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Amazing Facts

Doug Batchelor

Windows in Heaven

This presentation is brought to you by the Friends of the Amazing Facts Ministry.

While there is no lack of greed across the annals of human history, according to ancient records, Marcus Licinius Crassus, a Roman governor in the first century BC, may have been the greediest man who ever lived.

For example, after establishing a fire brigade in Rome, he would accompany the firefighters to the scene of a blaze and then offer to buy the burning property from the panicked owner at an insultingly low price.

If refused, his firemen would do nothing to help.

But if the sale was agreed upon, the fire was quickly extinguished and Crassus would rebuild and rent out the property.

Through this and other grasping schemes, Kras has built his fortune, equivalent to billions today.

Yet his greed appears to have contributed to his downfall.

1 legend has it that his enemies executed him by pouring molten gold down his throat in judgment for his notorious greed.

Although a common human tendency today, greed isn't part of God's ideal for his people.

Thankfully, he has a plan to cultivate in us generosity, the opposite of greed, while at the same time filling our lives to overflowing with His true blessings.

So join me now as we take a closer look at this life-changing topic.

Tonight's presentation, dealing with the windows in heaven, is going to be a little bit different.

Now it might surprise you but tonight we're going to talk about something called stewardship and you might think, Pastor Doug what does stewardship have to do with prophecy?

What chapter in Matthew does Jesus give signs of his coming?

If you've got your Bibles, like I've got a red letter Bible here, it's all 1 sermon.

Matthew 24 drifts right into Matthew 25, no interruption, no black letters, Jesus is continuing.

After he talks about his coming and who will be ready for his coming.

He tells a parable of the 10 virgins and the bridegroom is coming, some were asleep, and those who were sleeping that did not have the oil in their vessels, they couldn't go into the wedding feast.

Then he tells a parable of the 10 talents, and he says that all of his followers, his servants were given resources, and they were to properly use their resources and that they would be judged when he comes on how they utilize those resources.

Luke 16 verse 10, who then is a faithful, who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.

And he who is unjust in that which is least is unjust also in much.

Therefore, if you've not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, " meaning there's just the money of this world, "...who will commit you the true riches?" 1 of the most basic things a Christian should be faithful in is the resources and the influence for good that we have in our lives.

Another 1, Luke 14 27, whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

For which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it.

Lest after he's laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple." Jesus is very clear that following him is a 100% deal.

You find me a verse that says give me 50% of your heart.

Whoever doesn't forsake all that he has and take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

And when you're all in with the Lord, then he blesses you.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

So with this little background, I'm going to study the subject with you of Christian stewardship and you will appreciate as we go on I think that it does relate to the themes of being in heaven and being faithful in witnessing in these last days.

So question number 1 in our lesson, What portion of our income belongs to God?

But he asked us to remember it by dedicating a tenth to him and to his cause and to his service.

You don't want to touch that which is holy.

The Bible should be treated in a special way because it's the holy Bible.

That means there's a sacred relationship.

You don't interfere with that relationship.

And so when God says that a tenth of all of your increase is holy to God, that means he's saying you treat it sacred and separate and it is used to spread the message of Jesus around the world.

The Bible tells us the cattle on a thousand hills are his.

You can tell that when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, the Lord says there in Numbers 18.21, he says, I've given the children of Levi all of the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for their work.

Now, the children of Levi were the priests that went and they diffused among all 12 tribes.

They were to teach them and their families.

They were to administer the sacred rites.

The Levites were also the doctors in the country.

You notice there were a lot of sanitation laws and a lot of health laws that were given, and the Levites were the ones who were supposed to, and the priests were supposed to help administer these things.

In America, some of the early pastors were called the parson.

You know where the word parson comes from?

Small towns across early America, the parson, that was the person.

And it was usually a pastor in the community, and he would settle disputes.

They didn't have a sheriff and a marshal in every town.

He would officiate for weddings, for funerals, for baptisms.

If there was a dispute, they'd take it to him, and sometimes the elders.

But notice it says, for all of their work.

It wasn't 1 of these things where they, you know, got up and preached a sermon once a week.

And so God had designated that the tithe was to support them to make sure the ministry of the nation was taken care of.

It goes on to say the tithes of the children of Israel I've given to the Levites as an inheritance.

Now they were an agricultural community and so when it talks about tithe it wasn't usually paid in money it was paid in might be grain or oil or you know the fruits of the field so to speak.

Do you not know, and this is Paul speaking in the New Testament, 1st Corinthians 9 verse 13 and 14, do you not know that they which minister about the holy things live of the things of the temple?

And they that wait at the altar are partakers with the altar.

Sometimes people would bring a sacrifice to the altar and a portion of it was burnt, but a portion would go to the Levites in their family to help feed their family.

Someone might bring a grain offering, and some of that would go to the Levites to help feed their families as they did the ministry of the Lord throughout the land of Israel.

This plan has never really been altered except that it's no longer the Levites.

It's just anybody who is called into a sacred ministry.

Even so, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

And when people hear a message like this, you know, sometimes you talk about, you talk about theology, folks, they're fine.

You know, you talk about people's money and they get real quiet.

It's like this man gave his daughter 2 silver dollars and he said, now 1 of these is for the Lord, you make sure and give it to church and 1 you can do whatever you want with it.

So she was real excited about that, she was skipping over to the store to get some candy, she dropped both of the silver dollars and 1 of them rolled off into the gutter down the drain, and she said, Lord there goes your dollar.

Even so, those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

Is the tithing system part of Moses' old law that ended at the cross?

Some people say, oh, that's part of the old covenant law.

Then Jacob made a vow saying, of all that you give me, I will surely give a tenth to you.

Where do you find the 10 Commandments in the Bible?

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