The Challenge of 10%
Sermon, November 13, 2011
Rev. Dr. Craig Strobel
Leviticus 27:30-34
Malachi 3:6-12
Leviticus 27:30-34
All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the Lord’s; they are holy to the Lord. If persons wish to redeem any of their tithes, they must add one-fifth to them. All tithes of herd and flock, every tenth one that passes under the shepherd’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord. Let no one inquire whether it is good or bad, or make substitution for it; if one makes substitution for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy and cannot be redeemed.
These are the commandments that the Lord gave to Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.
Malachi 3:6-12
For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. Ever since the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will count you happy, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Opening Joke
Left on a sinking ship were the captain and three sailors. The captain spoke first. "Men, this business about a captain going down with his ship is nonsense. There's a three-man life raft on board and I'm going to be on it. To see who will come with me, I am going to issue this challenge. I will ask you each one question. The one who can't answer will stay behind. Here's the first question: What unsinkable ship went down when it hit an iceberg?" The first sailor answered, "The Titanic, sir." "On to the next question: How many people perished?" The second sailor said, "One thousand five hundred and seventeen, sir." "Now for the third question," and the captain turned to sailor number three. "What were their names?"
(Steve Templeton in Woodmen of the World Magazine.)
What is life without a challenge?
Challenges help us to grow, keep us in shape, help us to heal. Doctors have found that a good way to combat the ill effects of osteoporosis is to exercise, especially weight training. When bones are challenged through lifting weights, they grow stronger, and put more mass on. The same is true of preserving muscle tone and mass. The only thing that maintains muscle is exertion – challenging the muscles to work. The same with our brains. That’s why crossword puzzles, Sudoku, Scrabble, chess and games such as that are good ways to keep our minds active and nimble. We need challenges to grow, to stay in shape and to heal.
Examples of challenges:
Walking Challenges through Virgin Health Miles – challenge to get us out walking even more than the basic 7000 steps per day. After church, the youth group is sponsoring a session of “Stump the pastor,” in which I am going to be asked questions about the Bible with the object being to find something that I can’t answer or explain. Talk about a challenge! But it’s good. Challenges move us out of our comfort zones. They force us not to become “life potatoes.” You know what a couch potato is, right? A life potato is someone who doesn’t try to grow or to learn new things or to change in any way. Challenges set the bar higher, and give us something to aspire to, something to achieve. Nobody is served by setting the bar lower.
It should be no surprise, then, that our spiritual lives need to be challenged as well in order to remain healthy. If we are to grow as servants and disciples of Jesus Christ, then we need to challenge ourselves to get up out of comfortable couches and get serious about following Jesus.
Next year: the year of the challenge
Continual since arriving in 2009, I have heard the comment expressed that “our church needs to grow.” Usually people are referring to numbers, as in “we need to grow in size.” But I would suggest to you that the first and most important way we need to grow is spiritually. My task as your pastor is not to do the work of ministry for you. Rather, I am trained and equipped to cultivate disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. That is basically my charge and mission according to the Discipline of the United Methodist Church. And to that end, I am calling this next year the Year of the Challenge. I am challenging us to grow as individuals and as a church. I am challenging us to get serious about what it means to follow Jesus Christ. As part of that challenge, I’m issuing today the Challenge of Stewardship, and as part of that, I want to tell you about the 10% Challenge.
Challenge of Stewardship
This last week we mailed out to all our membership a packet called “Returning the Blessings.” In that packet, we explained that there are many ways we can return our thanks to God for all the many blessings we receive each day. The greatest gift we can return to God is the gift of living as disciples of Jesus, and to do the things he did in service to the world.
In addition to this, as members and friends of First United Methodist Church of Pocatello we are committed to uphold its ministries through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. This year, you will be given the opportunity bless the world through our church in various ways through our ministry to church members and missions that reach out into our communities. Information is included in that packet about these needs, missions and ministries. By pledging, you personally empower these ministries and missions.
10% Challenge
The 10% Challenge is based on the basic Biblical principal of tithing, that is, setting aside 10% for God. The 10% Challenge is going to get serious about exploring how dedicating 10% of ourselves to God will deepen our walk with Jesus Christ, not only as individuals, but also as a church.
Biblical
10% is dedicated to the LORD:
Spiritual
Giving 10% of our time and/or money is a spiritual discipline
As a spiritual discipline, tithing challenges us to live according to biblical and spiritual principles and practices. It becomes an avenue to deepen our walk with Christ, to expand our devotion to God and to practice radical gratitude.
Discerning
The 10% Challenge is not for everyone. In fact, I am seeking only 10% of our membership to take the 10% Challenge. The 10% Challenge is for those who are willing to step out in faith and explore tithing their time and/or money for the cause of Christ. It is a spiritual discipline, which is why all who take the 10% Challenge will be a part of the support group. It requires prayer and discernment to take the challenge.
Who: 10% of our membership (40 persons)
What: Dedicate themselves to one of the following set of disciplines for Spiritual Renewal.
How long: Entire year 2012
Choose Your Challenge:
· Challenge A: Tithe 10% of your income; be part of a Soul Group
· Challenge B: Tithe 10% of your waking hours per week to Jesus (about 11 hours); Soul Group
· Challenge C: 10% of your income, 10% of your waking hours, Soul Group
· Challenge D: As you make out your will and plan your estate, make provision to leave at least 10% to the church; be part of a Soul Group.
· Challenge E: 10% of your income; 10% of your waking hours; 10% of your estate, Soul Group.
Issue the Challenge
Not everyone will be called of God to take the 10% Challenge. But the challenge I issue to all of you is to prayerfully and carefully and even darefully challenge yourself to do more for the cause of Christ this next year through this church. If you are comfortable with your faith, get uncomfortable, challenge yourself to do something you haven’t done before, or in a long time. Join a small group. Serve at the Community Breakfast. Help out with Feeding the 5000 Families, or support a Mission Project. Pledge more than you have in the past. Faithfully pray for our church and all of its missions and ministries. The Challenge of Stewardship is not just for 10%, it’s for all.
Conclusion
I want to close with a story from a book that Karen McCall dropped by for me, “A Taste of Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul:”
The fields were parched and brown from the lack of rain, and the crops lay wilting from thirst. People were anxious and irritable as they searched the sky for any sign of relief. Days turned into arid weeks. No rain came.
The ministers of the local churches called for an hour of prayer on the town square the following Saturday. They requested that everyone bring an object of faith for inspiration.
At high noon on the appointed Saturday the townspeople turned out en masse, filling the square with anxious faces and hopeful hearts. The ministers were touched to see the variety of objects clutched in prayerful hands – holy books, crosses, rosaries.
When the hour ended, as if on command, a soft rain began to fall. Cheers swept the crowd as they held their treasured objects high in gratitude and praise. From the middle of the crowd one faith symbol seemed to overshadow all the others: a small nine-year old child had brought an umbrella. (pp. 19-20)
There are people who have said, “No one will take the challenge. We don’t have the money for our ministries. We need to cut things. It’s tough economic times. You can’t ask people to do these things.” The packet you have received, the 10% Challenge I have laid before you – they are my umbrella.
I’m praying for rain.
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