This week we prayed the collect for Proper 24 and discussed almsgiving! Find out what the Bible says about almsgiving, tithing, and giving to the poor. We discuss how giving fits into our spiritual life, and how we are asked by God to give to others.

Note: about 10 minutes in there was a siren on the recording from a passing ambulance!

Show Notes:

1. Matthew 6:1-4 Jesus talks about almsgiving.

2. The Lord’s Prayer is Matthew 6:9-14

3. Praying in private: Matthew 6:6; for more examples of Jesus’ prayer, consider the transfiguration from last episode— Jesus goes away with three other people to pray!

4. Tithe— Hebrew is ʿāśar, meaning a tenth.

5. Genesis 14— Abram gives the first tithe to Melchizedek as a thanksgiving offering. Our reading from Sunday about Melchizedek was Hebrews 5:1-10

6. Genesis 28:18-22 - Jacob promises ten percent if God will be with him. 

7. Deuteronomy 12:6-7 tithing is taking the first fruits of the harvest for one’s own feast. In 12:11, you should bring your tithe to the Lord’s dwelling place. Deuteronomy 14:22 reinforces this commandment.

8. Tithing ten percent of your income is not perfect. Some are called to give less than that, if they are of few means; while others with many resources may be called to give more!

9. Leviticus 19:9-10— This passage commands the people of Israel to leave their corners and edges for the poor and alien to eat…  Isaiah 5:8 criticizes those who join houses and field together, leaving “room for on one but you.” That is a reference to the failure to follow levitical commandment to leave the edges of fields for the poor.

Thanks for listening! Next week we’ll talk about Fellowship. Please rate, follow and share our podcast wherever you listen to it!