Take Your Next Step: Stewardship

Introduction • In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus said, Matthew 6:19-21 19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NASB ◦ I talked about the “Way of Jesus” by John Mark Comer, (1) Be with Jesus, (2) Become like Jesus, and (3) Do what Jesus did. – The life of a disciple... this was her life • Today we are looking at a subject that is really just a portion of discipleship: stewardship • So let me begin by saying two things: ◦ First, How you choose to spend your money is not really my business... ▪ How you give is between you and the Lord ◦ Second, what I speak about today is not my opinion... it is based in scripture ▪ It is not my business how you choose to spend your money... but it is my business to point out scriptural truths to challenge your attitude on how you spend your money Focus Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6, NASB 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. • As I mentioned last week, something really stands out to me in these two verses: If we are trusting in the Lord, then we do that with all our heart, that is: everything we are • It has been said, if you want to know what is really important in a person’s life, look at their checkbook and their calendar ◦ These days, I think we could add our browser history and social media as well ◦ If you were to take inventory of these areas today... what would they reveal about your priorities? Where are you placing your treasures? ◦ Jesus said, “Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also” Luke 18:18-30 18A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” 28Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.” 29And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.” NASB ◦ This rich young ruler is no different than we are today... it sure is easy to get attached to the stuff that money can buy, isn’t it? • You might be surprised to know that the Bible speak a lot about money... in fact, Jesus spoke a lot about money; Jesus spoke about money more than he spoke about prayer ◦ Of Jesus’ 40 or so parables... 11 of them have a financial angle on them • For as complicated as money may seem, it only has four potential uses: ◦ 1. We can LIVE on it... 2. We can GIVE it away... 3. We can pay what we OWE in bills, debts, or taxes... and 4. We can make it GROW through saving • What God wants for you and your money is to first, trust Him, commit your heart and ways... your understanding to Him and use your money as you would anything else in your life: to glorify Him! ◦ I like this parable because it really is open ended... this young man went away sad but the question is: did this rich young ruler do what Jesus asked or not? ◦ That’s kind of where we are... are we going to do what Jesus asks... or not? ▪ This does not mean that all of us here have to sell everything we have ▪ What it does mean is that we live with a challenge: “Are we willing to get rid of anything... to include all our wealth... if Jesus asks?” • We are called to be stewards of the resources God has given us... this began at the beginning Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. ESV ◦ God, the creator who made everything in existence placed humans in the garden and said, “take care of my stuff” ◦ That continues on... everything we have is God’s... it’s been loaned to us • Do you realize that when it comes to our money, this is the one place where God says “TEST ME” ◦ Those are HIS words... not mine... Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Next Steps Step One: BEGINNER: Attend but do not give • You come to church and worship but you simply don’t give... • This is the place you call your home but you are not so committed here that you are willing to give OR you are under the impression that you just don’t have enough to give ◦ If you are not committed to the point where you give anything and this is where you are, just acknowledge where you are and own up to it ◦ However, if you think you can’t give or that you don’t have enough to give, remember that the one who Jesus praised for giving the most actually gave the smallest amount ▪ “The pauper’s penny is worth more to God than the millionaire’s $100 dollar bill” ~ Mark Martin Step Two: OCCASIONAL: Give sometimes • You’re here... you call this is your church home and you’ve made a commitment to this place so you give... sometimes ◦ It’s not really a priority to you... you give occasionally, you might give when you have some extra cash in your pocket or if there is a special emphasis on missions or a project ◦ You give from what you have left after bills, debts, shopping, expenses, etc. ◦ You might feel a tinge of guilt occasionally... Step Three: FAITHFUL: Regular giver but do not tithe • You are committed to this church... this is your place, this is your home, you are committed to Jesus Christ and giving is important to you... invested in the Kingdom • You don’t tithe... Maybe 10% of your income is a bit outside of your thinking. “too much” ◦ Perhaps you have heard, “Tithes were given in the Old Testament, but this is the New Testament era, we’re under grace... tithing isn’t required.” I will challenge you on that. Step Four: TITHE: Consistent giving at 10% level • You are a consistent giver... always at the 10% level... tithing has been taught and modeled to you... it is the first thing that comes out of your paycheck every time you get one... a priority ◦ In fact, you’ve seen God at work in your life... you’ve tested Him and He’s come through ▪ There were some tough times... there are some tough times... but this is you Step Five: EXTRAVAGANT: Above and beyond 10%... it’s a way of life • This is the New Testament standard... when we lay our all on the altar we lay our ALL there... including everything we have, all our stuff... and all our finances... we are generous ◦ Jesus is the LORD and we have committed all of our hear and all of our ways to Him ◦ 10% is the least we can do for the one who gave everything for us Luke 21:1-4 1And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. 3And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” NASB ◦ This is the New Testament standard... this is what Jesus finds desirable... that we give ALL • If you have in your mind that you’re “good to go” so to speak, because tithing is Old Testament and we’re in the New Testament age... then praise the Lord! ◦ Because the New Testament standard is extravagant giving... ◦ Extravagant givers worship the Lord through giving... they look for opportunities to give to the Lord... their finances, their talent, their time ◦ Extravagant givers have checkbook ledgers and calendars and even internet history and social media points to their lives of giving! Closing • So what kind of giver are you? Here’s the Self-Assessment for this week: 1. PRAYERFULLY consider the following.... • Where am I? My current level: ____________ ◦ If you are a BEGINNER... I challenge you to take the next step and give OCASSIONALLY ◦ If you are an OCCASIONAL giver... my challenge to you is to become a FAITHFUL giver ◦ If you are a FAITHFUL giver... why not begin TITHING... test God, he challenges you to do so ◦ If you are a consistent TITHER... are you EXTRAVAGANT in your giving or are you just following the letter of the law? • What is holding me back from taking the next step up? 2. Read these SCRIPTURES: Deut. 8:11-18; Prov. 3:9-10, 22:7-9, 23:4-5, 30:8-9; Eccl. 5:10-20; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 6:19-34; Mk. 8:36, 12:41-44; Lk. 6:38, 12:13-34, 16:10-15; 2 Cor. 9:6-11; Philip. 4:10-19; 1 Tim. 6:6-19; Heb. 13:5 • How do these inform where I am and where I need to be? 3. Discuss your answers with someone else in the COMMUNITY. • What’s your next step? • We need to understand something about giving: it is an act of worship... ◦ When we give to the Lord – no matter how much or even how often – each time we give to him it is an act of worship ◦ The question we need to ask ourselves is simply this: who are we really serving?