"Stewardship"

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth.

We cannot understand the biblical vision of the Christian life without embracing the biblical concept of stewardship. This idea goes back to the garden of Eden, where Adam & Eve were assigned the responsibility to be stewards of the garden God had created.

At the heart of stewardship is the understanding that stewards do not own what God has entrusted to them but are managers of His resources.

The BF&M states that God is the source of all blessings, temporal, and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him.

Human beings are granted an incredible responsibility as stewards of God’s earth, but this fact is grounded in the principle that God owns everything and that we human beings will give an answer to God for our use, enjoyment, and protection of all He has entrusted to us.

3 basic truths:

1. Everything belongs to God.

Genesis 1:1 ESV

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 ESV

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

Psalm 95:3–5 ESV

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Haggai 2:8 ESV

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.

2. We are stewards; all we have is held as a trust.

Matthew 25:1–15 ESV

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

1 Corinthians 4:1 ESV

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

3. We must give an account of our stewardship to God.

Romans 14:12 ESV

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

The biblical view that God owns all things stands in opposition to modern secularism and the idea of human self-sufficiency. We enjoy a world we did not create. We eat of its fruit, we receive its gifts, and we use its resources - but we have created none of this.

Being good stewards of what has been entrusted to us is an important Christian responsibility.

A HOLY TRUSTEESHIP

“....A holy trusteeship in the gospel.” The bible explains that we have been bought at a price. Therefore, we belong to Christ, and all that is ours is at Christ’s disposal.

The Christian worldview is revolutionary in that it frees people from an unhealthy attachment to material possessions and money.

Paul explains that Christians are debtors to the entire world...

Romans 1:14 ESV

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Those who have received the saving gospel of Christ are commanded to yield and even sacrifice our material possessions for the cause of the gospel so that others may also come to know Christ.

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Our most valuable possession is the gospel. Jesus made this point very clear, in

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

What he’s saying is that His redeemed people are to put money, wealth, and material possessions in their proper place and at the disposal of Great Commission priorities.

CATHY FAMILY GIVING HOUSES

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

Christians are sometimes confused or uncertain about the use of money and material priorities. Some believe that material possessions indicate God’s favor. Others trust in material possessions to sustain them in times of need or poverty. A mature Christian understands that material possessions or money cannot buy what is most important - the priceless treasure of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Christian stewardship includes our material possessions but...

Christian stewardship extends to our energy, our time, and the totality of who we are.

Jesus spoke of a steward’s responsibility to exercise talents for the glory of God. The spiritual gifts God bestows on us are not merely for personal edification but are for building up the church. Our stewardship requires us to be ready to give not only our material goods but all that we are for the good of the church and the advancement of the gospel.

THE STEWARDSHIP EVALUATION

Christians are to be characterized by generosity.

A Christian’s stewardship is motivated not by obligation but by a joyful sense of privilege.

Ultimately, believers give for the glory of God, but in this life we also give so that the Redeemer’s cause on earth will be advanced. This is perhaps the most satisfying motivation for Christian giving.

THE TITHE

One issue of controversy among Christians has been the tithe. In the OT, God commanded the people of God to give a minimum of 10% as an offering.

Leviticus 27:30–32 ESV

“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.

Malachi 3:10 ESV

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Some people argue that Christians, no longer under the law, are now free from the responsibility of the tithe. Responsible believers understand, however, that Christians bear no less responsibility for giving than God commanded of his people in the OT.

It’s for the work of the kingdom!

In the Bible, the 10% is given as A STARTING PLACE!

What does your giving go to?

General upkeep and maintenance // we got bills!

Some goes to the debt

Staff

Church ministries

Church missions

MBA

ALSBOM/SBC

state missions

international missions

disaster relief