Will You Rob God?
Honouring God With Faithful Giving and Wholehearted Trust
Sermon Summary
This sermon confronts the issue of spiritual theft and financial neglect in the life of a believer. Malachi 3 teaches that God's unchanging covenant mercy calls us back from spiritual apathy to faithful stewardship. By bringing our whole tithe and placing full trust in God, we transition from living under financial self-reliance to walking in His abundant provision and protection.
Introduction
In our daily lives, money often becomes the measuring rod of security, freedom, and control. We budget carefully, worry about inflation, and strive to protect our financial future. Yet, how often do we examine our wallets through the lens of our relationship with God? In the book of Malachi, God addresses a community of returned exiles who were tired, cynical, and withholding their resources from the house of the Lord. They wondered why their spiritual life felt dry and why their harvests were failing. God’s answer was direct and searching: they were withholding what belonged to Him. Through the prophet Malachi, God exposes the subtle ways we hold back from Him, but He also offers an amazing promise of restoration. Financial stewardship is never merely about money; it is a spiritual diagnostic of where our hearts truly rest.
Main Scripture
Malachi 3:6-12
“ For I, the LORD, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, ” says the LORD of Armies. “ But you say, ‘ How shall we return? ’ Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘ How have we robbed you? ’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, ” says the LORD of Armies, “ if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be enough room for. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field, ” says the LORD of Armies. “ All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, ” says the LORD of Armies.
Malachi 3:6-12 serves as the practical core of the entire prophetic message of Malachi. It links the unchanging character of God with the tangible obedience of His people. The passage establishes that God's mercy protects us from destruction, yet His righteousness demands honesty in our worship and stewardship. In these verses, God explicitly challenges His people to test His faithfulness by bringing the full tithe into the storehouse, proving that obedience opens the floodgates of divine blessing and protection.
Main Sermon Points
1. Return to the Unchanging God
“ For I, the LORD, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, ” says the LORD of Armies. “ But you say, ‘ How shall we return? ’
God grounds His appeal in His unchangeable nature. Israel was not consumed by judgment because God remains faithful to His covenant commitments even when His people wander.
Repentance begins not with human initiative but with God's steadfast mercy inviting us back into covenant alignment.
Examine areas of your life where subtle compromise has caused you to drift from God's commands. Turn back to Him with a willing and obedient heart today.
Quick Insights
- God's unchanging character is the anchor of our spiritual security.
- True repentance requires a deliberate turn back to God's commands.
- Divine mercy gives us the opportunity to restore broken covenant fellowship.
2. Stop Robbing God in Your Stewardship
Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘ How have we robbed you? ’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation.
God defines the withholding of required tithes and offerings as robbery. What belongs to the Lord must not be claimed for personal use.
The New Testament reinforces that giving should be done cheerfully and intentionally, acknowledging God's total ownership over our earthly possessions.
Withholding tithes is not simply a financial oversight; it is a posture of self-sovereignty that treats God's holy gifts as personal property.
Audit your personal finances and prioritize giving to God's work first rather than offering Him whatever remains after personal expenses.
Quick Insights
- Withholding what belongs to God is spiritual theft.
- Our financial habits reveal the true priority of our hearts.
- Stewardship is an act of worship before a holy God.
3. Test God Through Faithful Giving
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, ” says the LORD of Armies, “ if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be enough room for.
This is the unique passage in Scripture where God explicitly invites His people to test His provision through obedient giving.
Generosity requires stepping out in faith, trusting that God's heavenly resources far exceed earthly security.
Commit to systematic, proportional giving to your local church, trusting God to supply all your daily needs according to His riches.
Quick Insights
- Faithful giving opens our hearts to receive divine provision.
- God invites us to trust His promises through tangible obedience.
- The temple storehouse ensures the ongoing work and ministry of God's house.
4. Rest in God's Promised Blessing
I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field, ” says the LORD of Armies. “ All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, ” says the LORD of Armies.
God promises active covenant protection over the work of those who honour Him, turning their obedience into a visible witness to surrounding nations.
When believers practice faithful stewardship, God protects their labors and uses their lives as a compelling demonstration of His favor.
Trust God to safeguard your family, work, and ministry as you honor Him, testifying openly to His goodness in your community.
Quick Insights
- God actively protects the resources of those who honour Him.
- Covenant obedience produces fruitfulness that testifies to God's glory.
- Generous believers become a blessing and witness to surrounding communities.
Bottom Line
Robbing God through withheld stewardship starves our spiritual lives, but returning to Him with wholehearted, generous giving releases His faithful protection and overflowing provision.
Memorable Quote
When we hold back from God what belongs to Him, we do not save our resources; we sacrifice our blessings.
Theological Point
God’s immutability guarantees His covenant promises, while His lordship establishes absolute ownership over all creation, making human stewardship a fundamental obligation of covenant relationship.
Prayer Guide
- Pray for a heart of deep gratitude that gladly acknowledges God as the owner of all things.
- Ask God to forgive any spiritual negligence or stinginess in your stewardship and giving.
- Thank God for His unchanging covenant mercy that continuously calls us back into fellowship.
- Seek God's help to give faithfully, trust His provision, and honour Him with your entire life.
Responding to God’s Word
Responding to God’s Word: Will You Rob God?
The question presented by the prophet remains urgent today: Will you rob God? When we look at our lives, our time, and our financial resources, we must decide whether we will live as selfish owners or faithful stewards. God calls us to turn away from self-reliance and return to Him with open hands and willing hearts. In Jesus Christ, we see the supreme expression of divine generosity. Though He was rich, for our sakes He became poor, giving His very life as a ransom so that we might receive the rich blessings of salvation. When we give faithfully, we reflect the self-giving love of Christ to a watching world. Let us respond to God’s Word today with repentance, joyful stewardship, and steadfast faith, trusting that the God who opened heaven's windows in Christ will faithfully supply every need as we honor His holy name.
