YEA Lesson Library
Money to Spend
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches God’s command to give a tithe to God and to use a tithe to celebrate the feast.
Scriptures
Deuteronomy 12:6-9
Deuteronomy 12:11-21
Deuteronomy 14:22-27
Psalm 50:10
Proverbs 3:9
Malachi 3:6-12
Malachi 3:10
Words to Know
TITHE - a tenth of a person's increase
The Lesson
It's September and school has started. Soon you'll be visiting with your teachers about taking off for eight days to go to the Feast of Tabernacles. What happens when Feast time rolls around and you simply don't have enough money to go? Have you ever looked in every drawer, pocket, and purse to find even pennies, nickels, and dimes so you could put together enough money to make it to the Feast? You know that God commands you to get up and go. Now you've got permission to get out of school for religious reasons. After all of this, you may be having trouble putting together enough money to make the trip and stay for eight days. Now it's becoming obvious that there will be no money to have a really good time. Was this what God intended?
Does God expect you to go to the Feast on a shoestring budget? Does He intend that you break the bank to go? Or does God intend that you have plenty of Money to Spend while you're at the Feast? fI so, how do you get it?
The children of Israel were crossing over the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. Remember, they had now walked 40 long years to get to their destination. God knew His people would need some instructions about keeping the Feast of Tabernacles. So He told them they were to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in the place where God chose. There they were to rejoice with their sons, daughters, servants, and the Levites, who had no inheritance.
Then it says in Deuteronomy 14:22-23, “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you learn to revere the LORD your God always.”
If you'll notice in verse 23 the Israelites were to take their grain, wine, oil, and the firstborn of their herds or flock for them to eat at the place where God chose. So what about us today? What if you live in Washington, California, or Arkansas and the Feast is held in Florida? Are you to rent a truck, load up all your cattle, grain, wine, and oil and transport them to Florida? After you get there you would have to slaughter them to eat. God knew that this could be a problem, so He gave us the answer.
Notice verses 24-25. "But if the place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose." In other words, if you're a farmer, you can sell your produce and cattle and take the money with you to the Feast. But you're probably not a farmer. So if you do work, then all year long you save one tenth of your increase (your earnings) as a festival tithe. Then what do you do with it? This is a separate tithe from what you give to God. Verse 26 answers those questions. "Use the silver to buy whatever you like..." Now that sounds like fun.
Just think if you have ten percent of everything you or your parents earn each year to get you to and from the Feast of Tabernacles and take care of all of your needs there, you'll have a lot of Money to Spend. Let's say that you have a part-time job for eight months out of the year, working 10 hours each week, that pays you $10.00 per hour. And you earn the same amount per hour three months during the summer working 40 hours each week. Do you realize that you would earn $8000? A tithe of that would be $800. Now you can do a lot at the Feast with $800 and you'd never have to ask Dad for money. You can enjoy the rides at the track, have pizza several times, and really have fun, especially if your parents are taking care of your travel expenses, condo where you stay, and most of your meals.
But does God require a teenager to tithe on their part-time job? Exodus 12:49 says, "The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.” The principle would cary over to there being one law for you and your parents. Any teenager earning a wage has an obligation to tithe to God and save a festival tithe to make the Feast more enjoyable.
You may not think you need one tenth of what you make, your increase, as a festival tithe. We're always wise to keep in mind that it's not what we think that counts, but what God thinks. Another thing is that with every blessing comes a responsibility. The Bible says the poor will always be with us. When God blesses us we have a responsibility to share what He gives us with those who are less fortunate than we are. Sharing is one of the great blessings God has given us. If you have nothing, you can't share, but when God blesses you with income whereby you can save a festival tithe, He wants you to share it. You’re to go to the place where God chooses, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maid servants, and the Levite from your town, and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God.
"There in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you" Deuteronomy 12:7, NIV). God tells you to rejoice at the Feast of Tabernacles. Now that shouldn’t be hard to do, especially when He tells you how you can afford to do it. But now you know what you should do. Will you obey God and set aside one tenth of what you earn so that you can rejoice and help others rejoice at His Feast?
Student Prayer
Gracious Father,
You are so good to us. You set a Feast before us and provide a way that we can have such a wonderful time. Thank you for your plan. Help me to always remember those who are less fortunate and help them with my festival tithe.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Deuteronomy 12:11-21
Monday - Malachi 3:6-12
Tuesday - Proverbs 3:9
Wednesday - Psalm 50:10
Thursday - Deuteronomy 14:22-26
Friday - Deuteronomy 14:27
Saturday - Deuteronomy 12:6-9
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Explain what a festival tithe is and what it can be used for.
