Know: Recognize that tithing not only opens God’s storehouse but also distributes God’s storehouse to the world as a means of furthering His mission.
Feel: Sense a responsibility to participate in tithing as a means of furthering the gospel.
Do: Use his or her influence and personal efforts to encourage others to tithe.
Learning Outline:
Know: God’s Mission Is Supported by God’s People.
What is the purpose or primary use of the tithe? B How are God’s blessings to be distributed? C What is the relationship between tithing and salvation by faith?
Feel: Sensing a Responsibility to Invest With God
What is the difference between sensing a responsibility to tithe (as a means of furthering God’s work) and a legalistic (pharisaical) approach to tithing?
How can believers nourish their generous impulses and thus protect themselves against selfishness?
Do: Directing God’s Blessings to God’s Work
How can believers encourage other believers to tithe without becoming offensive?
How might sharing the results of ministerial endeavors encourage nontithers to tithe?
How does being faithful to God’s call increase our faith?
Summary: Understanding the impact that tithing has reinforces our resolve to be faithful stewards of the resources that God has placed under our control.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Supporting God’s mission brings the giver personal, spiritual, and temporal blessings. In turn, God imparts blessings to those benefited by the mission.
Just for Teachers: In the book Education, author Ellen G. White paints a beautiful word picture of sharing. Using illustrations from the phenomena of waterways, she makes two points pertinent to our study: (1) as the small streams join forces and form larger waterways on their way to the sea, they bless with foliage and greenery the places through which they pass; and (2) while the seas, rivers, and larger bodies of water attract the most attention, they would be nothing without the small streams and brooks that feed them.
How do these analogies relate to tithing? Everywhere that the tithe is used to further God’s mission there is growth and beauty. The growth is not equal everywhere. Christ’s parable of the soils instructs us that seed placement also impacts the outcomes. Sometimes that growth is slow and other times rapid, depending on many factors. Nevertheless, without the moisture thus provided, growth would be nonexistent. Some claim to withhold tithe because they are dissatisfied with the results; but is this reasoning justifiable?
The point of the second analogy beautifully illustrates the advantages of cooperation. Just as streams and brooks combine to supply rivers and oceans, so the uniting of our God-centered efforts, however small, results in major kingdom advancements.
Opening Activity: Collect several spools of thread of varying colors, wherever possible, and place them where the class can see them. Secure a length of thread between your two hands and challenge a class member to break it with a “karate” chop. It should break easily. Now try breaking two strings. Then unspool and try breaking three, “chopping” and breaking with each addition, until the combined strength of several strings resists breaking. Then ask, “Was the last added string stronger than the others?” (Answer: no.) “What, then, is the reason why the final group of strings did not break?” (Answer: Combined strength of all strings forms one strong cord.) What might this analogy suggest to people who want to individually use “their” tithes apart from the church for personal, but worthwhile, projects? What benefits accrue whenever believers combine their efforts in one strong cord—the storehouse? (Alternately, where supplies are not available, help your class to visualize the lesson that the activity teaches by describing it in your own words. Then discuss the answers to the questions.)
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Have you wondered how Jesus could travel extensively, preaching regularly, without working outside His ministry, and still eat? Luke answers that question. He mentions “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance” (Luke 8:2, 3, emphasis supplied, NKJV). Apparently, from what we read here in Luke, several loyal supporters, including one prominent government official’s wife, provided for Jesus’ physical needs. The historical records include “many others” not individually listed. This multitude of “unknowns” willingly supported Jesus and His disciples. Anciently, the Israelite economy provided sustenance for the Levites and priests through tithing. Contemporary believers have the privilege of following this time-tested practice of supporting God’s mission on earth.
Bible Commentary
I. Christ’s Command (Review 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 11:7–10; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; and Malachi 3:10 with the class.)
Paul says that Christ has “commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14, NKJV, emphasis supplied). “Commanded”is perhaps best understood in the sense of “appointed.” The Greek word diatasso is variously translated as “ordained,” “commanded,” “ordered,” and “appointed.” “Appointed” carries the sense of choice. This arrangement of supporting those who preach the gospel was divinely ordained. Anyone who proposes alternatives is burdened with finding different scriptural support, for this arrangement clearly bears the approval, support, and command of Christ.
When enunciating this identical principle to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:17, 18), Paul cites both testaments (Deut. 25:4, Matt. 10:10, and Luke 10:7), with the latter quotation coming from Christ Himself. Tithing is not merely a human mechanism for supporting gospel ministry, but Christ’s divinely appointed system for kingdom advancement.
