You are invited to examine your heart and decide if this local church is your storehouse. Take a radical step of faith by bringing your first 10% and participating in communion as a declaration of His lordship. Trust that God will partner with you as you sow into His kingdom.
We're about to continue our worship service in 2 specific areas of covenant. 1 is through tithes and offerings, and the other is through communion. I don't usually teach except maybe about once a month on tithes and offerings. Just gonna give you a couple principles on what that looks like. Because I think it's important for us to understand together as a body.
And then we always have new people that are coming in or wanting to be established in the body of Christ, new believers. And so it's important to continually go back and and learn what it looks like, what is healthy, what is holy, what is God calling us for. So God's put a specific word on my heart for this, today. And then we're gonna move forward in covenant. Because it's covenant.
Tithes are part of being in the covenant body of Christ. And the local the body of Christ is Christ. Body of Christ. Right? A tithe is not a tip.
A tip is when you go to a restaurant and because you like the service, you feel served, You like what they served you. You like the food that they gave. And and so because they served you well, you feel obligated to tip them based on how well they served you. Right? A tithe is not a tip.
A tithe is a covenant where in Malachi-3:10, it says, bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. And then it says, "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 they will there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops and the vines of your fields and will not drop their fruit before it is ripe, says the Lord Almighty. Then all the nations will call you blessed for you will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty.
*Covenant*, we don't do things in covenant based on how the other party serves us or not. When you're in covenant with 1 with with someone or with an organization, with Christ, you lay your life down. First, he laid his life down for us. We lay our life down for him in response. It's period.
That's how it works. Tithe is 10%. That's what tithe means. 10%. In the Old Testament, in the Mosaic Law, it was that they would tithe to the the storehouse, to the to the temple, which was 10% of their increase.
Tithe, 10. Now they gave much more than that because it was kind of like a tax for Israel, But they would tithe 10%. The purpose was that the priest, but also the priests, the Levites that lived there, they didn't live off of anything other than the tithe of Israel Israelites people. Now if, let's say 10 families tithe to the storehouse, then 1 priest would have about the average, because 10 is 10%, 10% of the increase. 1 priest would have about the average of the income of that 10 families in order to lay their his life down, his family's life down to serve that those 10 families spiritually.
But on in the Old Testament, on average, it was commanded that 27 27 families tithe to the local storehouse. So each priest had about 10% of 27 different families. Not so a priest could be rich. It wasn't it wasn't like that. So the priest would have enough for his family to lay his life down, but then would have an abundance in order to do what God had called him to do to serve those families well so that their families were taken care of spiritually can move forward.
That's what it looked like in the Mosaic Law. Okay? 10% increase. Big deal. Well just real practically speaking, if we were to walk out tithing here, let's say 10 families gave 10% of their income as we hear in the Bible because you believe that this is your local storehouse or the local body of Christ.
Right? What that would mean is 1 family would be able to live about on average how those 10 families live while laying their life down to equip those 10 families *spiritually* to be ministers, New Testament ministers of the gospel. Make sense? But if over and above that, well then that 1 family wouldn't just be able to live, but would also be able to bless those other, those 10 families or 27 families or how many families it was with everything needed not to just minister to them but to go out into the community, go out into the the county and in an abundance over in
the world where the world looked
at it and say why are you guys so blessed? But then there's a promise for the families too. As you bring the tenth or the tithe into the storehouse not only is the storehouse blessed but because you're trusting that what you have blessed 90% of what you have blessed by God is better than a 100%
in your control.
*God* blesses you to be a blessing around in your family as well. So like like just that's just real practical what it looks like. A lot of people would say, that's the Mosaic Law. Well, I get it. But in Hebrews in the New Testament, it talks about Abraham tithing to Melchizedek.
And Abraham was before the Mosaic Law. So Abraham, we are children of Abraham by faith. Right? And our and and Christ Jesus, so we're children of the promise. And Abraham tied to Melchizedek tied to Melchizedek.
*Jesus* is a the Hebrews says is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. It was a type and shadow showing what it looks like for us as we tithe to Christ. That's who we tithe to. But guess what? The local church is the body of Christ.
