Pious Thieves

Thank you for tuning in to the radio ministry. Your focus is making Christ visible providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. visit us online@ubc.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop one dollar bill, Bill met a $20 bill. He hadn't seen them in a while and you said hey, where have you been haven't seen you in years. By the way, do no dollar bills on top which is a joke. Starting out with an introduction. The $20 bill replied he's a man I've been doing a lot of traveling up into the casino. I went to a cruise went on to a ballgame went to the mall, Christmas shopping, fancy dinners, the base of the mountain menu tell it I been there, been living the high life about you and the dollar bill replied with a sigh me say, most of char char char that's all I do is church this morning. Hopefully this message will inspire you to figure out more than just where the $20 bill is going inspire you to examine the state of your heart message is not about giving as much as it is about your heart. Hope you keep that in mind were not serious to the book of Malachi called counter shocking today's message is called hire Steve's let's all stand for the reading of God's word. Malachi chapter 3 starting in verse six God is speaking, he says were I am the Lord. I do not change therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob, yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them returned to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts, but you said in what way shall be returned with a man rob God. Yet you have robbed me, but you say in what way have we robbed you the answer returns and hides and offerings that I know that as you saw the title of that message and he heard the joke and as you heard what I've said so far, you've already made your assumptions that here we go. We got a building going up next door, somebody's gonna pay for it. And here's Pastor Shaw's message try to put a guilt trip on you to get you to give more I wanted him.

He very carefully. I've been a pastor of this church coming up on 19 years. This is my first and only church and will be my only charges 19 years when we left our old old building we didn't realize that the worst financial crisis was about to hit the United States.

If somebody had told me that were never left.

During the worst time in history financially. God blessed is the most so if you think that this message is to help you help us pay for this building your greatly mistaken because God will take care of us if he's been for the roughest time in life. This is not the message this morning is is much more than about giving is about what you believe God has done for you.

As I mentioned last week, and many of you were here. Those who haven't, please check out the website YouTube and everything. The messages are there. The book of Malachi reads like a courtroom trial where the people of Israel are on trial and it's God's court.

God is the prosecuting attorney. God is the witness God is also the judge and God is also the execution of this is God's court and his people are on trial for being bitter and hateful against him there on trial for giving God what doesn't hurt but I want you to misunderstand because it seems like it's all negative. As if God is saying, I will nail you. I want to get you.

I'm going to just you know prosecute you to the extent of the law know this much more than that because God is also the public defender who is trying to negotiate a plea bargain that will help them.

This is God's courtroom, but it's not God's desire to just put you in prison is God's desire to listen, you are guilty, but if you let me help you. I can really work this one out so you will walk away better than you walked in.

Listen to what God says. Again, we just read this passage, verse six for I am the Lord. I do not change therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob, God begins by giving the foundational covenant statement. I am the Lord.

I am Yahweh. I do not change.

In other words God was holding up the old contract that he had made with his people, but with whom to make that contract. O sons of Jacob. This contract was made with the great great great great granddaddy Jacob. No, I didn't God say all sons of Abraham because Abraham was also the father of the Ishmaelites member Ishmael for sure than Isaac, but Ishmael did not have a covenant with God's people were consumed. God did not say all sons of Isaac because Isaac was also the father of the Edomites member Esau and Jacob in the Edomites were also concerned what God is saying to them is this listener listen, he is saying. Unlike the Ishmaelites of the Edomites who have vanished. You are still alive because of me because I made an agreement with your great great great great great granddaddy that I will not abandon you. These people were ungrateful. These people were better. They were robbing God, and God was telling them. Listen everything that you are is because of me. I am the reason for your existence.

You see, the message is not about how much you give them messages about how much you believe belongs to God folks everything that you and I have belongs to God. Everything you know you could've been born in some other side of the planet in Islam. You are born here living in this world and the society, with all its problems still is the best world the best country. This is God's blessing. How much can you take credit for that. Did you navigate your way to this world. No somehow God in his providence has blessed you. I'm standing here preaching to you any moment.

