Festival of Sharing

Date: 1/1/23

Sermon Title: Festival of Sharing

Context: Deuteronomy 14:26

(Deuteronomy 14:26) "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

Preaching Note  

1. Potluck

Potluck is a sharing food in America. Each people bring their own food for sharing. There is no clear the origin of potluck, but according to the period of Medieval Age, potluck was inviting people who are not invited at the festival. From them, potluck was the invitation for the festival of sharing. Sharing is the representative practical love in Christianity. In the view of Christianity, what is the meaning of sharing?

Q.1 What was your best memory about potluck?

2. Tithe

To find the meaning of sharing, there is a tithe, which is written in the Bible. According to the Bible, there are two laws about tithe. The first one is the priest law, and the second one is the Deuteronomy law. The priest law is described at the Leviticus. 'Thus, all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy to the LORD (Leviticus 27:30). 'If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it (Verse 31). 'For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD (Verse 32). Tithe which is mentioned at Leviticus seems like a tax. Following the rule, people should submit ten percent of their income.

            In the case of the Deuteronomy law, there is a purpose of tithe. "You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year (Deuteronomy 14:22). "You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always (Verse 23). "If the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you (Verse 24), then you shall exchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses (Verse 25). "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household (Verse 26). "Also, you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you (Verse 27). "At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year and shall deposit it in your town (Verse 28). "The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do (Verse 29). According to the law of Deuteronomy, once every three years, tithe was to be used for the family and to invite Levites, foreigners, strangers, and orphans without inheritance. Like potlucks in the Middle Ages, tithe recorded in the Bible is a feast of sharing that invites the poor.

Q.2 Have you ever invited someone?

3. Feast of Sharing

According to Matthew 23:23, tithe is important. However, writer also emphasizes that the practice of justice, mercy, and love contained in it is more important. The purpose of the tithe is to use it for the poor along with the fear of God. Through a heart that fears and awes God, people will find only as much money as they need and will not be greedy for more. In Luke 19, when Zacchaeus, who was rich, said he would use half of his wealth for the poor, Jesus said that salvation had come to him. When we are freed from greed for money and share our possessions to the poor, tithe becomes a law to enforce God's love. It is meaningless to simply offer 10 percent of your income. The law of tithe is completed when you share not only your property but also your time and heart to the other person with love.

Q.3 Who does you want to pay your tithe for?