Venture ChurchThe sermon centers on cultivating generous hearts, emphasizing the joy and fulfillment found in giving, as demonstrated through scriptural references from Deuteronomy, Malachi, and Matthew. It explores the themes of God's faithfulness and the importance of trusting in His provision, highlighting that generosity flows naturally from a heart committed to a partnership with God rather than from obligation. Through an exploration of Malachi 3:6-12 and Jesus's teaching on tithing, the message calls for a response of gratitude and a spirit-led approach to giving, encouraging believers to train themselves for spiritual generosity and to seek guidance in deciding their levels of contribution.
9And he brought us to this place and gave to us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10And now, look, I am bringing the firstfruit of the fruit of the ground that you gave to me, Yahweh,’ and you shall place it before Yahweh your God, and you shall bow down before Yahweh your God. 11And you shall celebrate with all of the bounty that Yahweh your God gave to you and to your family, you and the Levite and the alien who is in your midst.
23They are new in the morning, great is your faithfulness. 24“Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul, “Thus I will hope on him.” 25Yahweh is good to those who wait on him, to the person that seeks him.
5Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted. 6Now the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
9Just as it is written, “He scattered widely, he gave to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.” 10Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow, 11being made rich in every way for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,
7But just as you excel in everything—in faith and in speaking and in knowledge and with all diligence and in the love from us that is in you—so may you excel in this grace also. 8I am not saying this as a command, but proving the genuineness of your love by means of the diligence of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich.
7Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. 9Just as it is written, “He scattered widely, he gave to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”
10“The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you your own?
In Malachi 3:6-12, we learn that God mentions being 'robbed.' What specific actions does He say have robbed Him, and how does He promise to respond if the people return to Him?
When we read about the young man's encounter with Jesus in Matthew 19:16-22, what do you think Jesus was trying to teach him about possessions and following Him?
Reflecting on Malachi 3:10, where God challenges His people to test Him by bringing the 'whole tithe,' how do you feel about the idea of testing God's faithfulness through our giving?
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