None Shall Appear Empty-Handed: Your Offering Is Worship

Sermon outline

Bringing tithes, offerings and gifts to God is not a side issue but a major part of worship: God records every gift, speaks after His people give, and moves on behalf of those who give willingly, single-mindedly and with a loyal heart.

1. Drink of His presence

   In God's presence the Word becomes more effective and revelation comes, because the Word is understood by revelation, not intellect. A man in a bar drinks many glasses before he is drunk, yet Christians sit with their mouths closed and expect to be filled; open your mouth and your heart and drink of the Holy Spirit. A believer without the oil of the Holy Ghost squeaks in his marriage, his bank account and his Bible reading, but one who is full flourishes like a tree planted by the rivers.

   Illustration: A young man keeps telling a woman, "I love you," but never opens his arms to embrace her; the Holy Spirit is beside you waiting to come on you, but you are not opening your arms.

   “If you open up yourself to the Holy Ghost and you get drunk and full, boy, everything about you flourishes.”

   • Ephesians 5:18
   • Psalm 1:3
   • Psalm 92:12

2. Giving is a major part of worship

   Christians think worship means music playing and hands raised, but that is only part of it; the major part of worship in God's house is bringing tithes, offerings and gifts. Even preparing your envelope at home during the week is an act of worship. Many people give without a proper biblical understanding of why, and then wonder why God is not doing anything for them.

   “Your offering is part of your worship.”

3. Ask in faith, not double-minded

   Everything you receive from God comes by faith; the one who doubts is like a wave driven by the wind, and if faith is not driving him, fear is. A double-minded person, wondering whether to give or whether to stand up for healing, should not expect to receive anything. Let the mind of Christ, which is the Word, drive you: be careful what you listen to, choose healthy spiritual food, and raise your experience to the level of the Word instead of diluting the Word to fit your experience.

   Illustration: Listening to one preacher who says "give" after breakfast and another who says "don't give" an hour later puts two sets of information into your spirit and makes you double-minded.

   “A doubting man does not drive himself, he's driven by another force.”

   • James 1:2-8
   • Hebrews 11:6
   • Philippians 2:5
   • Mark 4:24
   • Matthew 4:4
   • Isaiah 28:10

4. Tithing did not end with the law

   Tithing came before the law, when Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek; it was reaffirmed by Moses and Malachi, and Jesus reaffirmed it when He told the Pharisees not to neglect the weightier matters while they tithed. Being under the New Testament is no more a reason to stop tithing than to stop bathing or eating. Ten percent is for baby Christians: what Jesus wants is everything, given over privately to Him so that you are a steward ready to give whenever He says.

   “Actually, 10% is not good enough in God's system. 10% is for babies.”

   • Genesis 14:20
   • Malachi 3:8-10
   • Matthew 23:23
   • 2 Corinthians 9:7

5. None shall appear before Me empty-handed

   Israel's three yearly feasts came with the command that none should appear before the Lord empty-handed, and the first of the firstfruits belonged in His house; your first salary in a new job, or the first of an increase, is your firstfruits offering. He draws two points: God wants us to see our money as holy, offered to Him in worship, and this was His ordinance for worship and celebration in the temple, as it is now in the church. He himself never comes to a service empty-handed.

   Illustration: Sometimes, he says, as he fills his envelope the Lord tells him, "That's not enough," and smiles when he adds more.

   “God wants us to see our money as something holy that we offer Him in worship.”

   • Exodus 23:14-19

6. Bring an offering and come into His courts

   Psalm 96 says to give the Lord glory and strength, and then shows how: bring an offering and come into His courts. Your money represents your time, strength and talents, so when you give it you give God a major part of yourself. God records everything you give and keeps an account book for each believer. He tells how he settled three matters with God: he will never lack again, he will grow richer every year, and he will do whatever God requires to achieve the first two. A liberal soul shall be made fat, but a miser stays on his level or diminishes.

   Illustration: He was not poor when he became a pastor, and left a better-paid job to enter the ministry; but he had to settle these matters with God for himself.

   “God has an account book for each one of us.”

   • Psalm 96:4-9
   • 3 John 2
   • Proverbs 11:25

7. God records every gift and speaks after the offering

   In Numbers 7 the leaders of the twelve tribes each brought a dedication offering on a separate day, and Scripture records every item. If God recorded those gifts so precisely, He records yours. Then, when the offerings were complete, Moses went into the tabernacle and heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat.

   Illustration: He jokes that expectant mothers short of baby names can borrow some from Numbers 7, if they can pronounce them.

   “God has a book of accounting.”

   • Numbers 7:10-89

8. They offered willingly, with a loyal heart

   David gave his own special treasure for the temple because he had set his affection on the house of God, and the leaders and people then offered willingly and rejoiced. If you love God, your love must move from words to your hands and feet. He takes two points: they offered willingly, and they offered with a loyal heart. Learning to give brings joy into the spirit of sad Christians, because riches and honour come from God, and of His own we give Him.

   “If you set your affection on the house of God, you will do things.”

   • 1 Chronicles 29:1-20

9. Provoke the anointing by your giving

   Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings, and that night God appeared to him and said, "Ask what I shall give you"; the gift of wisdom, riches and honour followed, until the Queen of Sheba said she had never met such a man. An offering of substance provokes God's anointing to move on your behalf. Prayer and fasting are good and the church will fast on Wednesday and Friday, but if you want to grow and change your destiny, do not only say "I love You": bring an offering that moves God.

   Illustration: On a nature programme, fox cubs lick their mother's mouth until she brings up the food she has carried home for them; they provoke her to feed them. In the same way, an offering of value provokes the anointing.

   “When you bring an offering to the house of God of substance, what you actually do is you provoke God's anointing to move on your behalf.”

   • 2 Chronicles 1:6-12
   • 1 Kings 10:6-9
   • Matthew 22:21
   • Luke 6:38