Wk 8 // March 1 & 2
Wk 8 // HOW TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE
March 1 & 2, 2025
Small Group Study
SERMON RECAP
Spend a few minutes recapping this week's sermon together.
Tap here to view the sermon notes.
INTRODUCTION
Recent data shows that tithing among American Christians is lower today than it was during the Great Depression. It seems more common among Americans for us to take all we can get rather than give all we can give. Giving money to God is becoming an increasingly unfamiliar practice. While some Christians give regularly, joyfully, and even sacrificially to the Lord and His work, the majority of Christians have yet to embrace this practice. Some have so mismanaged their financial affairs that they are convinced they cannot afford to give. Believers who have found freedom from finances through generosity is an unfortunate decreasing minority.
STUDY [tap on scripture to read]
HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ Malachi 3:6-7
If we feel distant from God, it wasn’t God who moved. He remains true to His word, and He promises never to abandon His people (Deut. 31:6,8). Earlier in Malachi, God declared He still loved Israel (1:2), and in this passage He noted that He hadn’t changed (v. 6).
God gave the people of Israel countless chances throughout the Old Testament. They had a history of turning from Him and His statutes, and Malachi’s generation was no exception. God’s love for His people kept Him from destroying the nation, even though they continued to turn their backs on Him. Yes, He disciplined them, but even that was rooted in His love. Sadly, the people didn’t always see it that way, and they often rebelled against His discipline, too.
HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ Malachi 3:8-12
One of the premier evidences that the people of Israel’s hearts were not right before God is found in verse 8 where God says of Israel, “You are robbing me.” The “payments of the tenth” mentioned in verse 8 represent tithing, the biblical standard for giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. The act of tithing pre-dated the Christian church and was practiced as early as the Book of Genesis (see Gen. 14:18-20; 28:22), and it remains part of church practice today.
Times were tough. That may have been the excuse the people offered for their failure to give faithfully, but neither it nor any other excuse was acceptable to God. In fact, their failure to live by God’s statutes was the very reason they were struggling with difficult times. They were “suffering under a curse” because they—“the whole nation”—were robbing God (v. 9).
Their unfaithfulness in giving revealed weaknesses in their lives. They were greedy, they didn’t trust God to provide, they denied the truth that all things belong to Him, and they failed to obey His commands. Not tithing was a symptom of something greater: spiritual apathy. Had their hearts been right with God, they would have given gladly and generously.
The people had tried God’s patience with their complaints. He invited them to test His faithfulness and generosity with their obedience and trust (v. 10). As a reward for their devotion, God promised prosperity, protection, and provision. In the Old Testament, God’s blessing was often described in material terms—land and possessions—and the blessing was usually for the nation, not an individual. But Jesus brought new meaning to the law and the concept of blessing. Those who live for Jesus aren’t living for the things of this world but the things of heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).
APPLICATION
PRAYER
Thank God for the privilege of worshiping Him through giving. Thank God for His promise to bless us when we are joyfully generous with others. Pray that our tithing would produce generosity in our hearts toward our brothers and sisters in Christ and toward the lost in our community.
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY
[for further reading on this passage]
MALACHI 3:6-12
3:6. The Lord spoke through His prophet to tell the Israelites that they deserved total destruction. The word translated perished has the root meaning of end. Why had the end not come for them? Not because the Israelites had done anything to deserve God’s mercy. On the contrary, they deserved to be destroyed for their failure to love and follow the Lord. They had been spared because they were the descendants of Jacob, and God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to bless all nations through their descendants.
3:7. The Lord consistently had been faithful to the people through whom He had chosen to send His Messiah into the world. Nevertheless they habitually had turned away from His statutes (laws) generation after generation—since the days of your fathers. God entreated the people to return to Him. If they would repent of their stubborn rebellion, He promised to return to them. The unchanging God of their fathers had not changed in His love for His people. They had turned away from Him. He invited them to come back to the receptive arms of the One who loved them and would forgive them.
