Stewards Not Owners
Act as Stewards, Not Owners
1 Chronicles 29:14; Luke 12:48; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7; 1 Peter 4:10–11
Preaching Themes: Giving, Stewardship
It is the Lord’s order, that, in whatever way He is pleased to make us His stewards, whether as to temporal or spiritual things, if we are indeed acting as stewards and not as owners, He will make us stewards over more.
GEORGE MÜLLER
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
O. Irresponsible Stewardship (Matt. 25:14–30; Luke 19:11–27)
Both parables illustrate the need for responsible stewardship on the part of Christ’s followers. The talents represent different abilities given to different people, whereas the minas that were distributed equally represent the equal opportunity of life itself. The servants who did not use their abilities and opportunities were condemned for their irresponsible conduct.
CREATING WEALTH: THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (MATT 25:14–30)
A second biblical text which Thatcher cited repeatedly is the Parable of the Talents. Speaking in the City of London in 1981 she claimed that there is an obligation for Christians to create wealth “if we are to fulfil our role as stewards of the resources and talents the Creator has provided for us” (1988:126). In 1987, Mrs. Thatcher used the parable to deliberate upon the British middle classes’ sense of guilt about success. “How are we to explain this British guilt-complex?” she asked. “Perhaps it is a misplaced non-conformist conscience, a misunderstanding of people like John Wesley.” According to Thatcher, Wesley preached no such negative conscience. “He inculcated the work ethic, and duty. You worked hard, you got by on the result of your own efforts. Then, as you prospered, it was your duty to help others to prosper also. The essence of Methodism is in the Parable of the Talents. All that helped to build up a middle class in this country, a middle class with a conscience” (Sunday Telegraph, 28th June 1985, cited in Young: 420–21).
The pounds and talents (Luke 19:11–27; Matthew 25:14–30)
The last group of parables treated here comes from the final week of Jesus’ ministry, when his conflict with the Jewish leaders comes to a head and leads to his arrest and crucifixion. Although usually treated as parallel, these two passages, known as the parables of the pounds and the talents, are presented in entirely different contexts in the two Gospels in which they appear and probably reflect Jesus’ use of similar themes on two different occasions (see Blomberg 1984c). The more pointed of the two with respect to economic matters is Luke’s parable of the pounds (or minas—approximately three months’ wages), with its additional details about the hostility against the ‘throne claimant’. Again the stewardship of money appears as a metaphor for discipleship in general without excluding the literal use of one’s finances as a primary illustration of that discipleship. In both passages, the servants’ investments increase their assets, but all the income is turned over to the master. There is at least a tacit endorsement of the rudimentary form of capitalism practised by banks and moneylenders in the ancient Greco-Roman world. But this must be kept in the context of our discussion of the last chapter (see above, p. 90) and subordinate to the larger spiritual lesson of imitating the behaviour of the good servants in all areas of discipleship. Clearly, all of our time, talents and treasures are to be used for kingdom purposes. To make the varying details of the two stories teach varying amounts of return or to conclude that God’s people are rewarded to different degrees throughout all eternity presses those details beyond what is appropriate.26 The basic contrast between the good and wicked servants in both parables is between those who attempt to do their master’s will and the one who utterly refuses even to try. The latter clearly demonstrates that he is no disciple at all.
What Is the Meaning of the Parable of the Talents?
Matthew, in chapters 24–25, records the Lord’s heart of compassion and love mingled with unwavering holiness. This section of Scripture, including the Parable of the Talents, constitutes final warnings, prophecies, and encouragements to His people Israel prior to His departure. He, who is their Lord, is leaving for an undisclosed period of time. He is delegating to them the responsibility, as stewards, to care for His kingdom. The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14–30, impresses on them the weight of that responsibility and the serious consequences of neglecting to understand and apply His instructions. There is also a message to all mankind.
If the talents are talents of gold, the value of what the master entrusted to the stewards would be immensely high, in the millions of dollars. Since the Lord uses only the term “talents” we must make some assumptions, but is seems reasonable to assume that the owner of the talents, the man traveling into a far country, was a wealthy man. He is entrusting his wealth to three men who become stewards of his money. One receives five talents. Another receives two talents. A third steward receives one talent. Each is given a significant amount of money. These are stewards entrusted with the care of the money. The stewards must know the personality and character of their Lord. He expects them to know Him well enough to apply the spirit as well as the letter of His instructions. Those that do are richly rewarded. The others receive severe judgment. The amount given is based on each steward’s ability. The first two understand the spirit and letter of instructions and the character of their Lord. They both use the resources by “trading” to gain a profit. Each of them makes a 100 percent profit. Fear and mistrust of his Lord motivate the third steward. He buries the money in the earth and returns the original amount. The profitable stewards are praised, given increased responsibilities and invited to enter into the joy of their Lord. The untrusting steward is scolded, rejected, and punished.
The application of this parable must be understood within the context of the message of Matthew 24–25. It is first a message to the people of Israel that will live in the last days before the Lord returns. The statement, in Matthew 24:13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved,” is a key statement. This is the believing remnant that will receive the promise of the kingdom. In Matthew 24:32–34, the Lord states, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” These will be alive when He returns and will have understood and believed their Lord. The application to the people of Israel is graphic and relevant. Those that believe Him will be rewarded in His kingdom. The basis of the reward will be their stewardship of His resources entrusted to them. Those who fear and do not believe will be rejected and judged.
There is also a universal application to all mankind. From the time of the creation of mankind, each individual has been entrusted with resources of time and material wealth. Everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. We are responsible for using those resources so that they increase in value. As Christians, we have additionally the most valuable resource of all—the Word of God. If we believe and understand Him, and apply His Word as good stewards, we are a blessing to others and the value of what we do multiplies. We are accountable to the Lord for the use of His resources.
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
Walvoord, John F. “THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.” Bibliotheca Sacra 1972, Vol. 129 (515), pp: 206–210. ISSN: 0006–1921
The parable of the talents in Matt. 25:14–30 is the concluding illustration of our Lord in regard to preparedness for the second advent. The parable views life in relationship to service and the proper use of opportunity as evidence of preparedness. The talents given to the servants represent a considerable amount of money and reflect the confidence that the master had in them. Stewardship, however, is reckoned according to faithfulness with what one has, not the aggregate amount as such. The rebuke administered by the master on the slothfulness or the one-talent man does not imply the master’s acceptance of the image that the servant had of his lord, but is based on his servant’s lack of consistency with his own estimate of the master’s character. In effect, he did not believe that his lord would return.
2 Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.
Being Good Stewards of God’s Riches
Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life. O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called “knowledge.” By professing it, some have strayed from the faith. Grace be with you all.
1 Timothy 6:17–21 (NET)
STEWARDSHIP — the management of another person’s property, finances, or household affairs. As far as Christians are concerned, stewardship involves the responsibility of managing God’s work through the church. God has appointed all Christians to be His stewards on earth. Stewardship is not an option, as Paul points out about his own call. Being a steward is a necessary part of believing the gospel, even if it involves sacrificing personal rewards (1 Cor. 9:17).
As the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30) shows, Christians will be held accountable for the way in which they manage God’s affairs as stewards. These matters include extending the church’s ministry through the preaching of the gospel (Col. 1:24–28), supporting the church financially (Acts 4:32–37), and ministering to the sick and needy (Matt. 25:31–46).
