Transfer of Trust (Edit)

Two meals frame the morning: the broken bread and poured cup that recall a Passover table where Jesus announced a greater deliverance, and a congregation invited to remember his death, resurrection, and promised return. Communion is held as both remembrance and forward-looking hope—an act that unites the church family around Christ’s sacrifice and the assurance that he will come again. The service then moves into Malachi 3, where the discussion narrows to the single rival that most easily displaces God from the human heart: money. Money is shown not merely as currency but as a ruler of affections and decisions, touching every corner of daily life and dreams.

Drawing from Israel’s failure to return tithes, the teaching reframes the tithe from a fiscal obligation into a spiritual litmus test: returning a tenth is less about God’s need and more about the believer’s willingness to transfer trust from self to God. When people withhold their tithe they do not erase God’s promises; they cut themselves off from the channel through which God has chosen to operate. That breach produces a kind of spiritual deficiency—“under a curse” not as punitive whim but as the natural consequence of stepping outside God’s ordained flow.

Malachi’s invitation becomes a present-day dare: “Try me.” God uniquely allows testing in this area, promising to open the windows of heaven—blessings that overflow, protection over crop and income, and a reputation of blessing among the nations. Trust is shown to be total, not partial; belief must become obedience. The illustration of skydiving and the phone-authorization metaphor clarify that knowledge of truth is not the same as entrusting one’s life or resources to it. Practical examples and testimonies underscore that faithful returning produces provision and peace, and the sermon closes with a direct appeal to step out in faith, surrendering finances as evidence of wholehearted trust so God can demonstrate his faithfulness and bring stability and witness to the world.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Tithing is a transfer of trust Giving the tithe is less an offering to God’s bank than a spiritual transfer—moving confidence from personal control to God’s sovereign care. This act reveals whether one will live under God’s provision or attempt to secure life independently. It tests whether obedience or autonomy shapes daily decisions. [44:33]
• 2. God invites testing in giving Malachi records a unique divine permission: God says, “Put me to the test.” That invitation flips the usual human posture—rather than hiding from risk, believers are encouraged to experiment with obedience to reveal God’s reliability. The test exposes whether faith is genuine and allows God to demonstrate covenantal faithfulness. [49:35]
• 3. Blessing includes protection and witness God’s promised blessing is comprehensive: not only material increase but safeguarding of resources and a visible testimony that draws others to praise. Blessing is not merely private abundance; it is public evidence that God provides and guards those who trust him. This fosters both security and mission. [55:29]
• 4. Trust must be total, not partial Partial faith yields partial results; genuine trust moves from assent to surrender. True trust requires acting on God’s word—stepping out where security feels risky—so that God’s promises can be activated in real life. Obedience externalizes belief and unleashes divine provision. [50:48]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [04:41] - Remembering the Last Supper
• [05:57] - Communion Invitation
• [13:17] - Communion Prayer and Partaking
• [16:57] - Resurrection and Christ’s Return
• [31:33] - Worship and Intercession
• [33:09] - Series Introduction: Malachi
• [33:46] - Money: The Heart’s Rival
• [38:07] - Reading Malachi 3:8–12
• [44:33] - The Tithe: Trust, Not Money
• [49:35] - God’s Challenge: “Try Me”
• [54:02] - Promises: Blessing and Protection
• [66:13] - Testimonies and Practical Examples
• [76:37] - Final Call: Surrender and Trust

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon summary and transcript:

Bible Reading

Malachi 3:8-12 (ESV)
8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine will not cast its fruit before it is ripe, in the field, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Observation questions

1. The sermon highlights that Jesus, during the Last Supper, spoke of a deliverance greater than Israel's physical escape from Egypt. What was this greater deliverance Jesus spoke of? [05:41]
2. The passage in Malachi 3:8 asks, "Will man rob God?" How does the text explain how the Israelites were robbing God? [38:07]
3. Malachi 3:10 contains a unique invitation from God: "Put me to the test." What does the sermon suggest this invitation reveals about God's character and our relationship with Him? [49:35]
4. The sermon mentions that Jesus taught about stewardship in nearly half of His parables. What does this emphasis from Jesus tell us about the importance of our finances in our walk with God? [36:45]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon frames tithing not as a financial obligation but as a "spiritual litmus test" and a "transfer of trust." [44:33] How does the act of returning a tenth of our income serve as a test of our trust in God, rather than a mere transaction?
2. The sermon explains the "curse" mentioned in Malachi 3:9 not as a punitive whim but as a "natural consequence of stepping outside God’s ordained flow." [46:59] How can withholding tithes and offerings disconnect us from God's intended blessings and provision?
3. The sermon emphasizes that God's promised blessing includes protection and a visible witness to others. [55:29] How does faithful giving and trust in God's provision lead to both personal security and a testimony that impacts the world around us?
4. The sermon uses the analogy of skydiving to illustrate that belief must become obedience, and knowledge of truth is not the same as entrusting one's life to it. [52:25] How does this analogy help us understand the difference between intellectual agreement with God's word and genuine, active trust?

Application questions

1. The sermon states that "Money is the only idol that can compete with God for the throne of the human heart." [35:00] In what specific areas of your life might money be competing for your ultimate trust and affection, and how can you intentionally shift that trust back to God?
2. The sermon challenges us to see tithing as a "transfer of trust" from personal control to God's sovereign care. [44:33] What is one practical step you can take this week to begin or deepen this transfer of trust in your financial decisions?
3. Malachi 3:10 invites us to "Put me to the test" in the area of giving. [49:35] What is one specific financial commitment you can make, trusting God's promise to open the windows of heaven, and how will you track or observe God's faithfulness in response?
4. The sermon highlights that God's promised blessing includes protection over our resources and income. [55:29] In what specific area of your finances do you feel a need for God's protection and provision, and how can you express your trust in Him for that area?
5. The sermon suggests that "Trust must be total, not partial." [50:48] Reflect on your current financial situation. Is there a specific area where your trust in God feels partial rather than total, and what does stepping out in faith look like for you in that area?
6. The sermon concludes with the idea that tithing is a way of saying, "God, you don't just have me on Sunday mornings. You have my life." [01:11:52] How can your financial faithfulness this week be an expression of surrendering your entire life to God's lordship?
7. The sermon mentions that "Honor comes, hear this, before overflow." [58:37] What does it mean for you to "honor the Lord" with your wealth, and what is one tangible way you can demonstrate that honor in the coming week?