The Generosity of Gods People

Malachi brings us to one of the most familiar—and most misused—passages in the Old Testament about money. But the point isn’t “seed faith” or televangelist manipulation. God’s message is far deeper: this isn’t about the church needing your money—it’s about whether your heart is returning to the Lord.

God begins with a staggering truth: “I the LORD do not change; therefore you are not consumed.” The only reason God’s people still stand is not their faithfulness, but His. Yet the problem is clear: they have drifted from God for generations, and drift always feels normal to the drifter. So God issues the invitation of grace: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

Then comes the shock: their drift has become visible in one place—their giving. God calls their withheld tithes and offerings what it really is: robbery. Not because God is broke, but because money reveals trust, worship, and lordship. And in rare biblical language, God actually invites them to prove His faithfulness through obedient generosity: “Test Me.” He promises provision for needs—not prosperity gimmicks—and a restored witness: “Then all nations will call you blessed.”

This sermon calls us to return to God with open hands, renewed trust, and a clearer vision: God’s goal isn’t getting money from you—it’s forming worshipers and creating a people whose generosity testifies to the world that the Lord is faithful.