032807 Biblical Stewardship Principles V
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE IN THE WORLD,
BUT NOT OF THE WORLD.
What does this mean?
God's stewards recognize that the Lord sets them apart from the world and by the transforming power of the Gospel sends them into the world to live out the Gospel.
What does God's Word say about this?
Rom. 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The world has its own way of figuring things out with respect to life and where God fits into life, if at all. The problem is that the world is not in sync with God’s Word and will. The spirits that guide the world come from all over the place, but they do not know God or who Jesus is. John says it clearly when speaking of the people guided by the anti-Christian spirits in 1 John 4:5 (ESV): 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
However, by the mercies of God, the believing Christian marches to a different drumbeat. Instead of allowing oneself to be ordered by the ideas and ideals of the world, they turn to a new and renewing source—God’s Word. That Word has transforming power because it is guided by God’s Spirit.
Considering the nature of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the words Jesus uses in His High Priestly Prayer are very instructive in this regard. Speaking of His disciples and those who will believe in Jesus because of their word, Jesus says:
John 17:15-18 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I have sent them into the world. (cf. John 20:21-23)
You might remember how Jesus breathed on His disciples when commissioning them to go out into the world. With that breath was given the authority to forgive and retain sins. This same authority is passed on to the whole body of believers here on earth through that same breath—the Holy Spirit who comes to us through the Scriptures. That is what sets the believer apart from the unbeliever, the sons of God apart from the children of the world.
It’s all a matter of God’s calling and election, just as He chose a whole nation of people out of just one man, Abram.
Gen. 12:1-3 The LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
The point I am making here is that God’s people have always existed as a result of God’s choosing. Abram was that one man and the promise of God was passed on because of Abram to his children and children’s children. In the same way, you and I are chosen by virtue of the promise given in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ—the promised seed of Abraham.
Recognizing that we are a people set apart from the world is extremely important as we deal with life in this fallen world. It has the effect of bringing peace of soul and quietness of mind. Notice, how the Lord himself states this truth in …
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Did you catch that? Jesus does not tell us to go and overcome the world. Instead He calls us to take our rest in Him because He has overcome the world. What is neat about this is that there isn’t anything the world can say or do—not even through death—that can take what Jesus has accomplished for us away!
Some people have said to me, “Pastor, don’t try to change me. I am too old for changes.” But, when I hear that I like to remind these folks of God’s truth that our minds are to be continually be changed and transformed by God’s Word.
How is this done?
As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit's help, we will:
· Emphasize how the Gospel transforms stewards' attitudes in, about and toward the world;
· Emphasize the Christian witness of stewards in the decisions that are made; and,
· Encourage the support of appropriate projects and activities both within and outside the church.
As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit's help, we will not:
· Limit the scope of Christian stewardship only to "church-related" projects and activities;
· Use spiritually defective approaches and motivations from the world that are based mainly and primarily on the criterion that they "work;" or,
· Forget the daily tensions and struggles of being God's stewards in but not of the world.
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!
V. GOD’S STEWARDS ARE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD.
This means that God’s stewards recognize that the Lord sets them apart from the world and by the transforming power of the Gospel sends them into the world to live out the Gospel.
This principle reminds us that God’s people, the church, are the ekklesia--the Greek word meaning “that which is called out” or, the “called out ones.” Jesus acknowledged this identity when He prayed this part of His high priestly prayer (John 17:15-18): “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” God does not want to take us out of the world before our allotted time; rather, He wants us to remain here as the light and salt of the world. However, there is danger in this world because the prince of this world is Satan himself and he has so many human and spiritual allies to work against Christians and the Christian faith. The added challenge is that our old human nature is inclined toward evil. That’s why we say that our three great spiritual enemies are Satan, the world and our own sinful nature. Take some time to explore and discuss what it means to be “in the world” but “not of the world.”
The words of Romans 12:2 encourage us to put off the patterns of this world by surrendering to the renewing power of God. We have been baptized into the newness of life and the same Spirit that entered us at our baptisms is there to strengthen us against the wiles of the Devil, the world and our own sinful flesh. With the power of the Spirit we are able to “test and approve” what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. As St. Paul reminded the Philippians (2:13): “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”
Abram (Abraham) was one of the original “called out ones.” Read and study Genesis 12:1-3 to gain a fuller appreciation of what Abram (Abraham) was asked to leave in order to follow God’s lead to the land of promise where he would become the father of a great nation. See Hebrews 11:8-10 for more information on the call of Abram (Abraham) and his response by faith.
Jesus’ promise in John 16:33 is meant for our comfort. We will find more than our share of trouble in this world. The more we witness to our faith in Jesus Christ, the more we are apt to be harassed. The more perfectly we live as “called out ones,” the more we will seem out of the step with the world and its attractions and temptations. But Jesus knows that and encourages us to “take heart because He has overcome the world.” Share and discuss some examples of how this happens in the lives of God’s people.
HOW IS THIS DONE?
The first positive implication is a reminder that we are to relate to the world as God does. God so loved “the world” (including the sinful and rebellious people) that He sent His only-begotten Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of “the world.” God’s Holy Spirit helps us to have the same kind of compassion for the world that our God has. He does not want any to perish, but rather to have all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Discuss how this plays out in our lives and witness to those who are outside the church.
The second positive implication reminds us that we are witnesses at all times. As soon as others find out we are Christians they will watch what we say and do and see if that fits with who we claim to be—the children of God. This is another reminder that God’s stewards do the right things for the right reasons. Oftentimes our actions speak louder than our words. We are known for what we do as well as what we refuse to do.
The third positive implication reminds us that our stewardship is lived out in the world, not just in the church. Consider the words of Psalm 23:5-6 where it says that God prepares a table for us “in the presence of our enemies.” It is easy to be a Christian on Sunday in church; it’s a bit more challenging on Monday and the rest of the days of the week when we are often surrounded by many people who do not share our Christian faith and hope. We are to support the projects and activities that benefit our local congregations, but we are also to support those projects and activities that touch the lives of others outside of our church membership.
The first negative implication urges us to understand that Christian stewardship involves our entire lives, not just what we do “within the church.” The giving of time and money to help with community activities and projects is also a part of Christian stewardship. We are to do both, not just one or the other.
The second negative implication urges us to do the right things for the right reasons. We are not to use human motivations like guilt, embarrassment, or high pressure tactics to get people to do what we think they should do. Such motivations may seem to produce results, but they do not develop Christian stewards.
The third negative implication reminds us that we and all other people live our daily lives with all kinds of tensions and struggles. We all have busy schedules and many commitments, maybe more than we should have. We may have financial concerns, work concerns, school concerns, neighborhood concerns, health concerns, family concerns and the list can go on and on. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the anxieties of this life. That’s why God’s stewards need to keep going back to their true source of strength—the words of hope and encouragement from our God and the fellowship of like-minded stewards. We also want to avoid laying heavy loads on each other.