Honesty With God – Teaching Plan
Key Thought: Returning a faithful tithe dates to the time of the patriarchs and endorsed by Jesus Himself. Paying a tithe offers us the privilege of living in partnership with God.
1. Have a volunteer read Genesis 22:10-12.
a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. What does this tell us of the reality of Abraham’s faith?
c. Personal Application : How can we discern between faith and presumption in circumstances in our own lives? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “If God told me to kill someone, I would. A German minister thought it was right to try an assassinate Hitler because the lesser evil would be for the greater good.” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read Luke 11:42.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. How does Jesus show the importance of the tithing principle in even the smallest matters?
c. Personal Application : In what ways have you discovered the blessings that come from paying tithe? How has it helped increase your faith? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “If I get a bonus at work, or money for my birthday, or an odd job or something: am I supposed to pay tithe on that as well as my regular paycheck? What about gifts people might give me?” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read Hebrews 7:2-10.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What does this reveal about the deeper understanding and application of tithing?
c. Personal Application: How can we keep in mind the realization that our tithe is really holy? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “Do the pastors pay tithe on the money they receive from the Conference members’ tithe? What if the Conference receives more tithe than it pays out to its ministers? What happens to the excess tithe?” How would you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read Luke 16:10.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How does this ideal apply to not only tithing, but also in honesty in small matters, and the idea of little sins and grave sins?
c. Personal Application: Why is it important to teach children the idea of tithing on their little income? How would you do it? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
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