Stewardship: Faithful Management of Divine Property
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
INTRO
STEWARDING A TRUCK that was entrusted to me for the purpose of helping other people move
Parent trusting a kid with a phone for the purpose of babysiting: Older/younger sibling
OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE STEWARDS. WHAT WE SEE IS THIS...
GOD CREATED AND IS LORD OVER, HE OWNS, EVERYTHING
HE HAS ENTRUSTED CREATION TO MAN’S STEWARDSHIP (GENESIS 1-2)
WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO US
WE SHOULD KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS
THIS STEWARDSHIP SHOULD RESULT IN MORE GLORY TO GOD
The older you get, the more you grow and mature, more and more is going to be entrusted to you; it will fall to your direct stewardship.
YOU NEED TO DEVELOP BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP NOW. How you view your role as a steward, how you take care of things now can/will set the trajectory for how you view your role as a steward and how you take care of things later.
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
What you are “stewards of” right now may feel insignificant. You may feel like “I’m ready for the real responsibilities, bring it on” but I’m telling you, focus on stewarding things well right now when there’s not as many consequences, not as many challenges, because it’s only going to get harder.
juggling ping pong balls —> juggling tennis balls —> juggling basketballs —> juggling bowling balls
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
EXPLAIN
The Gift:
God has paid for your sin
He has given you new life
He has given you His Spirit inside of you
He has given you specific skillsets
He has placed you in specific circumstances
He has given you a message
He has given you strength
He calls you to steward faithfully for His glory.
The Giver:
God, gracious, merciful, loving God
The Recipient:
We, God’s people—stewards for God’s glory
We need to adopt the mindset that we have been given certain skills, in current circumstances, to use for God’s glory.
If we are going to be good stewards, we need to know what those skills are, and we need to know how to use those skills in our current circumstances, for God’s glory.
WHAT IS A STEWARD???
STEWARD:
Noun: a person employed to manage another's property, especially a large house or estate; a person whose responsibility it is to take care of something.
Verb: manage or look after (another's property).
LN: one who has the authority and responsibility for something—‘one who is in charge of, one who is responsible for, administrator, manager.
and we see this in verse 11, look with me:
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God;
God has given me a message, I’m going to share the message
Define “oracles”
a person or thing regarded as an infallible authority or guide on something.
whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies
God has given me strength, I’m going to use that to serve others
They were either teaching or serving
It’s the same in our church today. If you’re not teaching, you’re serving (and even teachers should serve others)
PETER IS SAYING, You’ve been given something, use it for it’s intended purpose, IT’S NOT YOURS; YOU’RE JUST RESPONSIBLE FOR IT
1. Realize that God has given you everything that you have.
1. Realize that God has given you everything that you have.
What are some things that we tend to think we own, or we got in our own strength?
My life
My “stuff”
My money
My job
Skills that I “learned and mastered”
My time/my schedule
EMPHASIZE (cross-reference)
God gives physical life
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
God gives authority
11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”
God gives food, water, shelter
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God gives spiritual gifts
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
God gives blessings
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
God gives trials/hardships
3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
God gives discipline
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
God gives wisdom
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
God gives eternal life
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God gives joy
7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
APPLY
Look at your life, what things have been given to you?
What skills have been given to you?
What circumstances have been given to you?
How ARE you currently stewarding those things?
Based off of how you’re living:
Who do you think owns the property?
How are you treating the property?
Who is the property benefitting?
BY NOW, HOPEFULLY YOU’VE IDENTIFIED WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO YOU AND HOW YOU ARE CURRENTLY “STEWARDING” IT.
NOW, LET’S ASK THE QUESTION, How SHOULD I be stewarding these things?
BACK TO THE TEXT
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
EXPLAIN
Peter writes “as good stewards” of God’s varied grace
in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ
“In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”
“To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
JUST LIKE the truck for helping others
JUST LIKE the phone for babysitting
God has given us things, He has entrusted us with things so that we can use them to bring Him glory.
The oracles: “this is God’s message, hear what he has to say”
The ability to serve: “this is God’s strength, let me use it to serve you”
Whose stuff is it? God’s.
Who gets the glory? God.
2. Employ everything that you have for God’s glory.
2. Employ everything that you have for God’s glory.
EMPHASIZE (cross-reference)
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
You acknowledge: all of this stuff is God’s stuff, he’s just entrusting it to me for a time
You decide: I’m going to use it in the right way for the right purpose
ILLUSTRATE
Johnny with leading worship
wrong way
right way
APPLY
How do you eat to the glory of God?
How do you sleep to the glory of God?
How do you have fun to the glory of God?
How do you work/do school to the glory of God?
REALIZE
It requires slowing down
It requires thinking intentionally
It requires hard work
It requires discipline
It requires prayer
IT REQUIRES FAITHFULNESS
EXPLAIN
A few verses earlier, Peter writes “the end of all things is at hand; therefore...”
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve…in order that God may be glorified”
“To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
We don’t know when our stewardship ends.
We don’t know our death date
AND we don’t know Christ’s return
We aren’t told, faithfully steward until you’ve achieved a certain benchmark
We are told to steward for God’s glory, and His glory is forever and ever
We are told to steward for God’s glory, and His glory is forever and ever
AND SO, we commit to faithfully stewarding what has been entrusted to us, not until we achieve some earthly benchmark, no. We steward as long as we have the stewardship, and we do it to God’s glory, because His glory endures forever and ever, and he deserves the glory forever and ever.
3. Prioritize faithfulness more than results.
3. Prioritize faithfulness more than results.
EMPHASIZE (cross-reference)
1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
ILLUSTRATE
What happens if you don’t get the results that you think you should get?
Discouraged from being faithful
What happens if you get more than the results that you thought you should get?
Tempted towards pride and self-glory
God is glorified in our faithful management (stewardship) of divine property (His stuff).
This is what God asks of you:
Use what He has given you in the right way for the right reason (His glory).
APPLY
SUMMARY/CLOSING
SUMMARY/CLOSING