Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Pastor Bret mentioned in last week's sermon on 1 Cor 16:1-4, we will take a couple of weeks to engage what Scripture states on giving from the Old and New Testament. This Sunday we will focus on the Old Testament. To succinctly cover ground, several passages are given below in relating to giving, please take the time to read through each one and ask God to give you understanding. 
• Read through these passages: Gen 14:17-20; 28:18-22; Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-29; Deuteronomy 12:5-19; 14:22-29; 26:12; Nehemiah 10:30; 12:44; 13:5, 12; Malachi 3:8, 10; Exod 25:1-2; 35:5, 21; 36:5-7; Deut 16:17; Prov 3:9-10; 11:24-25
• Highlight key terms of giving from each passage. 
• What is meant by tithing? What does it encompass (money only)?
• Who is the recipient of the giving?
• What is the purpose of the giving?
• How is the tithe used in the relation between God and man?
• How is the giving done in the Old Testament? Individually? Corporately?
• The Sermon Study equipping class notes are available online for anyone wanting to dig deeper. Please review this week's notes to help study this passage. Click here for the notes.

Prayerfully Meditate

• Read and reflect the Old Testament passages in light of 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 and note similarities and differences.
• Contemplate from the study how you have been taught and understand tithing and compare it to the biblical texts. Pray for God to illuminate our minds to understand His perspective on giving rightly.
• Based on the Old Testament texts how would you perceive the New Testament is different in its' approach to giving? How is it the same?
• How do you decide what you give to the church? What are your motivations? What are the motives found in the Old Testament?
• Do you base your giving on a tithing principle? Why or why not? How is your decision biblically supported?