Jubilee Community Church
Sunday December 7, 2025
  • I Never Shall Forget the Day
  • I'm In A New World
  • The Old Rugged Cross
  • Hard Fought Hallelujah
  • Honey In The Rock
  • Breathe
  • Build My Life
  • Raise A Hallelujah
  • Blood of Jesus

  • The Test, The Trust, and The Treasure

    Primary Scripture Reading Text: Malachi 3:6–12
    Malachi 3:6–12 NKJV
    6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. 7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’ 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try 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 such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts; 12 And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

    Introduction

    Tithing is one of the most misunderstood principles in the Bible. Many believers see it only as a financial obligation, but in Scripture, tithing is about covenant, honor, and trust. It is a visible act that expresses an invisible faith.
    The Hebrew word for “tithe” is ma‘aser (Strong’s H4643), meaning a tenth part. It was not merely a donation—it was a declaration. It signified that God was the rightful owner of all, and that man was the steward.
    From the patriarch Abraham long before the Law, to the early church after Pentecost, the principle of returning the first portion to God runs throughout the entire Word of God.
    Tithing is not about money—it’s about mastery. It reveals who really reigns over your life: the God of Heaven or the god of mammon.
    Main Points

    1. The Tithe Acknowledges Ownership: God Is the Source of Everything

    Scripture: Psalm 24:1; Deuteronomy 8:17–18; Genesis 14:18–20
    “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof.” Everything we have is on loan from Him. When Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, there was no law to command it—just revelation. Abraham recognized that victory, wealth, and increase came from the hand of God.
    Deuteronomy 8 warns Israel not to say, “My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.” The tithe reminds us that our increase comes from above.
    Tithing says: “Lord, I trust You—not my paycheck, not my position, not my economy.”

    2. The Tithe Is Holy and Set Apart

    Scripture: Leviticus 27:30–32; Proverbs 3:9–10
    “All the tithe of the land… is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.” The word holy (qōdesh, Strong’s H6944) means “set apart, consecrated, separated from common use.”
    When we tithe, we are not just giving; we are consecrating. We take what could be used for ourselves and we sanctify it as belonging to God.
    In Proverbs 3:9–10, Solomon writes, “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.” The word honor means “to make heavy” or “to give weight.” God must be given the weighty place in our finances and in our hearts.

    3. The Tithe Funds God’s Work and Sustains His House

    Scripture: Numbers 18:21–24; Nehemiah 13:10–12; 1 Corinthians 9:13–14
    In the Old Testament, the tithe supported the Levites, who had no inheritance of their own. When the people stopped tithing, the ministry ceased functioning effectively.
    Nehemiah found that the Levites had left their duties because the people withheld what was sacred. He restored the tithe, and the temple ministry was revived.
    Paul carried this forward, teaching in 1 Corinthians 9 that those who minister in spiritual things are to be supported by the people of God. The tithe ensures that the work of the Kingdom does not lack supply.

    4. The Tithe Tests Our Faith and God’s Faithfulness

    Scripture: Malachi 3:8–12
    Malachi 3 reveals a divine challenge: “Prove me now herewith,” says the Lord. The Hebrew word bachan (Strong’s H974) means “to test, to try the quality of something.”
    When you tithe, you test your own faith—and God invites you to test His faithfulness.
    He promises four supernatural results: • “I will open the windows of heaven.” • “I will pour you out a blessing.” • “I will rebuke the devourer.” • “All nations shall call you blessed.”
    This isn’t a prosperity formula; it’s a covenant pattern. God blesses obedience and protects what you have when you honor Him first.

