T3: Treasure

The Rev. Thomas W. Simmons IV

It seems that everyone is going around with a hand out asking for money.  Your kids want your money, businesses want your money, the government wants your money and a multitude of worthy charities want your money.  Where does it end? 

Sorry folks, but it doesn't end there.  God wants your money, too.  It's called stewardship of treasure.

Let's begin by saying that God gives us EVERYTHING we have.  Yes, we work hard for what we earn, create and accomplish, but it is God who gives us the capacity to work and blesses our efforts with success.  This is a fundamental reality of human life that we acknowledge in the Offertory when we gather for worship: "All things come of thee, O Lord…"

God loves us and loves to be generous to us.  Like a father giving gifts to his children, God delights in our delight.  He loves to get a big hug and hear, "Thank you Father!"  God's generosity creates and sustains his relationship with us. 

With that relationship comes some responsibility.  We are called to do our Father proud, to use God's gifts in ways that are worthy of the Giver.  That is true in all our priorities, decisions, relationships, and investments of time, talent, and treasure.  God gives it all to us and good stewardship means we owe it all back to him in the way we live our lives. 

But if you owe God EVERYTHING, how much of your money should you pledge? The answer from the Bible and Christian theology and history is simple.  A tithe is the minimum that's expected.  "Tithe" is a word from Old English that means "a tenth" or 10% - as in one for God, nine for me. 

The tithe is an ancient custom for the people of God.  In Genesis we see Abraham practicing it (Gen 14:20). Later, the Israelites observed the tithe, offering "first-fruits" of their crops, herds, produce, profits and even their time to the priests in the Temple (Lev. 27:30-32; Num. 18:25-32; Deut. 14:22-24).  These offerings sustained the worship of God and aided the poor and those in need. 

The New Testament has little specific to say about the tithe.  It simply assumes that the ancient practice would continue in the Church.  And continue it did.  The practice of the 10% offering was affirmed at several Councils and has been practiced by Christian people in every generation since. It is even in the Canons of the Episcopal Church (III.14.2b) and was recently reaffirmed at the 204^th Council of the Diocese of Virginia in 1999.

For Christians the tithe is both a privilege and a responsibility.  We are privileged to be able to say "Thank you Father" as we rejoice in all God has given us and seek to spread the blessings to others.  Jesus and St. Paul tell us to give cheerfully and generously, even exceeding the tithe when possible (Luke 21:1-4; 2 Cor. 9:6-7).  We are to be like our Father in heaven and give to others as generously as he has given to us. 

We are also called to finance the work of the Kingdom.  Your investments of time, talent and treasure create ministry here at St. Peter's that impacts people's lives and makes the world a better place. There is no other way to make it happen.  The work of God’s kingdom advances through the faithful work, prayer and tithing of all the saints. That's how we are Building Christians for Service. 

But undertaking the tithe can be a daunting prospect requiring a significant step of faith and obedience. To motivate us God offers us the carrot and the stick, spoken by the prophet Malachi, at the very end of the Old Testament.  Malachi said,

"Will a man rob God?  Yet you have robbed me!  But you say, 'In what way have we robbed you?'  You have robbed me in tithes and offerings!  You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me," says the Lord. "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house…And I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing" (Malachi 3:8-10). 

God promises a reward and a warning of blessing or curse depending on our faithfulness in financial stewardship. Remember that when you do your budget math this year.  God asks 10% of your first fruits.  The Government extracts its whopping percentages.  Then there is debt service, insurance, education and other fixed expenses. 

If you feel there's not much left over, remember that God promises an abundant return on the 10% you give back to him.  Your tithe, cheerfully given, will open "the windows of heaven" and you’ll experience an overflowing of God's generous provision. 

It really works.  Just ask anyone who has tried.  Jesus said so, too: "Give and it will be given to you, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing into your lap."  Lord what we could be…if we faithfully offered our tithe to God!

Wisdom on Stewardship from Sirach:

“Be generous when you worship the Lord, and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.  With every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness.  Give to the Most High as he has given to you, and as generously as you can afford. For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.”

Sirach 35:10-13