So by tithing to the local church, we are tithing to Christ. It's just part of what it looks like. A tip is not a tithe. We don't tithe it because, well, they served me well, so I'm gonna I feel obligated to give back. As believers in the body of Christ, we take a step of faith.
And it's important because of this. Whatever is first in any area of your life is the center of that area of your life. And the Bible says "where your treasure is", your heart is. So Jesus talked about money a lot. Why?
Because he wanted your treasure to be with the kingdom of God. As simple as that. Where your treasure is your heart is. So he wanted the first of your treasure to be with the body of Christ. Why?
So that your it took your time and your talent to make that treasure. Right? So that your time, talent, and treasure would all be centered around his kingdom. It's as simple as that. It's a principle that he instituted before the law, but then wanted to teach his people the principles of his kingdom and so put it in the law.
But now it continues to carry over because we're not children under the law, but we're under the promise, the same promise he gave to Abraham. Amen? Amen. It's just a big deal. So it's a radical step of faith because it's not logical to the world, but we don't live by the principles of the world.
We live by the principles of the kingdom of heaven. Amen? So don't feel obligated if this isn't your local body. Don't feel obligated at all. Really, we don't walk out of obligation.
We respond in love. Those who love me obey my commands. But if this isn't your local body, don't tithe here. If you're just visiting and you have another local church, go there. That is your local storehouse.
And so the first 10% of your income into that local storehouse so that they can be blessed in every way to impact the community and the world. If that's the place where God's called you to help carry the mission and vision forward so that there can be an abundance there, but also it releases a blessing in your own life. And if this is your local body, pray about making that step of faith here so that the mission and vision can move forward. Because here's the here's the reality. We have me and Courtney are full time on staff.
We have, we're able right now to have about 3 part timers. And then we're able to do other things in the community to the extent that our body is ready. I'll never, here's something you gotta learn about your pastor. I'm not gonna ask you for money. Just not gonna do it.
Because I believe that the body of Christ, as we understand and grow in our faith to walk with Jesus, will be radically blessed just by obeying the principles that he's put in scripture. I just do. So sometimes there might be, hey, there's a need. Would you ask God if he wants to if you to sow over and above an offering, which an offering is over and above the tithe. It's a seed.
You sow a seed. God blesses what you sowed seed into and blesses you. But, man, we're not just gonna have a bunch of fundraisers and other things and constantly beg you for money. I'm just gonna teach you truth. And then here's my prayer, like, whatever it takes to develop the character necessary to carry the call in our church.
I know we're ready to hire someone else when our the character of our church is walking in the principles of tithes and offerings. I know we're ready to start this ministry when more and more of our church is growing in our understanding of faith and trusting him with the first of our our finances in that area. And don't worry, it all doesn't go into my pocket. If you come to establish, you'll understand exactly where it goes. But just so you know, we take 3035% as our target and 35% goes to personnel and salaries and that kind stuff.
And so as more and more people tithe, we're able to hire more people to serve your kids better, to serve the community better, to serve and have an outreach pastor in other areas. Guess what? Don't even set my own salary. Our elders set my salary. Period.
And not only that, our accounting and stuff goes through Start Church, which is an outside bookkeeper and Destiny Leadership Network, which is our relational network, looks at our finances and tells us where we're wrong and where we're right each year and helps to coach us. Just letting you know so that if if this is the place that God is calling you to move the mission and vision forward with your finances, well you deserve to know and trust that it's accountable and that every dime and penny is used to advance the kingdom of the gospel in a way that's healthy. Amen? So that's tithes and offerings are over and above. Like once you once he's the first of your finances, well then if he says, hey, want you to give to this or I want you to give to this.
In relationship, we say, yes, sir. Because we trust him Lord over every aspect of our life. Amen? Makes sense? So it's just real practical but it's a radical step of faith because it's just not logical to the world.
But we stepped out of the world and into the kingdom of light to trust him with every area of our life. That's just how we operate. So man, we'll stay here. We'll stay doing exactly what we're doing until God blesses us to be able to do more. And how's he gonna do it?
Well, can't he just bless us out of nowhere? Yes, he's God. But he chooses to partner with people and he invites them to participate in what he's doing by sowing into it. And so praise the Lord. Don't feel obligated.
Just ask the Lord, is this my own church? And do you want me to step in obedience in this area of my life? And in this if so, then take a radical step of faith. Amen? Alright.