3:8. The Lord pointed to a particular way the people should return to Him. They needed to stop robbing Him. “In what way do we rob You?” Indeed, how can a human being rob God? Beware of taking lightly the Lord’s answer. He declared the Israelites were robbing Him in the tenth.
3:9. Withholding tithes and offerings was not isolated to a few individuals but was characteristic of the whole nation. The people as a whole were suffering under a curse. In their case, those effects evidently were drought, crop failures, and famine (3:10-11) as God’s disciplinary punishment for their sins. The Lord did not command tithing to harm or hinder His people. He loves us and always wants the best for us.
3:10. The Lord instructed the people what to give, where to give, and why they should give. They were not merely to bring a nominal offering but to bring the whole tenth. Tithing is the biblical standard for believers’ giving. While believers may fall short of biblical standards, the biblical standards remain.
3:11. The Lord not only would ensure the growth of crops but also the harvest—I will rebuke the devourer for you, pests that would consume the crops before the harvest. In addition, the vine in the field will not be barren. No blight would ruin the harvest. The curse under which the people were living would be lifted and they would experience anew the blessings of God.
3:12. As God abundantly would meet the needs of the faithful Israelites, they would gain a reputation among all the nations as being fortunate. No longer would they be seen as a weak and pitiful remnant who had returned to huddle in their ruined and ravaged homeland. The entire world would see their nation as a delightful land. God’s promised blessings were not only for His people’s sake but also for the sake of other nations. He wants all peoples to know Him as the true Lord God Almighty.
March 1 & 2, 2025
Small Group Study
SERMON RECAP
Spend a few minutes recapping this week's sermon together.
Tap here to view the sermon notes.
- What was one takeaway from this week's sermon for you?
- Were there any stories, ideas, or points that stuck out?
- Was there anything that challenged you?
INTRODUCTION
- If you unexpectedly received $50,000 tonight, what do you think you would do with the money? How much do you think you would save? Spend? Would you give any away? Why or why not?
Recent data shows that tithing among American Christians is lower today than it was during the Great Depression. It seems more common among Americans for us to take all we can get rather than give all we can give. Giving money to God is becoming an increasingly unfamiliar practice. While some Christians give regularly, joyfully, and even sacrificially to the Lord and His work, the majority of Christians have yet to embrace this practice. Some have so mismanaged their financial affairs that they are convinced they cannot afford to give. Believers who have found freedom from finances through generosity is an unfortunate decreasing minority.
STUDY [tap on scripture to read]
HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ Malachi 3:6-7
- What does God reveal about Himself in these verses?
- How have you experienced the stability and comfort that come from God’s unchanging nature?
If we feel distant from God, it wasn’t God who moved. He remains true to His word, and He promises never to abandon His people (Deut. 31:6,8). Earlier in Malachi, God declared He still loved Israel (1:2), and in this passage He noted that He hadn’t changed (v. 6).
- What was the issue God pointed out to the Israelites about their behavior?
God gave the people of Israel countless chances throughout the Old Testament. They had a history of turning from Him and His statutes, and Malachi’s generation was no exception. God’s love for His people kept Him from destroying the nation, even though they continued to turn their backs on Him. Yes, He disciplined them, but even that was rooted in His love. Sadly, the people didn’t always see it that way, and they often rebelled against His discipline, too.
- What did God require of the Israelites as a result of their rebellion before He would return to them with forgiveness? How does this apply to us today?
HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ Malachi 3:8-12
One of the premier evidences that the people of Israel’s hearts were not right before God is found in verse 8 where God says of Israel, “You are robbing me.” The “payments of the tenth” mentioned in verse 8 represent tithing, the biblical standard for giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. The act of tithing pre-dated the Christian church and was practiced as early as the Book of Genesis (see Gen. 14:18-20; 28:22), and it remains part of church practice today.
- What can Christians expect as a result of giving the whole tithe to the church today?
- Read Leviticus 7:11-21 as an example of “the contributions.” What was one of their purposes? How did withholding such contributions rob God?
Times were tough. That may have been the excuse the people offered for their failure to give faithfully, but neither it nor any other excuse was acceptable to God. In fact, their failure to live by God’s statutes was the very reason they were struggling with difficult times. They were “suffering under a curse” because they—“the whole nation”—were robbing God (v. 9).
