Stewardship
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 05/10/2020
MAY - MY TREASURESTEWARDSHIP
Foundation Scripture:
God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. Genesis 1:26 AMPC
1. The Lost Sense of The Eternal.
a. Many people habitually think and act as if there is no eternity to consider.
b. Psalm 39:4 AMPC—Lord, make me to know my end and [to appreciate] the measure of my days--what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].
c. James 2:12 AMPC—So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love].
d. Romans 14:12 AMPC—And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God.
e. 1 Peter 4:5 AMPC—But they will have to give an account to Him Who is ready to judge and pass sentence on the living and the dead.
f. According to God’s Word, one of our main aims in this life is to prepare for the Next.
2. Stewardship.
a. A steward’s primary goal is to be found faithful by his Master as he uses the Master’s resources to accomplish the tasks delegated to him.
b. James 4:13-17 NKJV—Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
c. We are here to please the Master and His judgment is the only one that counts.
d. Anyone else’s evaluation, or opinion, of the steward is pointless and meaningless.
3. God owns everything.
a. Heaven and earth and all of creation belongs to Him.
b. Deuteronomy 10:14 AMPC—Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth also, with all that is in it and on it.
c. Psalm 24:1-2 AMPC—The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers.
d. Job 41:11 KJV—Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
e. The land belongs to Him.
f. Leviticus 25:23 AMPC—The land shall not be sold into perpetual ownership, for the land is Mine; you are [only] strangers and temporary residents with Me.
g. Riches, honor, power, might, strength, increase, favor, and promotion come from Him, and He reigns over all.
h. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 AMPC
i. The world and its fullness, including everything that has life and breath, belong to Him.
j. Psalm 50:10-12 AMPC
k. The riches of the earth are His.
l. Haggai 2:8 AMP—The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts.
m. You are not your own—you are His.
n. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
4. God is the Master—We are the Stewards.
a. Ownership:
• God owns everything.
• We are the custodians of what He has placed in our care.
• We are to wisely administer and expand the Master’s estate.
b. Power:
• All power is His.
• We are accountable to Him.
c. Trust:
• He entrusts us with possessions, authority, and responsibilities.
• We are expected to be faithful with what we are given.
d. Expectations:
• He expects us to do what He asks and do what we can.
• We are to work and be industrious—to give our best and do our best for Him.
e. Absence:
• He is like the Master who went on a journey—He has left His estate in His servant’s hands—that’s you and me.
• We must use wisdom as we invest the Master’s wealth and manage His estate.
f. Return:
• He will return—it will be unannounced.
• We should be always ready and waiting for His return.
g. Generosity:
• The Lord is extremely generous.
• We should never take Him for granted.
• Fear the Master and appreciate His blessings.
h. Standards:
• God has set standards for us that are non-negotiable—there are no grey areas.
• We should be single-minded in service.
• We will give an individual account to God for our own words and deeds.
5. Things We Must Seriously Consider.
a. The long-term significance of today’s behavior and choices (ours).
b. The inevitability of consequences for all of our choices and actions.
c. The weightiness of our responsibility to choose wisely and live rightly.
d. We have clear cut incentives and motivations—our eternal treasure and crowns.
e. We should place more importance on, and be more focused on, our responsibilities than our rights.
f. Our obedience is more important and more fruitful than our temporary happiness.