Give Your Best

Old outdated, broken down computers. Sometimes these are what is given. Sometimes people try to drag out the use of items that are way past their useful life for what you need. Don't be stingy.

We have worshiped in huge cathedral type church buildings that are all stone and ornate and beautiful stained glass and immaculate. We've worshiped in an open air pavilion with just a tin roof, sand floor.

In April, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned. Beautiful and old. Fundraising brought in over 1 billion Euros for reconstruction work. At the same time, there were protests against people funding such a work when there is so much need in the world. How do we justify this? Is that giving our best for God? For what then?

Would Jesus put the effort into rebuilding a church building or to feeding the poor?

Today we’re talking about Giving our best to God.

Finishing our theme from the past few series - Sold Out (All In) denying self, taking up cross, following Jesus

also The Greatest - Love is the greatest way

Points

Love and Obey - Hear O Israel Jehovah God is one and only - Love God with ALL

A few Biblical examples of not giving their best:

Just the Leftovers

Examples through characters

Examples of leftovers or not All In giving –

Cain vs Abel; Genesis

Rich young man;

Judas Iscariot;

Ananias and Sapphira;

Israel in Malachi is like Ananias and Sapphira

What God says about that attitude:

Malachi 1:1–2 CSB

Malachi 1:1–3 CSB

1 A pronouncement: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. Yet you ask, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” This is the Lord’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, 3 but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

I have loved you. I chose you. yet you turn from me.

:1-2

Malachi 1:6–10 CSB

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of me? says the Lord of Armies to you priests, who despise my name.” Yet you ask: “How have we despised your name?” 7 “By presenting defiled food on my altar.” “How have we defiled you?” you ask. When you say: “The Lord’s table is contemptible.” 8 “When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Armies. 9 “And now plead for God’s favor. Will he be gracious to us? Since this has come from your hands, will he show any of you favor?” asks the Lord of Armies. 10 “I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle a useless fire on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Armies, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

Priests - not giving the best in sacrifice, but giving the junk. the animals no one wants.

The people - end of chapter 2 beginning of chapter 3 - wearying God by accepting all sorts of ungodliness. God’s promise to send John the baptizer and Jesus.

Malachi 1:1-3

Malachi 1:6-10

v6 I have not changed - you have not changed or been destroyed = you are still My children. BUT...

Malachi 3:7–10 CSB

7 “Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies. Yet you ask, “How can we return?” 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. 9 You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. 10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

Malachi 3:7-10

You are like your ancestors - not following My commands

Return = repent. they are basically asking why do they need to repent.

God’s example of not following commands - command to give tithe and offering. He promises to bless if they will only be faithful.

What does it say to God when we do not give God our best?

What does it say to others observing when we do not give God our best?

What does it look like to give our best?

Giving Our Best

David -

2 Samuel 24:24 CSB

24 The king answered Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for twenty ounces of silver.

How do we know what will bring God glory or please Him?

Ephesians 5:10 NLT

10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

Ephesians 5:8–10 CSB

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light—9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord.

, Discover what pleases God.

How do we know what will bring God glory or please Him?

Discover what pleases God.

Discover what pleases God. study to find out what Jesus emphasized, especially through the Sermon on the Mount and His parables.

Examples of generosity. (give a little background context to each one but not whole story)

Examples of generosity in giving. (give a little background context to each one but not whole story)

Examples of All In giving – giving our best is not always about giving money, but sometimes it is.

widow gave all she had; not just one tenth/tithe - all she has is His.

Good Samaritan; – Love God, Love your neighbor. Who is my neighbor? You are the neighbor

Parable of sheep and goats. if you’ve done it for the least of these you’ve done it for Me.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 CSB

19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

Jesus, of course and God the Father;

woman with alabaster jar;

Jesus, of course and God the Father;

Give God our Best in:

Deuteronomy 6:5 CSB

5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Love – Love – ALL heart/soul/strength

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 CSB

19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

bought with a price, not our own.

Stewardship - Time, Talent, Treasure

-24Work - work as to the Lord. Also

Colossians 3:23–24 CSB

23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.

Work - work as to the Lord.

Galatians 5:13 CSB

13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

Serving –

Money, but other things as well

Acts 2:44–45 CSB

44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.

All things in common.

All things in common. Not necessarily command to get rid of it all, but maybe. At least hold it with a loose grip.

2 Corinthians 9:6–7 CSB

6 The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

sow sparingly, reap sparingly. Bountifully. God loves a cheerful giver.

In general, good stewardship means making use of what you have, not being extravagant, but also giving our best.

Conclusion

Sometimes, giving best means stopping what isn't best or isn't effective or having impact

Set aside those things that get in the way or hinder doing what's best. lay aside the sin and things that weigh us down and run with endurance, focus on Jesus who suffered and died for us.

Then we can focus our efforts on what pleases God our Father and brings Him glory.

Big Idea: We love God by giving Him our best.

Last week we said our love for God drives our obedience to Him. We obey because we love Him.

Our giving shows our complete devotion to God.

What About You?

Are you just giving God leftovers? An incomplete set? Offerings that cost nothing?

Offerings that cost nothing?

Or are you giving God your first and your best?

Are you performing at work recognizing you work for Jesus?

Do you serve with a heart devoted to God and giving your all?

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