My heart can stop breathing my brain waves can stop functioning, and I can die who is keeping my heart and my brain, alive is God and not only that, but also because we sin our grandparents sin and the sin nature is in us. God says I will even take care of that you can die for your sins, could you die, it's over. I will send my son into this world and he will take your sin upon him, and he will die for you. All you have to do is look to him and live you will know I gotta get up in the morning and go to work. Not that I mean you know God helps those who help themselves. I've heard people say that is baloney. Please don't say that. Please don't say that even their God helps you everything is God.

Everything is him using gang thing is really a gospel problem. If you have trouble with the gospel that Jesus has done everything for you that everything that you are is his. He has redeemed you. He has bought you with his precious blood. You don't belong to him. You are a slave of Christ. I hope this this really stays with the hope is resonating as I'm preaching the rest of the message. Everything that you are belongs to God. Everything that you are belongs to God let us go further. Verse seven God says I will make a plea bargain with you yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from my ordinances have not kept them and here's the deal. Come back to me. Here's a plea bargain come back to me and I will come back to you, says the Lord of hosts. Very simple.

Repent, by the way, that is a foundational message of all the prophets in the Old Testament repent here what repentance is admitting that you messed up human being, say, to mess up on Messe know you messed up you have sent get on your face. Ask God for forgiveness, repent. But then God says something here, the people are saying in what way shall be returned to me and we got a return God's okay, let's get a little more specific, the person Rob God, man is not just masculine. It's about a person with a person rob God. Yet you have robbed me. How have we robbed you in times and offerings that many of you know what hi this time. This 10% of everything that you have everything that you make is the old English word high which really meant tent. If you think about the war type Xth.

It's the same that's what it comes from sold English actually comes from the Old Testament, the concept, there were three kinds of tides in the Old Testament force with the general tide of the land.

In fact, in Leviticus 27 verse 30 it says in all the time of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords is holy to the Lord means right off the top 10% of everything is holy unto God is belongs to God. It is sanctified unto God. So what you do with it.

God says I'll tell you what you need do with it. Numbers 18, 21 behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tides in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

Is this what I want you do when you take that general tides and bring you to the tabernacle when they moved into the city bring it to the temple. This is where the general tides needs to go. Why because that's how the worship takes place.

This is where the sacrifices are happening. I want you to bring it the second time, confusing, but is eating a portion of the tide at the sacred meal when the first tide was given under this confusing but listen to what is says in Deuteronomy 1422.

You shall surely 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 which is Jerusalem the tithe of your grain and your new wine and oil. The first one of your herds and your flocks that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always is not amazing that he says listen I want to type when you come to bring a type I want you to sit down and eat portion of that in a sense that's also tithing to me is like this belongs to me, but I want to share in it as well, God is so amazing, so beautiful.

The third kind of tides was a time that was given every three years for the poor. Deuteronomy 1428 it says on the end of every third year, you shall bring out the tithe of the approved use of that year and stored up within your gates. Who is it for is for the Levite because he has no portion nor inheritance with you. The Levites were not supposed to own land. God says this will go to help their families.

Who else in the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates may come in and eat and be satisfied that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand but you do in the amazing that God said I care about the poor care about those who are hurting folks. I'll be the first to tell you that our American financial system is broken. We agree with that people get checks for what they don't need for helping people who don't need help and those who need help. Don't get help if I am in on that meet the system is broken. We all agree on that but of the charge did his job. You need the system is because the charge failed to take care of those in need, the government stepped in boys wonderful is but God was always telling his people.

You are the one to take care of those who don't have anything. What were these people doing, why were they robbing God. Why were they keeping the tides and their offerings from Ghana. Keep in mind the context. The context is this this people had just come back from exile. They had just come back into Babylon. The living in Judah. It's been hundred years since the loved Judah. It was hundred years as they moved out of Jerusalem, living in Babylon and what were they doing when some of them are working in the Kings court. Some of them were working and making jewelry writing music all this kind of stuff when they came back to Israel when they came back to Judah. The only thing they could do was farm but imagine if somebody told you from this day on, Jonathan, you're a farmer. I want you to go till the grass till the ground.

Whatever you need to do it like no I don't know what I'm doing.

From this point on. You are a sheepherder, Donna.

From this point on I want you to go and handle this heart of hundred sheep know what to do with them what is to come around and then then you share them in the new cell list of any launch.

I don't know what I'm up to.

I don't know what's happening. Plus, life was tough for them. Not only were they inadequate, but the drought came the locust came and the enemies around them hated them because they came back into their old homes just like today and so all this thing was against them. Some of these people were were also very rich there working for the Persian governments they were trying to fleece the people he read the book of Nehemiah. Ill tell you they were taken advantage of their own brothers and sister. They were charging use arena what usury is excessively high interest rate going out will rent you lend you money, but pretty much. You are now in debt slave.

There was also bribery all you want to get ahead you want to sell your goats in your sheep first Greek grease my palm right here then there was also fraud people are taking advantage of the poor, taking money from them and not delivering. There was corruption all these things were happening and the people are feeling. Why do I have to give. But I don't even have much let the rich give let the ones you working for Persia give. I got no money but an amazing that God doesn't say oh that's right I understand how tough life is for you know what it's okay God says no you robbing me you robbing me. Many of you have already made up your mind while you can give because over the kids need this in my rent is due. This is theirs and my health is bad and I'm on a fixed income. You already made up your mind why you're not going to time listen the same word that God said to his people. He saying to you. You are teams with a man rob God. The answer is of course they were robbing God no not preach a message like this immediately.

Some people will say well all the way to my women.

Tithing is Old Testament, Mosaic law were not under the law. Christ is the end of the law so tithing doesn't apply to us.

So I agree but guess what we believe in grace giving me this whole lot more now tithing is just a benchmark.

Just a starting point. Now everything. What did the disciples the apostles do this on everything that Gordon the Lord not were not supposed to go do that were not into communal living. But get the message they realized that everything they had belong to God. The Bible says they first gave themselves to the Lord and everything else. By the way very quickly. If you believe that it only started with Moses who came first, Moses or Abraham who came first, Abraham did Abraham tides. The milk is cooking first, Jacob, Moses, Jacob tides post those were not isolated incidents. They were something that was already accepted.

I believe this was something God had told his people.

Since the beginning of time. The point here is all the fuss are called to give above and beyond the tides. Are you giving are you giving this morning.

Let's do a little math. This is where it gets a little hot in this place. People say well if I'm I'm I I put in $20, up $20 in the offering plate match. I give a lot really. Here's my question to you if that is your time. This is used hide.

If that is your type. I'm assuming you're making two dollars a month in a really truly ready to give an offering for you today. Honestly you need help here really need help with will help your brother, sister, whoever you are, is that all you making a month is a no no no no, what we do we give $50.

That's a lot of money I could go out to eat very fancy restaurant.

$50 I'm given that the church I'm assuming that that means that you making $500 a month. We really should help you as well. Is that what you making is a no no no I give you hundred dollars less. That's big stuff. Now hundred dollars.

You know what I could do with $100. Right now, preacher.

That's a lot of money I'm I'm assuming you're surviving on $1000 a month on how you make it with a man rob God the woman rob God absolutely absolutely you robbing God what God says in verse nine. This is tough is that you are cursed with a curse.

Since you robbing me.

Here's a problem you are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed me this entire nation is robbing me another book tells us God says there is a hold in your pocket every time you put money in there. It doesn't stay. By the way that money doesn't belong to you, one where the others gonna leave you is going to go to the hospital is in the go to the mechanic is going to go somewhere. It's not gonna stay with you. Just know that is a long does that mean that if I give to God. All these bad things would happen to me know what I'm saying to you is this somehow there is blessing when you are faithfully giving to God.

There is blessing that somehow God makes things work in your life when you are faithful to him, something else God says to them first and is and bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house and he says and try me now in this means here's a challenge to you. Try me, try me where you try God is that if you do this if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Many if you have never taken up God's challenge. Oh you you do everything you do this that and the other when it comes to giving you say I can do that.

My kids are in school.

By this, and that by this is happening all the stuff and what you're doing ultimately say I cannot trust God with my money. Here's a funny thing you got trust God with eternity.

Are you sure you sure you want to trust God with what you haven't seen something else. God says in verse 11. I will rebuke the devour for your sakes so that he will not destroy the fruit of the ground, nor shall the vine failed to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts, and verse 12. All the nations will call you blessed for you will be a delightful land, folks, this is not a problem free land. It's a delightful land means there will be joy in your home will be peace in your household. I would be lying to you if I tell you that we don't have needs that we have to put aside and say no, not right now. We can afford.

I'll be lying to tell you that we haven't had hospital bills in regard to how exactly to pay all this, but there is delightful nest in our home. There is joy in our marriage. There is joy in the life of our children.

Somehow God is working all things together for good is not a problem free life. It's a delightful life you when I first came to America. I don't have anything my dad give me $500 and y'all know what I did with that money about sump pumps, shoes, I thought I could jump like those people do and I brought bought a nice Casio watch that you could go down a thousand feet underwater. He could tell time to fiberboard in the situation I would know what time it is and I wasted all my money was gone in the first month and I start working was known as a work-study program where you work 30 hours a week and everything you have goes on your school bill. But if you wanted it will give you 10% as I would work and make $600. It would give you $60.

That's all I had to live on for the whole month, I mean think about it, shampoo, jump back to school for my roommate he just didn't know this and other things here. I other stuff that that that you know. But here's the funny thing, I would go to chapel because I can drive the car. I would go to chapel on campus in the offering plate came by was like this is all I have. But my parents growing up many many times it would hold up the tide check their offering check number.

They believed in grace giving and it was say listen, no matter what happens you always be faithful to God when that happen I would give. I would give it was a funny thing. They would send me a receipt from the business office.

I would go see them and they would say well I guess is coming back to us.

Isn't it the chapel belong to the school and they would amaze that it would amaze me.

But guess what folks 20 years later, God has abundantly blessed me abundantly beyond comparison and I don't deserve it RG maternal when my heroes in the faith. When he was going to depression. The Great Depression near the big heavy machinery God he was going to depression.

He made a pact with God is a from this day on, is no longer how much of my money. I want to give to God. It's about how much of God's money do I get to keep his legacy still continues this morning. Are you giving start giving like you are supposed to and there be a change in how you see in this place. You know, here's a statement I will make to you very quickly. Whatever you buy stock in you care about. If you buy stock in this place. When you give in this chart you begin to care about this church. If you notice I listen to a lot of people. There's only some people I really follow up on is that what you mean by that.

When you complain when you want this that and the other my next question in my mind is how much do you really give is all you know of course I do love you anyways. You said oh I thought pastors were not supposed to shepherd doesn't know his sheep.

So next thing you know I would appoint you to be our financial director and you don't give a dime to the church budgeting I need to know course, I need to know, many years ago in our deacons meeting us at all. This person right here is the amazing man. I got so much more to help one of our older deacons exponents as a prejudice let you know anything to the charge. I said oh what a changes the hold train of thought. This is where where are you and giving Ronnie and giving it changes the way you think about this place. It changes the way you treat this place for me close with this. I don't know why it is, but God has chosen to use money as the acid test of our faith because we worship it.

He didn't say God and the devil. He said you cannot worship God in Mammon worship God and money you put money at the same level because we worship it is all you don't know what our problem so he listened in our home.

The first thing that goes out is time you say all you just started that the church is growing and you get more money, no that's always been the case. The first thing that directly goes out is what we give to God. Somehow the bills get paid. I don't know how. Where are you is you know that I know you try to build a building and I know I know you need some money and I know it's going to be a lot of loans in this and that my challenge to you still stands. I still want you to give but give to another church that resolve the problem. If you are concerned that were going to her trust me, God's not take care of us give to another church start tithing start grace giving see what God is willing to give.

Thank you so much for joining us for this message even trying to rob God. Remember God is the source of every blessing in our lives out of obedience, we can apportion this blessing. For more information visit us online leave UBC.org for this sermon's notes. Check out Pastor Shah's blog but on shot.com