DiscipleShift Part 11: Disciples are Stewards of Money

Introduction

As disciples we follow our master!

1 Chronicles 29:10–18 ESV

Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.

1) Everything Belongs to the Lord! (vs. 10-13)

It’s God who gives the time

It’s God who gives us the ability

It’s God who gives us the materials and resources

It’s God who provides the opportunities for us to uses what He gives to live

Every pay check is God’s provision and an opportunity to be a Steward and to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness (Matthew 6:33)

2) As Stewards, We Give Freely, Generously, and Joyously! (vs. 14-17)

Freely

The Lord has bestowed upon us a choice to make.

Invest and be faithful.

Generously

What we give away is what really matters.

John Maxwell story of the Lobsters.

The standard of giving is not definite, but the opportunity is infinite.

When we give, we add to what we can do as the Church and the King’s Outpost, but when we tithe or go beyond the tithe, we multiply what we can do as the Church and the King’s Outpost!

Because of the faithfulness of this church and individuals who are faithful with their tithes and offerings...

Last Year we collected $323,687.75

You directly provided for three families to be able to make a living.

You provided for boys, girls, youth, and adults to establish and grow on a foundation of Biblical truth

You provided for souls to be saved and for lives to be changed.

You provided an opportunity for people to be faithful in following the Lord in believers baptism

You provided a platform of hope for people who were in need.

We were able to give $22,627.73 to the cooperative program that supports our Oklahoma Baptist mission and ministries as well as our SBC missions and ministries, including 6 seminaries, the North American Church Planting, Internationals Missions, and more.

We were able to give $9,701.54 to support our local Washington-Osage Baptist Association and support the Gospel impact we are having together in our area.

We were able to give an additional $7,503.00 to State, National, and International missions

We were able to give an additional $1,700.00 to local community missions right here in Pawhuska through the Ministerial Alliance and in Bartlesville through Hope Clinic.

Overall, not only did your faithfulness help to provide for our local Kingdom Outpost, but we sent $41,532.27 to help get the Gospel around the Globe!

If you gave and contributed, you added to this wonderful and joyous act of stewardship in our church.

If you tithed or gave beyond the tithe, you multiplied this wonderful and joyous act of stewardship.

While what were able to do together in 2021 is incredible, there is still much more to be done and more opportunities to faithful stewardship in 2022. If we want to continue to multiply Gospel impact here in Pawhuska and around the globe, then we need to be faithful stewards who are freely giving generously and faithfully!

Joyously

The Lord’s desire is for us to give cheerfully! (2 Cor. 9:7)

When we are faithful with our tithe and beyond our tithes, not only does God’s Kingdom impact multiply, but so does our joy!

3) Money Matters are Heart Matters! (vs. 17-18)

What we do with money is a revelation of the condition of our hearts.

This is why a Disciple should seek to grow in the spiritual discipline of be a good steward with money.

Just like with time, if you don’t manage money, then money will manage you.

Matthew 6:21 ESV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 25:14-30 - Parable of the Talents

Being a good steward of money helps us to be found as faithful stewards with what really belongs to our Master.

CLOSING

The goal is not to manipulate you to give or to give more, it’s to challenge you and encourage to you have the heart of a good and faithful steward.

Giving out of manipulation or compulsion is not honoring to God because the Lord loves a heart of faithfulness and cheerfulness.

God doesn’t want to force you to worship Him with your tithes and offerings. He wants you to love Him enough that you are excited to worship Him with your tithes and offerings.

In providing you the opportunity to be a good and faithful steward of money, He doesn’t want your money…He wants your heart!