Proverbs 11:24-29 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
Acts 20:34-35 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
Christian Stewardship - Part 3
- Once again, let’s recap.
- We covered Prayer.
- Under prayer we talked about a Christian steward being prayerful, content, and trustworthy.
- Next we talked about Presence.
- In that vein we learned that a Christian Steward is loyal, obedient, and sacrificial.
- Anyone have any insight from last week’s message or Scriptures that they need to share with us this week?
- Are you all still with me?
- (Allow Time)
- Good, let’s move on.
- This week we’re going to talk about that third thing that we pledge when we welcome new members and newly baptized persons to the congregation.
- We’re going to talk about gifts.
- First, let’s understand what it is that we mean when we say gifts.
- What is a gift?
- Once again, dictionary.com says that a gift is
- Something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation.
- The act, right, or power of giving.
- A talent, endowment, aptitude, or inclination.
- Probably the two that we need to focus on are 1 and 3.
- First, something given voluntarily and without compensation.
- Yes, this is money.
- You knew we’d have to talk about that at some point.
- We give back to God in response to the grace that He has gifted us with.
- We don’t expect compensation from God or the church for what we give.
- But I think that this second definition is even more important.
- A talent, endowment, aptitude, or inclination.
- You’ve probably heard this referred to as Spiritual gifts or talents.
- It’s what we are able to do and do well without having learned it somewhere or taken a class.
- Ed McManus, editor of The Jokesmith newsletter explains it this way.
- He wrote a human resources book called What is a Human Resource?
- In it he explains how people get assigned to particular jobs.
- You leave them in a conference room for four hours.
- Then, you go back to see what they’re doing.
If they don’t look up when you enter the room, assign them to the Security Department.
If they’re counting the butts in the ashtray, put them in Finance.
If they’ve taken the table apart, put them in Engineering.
If they’re screaming and waving their arms, send them off to Manufacturing.
And if they’ve left early, put them in Sales.
- We’re each given at least one gift.
- Maybe you’re a good speaker or you work well with kids.
- Maybe it’s as simple as you understand and can offer hospitality.
- Whatever it is, how are you using that gift for your church?
- Because let’s face it folks, a gift must be used or it goes to waste.
- There’s a story about the great violinist, Nicole Pagannini.
- When he died, he willed his marvelous violin to Genoa, the city of his birth, only on the condition that it not be played.
Now Pagannini’s violin is constructed of a peculiar wood in that as long as the violin is used and handled, it shows little wear.
- As soon as it is discarded, the wood begins to decay.
- The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic.
- The moldering instrument is a reminder that our gifts, withdrawn from all service to others, lose their meaning and usefulness.
- God assures us that we all have gifts.
- The question is are you using them and for whom?
- So, let’s get into the worksheets for this week.
- Everybody got them out?
Generous
- First, a Christian Steward is generous.
- The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by.
- The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand.
- Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins.
- A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented,
- “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need.
- Why give him gold?”
- Alexander responded in royal fashion,
- “Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”
- Alexander was the greatest conqueror the world has ever known.
- He had the entirety of the known world at his feet.
- He could have anything that he wanted.
- And he knew that giving a pittance was not appropriate for someone of his stature.
- How blessed are you?
- In a very real estimate, looking at the whole world, how much do you really have?
- Do you have a home?
- Do you have a job?
- Do you have personal assets like a savings account or an IRA?
- Most of the world doesn’t have all that.
- How does your giving compare with your resources?
Grateful
- Second point, a Christian Steward is grateful.
- Gratefulness is also called gratitude or thankfulness.
- Now even though the retail stores like Wal-Mart and the malls are already prepping for Christmas,
- it is time for those of us who don’t live by a retailer’s calendar to think about Thanksgiving.
- What is thankfulness?
- What is gratitude?
- Erma Bombeck told the following anecdote several years ago.
- An estimated 1.5 million people are living today after bouts with breast cancer.
- Every time I forget to feel grateful to be among them, I hear the voice of an eight-year-old named Christina, who had cancer of the nervous system.
- When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she thought long and hard and finally said,
- "I don’t know. I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll. I have everything!"
- The kid is right.
- Think about your own life.
- Are you thankful for what you have?
- Or are you still looking for more stuff to fill in the voids?
- In his book FOLK PSALMS OF FAITH, Ray Stedman tells of an experience that he had in a crowded restaurant.
- Just as he was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him.
- Stedman invited him to have a seat.
- Then, as was his custom, Stedman bowed his head in prayer.
- When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?"
- Stedman replied, "No, I don’t."
- The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?"
- Stedman replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."
- The man said, "Oh, you’re one of those, are you?
- Well, I want you to know I never give thanks.
- I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat.
- I just start right in!"
- Stedman said, "Yes, you’re just like my dog.
- That’s what he does too!"
- Think again about what you have been blessed with in this lifetime.
- Think about friends.
- Think about family.
- Think about your home and your health and your wealth.
- Think about the fact that you don’t have to scramble to figure out where your next meal is coming from.
- And, think about the gifts and talents that you know you have.
- How are you expressing your gratefulness for those things to God?
- I know I’m harping on a point here but,
- it’s about your money but it’s also about yourself.
- How much of your entire, blessed life are you giving back to God.
- Do you take the time to thank God for everything?
- Or are you more like my dog, digging right in and thanking no one but yourself?
Shares
- Alright, enough of that.
- Let’s get to that third point.
- A Christian Steward shares.
- Look back at our Scripture from Acts.
- Acts 20:34-35 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
- In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,
- remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:
- It is more blessed to give than to receive.
- Now how many of us have lived through at least one Christmas season?
- You know the truth in that statement don’t you?
- You know how much better it feels to give someone something that they want or need than it does to get something in return.
- Have you ever felt bad about what you gave compared to what you got?
- How bout vice versa?
- Felt bad about what you got in light of what you gave?
- But it was still better to give than to get wasn’t it?
- That’s what Christian sharing is all about.
- It’s about the warmth that you feel from giving.
- There’s even a little selfishness in that isn’t there?
- It feels good to give so we give to get the good feeling.
- And that’s OK.
- I think that that’s one of those places and times that God says it’s alright to feel good about giving.
- Listen to what some big name folks have to say on the topic.
- CS Lewis said, “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give.
- I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.”
- J.L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corporation, who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years,
- said, "The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord."
- J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week."
- And finally, an unknown author wrote, “It’s not what you do with the million if fortune should ere be your lot,
- but what are you doing at present with the dollar and quarter you got.
Challenge
- So maybe we understand our gifts a little better today.
- Maybe we’ll think more this week about giving and receiving.
- Here’s my challenge to you.
- Check out the rest of the Scriptures on the worksheet.
- See what they say to you.
- And as you come forward for communion this morning,
- think about the greatest gift that was ever given.
- Dwell on the sacrifice that Jesus made for you.
- While it is better to give than to receive, receive the grace of the Lord this morning and be thankful that it was given for you.
- AMEN