    5. Should Christians Tithe Today?

    Scripture: Genesis 14:18–20; Matthew 23:23; Hebrews 7:8; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8
    This is often debated, but the Bible’s answer is clear: Yes—Christians should still tithe today, not under compulsion, but under covenant.
    Where Do People Get the Idea That Tithing Is Not for Today? Many who reject tithing argue that it was part of the Mosaic Law and ended with the Old Covenant. They reference passages like Romans 6:14—“You are not under the law, but under grace.” But the flaw in that reasoning is that tithing existed before the Law. Abraham and Jacob both tithed centuries before Moses. Grace does not cancel God’s principles—it empowers us to live them by the Spirit, not by obligation.
    Others say that because the New Testament emphasizes giving freely, tithing is no longer relevant. However, freewill giving builds upon the foundation of the tithe, not in place of it. Paul teaches generosity that begins where obedience starts.
    Tithing Preceded the Law. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek nearly 500 years before the Law was given. Jacob vowed to give a tenth long before Moses. It was never meant to be legalistic—it was relational.
    Tithing Was Affirmed by Jesus. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said, “These ought ye to have done.” He rebuked hypocrisy, not the tithe. He affirmed the principle, calling us to give with love, justice, and mercy.
    Tithing Continues Under Grace. Hebrews 7:8 declares, “Here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.” Jesus, our eternal High Priest, still receives our tithes in Heaven—not to uphold the Law, but to honor His Lordship.
    The Early Church Gave Beyond the Tithe. In Acts 2 and Acts 4, believers gave willingly and sacrificially. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9 that giving should be joyful, not grudging, and that generosity unlocks God’s grace in every area.

    6. Is Giving of Time the Same as Tithing?

    This is another modern misconception. While giving time, talent, and service to God is essential, it does not replace the tithe.
    Time and service are offerings of your life, but the tithe is a return of your increase. Scripture clearly defines the tithe as the first tenth of one’s income or substance (Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22).
    In ancient Israel, God required both—the giving of time in service and the giving of tithe in substance. The Levites served in the temple (time and work) but still gave a tenth of the tithe they received (Numbers 18:26).
    Offering time without honoring God with increase is partial obedience. True stewardship involves both—our time and our treasure. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

    7. Is Giving to the Poor the Same as Tithing?

    Many believers sincerely believe that helping the poor, supporting missions, or donating to charity is equivalent to tithing—but the Bible makes a clear distinction.
    The Tithe belongs to God; alms belong to man. The tithe is God’s portion—“It is holy unto the LORD” (Leviticus 27:30). It is to be brought into God’s storehouse (Malachi 3:10), which represents the house of worship and ministry.
    Giving to the poor is an offering, not the tithe. In Proverbs 19:17, Scripture says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” This is a beautiful promise of reward—but it is different from the covenant of the tithe.
    The tithe supports God’s work; alms express God’s compassion. The tithe sustains the priests and the ministry; offerings and alms meet human need. Both are important, but one cannot substitute for the other.
    When you use your tithe for charity, you are giving with good intention but misdirecting what God has consecrated for His house.
    In Deuteronomy 26:12–13, God commanded Israel to give a separate “poor tithe” every third year—showing that generosity to the poor was in addition to, not in place of, the tithe.

    8. The Tithe Aligns Us with Kingdom Priorities

    Scripture: Matthew 6:19–21
    Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. When we tithe, we’re not losing—we’re aligning. We position our hearts toward Heaven and our resources toward eternal purposes.
    Tithing places us under divine order. It reorders our financial priorities to reflect our spiritual identity as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

    Application

    Tithing disciplines the heart. It trains us to trust God first.
    Tithing destroys the spirit of mammon. It breaks fear and greed.
    Tithing fuels the mission of the church. It empowers outreach and ministry.
    Tithing opens divine protection. God rebukes the devourer for your sake.
    Tithing builds legacy. Your obedience becomes a testimony to your children that God provides for those who honor Him.

    Call to Action

    The Spirit of the Lord is calling His Church back to divine order. The windows of Heaven will not open where dishonor remains. This is not a season for withholding—it is a season for releasing.
    God says: “When you honor Me with the first, I will multiply the rest. When you trust Me with the tenth, I will strengthen the ninety. When you return what is Mine, I will restore what was lost.”
    The Lord is calling His people to break financial fear and step into covenant faith. Tithing is not subtraction—it is activation. It unlocks favor, stewardship, and provision for the days ahead.

    Closing Quote

    Charles Spurgeon once said,
    “A lack of generosity denies our profession of faith in a generous God.”
    When we give with faith, we reflect the heart of the One who gave His all for us.

      • Malachi 3:6–12NKJV

Jubilee Community Church
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http://faithlife.com/jcc-31773
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