Consider This: How does properly understanding this “divine appointment” guard against temptations to personally choose how to utilize one’s tithe?
II. Unmitigated Blessings (Review Malachi 3:8–12; 1 Peter 3:8, 9; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; and Jeremiah 17:7 with the class.)
Were Christians faithfully to demonstrate their willingness to support kingdom growth in Christ’s appointed way, what miracles might be revealed! Can believers honestly affirm that they are prepared for the heavenly outpouring of blessings?
God distributes His blessings to our families in temporal and spiritual ways. However, God designed that believers should become channels of blessings rather than stagnant reservoirs. The book Education, mentioned earlier, aptly illustrates this principle. Rills feed streams, streams feed rivers, rivers feed seas, and, extending the thought, seas feed oceans, oceans feed clouds, clouds produce rain, rain supplies rills. Everything that God created contributes to something else and receives benefits from elsewhere.
Believers were created to give. Giving creates vacancies for divine infilling. People, full of themselves, offer no vacancies for this divine infilling. Is it any wonder, then, that giving people are happier people? God’s Spirit promises to fill those spiritual and temporal vacancies. We must trust His promise and wait for His infilling.
Consider This: What happens to Christ’s divinely appointed process when believers attempt to hoard the divine blessings?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: God owns everything. So, why does God want our money? Wrong question. Tithing is not primarily about putting money into divine pockets. Nor is the primary purpose of tithing to fund ministerial salaries. Bible teachers, pastors, and evangelists are supported through tithing, but the real lessons and benefits are for the tither.
Divine wisdom, Christ Himself, appointed tithing. Hoarded money soon becomes corrupted, further corrupting the hoarder. Because of God’s unsurpassed affection for His children, He challenges them to faith through tithing, knowing that when they participate, their capacity for spiritual growth is virtually unlimited.
Thought/Application Questions:
We believe that no amount of human effort can affect our salvation and that we are totally dependent on Christ for redemption. So, then, why are we tempted to think that satisfying our physical needs depends on human effort instead of Christ’s provision?
Romans warns us against the fallacy that our goodness somehow obligates God to save us. Why are we, at times, prone to think, along the lines of the prosperity gospel preachers, that tithing somehow obligates God to shower us with material prosperity? Why is this kind of thinking warped, and why does it derive from a misunderstanding of the gospel?
Besides returning an honest tithe, how can believers support pastors, teachers, evangelists, and others on the front lines of God’s redemptive mission?
How would you encourage someone to tithe faithfully if he or she has been wounded by an unscrupulous pastor or teacher who has been exposed for gross sinful misconduct?
So that we do not forget God’s previous blessings, what are some practical things that we can do to keep the memories of God’s faithfulness alive today?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Faithful tithers have provided innumerable blessings to the world by freeing those called by God to invest their undivided energies in the work of making disciples. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown from a small group of believers in the northeastern United States into a global presence, congruent with our calling in the light of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. Humanly speaking, this efflorescence could not have happened apart from faithfulness and sacrificial giving.
Activities:
Read a book on Adventist church history that chronicles the growth of the church, paying special attention to times of financial crisis and God’s leading through the crisis.
Read the biography of someone noted for his or her faith and faithfulness in tithing.
Write a song about faith, faithfulness, and tithing. Share it with the class.
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Key Text :1 Corinthians 9:13, 14
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: God’s Mission Is Supported by God’s People.
Feel: Sensing a Responsibility to Invest With God
Do: Directing God’s Blessings to God’s Work
Summary: Understanding the impact that tithing has reinforces our resolve to be faithful stewards of the resources that God has placed under our control.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Supporting God’s mission brings the giver personal, spiritual, and temporal blessings. In turn, God imparts blessings to those benefited by the mission.
Just for Teachers: In the book Education, author Ellen G. White paints a beautiful word picture of sharing. Using illustrations from the phenomena of waterways, she makes two points pertinent to our study: (1) as the small streams join forces and form larger waterways on their way to the sea, they bless with foliage and greenery the places through which they pass; and (2) while the seas, rivers, and larger bodies of water attract the most attention, they would be nothing without the small streams and brooks that feed them.
How do these analogies relate to tithing? Everywhere that the tithe is used to further God’s mission there is growth and beauty. The growth is not equal everywhere. Christ’s parable of the soils instructs us that seed placement also impacts the outcomes. Sometimes that growth is slow and other times rapid, depending on many factors. Nevertheless, without the moisture thus provided, growth would be nonexistent. Some claim to withhold tithe because they are dissatisfied with the results; but is this reasoning justifiable?