- The people’s failure to tithe wasn’t the only reason God withheld His blessing. What was the greater problem?
- What can a lack of faithfulness in giving reveal about our relationship with God?
Their unfaithfulness in giving revealed weaknesses in their lives. They were greedy, they didn’t trust God to provide, they denied the truth that all things belong to Him, and they failed to obey His commands. Not tithing was a symptom of something greater: spiritual apathy. Had their hearts been right with God, they would have given gladly and generously.
- How should the awareness that everything we have belongs to God affect the way we give to Him and are generous with others? What did God promise the people if they restored their devotion to Him?
The people had tried God’s patience with their complaints. He invited them to test His faithfulness and generosity with their obedience and trust (v. 10). As a reward for their devotion, God promised prosperity, protection, and provision. In the Old Testament, God’s blessing was often described in material terms—land and possessions—and the blessing was usually for the nation, not an individual. But Jesus brought new meaning to the law and the concept of blessing. Those who live for Jesus aren’t living for the things of this world but the things of heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).
APPLICATION
- How might tithing be an important first step toward being more generous with what God has given you?
- Of the three types of giving (tithes, offerings, service), which do you think is most difficult for you? Which might be easiest? Why?
- What attitudes or circumstances prevent you from living generously?
- What can you do about them? How do God’s promises in Malachi counter any fear or apprehension you might have about tithing?
PRAYER
Thank God for the privilege of worshiping Him through giving. Thank God for His promise to bless us when we are joyfully generous with others. Pray that our tithing would produce generosity in our hearts toward our brothers and sisters in Christ and toward the lost in our community.
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY
[for further reading on this passage]
MALACHI 3:6-12
3:6. The Lord spoke through His prophet to tell the Israelites that they deserved total destruction. The word translated perished has the root meaning of end. Why had the end not come for them? Not because the Israelites had done anything to deserve God’s mercy. On the contrary, they deserved to be destroyed for their failure to love and follow the Lord. They had been spared because they were the descendants of Jacob, and God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to bless all nations through their descendants.
3:7. The Lord consistently had been faithful to the people through whom He had chosen to send His Messiah into the world. Nevertheless they habitually had turned away from His statutes (laws) generation after generation—since the days of your fathers. God entreated the people to return to Him. If they would repent of their stubborn rebellion, He promised to return to them. The unchanging God of their fathers had not changed in His love for His people. They had turned away from Him. He invited them to come back to the receptive arms of the One who loved them and would forgive them.
3:8. The Lord pointed to a particular way the people should return to Him. They needed to stop robbing Him. “In what way do we rob You?” Indeed, how can a human being rob God? Beware of taking lightly the Lord’s answer. He declared the Israelites were robbing Him in the tenth.
3:9. Withholding tithes and offerings was not isolated to a few individuals but was characteristic of the whole nation. The people as a whole were suffering under a curse. In their case, those effects evidently were drought, crop failures, and famine (3:10-11) as God’s disciplinary punishment for their sins. The Lord did not command tithing to harm or hinder His people. He loves us and always wants the best for us.
3:10. The Lord instructed the people what to give, where to give, and why they should give. They were not merely to bring a nominal offering but to bring the whole tenth. Tithing is the biblical standard for believers’ giving. While believers may fall short of biblical standards, the biblical standards remain.
3:11. The Lord not only would ensure the growth of crops but also the harvest—I will rebuke the devourer for you, pests that would consume the crops before the harvest. In addition, the vine in the field will not be barren. No blight would ruin the harvest. The curse under which the people were living would be lifted and they would experience anew the blessings of God.
3:12. As God abundantly would meet the needs of the faithful Israelites, they would gain a reputation among all the nations as being fortunate. No longer would they be seen as a weak and pitiful remnant who had returned to huddle in their ruined and ravaged homeland. The entire world would see their nation as a delightful land. God’s promised blessings were not only for His people’s sake but also for the sake of other nations. He wants all peoples to know Him as the true Lord God Almighty.