032507 Biblical Stewardship Principles IV
Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.
Maturing stewards do the right things for the right reasons and strive for excellence in all they do!
IV. GOD’S STEWARDS ARE UNIQUELY SINGULAR, YET PROFOUNDLY PLURAL.
This means that God’s stewards recognize that their lives are not solo performances but are personal responses to God, lived out within the community of faith to benefit the whole world.
This principle is sensitive to the truth that stewardship is a very personal response. Each individual is confronted individually by God’s Word and Spirit. When faith is worked in that individual, there is a natural—perhaps better said, supernatural response to the Spirit’s presence. That is a highly personal thing as God works faith in each one. But, if it remains at that level—at the level of “just Jesus and me”—it indicates that the individual has not properly found their place in the greater body of Christ. As God’s stewards we are individually a part of the whole of Christ’s body. We are never the whole body by ourselves. This means that believers will want to congregate and gather together with each other to strengthen each other and support each other in the faith.
Simply stated we can rightly say that no one individual is solely connected to Christ. By virtue of their relationship with Christ, all true believers are one; one with Christ, one with God, one with each other. When this oneness breaks down it makes the visible assembly of believers dysfunctional. They then corporately fail to fulfill God’s plan and purposes—the body isn’t working at its full potential. But why does this happen among God’s people?
Could it be that some have just not recognized what they are in the body? For example, some might think that the pastor of a church is the supreme head. Not true! He merely represents the head through the administration of Word and Sacrament. He is only a part of the body. But he is not able to do all of the work God gathers His people to do. Some must fulfill the function of arms and legs and feet and hands to be able to do what the body is called to do effectively and efficiently.
This is why St. Paul in Romans 12:4-5 writes about how God’s gifts of grace given to individuals relate to each other with love and concern. Paul says this:
A Living Sacrifice
12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Gifts of Grace
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
I know how our human nature seeks recognition and praise for doing what it considers the more important things of the church. I also know that God has blessed and empowered each one of us with special gifts and talents. Because these gifts differ according to the measure of God’s Spirit given to each one, it only stands to reason that we serve best when we discover what these gifts and talents are, and then use them faithfully. So, let’s be sure to understand that in Christ there is not one person who is more important than another!
Paul gives special attention to this precept of God in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. He emphasizes how the unity of the body exists because of God’s Spirit dwelling in each part. Love is the bond of peace that keeps them united in purpose. When each part of the body is healthy, it is for the benefit of the whole body—because that is what benefits self. Don’t you just wish our politicians understood this precept and then acted on it? Would it make a difference in our ability to live in peace with each other? I think so. But then, not everyone is a part of the body of Christ, are they? And even if they were, there still is this nagging sinful nature to deal with, isn’t there?
That always seems to catch us, doesn’t it? So, how in the world can any of us fulfill what St. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:10? 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: God have mercy on us! If it were only that easy! But, my dear fellow members of Christ, it is not that easy! Apart from the on-going mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ there is no hope for any one of us. So thank God, we are not separated from Him. God’s Spirit still dwells among us. God’s Word still works within us. God’s Love is still exhibited from us, yet, not one of us alone can be credited with its success. God is so good to bless us with His presence so that even our needs are met.
The words of 2 Corinthians 8:13-14 speak about the mutual sharing of each one’s abundance that serves to meet the needs of all who have need. In Deuteronomy 15:4-8 God lays out the precept to Moses that when the Israelites were in the land of Canaan there were to be no poor among them, because God would provide more than enough for the needs of everybody. They need not fear having a shortage. Do you realize that distrusting this precept is a distrust of God and His Word? But when it is trusted there is faith and there is all that is needed, not because we are so good, but only because God is so good to provide even for us sinners.
The sum of these things is given in the words of Galatians 6. Just listen to the words of Galatians 6:8-10.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
In case anyone has a question about why we have a care fund, let this word serve as the reason. We individually are not the whole body, but we serve the whole body, and then some. May God indeed have the glory!
HOW IS THIS DONE?
First, by recognizing the differences between “privilege” and “accountability.” It is a privilege to be children of God with special gifts that He carefully and lovingly bestows upon us. But with all these gifts comes the responsibility to use them in ways that honor God and bless others.
Second, recognize the personal and sensitive nature of each steward’s response.
Third, we cannot overemphasize the truth that Christian stewards are members of the body of Christ and are in kingdom work together.
Fourth, God gives His gifts in proportion to how each steward can manage them.
There are also some negative things that we seek to avoid as God’s stewards. First, avoid the temptation to see some gifts as more important than others. Each member can contribute to the welfare of the body and each member’s faithful contribution is important and worthy of praise.
Second, avoid thinking of ourselves as the pillar upon which the church stands or falls. We have not been called and gifted to be “Lone Rangers” but rather to be responsible members of the body of Christ.
Third, avoid thinking that our congregation is practicing good stewardship simply because it meets its budget. There are so many other things involved with good stewardship, such as helping fellow members to grow as disciples--reaching out to the community with the good news of Jesus, providing opportunities to serve, faithfully supporting the professional church workers and other ministries such as the Sunday School.
The bottom line is this: IV. GOD’S STEWARDS ARE UNIQUELY SINGULAR, YET PROFOUNDLY PLURAL.
Amen.