Heart for The House | Session 1-Vision of Biblical Stewardship Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (Or trustworthy.) Steward- A person who manages the affairs or financial property of another. One who administers anything as the agent of another. The Greek word for “steward” is oikonomos and means a manager, treasurer, overseer or guardian. Money/possessions/wealth are not evil. They are is tools that God requires us to steward with a kingdom perspective. We are called to be faithful stewards who are generous with our time, treasure and talents. We understand that God is a very generous Father and desires us to extend that generosity to others. A healthy church should consist of people that have freely received from God and freely give to others. Define prosperity-(having our needs supplied) Stewardship · “Jesus devoted roughly 25 percent of his words in the Gospels to the resources God has entrusted to our stewardship. This includes some twenty-eight passages. · In the Old and New Testaments combined, there are over eight hundred verses on the subject, addressing topics ranging from planning and budgeting to saving and investing, to debt and tithing. · Furthermore, money, wealth, and possessions are the greatest idols in our culture. There is simply no way to be a disciple of Jesus and not learn to worship God with stewardship. · Jesus stressed that we either worship our wealth or worship with our wealth. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 1. Righteous rich stewards gain their treasure by righteous means, such as working hard and investing wisely. Righteous, rich stewards manage their treasure righteously by living within a reasonable budget, paying their taxes and bills and giving generously. Biblical examples of righteous rich stewards include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job (both before and after his tragedy and season of poverty), Joseph of Arimathea (who gave Jesus his personal tomb), Lydia (who funded much of Paul’s ministry) and Dorcas (who often helped the poor). 2. Unrighteous rich stewards gain their treasure through sinful means, such as stealing and dishonest business practices, because their monetary idolatry drives them toward greed. Unrighteous rich stewards have wealth but do not use it righteously. In fact, one thorough study reported, “Earning higher incomes does not make American Christians more generous with their money. It actually appears to make them more stingy, protective, and distrustful.” The study also said, “Higher income-earning American Christians — like Americans generally — give little to no more money as a percentage of household income than lower income earning Christians.” That study also reported, generally, between 1959 and 2000, while the financial giving by American Christians was declining, the personal consumption expenditures of Americans increased for eating out in restaurants, toys, sports supplies, live entertainments, foreign and domestic travel by U.S. residents, lottery tickets, casino gambling, photography, sports and recreation camps, and other entertainment expenses. Biblical examples of unrighteous rich stewards include Laban, Esau, Nabal, Haman, the rich young ruler and Judas Iscariot. 3. Righteous poor stewards work hard, act honestly in business dealings, live within their means, stay out of debt, and live in contentment with the treasure God has appointed for them to manage. Biblical examples of righteous poor stewards include Ruth and Naomi, Jesus Christ, the widow who gave her mite, the Macedonian church, and Paul, who often knew want and hunger. 4. Unrighteous poor stewards, like unrighteous rich stewards, seek to gain their treasure through sinful means, such as freeloading and stealing, but fail to succeed. Unrighteous poor stewards do not invest their treasure wisely; are prone to foolish spending (such as eating and drinking too much), gambling, and chasing get-rich-quick schemes to obtain wealth without wisdom or effort. They may also be lazy and do as little work as possible. Biblical examples of unrighteous poor stewards include the sluggard and the fool, who are repeatedly renounced throughout the book of Proverbs. The Scriptures give us a far richer understanding of stewarding our treasure than either poverty or prosperity theology. In Scripture, the issue is not primarily whether someone is rich or poor, but whether someone is a righteous or unrighteous steward in obtaining and managing wealth. The way out of the ongoing war between prosperity tribes and poverty tribes is generosity. Whatever you have, steward it wisely and give it generously. With more needs emerging from a broken society, more oppression from an increasingly hostile culture, and fewer resources to work with, it will take every one of God’s people giving and serving in order to reach lost people, help victims, make disciples and plant churches. It’s not about the money; it’s about the people. Jesus gave his life. The least we can do is give our wealth.” - Driscoll, Mark (2013-11-05). A Call to Resurgence: Will Christianity Have a Funeral or a Future? (pp. 206-207). Resurgence. Kindle Edition. 1. The stuff I have is not mine. 1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 2. I am responsible to God for what God has given me. However, I am not responsible for what He has given others. 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 3. I am going to give an account to God for how I managed His goods. Romans 14:12, 13 So then, each of us shall give account of himself to God Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brothers way. 4. Everything I have is for His glory. 1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. What if everything God has given to you (time, treasure, talent) has a Kingdom purpose as it passes through your hands?