NUTS AND BOLTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
THE LEVEL OF STEWARDSHIP
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV) 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
INTRODUCTION: A steward is defined as, “a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.” Thus, stewardship is the action of managing the property of another. For the follower of Jesus, stewardship is the managing of the property of our Lord and Savior. This goes far beyond “stuff” and applies to our very lives – for the Scripture says that we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor 6:20;7:23).
This morning, in our time together, I want to look at what might be considered a concern with regard to our faithful activity as stewards, contrasted with God’s desire for us as stewards.
PROPOSITION: STEWARDSHIP IS TO BE A CONSISTENT ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES
I. OUR FLOATING LEVEL OF STEWARDSHIP – 2 COR 9:6
A. THE SIZE OF THE HARVEST IS RELATED TO THE SCOPE OF THE SOWING
1. SIMPLE AGRICULTURAL PRINCIPLE
2. EVERY FARMER FACED THIS DILEMMA EVERY YEAR
a. ENJOY WHAT I HAVE NOW
b. HOLD BACK SEED
c. LOSE SOME NOW AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE HARVEST
3. SCATTERING IS RISKY, YET THE WORD OF GOD ENCOURAGES RISK.
Proverbs 11:24-26 (NIV) 24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. 26 People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
a. MEAGERNESS PRODUCES SMALL HARVESTS
4. SCATTERING IS RISKY, YET THE WORD OF GOD PROMISES AWARENESS
Matthew 6:26 (NIV) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
a. CONFIDENCE IN GOD SHOULD OUT WEIGH OUR CONCERN
SOME PRACTICAL THOUGHTS:
-- GOD HAS GIVEN US A VARIETY OF “SEED” FOR SCATTERING (TIME, TALENT, AS WELL AS RESOURCES)
-- GOD HAS COMMANDED US TO BE GENEROUS SOWERS IN EVERY AREA (GREAT COMMISSION, TITHING, BODY LIFE)
-- GOD HAS ENCOURAGED US TO BE RISKY NOW FOR THE FUTURE HARVEST AND WARNED US AGAINST HOARDING (THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL, DOING IT ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, TESTING OF OUR WORKS)
-- IT ALL POINTS US TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT HAVE WE DONE, WHAT ARE WE DOING, AND WHAT WILL WE DO WITH THE SEED GOD HAS GIVEN US?
NOT BEING A GENEROUS CHRISTIAN IS AKIN TO BEING A FIRE INSURANCE CHRISTIAN
NOT BEING A GENEROUS CHRISTIAN IS AN EVIDENCE AGAINST GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WHO SOLD PROPERTY, PRESENTED IT TO THE CHURCH AS AN ACT OF FAITHFULNESS IN GOD’S PROVISION, YET IN REALITY HOARDED THEIR “SEED”. THEIR ACT WAS REVEALED TO THE CHURCH AND JUDGED BY GOD.
NOW, I AM NOT SAYING YOU AND I WILL EVER FACE THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, BUT I AM SAYING THAT GOD TAKES STEWARDSHIP SERIOUSLY!
WHAT IS GIVEN IS NEVER LOST FOR IT WILL YIELD FUTURE RESULTS!
II. GOD’S DESIRE FOR DELIBERATE STEWARDSHIP – 2 COR 9:7
A. THE BASIS OF OUR DELIBERATE STEWARDSHIP
1. OUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE
a. GOOD ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR TIME
b. GOOD ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR TALENT
c. GOOD ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR RESOURCES
2. OUR ABILITY TO BELIEVE
a. MUSTARD SEED FAITH
b. THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN – HEB 11:1
3. OUR ABILITY TO EMULATE OF GOD
a. BE AS GOD IS
b. GOD IS A CHEERFUL GIVER
B. GOD’S PLAN FOR DELIBERATE STEWARDSHIP
1. GIVE WITH A PURPOSED HEART
a. PLANNED OR PRE-MEDITATED
b. THINK ABOUT THE NEED
c. THINK ABOUT WHAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE HIM GIVE
d. GIVE TO THE LORD THE AMOUNT THAT HE LAYS UPON HIS HEART
PRAY ABOUT A PLAN FOR GIVING AND THEN IMPLEMENT THE PLAN AND GIVING GOALS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU.
