THE SUM OF IT ALL | WEEK 4

Week 4 : The Sum of Us  

Introduction:  

“Why should I give money to the church?” has long been a controversial question. Is it the Old Testament Law? As New Testament followers of Jesus are we still obligated under the old law to tithe? Only when we understand the value of the church and the work, we do together can you truly answer this question.   

1. What arguments have you heard about the tithe, either for or against?  

   • Why is this a controversial issue?  

     Read Genesis 14:19-20 and  

     18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 
     20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 

     Read Genesis 28:10-15 

     10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b] 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 

2. In both of these cases what was the motivation for them to give a tithe?  

3. In Leviticus 27:30 the tithe was introduced as law.  

   • Why was the tithe important to the ministry of the temple?  

     Read Matthew 23:23 

     “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 

     Read Matthew 10:8  

     Give as freely as you have received.  

4. In these 2 passages what can we understand about Jesus’ idea of tithing and giving?  

   Read Acts 2:42-45 

   42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

5. How did being filled with the Holy Spirit affect believers’ idea of their wealth?  

   Read 1 Corinthians 10:26 

   ... for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” 

6. How does this differ from the Old Testament idea of God owning 10% of what we have?  

   Read 2 Corinthians 9:7-8  

   You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 

7. How does your gratefulness for the church add to the motivation to give to the church?  

8. Pastor said, “You shouldn’t give because you have to but because you get to.”  How does the following verse reflect that?  

   • How does the following verse reflect that?  

9. Given the Old Testament history of the tithe and Jesus’ heart of giving make tithing the most practical way to accomplish the mission of the church?  

   When your “not much” and my “not much” come together, it becomes much more.   

10. Each of us has been blessed because someone gave to the church.  

• Were you taught to tithe as a child?  

• Do you have a better understanding of the tithe?  

Read Malachi 3:10 

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 

• What are some obstacles for you to commit to the tithe?  

• Does the 90-day giving challenge provide you a way to begin to tithe?  

• To make a true impact the sum of us giving together can change the lives of many.