to our tithing, what would that look like?
• He entrusts us
• Faithfulness should be the characteristic of God's people
• We should be like salt: salt sacrifices itself, but never looses it's identity (Leviticus 2:13)
• God's covenant is permanent and is never altered
• We should make a difference in the flavor of the world
• Salt is committed, pure, preserves, endures, and is loyal
• It should stop things from rotting...and heals
• We should be like salt
• The people obeyed because they knew that their source would not dry out
• We should give because God will bless us
• We should not brag on ourselves, but brag on what God has done
• Our struggles are attached to not giving; but when we give, God will make a way out of no way
• Tithing is just training wheels to get us started
• Evaluate where we spend our money
• We must give God what is due to Him

3. The workmen told Moses they had enough

• They were so faithful and obedient to the call of God, that the workmen had to tell Moses to tell the people it was too much
• Because of the generosity of the people, they were overflowing
• The workers showed a great deal of integrity and accountability by not lining their own pockets with the excess
• They didn't take what didn't belong to them
• God gave to Moses, then Moses gave it to the people, and the people gave
• There was structure and order: God to Moses, Moses to the people
• God's people are to give sacrificially in order to meet the desperate need of the people (2 Corinthians 9:6)
• God loves a cheerful giver
• As we give, God will give more to us (Proverbs 11:25)
• We ought to give and exercise our gifts
• The church is a hospital and will help whenever it can...but we must contribute