Key points
- 1
1God calls His people back to Himself through Malachi, and ties that return directly to the tithe.
Pastor Linn sets the scene in Malachi 3: Israel had drifted to false gods chasing prosperity, and when they ask how to return to God, His answer surprises everyone — not more worship or singing, but bringing the tithes and offerings they had been withholding.
- 2
2God doesn't need the money — He needs what the money is attached to: your heart.
Pastor Linn explains that God isn't greedy for cash; He knows people can't give the tithe without their hearts following it. He turns to Jesus's words in Matthew 6 about treasure and heart, then tells the story of trading in his own engagement ring to buy Lisa hers, showing how giving up something precious proves love.
“God does not need their money”
“He needs what their money is attached to, and their money is attached to their hearts”
“Someone has said this, show me your bank statement, I'll show you what you actually care about”
A story from life
Story of getting engaged to Lisa and trading his own ring to buy her an engagement ring
- 3
3You cannot serve two masters — money or God will be first, never both.
Working further through Matthew 6, Pastor Linn shows that misunderstanding money darkens your whole perspective, and that whichever one you refuse to release becomes your functional god. He ties this back to Israel worshiping idols for wealth and asks the congregation directly what it means if their answer to God on money is no.
“You cannot withhold the tithe and not withhold your heart”
- 4
4The widow's two pennies show that giving proves both love and trust, not the amount given.
Pastor Linn retells the Mark account of the widow's offering, noting Jesus jumps up excited not because of the sum but because she gave everything, showing she loved God more than her next meal or rent and trusted Him to provide anyway.
Illustration
Retelling of the widow's offering at the temple treasury from Mark 12
- 5
5The tithe must be the first and the whole ten percent, not a leftover — because giving first requires faith.
Using Leviticus 27 and Proverbs 3:9, Pastor Linn argues the tithe already belongs to God, so keeping it is like spending money from someone else's stolen wallet. He illustrates with ten one-dollar bills, showing giving the first bill takes faith that God will make the remaining nine enough, while giving a leftover tenth takes no faith at all.
- 6
6Common excuses not to tithe don't hold up, and Jesus Himself affirms tithing as a New Testament expectation.
Pastor Linn answers three objections in turn: that tithing is only Old Testament (yet Jesus commands it in Matthew 23:23), that people will tithe once they have more money (statistics show generosity actually drops as wealth grows), and that people can't afford it (he reframes it as choosing whether to disappoint Visa or to disappoint God).
“It takes faith to give the first, it takes no faith to give God a leftover”
- 7
7God invites His people to test Him with the tithe and see Him pour out blessing.
Pastor Linn contrasts Jesus refusing to test God when tempted by Satan with God's unique invitation in Malachi 3:10 to test Him specifically in the tithe. He frames this as God saying He understands the fear involved but still wants people's trust proven through action, not just words.
“Who do you want to disappoint at the end of the month”
Application
Pastor Linn's challenge is simple: stop deciding with words and start deciding with actions. He asks each person to pray one question — what is God hoping I'll do today? — and then respond honestly on a card, whether that means committing to a ninety-day tithing challenge (with a promise that the church will refund every dollar if God doesn't prove faithful), becoming a first-time giver, becoming a consistent intentional giver working toward the tithe, tithing fully, or giving generously beyond the tithe. He's honest that this is hard and even scary, but reminds the congregation that Scripture shows giving first — not out of leftovers — is what actually requires and reveals trust in God. The point isn't the amount on the card; it's whether love for God is shown through action rather than only spoken with words.