Second, *communion*. So after worship service, part usually, this is the area where we do it. We do tithes and offerings, which we have the boxes there in the back, and then you can also give online, realchurch.us. Most people give online, whatever floats your boat. Communion.
We take *communion* just about every Sunday. I just see that line in scripture where it says as often as often as you meet together, do this in remembrance of me. It's another way of sharing the gospel. That's what it is. The communion, little piece of bread, cracker, juice, which bread and wine or, you know, whatever.
But this is also an act of covenant. By taking communion, you have the opportunity to "declare in your heart" that Jesus, I believe you died for me and I believe you rose again. And you are my Lord. And I'm doing this to remember that, and I'm also doing this to declare that what you did matters for me today. So as I take this bread, I recognize that your body was broken so that I could be made whole physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
And so your broken body matters for my wholeness today, so I declare it by faith as an act of faith. See, we're saved by grace through faith. It's his grace. Right? He speaks, faith comes by hearing to us.
But we have to believe it and take a step of obedience. This is a step, a physical step of obedience. Every spiritual belief you have, there is a physical act of obedience required. That's why we have baptism. That's why we take communion.
When God says that's why you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord when you believe it in your heart and you're saved. The physical act of obedience. Well, is a declaration of obedience that Jesus is my Lord. His broken body matters for my healing and my wholeness, spiritually, emotionally, physically today. Praise the Lord.
I'm declaring this new. And then when you take the juice, you're saying your blood that was shed for my sin. I believe that it has cleansed me and "washed me clean". That I'm forgiven and in right standing with you today. Thank you Lord Jesus.
I declare that. So as you as you look at yourself, examine yourself. We're examining ourselves for Christ. If if anything that's not Christ happens to pop up, the holy we allow the Holy Spirit to bring that to the surface. If that's the case, we just repent.
Well, that's not of Christ and Christ is in me and he's my Lord. So in the name of Jesus, I changed my mindset in that area. Praise the Lord. I'm moving forward to you and I'm clean. So as we take the juice, we're saying thank you that you're my Lord and you have washed me clean.
That's it. That's communion. And it's a declaration of that. Now, everybody, you are invited to participate now that you understand what it is. It's a covenant relationship we operate and take by faith.
But if Jesus is not your Lord, well there's no reason to take it because it's just bread and juice. Make sense? Now if Jesus is your Lord, we take it by faith declaring that it matters. It's not just a religious duty and religious activity. No, we're taking it by his grace through faith that I am healed in Jesus name.
I am whole. Even if I don't see it right now, I'm gonna stand in it. Right? Which is there's a lot of people that just take it as a religious duty, but not by faith. And they don't experience the fullness of what his death and resurrection meant for us, and so they die prematurely.
That's what it says in 1 Corinthians-11. So anyway, we're gonna operate in these 2 covenant acts together in worship, tithes and offerings and communion. Do not feel like you have to take this at all. If you're not if you're just here checking out this whole Jesus thing, what is all of this? I that's cool.
We're not gonna look at you weird if you don't take it. You know, there's "no pressure there". But if you would like to or you'd like it better explained, come talk to me. Jerry, would you stand up? Heidi, would you stand up?
These 2 would love to take communion with you and help you in this time. But for the next about 5 minutes, we're gonna do tithes and offerings and communion, and then we'll continue with our service. Amen? Lord Jesus, we thank you for your goodness. I pray that everybody that takes radical steps of faith, whether it be to declare you as Lord through the communion or to take a step of faith in tithes and offerings.
Lord, pray they see the results, the supernatural result of obedience. Lord God, and and for for those that maybe don't. Lord God, I pray you just continue to speak to them and show them "how much you love them" and how precious they are to you. In Jesus' name. Thank you for tuning in today to the Real Church podcast.
I pray that you walk away from today encouraged and with a deeper understanding of how much God loves you. If you'd like to connect with us, we can't wait to reach out to you and pray for you. You can go to www.realchurch.us/connect. And then also, if you would like to give to what God is doing in and through our ministry, you can do so at www.realchurch.us/giving, or you can text any amount to 84321 and then just search in the link that comes up search for Real Church Clearwater. God bless you and the best is yet to come.