The point of the second analogy beautifully illustrates the advantages of cooperation. Just as streams and brooks combine to supply rivers and oceans, so the uniting of our God-centered efforts, however small, results in major kingdom advancements.
Opening Activity: Collect several spools of thread of varying colors, wherever possible, and place them where the class can see them. Secure a length of thread between your two hands and challenge a class member to break it with a “karate” chop. It should break easily. Now try breaking two strings. Then unspool and try breaking three, “chopping” and breaking with each addition, until the combined strength of several strings resists breaking. Then ask, “Was the last added string stronger than the others?” (Answer: no.) “What, then, is the reason why the final group of strings did not break?” (Answer: Combined strength of all strings forms one strong cord.) What might this analogy suggest to people who want to individually use “their” tithes apart from the church for personal, but worthwhile, projects? What benefits accrue whenever believers combine their efforts in one strong cord—the storehouse? (Alternately, where supplies are not available, help your class to visualize the lesson that the activity teaches by describing it in your own words. Then discuss the answers to the questions.)
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Have you wondered how Jesus could travel extensively, preaching regularly, without working outside His ministry, and still eat? Luke answers that question. He mentions “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance” (Luke 8:2, 3, emphasis supplied, NKJV). Apparently, from what we read here in Luke, several loyal supporters, including one prominent government official’s wife, provided for Jesus’ physical needs. The historical records include “many others” not individually listed. This multitude of “unknowns” willingly supported Jesus and His disciples. Anciently, the Israelite economy provided sustenance for the Levites and priests through tithing. Contemporary believers have the privilege of following this time-tested practice of supporting God’s mission on earth.
Bible Commentary
I. Christ’s Command (Review 1 Corinthians 9:13, 14; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 11:7–10; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; and Malachi 3:10 with the class.)
Paul says that Christ has “commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14, NKJV, emphasis supplied). “Commanded”is perhaps best understood in the sense of “appointed.” The Greek word diatasso is variously translated as “ordained,” “commanded,” “ordered,” and “appointed.” “Appointed” carries the sense of choice. This arrangement of supporting those who preach the gospel was divinely ordained. Anyone who proposes alternatives is burdened with finding different scriptural support, for this arrangement clearly bears the approval, support, and command of Christ.
When enunciating this identical principle to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:17, 18), Paul cites both testaments (Deut. 25:4, Matt. 10:10, and Luke 10:7), with the latter quotation coming from Christ Himself. Tithing is not merely a human mechanism for supporting gospel ministry, but Christ’s divinely appointed system for kingdom advancement.
Consider This: How does properly understanding this “divine appointment” guard against temptations to personally choose how to utilize one’s tithe?
II. Unmitigated Blessings (Review Malachi 3:8–12; 1 Peter 3:8, 9; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; and Jeremiah 17:7 with the class.)
Were Christians faithfully to demonstrate their willingness to support kingdom growth in Christ’s appointed way, what miracles might be revealed! Can believers honestly affirm that they are prepared for the heavenly outpouring of blessings?
God distributes His blessings to our families in temporal and spiritual ways. However, God designed that believers should become channels of blessings rather than stagnant reservoirs. The book Education, mentioned earlier, aptly illustrates this principle. Rills feed streams, streams feed rivers, rivers feed seas, and, extending the thought, seas feed oceans, oceans feed clouds, clouds produce rain, rain supplies rills. Everything that God created contributes to something else and receives benefits from elsewhere.
Believers were created to give. Giving creates vacancies for divine infilling. People, full of themselves, offer no vacancies for this divine infilling. Is it any wonder, then, that giving people are happier people? God’s Spirit promises to fill those spiritual and temporal vacancies. We must trust His promise and wait for His infilling.
Consider This: What happens to Christ’s divinely appointed process when believers attempt to hoard the divine blessings?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: God owns everything. So, why does God want our money? Wrong question. Tithing is not primarily about putting money into divine pockets. Nor is the primary purpose of tithing to fund ministerial salaries. Bible teachers, pastors, and evangelists are supported through tithing, but the real lessons and benefits are for the tither.
Divine wisdom, Christ Himself, appointed tithing. Hoarded money soon becomes corrupted, further corrupting the hoarder. Because of God’s unsurpassed affection for His children, He challenges them to faith through tithing, knowing that when they participate, their capacity for spiritual growth is virtually unlimited.
Thought/Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Faithful tithers have provided innumerable blessings to the world by freeing those called by God to invest their undivided energies in the work of making disciples. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown from a small group of believers in the northeastern United States into a global presence, congruent with our calling in the light of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. Humanly speaking, this efflorescence could not have happened apart from faithfulness and sacrificial giving.
Activities: