You Might Not Want to Tithe

This Is What We Do

Scripture References

Primary text

• Deuteronomy 14:23
• Malachi 3
• Matthew 23:23

Other references

• Genesis 28
• Leviticus 27
• Deuteronomy 14:22
• Exodus 23:19
• Ephesians 2
• 1 Chronicles 29:14

Overview

Tithing is not a tip or a membership fee; it is returning the first 10 percent that already belongs to God. Pastor Craig first dismantles common, unhealthy motives for giving, then walks through five reasons he personally considers the tithe non-negotiable. Along the way he shows how tithing re-orders the heart, breaks fear, and links ordinary dollars to eternal impact—“This is what we do.”

Main Points

1. Defining the tithe

• Hebrew word: maʽaser—literally “one-tenth.”
• “Tithing is returning the first 10 % of what God entrusts to us—worshiping Him with our first and best.”
• Not a random offering, a payment for blessing, or a way to earn heaven.

2. What tithing is NOT about

Three motives that should stop us from tithing until our heart is right.

• Earning salvation—Ephesians 2 makes clear we are saved by grace, not works.
• Appeasing a guilty conscience—extra money doesn’t erase sin.
• Buying God’s blessings—God is not a vending machine; “that’s manipulation, not faith.”

3. Why Pastor Craig tithes (Five reasons)

a. It teaches me to put God first

• Deuteronomy 14:23—tithing trains the heart to “always put God first.”
• Exodus 23:19—bring the firstfruits, not the leftovers.
  Illustration: Ten $1 bills—after rent, Chick-fil-A, Whole Foods, etc., the last dollar isn’t a tithe because it isn’t first.
• “It takes faith to give first; it doesn’t take faith to give what’s left.”

b. It reminds me God is my source

• 1 Chronicles 29:14—everything comes from God, we only return what is already His.
• Job, paycheck, and bank account are channels; God is the provider who never runs out.

c. Jesus told me to do it

• Matthew 23:23—“You should tithe, yes…” Jesus assumes the practice while calling for justice, mercy, and kindness alongside it.
• If Jesus says it, that settles it.

d. It breaks fear and builds faith

• Malachi 3—“Test Me in this.”
  Cycle of scarcity: God supplies → we consume → we lack → we fear.
  Cycle of abundance: God supplies → we return the tithe → God multiplies → our faith grows → we give more.
  Story: As a new believer he tested God, wrote a “really big check,” and the same day his mother unexpectedly bought him a Honda Accord. That freed savings to buy a first rental house at 19, launching a lifetime of generosity.
• Principle learned: “God can do more with 90 % and His blessing than I can do with 100 % on my own.”

e. It connects my resources to eternal impact

• 2 Corinthians 9 (paraphrased in sermon)—we are enriched so we can be generous; gifts cause others to thank God.
  Ministry footprint:
  • 165 local & global partners, dozens of food banks, LifeNet medical training, etc.
  • Over 20,000 African moms and babies saved in five years through one partner.
  • The YouVersion Bible App—God’s Word on over 1 billion devices.

“Two things live forever—the souls of people and the Word of God.”

Key Truths

• The tithe is returned, not given; it already belongs to the Lord.
• Giving first establishes God’s lordship over every area of life.
• Scarcity is a mindset broken by trusting God as source and provider.
• Jesus affirms tithing but demands lives marked by justice, mercy, and love.
• Resources placed in God’s hands ripple into eternal results far beyond what we can track.

Response

• Put God first by planning the tithe before any other expense.
• Acknowledge God as your source each payday, thanking Him aloud.
• Test God’s promise in Malachi 3 by consistently returning the full tithe for a season.
• Look for ways your giving is changing lives; celebrate and pray for those ministries.
• Move from fear to faith by declaring, “God can do more with 90 % than I can with 100 %.”

Closing

The pastor reminded the church that tithing is not about compulsion—God still loves those who never give a dime. Yet for believers who long to honor Christ, the tithe is a weekly declaration: Jesus is first, God is trustworthy, and our money can preach the gospel long after we are gone.

“I do not tithe because I have to; I tithe because of who He is and what He has done for me.”

Prayer

The congregation thanked God for His grace, asked for hearts that honor Him with every resource, and invited the Spirit to cultivate radical generosity so that “people will thank God in heaven” for the gifts entrusted to His church.