Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year…you and your household shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns…At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites…and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands" (Deuteronomy 14:23ff).

We are far removed from the agricultural society of ancient Israel in which folks brought the produce of their farms to the tabernacle and the temple. This text has been used to promote the notion that Christians should give a ten percent tithe to the church. But that is likely a misuse since, in 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 and 1 Timothy 6, the New Testament offers different principles for giving.

What we ought to consider in this text is the nature of the worship God invites Israel into. For lack of better language, God wants his people to hold a party in his honour. We might compare it to a family thanksgiving dinner to which all relatives are invited. Let's not gloss over that provision is made for the temple workers and a host of others who don't have their own resources. It's a grand, lavish, generous party.

Celebration is not a spiritual discipline many of us are familiar with. Our culture is dominated by self-serious productivity and efficiency. Christianity often follows this ethos. Certainly, there is value in productivity and in efficiency. But take a moment to imagine how Israel received this news. They had been slaves for generations. They had never had excess. They had never had resources or time to party. But now, God invites them into a new reality—a reality in which he would provide for them.

This provision would be lavish—flowing with milk and honey—lavish enough that they would have time and resources to throw a rather large celebration, rejoicing in the life-giving economy of their God. Later, he will say, "Be joyful at your festival...For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete" (16:14–15).

Consider the emotional benefits of this worship practice. As they worked, his people knew that God wanted them to enjoy the goodness of their Lord and to taste the flavour of good work well done. It reminded them that they should delight in their work. So different from Egypt. God delights in work that is both free and festive. Imagine the anticipation of these freed slaves as they consider having enough produce to share lavishly with others.

As you begin a new week, take delight in your activity, whether its income earning work or not. The resources God gives you are to be enjoyed and shared. 2 Corinthians 9, which is all about generous giving, ends with this verse, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (15). This reminds Christians that our joy and thanksgiving is rooted in the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. Our God is generous in spiritual and material gifts.

So, let's not be dour Christians. Let us rejoice.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Psalm 2. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

Dive In!

1. Why do people take selfies? Have you heard the expression, "My truth?" What do you think it means? Why do people use it?
2. Psalm 1 & 2 both use the Hebrew word for meditation. What does meditation mean? What two very different things are being meditated on in these Psalms?
3. The nations are gathering against God's anointed. What New Testament event illustrates this? (see Acts 4 à this psalm is quoted in verse 25-26).
4. Why did Pastor Michael mention the commandment to "obey our parents"? Do you agree with him?
5. God responds to the conspiracy of the nations in two ways. What are they?
6. What should we do to nurture our faith in God's rule?
7. What is verse 7 about?
8. What must the church do while we wait for Christ's rule to be complete?
9. Pastor Michael suggested four ways in which we might respond to this psalm. What were they? Can you think of others?

Then [Jesus] said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot" (Luke 12:15).

John Calvin wrote, "The human heart is a perpetual idol factory". Long before that, humans recognized that we have a built in need to worship something or someone. The 10 commandments are arranged around this need.

The first three commandments challenge us to worship God well. That is no easy feat, for even our worship of God can become a matter of idolatry. When churches divide over the songs sung in worship, the instruments used to accompany singing, the colour of the carpet in the narthex—these divisions are often matters of idolatry, summed up in the simple phrase, "I want."

The last six commandments direct us in loving our neighbour well. What keeps us from loving our neighbour well? Isn't it idolatry again? When money or sex or personal protection or pleasure become more important than our neighbour, we steal and lie and commit adultery and covet. "I want" becomes more important than either God or neighbour.

This is what Jesus is addressing in his simple statement in our text, "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed". The greedy man in Jesus' parable is a huge success in his own eyes; but contrary to his own estimate, he is destined for death in his self-deceiving foolishness. Shortly, Jesus will tell his disciples, "Do not be anxious" (22). Do not worry about goods. The implication is that a lifestyle of gathering and than hoarding possessions leaves us anxious because we simply do not have enough; we always need more. We worship what we want.

A non gathering, non anxious lifestyle is rooted in confidence that God provides what is needed as we redeploy our energy towards striving for his kingdom (31). Jesus invites us into a different, an alternative lifestyle from the Jones' around us.

Jesus recognizes that we do not get out of bed one morning and think to ourselves, "Today, I will be greedy." Greed has a way of entering stealthily through the backroom window when we are not paying attention. We go about our daily routines, buying and selling, discipling our children, volunteering at schools, churches and mission agencies. As we go about doing all these good activities, we notice things we would like to possess. And desire grows.

The antidote to greed lies right smack in between these two parts of the 10 commandments. It is that strange one about Sabbath. God invites us into a regular rhythm in which we cease from accumulating. It's a time to give our heads a shake, to clear the fog, so that we can see the idols that have crept in through that back window. These idols are drawing our energy away from loving God and neighbour.

Jesus said, "Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." So, what defines your life?

As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation into this rest:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).