2. Give ways they can use their festival tithe and ways they can use it to help others have a more joyful Feast.
Topics & Themes
Blessings
Feast of Tabernacles
Holy Days, Feast of Tabernacles
Rejoice
Responsibility
Sharing
Tithes
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, CD or cassette tape of music, music player, chocolate kisses wrapped in three different colors - red, green, and gold, small basket, envelop or bag with “bank" written on it, newsprint pad, marker
How to Teach This Lesson
Open the class with prayer. Have the students open their bag with kisses in it and count them. Pass an offering basket and have the students put the kiss wrapped in gold in the basket. Now have the students take their kiss that's wrapped in red and put it in the bag or envelop that has "bank" on it.
Debrief - Ask: How did you feel about being given ten chocolate kisses? How did you feel about having to give up your kiss that was wrapped in gold? Who knows what that kiss represents? (The first tithe). Who do you give the first tithe to? Why should you give a tithe to God? Ask a student to read Psalm 50:10 aloud. Who is it that really owns everything?
Festival Tithe - Who knows what the kiss that’s wrapped in red represents? (Festival tithe.) What did putting it in the bag represent? (Putting it in the bank and saving it for the Feast.) What can you do with your festival tithe? (List these on the newsprint pad as the students give them. They should include taking care of such feast expenses as travel, meals, housing, entertainment at the Feast, etc.) What else should you consider doing with your festival tithe? (Helping the stranger, widow, Levite, and the needy.) Why do you think God wants us to help the needy at the Feast? (It will help them to enjoy the Feast as well, but you will be blessed for doing it.) How is this experience like or unlike other things in your life?
Kisses left - How many kisses do you have left? What can you do with them? How do you feel about doing this activity? How is it like or unlike other things in your life?
Activity - Divide your class into four groups. Let each group draw one or more of the pieces of paper you made before class with Questions shown under Background. Explain that they are to get in their group and brainstorm the answer. They can take the YEA students' book and their Bible with them. Give them a few minutes and call them back together to sit in a semicircle. Call on each group to give the answer they came up with. Have a representative from each group go to the newsprint pad and write a simple answer on the sheet where the statement is written. This review will help ensure that you have met the Objectives in today's lesson.
Background - Read the first three paragraphs to your class. Ask: Why is it important for teenagers to understand and practice the financial laws that God has laid out in the Bible? Ask a student to read Malachi 3:6-12 aloud. Ask: Will you rob God or will you obey Him and receive His blessings?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Go over the activity in the students' book with the class allowing the teens to give their answers.
REACH Activity
Memory Verse Spotlight: Malachi 3:10
Look up the word “tithe.” Write down the Hebrew word and its meaning. Then find three other Scriptures where this word is used. Are we required to bring a tithe to God today? Why or why not?
Where in the World? The First Tithe
Do you remember where the first tithe is recorded in the Bible? Look it up. Read that passage again. Why was the tithe given? What did it signify? Who was not going to get credit for Abraham’s successes? Apply this to yourself. Why would you give a tithe? Who does it honor? Why would you do that? Write about this in your Bible notebook.
They Did What Back Then? Tithes and Offerings
Do some research into tithes and offerings. What were the tithes used for? Were they the same thing as offerings? How much does Deuteronomy 16:16-17 say that you should bring as an offering to God? After you have done some research, share your findings with your family. Write about the topic and file it in your Bible notebook.
Making It Mine: Blessed
Gather your whole family together. Give each person a pencil and a piece of paper. Set a timer for 5 minutes. During that five minutes, each person should write down how God has blessed your family and/or each individual. When the timer goes off, find out who had the most blessings listed. Share your lists. Did you all write down the same thing? How extensive were your lists? Then read Deuteronomy 16:16-17. How do you put a value on the blessings that God has given to you? Does this help you figure out what you should be offering to God?
Worldview Collisions: What You Have
A secular worldview says that we live in a dog-eat-dog world. You have to claw and fight and scramble to get what you want, to get ahead, and to stay on top. You have to look out for yourself and your own interests because no one else will.
A Biblical worldview says that God is the One who bestows blessings. He’s the One who establishes the work of our hands. He’s the One who gives us success. He’s the One who makes us fruitful. Read Psalm 127:1-2.
What do you think? Write this worldview collision and your thoughts about it in your Bible notebook.
Questions
As you’re working through the YEA lesson, Daily Devotionals, doing the activity, or reading the Bible, be sure to write down any questions you have. That way you’ll remember to ask someone. Also remember to share the really interesting things you’re learning with family and friends.
Song
"I Will Celebrate" is on page 49 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Have the students form a circle and hold hands. Have them recite their memory verse together. Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer thanking God for His wonderful plan which includes celebrating His Feast and providing a way for us to do it.
Printable Pages
