Put God first: the miracle of the firstfruits

Introduction

Brendan White tells a little story at the airport: a man buys a coffee and a bag of mini donuts, sits down next to a stranger reading his newspaper, and watches the stranger help himself from his bag without any embarrassment. He fumes internally. Then, as he gets up to leave, he discovers that his own bag of donuts, untouched, was sitting next to his bag. The whole time, he was the one eating the other man's donuts. The pastor draws a simple image from this: very often, what we call "mine" actually comes from the hand of God. This pastoral message invites you to look at your resources differently and to put God in first place, with the promise that he acts through what you give him.

Message Outline

1.God cares about every area of your life, including your finances

Salvation is not just a spiritual matter: in the account of Zacchaeus, Jesus declares "Today, salvation has come to this house" (Luke 19). The whole house, the whole person, his relationships and his possessions are touched.
God cares about your spirit, your soul, your body, and he also wants to act in the area of finances, a place that sometimes brings stress, sometimes conflicts, but that can become a place of blessing.
In the multiplication of the loaves, a child places his five loaves and two fish in the hands of Jesus (Luke 9:12-17). When we place what we have in God's hands, it activates his action to feed far beyond ourselves.
In Luke 5, Simon worked all night without catching anything. It is by obeying the word of Jesus that he casts the nets and sees an abundant catch. Putting God first changes our situations.

2.The principle of firstfruits, tithes, and offerings

From the beginning, God looks at what is given first. Cain brings produce from the ground, Abel brings the firstborn of his flock, and the Lord looks favorably on Abel's offering (Genesis 4:3-5). The first struggle of human nature is precisely not putting God first.
Brendan illustrates this with a nice shirt he brings on stage that Jeremie comes to hold beside him: no one puts a nice shirt on last. The principle is to put God at the very top, not last or in third place.
"If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch" (Romans 11:16). What is consecrated to God first sanctifies the rest. This is accompanied by the command in Exodus 23:19: to bring the very first produce to the house of the Lord.
The tithe is ten percent -- not seven or eight. Leviticus 27:30 states it clearly: "Every tithe of the land belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord." It is not religious, it is recognizing that God is the source.
Jesus himself validates this principle by rebuking the Pharisees: "You give a tithe of mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others" (Matthew 23:23).

3.The promise, the power, and the blessing attached to giving

Malachi 3:10 is a direct invitation: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." God wants to open the windows of heaven over what you entrust to him.
In Genesis 22, Abraham brings his son Isaac as a sacrifice in obedience, and God provides a lamb. This is where the name Jehovah Jireh is born, "the Lord will provide." When you honor God first, he provides at the right time and in the right way.
Malachi continues by promising protection over what remains: "I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your ground" (Malachi 3:11). God does not only bless what you give him, he also guards what he leaves in your hands.
The result, according to Malachi 3:12, is that "all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight." What God activates in finances overflows toward others and becomes a testimony.

4.Managing well what God entrusts to you: the wisdom of the steward

Honoring God through the tithe does not exempt you from managing well the ninety percent that remains. Brendan invites you to ask God for wisdom for this, as James 1:5 encourages: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all."
Solomon, at the beginning of his reign, asked God for wisdom rather than wealth (1 Kings 3). This is a prayer that our generation deeply needs in order to manage what is entrusted to it.
Jesus teaches the principle of faithfulness: "Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much" (Luke 16:10). Your faithfulness today with the little opens the door to God entrusting you with more.
"No servant can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and Mammon" (Luke 16:13). It is not about hating money, it is about choosing who is your master. Love God, and let your resources serve his purposes.

Key Takeaways

God cares about every area of your life, including your finances: it is a place where he wants to bless you, not just a place of stress.
The firstfruits are not just about giving something: it is about giving first, before everything else, to tell God that he is your source.
The tithe represents ten percent, not an approximate number: it is a biblical principle established long before the law and confirmed by Jesus himself.
To the one who honors God with their firstfruits, the promise of Malachi 3 is clear: God opens the windows of heaven and protects the rest.
Being faithful with the little, asking for wisdom, not serving two masters: generosity works hand in hand with good stewardship.

Personal Application

When you look at your current resources, what position do you concretely give God: first, second, last? What does that reveal about your trust in him?
From your next income, what would be your "firstfruit" -- not what is left at the end of the month, but what you give to God first?
Is there an area where you tell yourself "I can't afford to give" when you might be, like in the donut story, eating what God has already placed in your hand?
What level of faithfulness are you at today with the little God has entrusted to you -- the budget, the time, an item, a responsibility? Take a moment to ask for wisdom.
Who is truly your master this week: God or money? What specific choice would allow you to align your life with that answer?

Cited Verses

Frequently Asked Questions

What are "firstfruits," concretely, today?

In the Bible, the firstfruits are the first portion of the harvest, set apart for God before the rest is even consumed or sold. Today, this means that the portion you give to God is not what is left at the end of the month, but what you set aside first, at the top of your budget. This gesture is not a religious tax: it is a practical confession, one that says "Lord, you are the source; I trust you with the rest." It is a principle established as early as Genesis 4 with Cain and Abel, confirmed by the law, and validated by Jesus himself in Matthew 23:23.

Is the tithe really ten percent?

Yes, literally. The word "tithe" means "tenth," and Brendan White reminds us with a very simple illustration: God does not say seven, or eight, but ten percent. Leviticus 27:30 states it unambiguously: "Every tithe of the land belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord." The tithe is not what "pays" for your place before God, everything has already been paid by Jesus. It is a principle of heart alignment, a concrete way of acknowledging that what you have comes from him.

What if today I feel unable to give my tithe?

The message does not aim to put you under pressure, it aims to set you free. Brendan first invites you to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and to become faithful with the little (Luke 16:10). If you are in a tight situation, start with a first step of faith, honest before God, and let him act. The promise of Malachi 3:10 is not that you will become rich, but that God will open the windows of heaven over your life and protect what remains. It is a journey of faith, not a religious contract.

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