Our Stewardship
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“Context, Context, Context…” our youth give me a hard time because I say this so often. I also often say of our youth… “our youth are not the church of tomorrow, but rather the church of today!”
Imagine saying something so frequently people use the statement “Remember what Jesus would always say...”
In Acts 20:35 we see a statement of Jesus that He was known for saying…
You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Scriptures themselves speak quite extensively to our money, wealth, finances, & GIVING :
There are over 2000 verses that address this area
There are well over 100 Proverbs in scripture speaking to money
We read in the gospels that 15% of Jesus teachings involved money
And in 1/3 of His parables money was addressed
I remember a time my wife and I saved up for several years to take our kids to Disney. They were 2, 5, & 7. We all had a great time. When we arrived home, our kids said we should go again next week! I realized at that point I needed to teach them some things about money. It has been an ongoing education ever since. Moving forward there would be lessons on savings, cost, going without for something else, and in the mix of it all was the lessons of TITHING & GIVING ! As their father and head of the home I was accountable for this area in our home. My wife and I worked together to teach our children these truths and values from God’s Word.
We are a church family, the family of God. As one of the elders and as your pastor I am accountable to God on how I teach His people in the area of stewardship.
A CORE Concept
A CORE Concept
This is one of the CORE Church Concepts that we will be looking at. Unashamedly, I am going to be preaching on the subject of giving. As your pastor, your shepherd it is my responsibility and even my joy to speak today on this topic.
If Jesus, being God in the flesh made the statement “it is more blessed to give than receive”, then where does this statement stem from in the mind, heart and character of our God?
Let me draw out some basic, YET vital Concepts & Truths we need to know and remember from the scriptures…
It Is ALL His!!!
It Is ALL His!!!
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Deuteronomy 10:14 ““Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.”
Job 41:11 ““Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.”
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.”
Jeremiah 27:5 ““I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight.”
John 1:3 “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
1 Corinthians 10:26 “for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.”
Colossians 1:16–17 Expresses this concept well…
for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
IF… everything belongs to Him
THEN… what you and I have is not really ours, we are merely STEWARDS of what is His! And we will give account…
Jesus spoke of our STEWARDSHIP and misplaced priorities in Luke 16:10-13
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
How you handle money and wealth is an indicator of WHO we serve
Are you serving God or Wealth?
Are you serving your money, OR is your money serving God’s Will and Purpose in your life
If it is true that everything belongs to God.… then we have to realize that God needs nothing…
God Needs Nothing!
God Needs Nothing!
This is vital for us to grasp… We DO NOT GIVE because God is is need…
1 Chronicles 29:11–12 ““Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.”
Psalm 50:10–12 ““For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.”
Isaiah 66:1–2 “Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
Acts 17:24–25 paints a great picture of our God, His grandeur, His proficiency, His lack of need…
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
See it is God who is a giving God… this is His heart, character and example!
God Is A Giving God!
God Is A Giving God!
God does not tell us to do something He Himself is not willing to EXAMPLE for us…
God instructs us to WORK… He Himself is at work
He instructs us to REST… He rested from His work on the seventh day
He tells us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES… scripture say that “while we we still enemies of God, Christ died for us!”
We GIVE because God has exampled this for us…
Jesus is God in the flesh… He gave His life the ULTIMATE EXAMPLE of giving…
Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are called to be Christ like… follow His example:
Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;”
1 Peter 2:21 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,”
Philippians 2:5–8 States this EXAMPLE of Christ so beautifully, YET our pride and arrogance keeps us from following His example...
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
God is the ultimate GIVER!!! And as such, as God, as the One with all authority, He has every right to tell you and I to give…
God Instructs Us To Give
God Instructs Us To Give
God’s instruction is TIMELESS… it begins BEFORE the LAW, it was clarified in the LAW, it was BROADENED with CHRIST, and will be implemented even in HEAVEN…
Abraham… gave tithes (10%) to the Priest/King Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20 & Hebrews 7:6)
Moses… brings God’s Law to the Israelites detailing the concept of tithing:
Leviticus 27:32 “‘For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 12:6 ““There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.”
There was even an instruction of gleaning, for the poor and widowed!
Christ… speaks to the heart, motive, and joy!!! “it is more blessed to give than receive”…
Matthew 6:19–21 ““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The widows mite… Mark 12:41–44 “And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.””
Paul… writes to the churches… 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
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. 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.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 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. 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. 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. 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. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
God in all ages for all time… even in Heaven we bow down and place our crowns at His feet… WHY? Because it all belongs to GOD!
God Needs Nothing!
God Needs Nothing!
… But He desires the best for us!
Because He knows “it is more blessed to give than receive”
He knows the outcome of giving…
The Outcome of Giving
The Outcome of Giving
Let me unpack in our remaining time together this passage Paul wrote to the church… Worship, Work & Blessing
Worship… “not begrudgingly”
A right heart… hilarious giver, true JOY!
Purposed = decide before hand… plan… determine…
Giving is an INTENTIONAL act of worship!
PRAISING AND THANKING GOD!
Funds for Work on Earth
Levites in the Old Testament
The ministry and mission work occurring through Paul’s ministry
This gift would fund the work! 1 Timothy 5 17-18
Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
Blessing for the Giver
Paul uses an illustration of planting… you plant little you get little, you plant a lot you harvest much
TRUST GOD!
Illustrate as newly married
We were blessed and God met needs in sooo many ways
How to Start?
How to Start?
Pray… seek God in this endeavor
Purpose… determine in your heart intentionally
Plan… right budgeting, better money principles, FPU
Participate… give cheerfully, with joy, hilariously
Praise… praise God and rejoice over how you can serve and worship Him and be a part of His wonderous work!