2. GIVE WITHOUT PESSIMISM OR PEEVISHNESS
a. GRUDGINGLY MEANS WITH GRIEF, SORROW OR SADNESS
b. NON GUILT TRIP GIVING
c. THE TEMPLE HAD TWO CHEST FOR THE RECEIVING OF ALMS
1) THE FIRST CHEST WAS FOR WHAT WAS REQUIRED BY LAW
2) THE SECOND CHEST WAS FOR WHAT WAS GIVING WILLINGLY ABOVE WHAT WAS REQUIRED
3) OF THE FIRST CHEST, NOTHING IS SAID. GOD'S PEOPLE SIMPLY DID WHAT THE LAW REQUIRED. OF THE SECOND, MUCH IS SAID IN THE SCRIPTURES.
ILLUSTRATION: The story is told of a very wealthy man who, upon the occasion of his daughter's marriage, sent a check for $5,000.00 to the bridegroom as a wedding present. He sent it by the hand of the bride's sister and when she returned, the man eagerly asked: "What did your new brother-in-law say when you gave the check?" The girl replied. "He didn't say anything, but when he looked at it he began to cry." "And how long did he cry?" was the question. She replied, "Oh, I imagine for about a minute." "Only a minute?" roared the disappointed giver, "Why, I cried for an hour after I had signed the check!" Beloved, God wants us to give to others without regret and crying.
THE BENEFIT OF STEWARDSHIP IS LOST TO THE STEWARD WHEN HE DOES IT WITH A GRUMBLING HEART. WHEN A PERSON GIVES OF HIS “SEED” GRUDGINGLY, HE BECOMES BLIND TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AND FAILS TO RECOGNIZE OR REMEMBER WHAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DID FOR HIM. NOT ONLY THAT, THE ACTUAL ACT OF GIVING HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT IN THE PERSON'S LIFE. VOLUNTARY, SACRIFICIAL STEWARDSHIP DEVELOPS A TENDER HEART, GRATITUDE, AND JOY. GRUDGE STEWARDSHIP DEVELOPS BITTERNESS AND A HARD HEART. THIS IS WHY THE LORD TELLS US TO KEEP OUR GIFT IF WE ARE GOING TO GRIPE ABOUT IT.
3. GIVE WITHOUT BEING PRESSURED
a. THE WORD NECESSITY MEANS COMPULSION
b. WE SHOULD NOT GIVE BASED ON:
1) THE DEMANDS OF OTHERS
2) THE PRESSURE OF EMOTIONAL APPEALS
3) PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT
4) ARBITRARY STANDARDS
c. OUR GIVING SHOULD ALWAYS BE BASED ON OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST AND THOSE HE LOVES
ILLUSTRATION: during the Crusades, a knight was taken captive by the Moslem Saladin. The knight begged for his life, claiming that he had a wife in England who loved him dearly. Saladin commented that she would soon forget him and marry another. On second thought, the cruel chieftain offered to set the man free if the lady in question would send her right hand as token of her love for this captive. When word was sent to this lady in England, she immediately cut off her right hand and sent it to Saladin. The man was immediately returned to England. There is a statue of this faithful woman in one of the old cathedrals of England. She is very beautiful, but the statue shows her without her right hand. Her gift was a willing sacrifice.
4. GIVE WITH A HEART OF PRAISE AND PLEASANTNESS
a. CHEERFUL MEANS JOYOUS OR “PROMPT TO DO ANYTHING”
b. IT IS WHERE WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD “HILARIOUS”
c. THE BEST IMAGE OF THIS IS THAT OF SCROOGE WHO LEARNED THE BLESSING OF GIVING AFTER BEING VISITED BY THREE SPIRITS THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF STEWARDS IN THE WORLD TODAY, FLINT, SPONGE, AND HONEYCOMB. EACH WILL GIVE SOMETHING. THE FLINT WILL GIVE WHEN STRUCK, THE SPONGE WILL GIVE WHEN SQUEEZED, AND THE HONEYCOMB WILL SIMPLY OVERFLOW. WHICH TYPE OF STEWARD ARE WE? WHICH TYPE WOULD ALMIGHTY GOD PREFER US TO BE?
III. GOD’S FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL OF STEWARDSHIP – 1 COR 10:31
A. ALL STEWARDSHIP BEHAVIOR SHOULD GLORIFY GOD AND BUILD UP HIS BODY THE CHURCH
B. ALL THAT WE DO AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST MUST SET ASIDE OUR PERSONAL LIBERTIES FOR HIS WILL.
C. STEWARDSHIP EXTENDS INTO EVERY AREA OF MT BEING!
I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE TODAY, IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD, WITH A QUESTION OR TWO.
FIRST, WHAT KIND OF STEWARD AM I?
SECOND, WHAT CHANGES DO I NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO BE THE STEWARD GOD WANTS ME TO BE?
THIRD, AM I WILLING TO MAKE THE CHANGES I NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO BE THE STEWARD GOD DESIRES ME TO BE?
