Stewardship

Introduction: Lk. 12:41-48 (Christ lays out a story about stewardship for our consideration. This teaches some very valuable lessons about our service to God. Consider these thoughts on stewardship.)

1. Stewardship Is A Gift: 1 Cor. 4:1-2, 1 Pet. 4:10 (These passages talks about stewardship. Stewardship is when God gives you a gift, something for which you are responsible. What do you have that was not given to you?)

2. The Breakdown Of Stewardship: (Follows is a breakdown of how Christ explained stewardship.)

1. Authority: Lk. 12:42 (Jurisdiction&ldots; The lord made him ruler over his household. This fact shows that part of the stewardship involved being given the authority to carry out the work. God has given you authority to do what he s asked you to do.)

2. Responsibility: Lk. 12:42 (Result&ldots; There was purpose to the authority. It was not just arbitrary. He was to give them their portion of meat. This shows the steward had a specific responsibility to fulfill. You are responsible for that which God has placed under your authority.)

3. Accountability: Lk. 12:43 (The lord will come again to see if he s doing his job. This shows the steward was held accountable for whether or not he did his job.) Lk. 12:44-46 (The lord will reward the one who does their job but will punish the wicked servant. This shows the concept of reward and punishment. It s not just a matter of displeasing the Lord, we must face penalty if we fail. Note there is an element of surprise for those who were not prepared for the master s coming.)

1. Your Personal Life: Acts 17:25 (Think of your personal life as a stewardship. God has given you the gift of life. It is your responsibility to do something with it.)
A. Authority: Josh. 24:15 (Joshua spoke of the choice Israel had to serve God or not. God has made us free moral agents, giving us the authority to choose.)

B. Responsibility: Eccl. 12:13, Phil. 2:12 (We have a responsibility to choose to fear God and keep his commands. Our life is a gift and we should treasure it by making the wise choice.)

C. Accountability: Eccl. 12:14, 1 Pet. 1:17 (We will be held accountable for what we have done, for the choice we ve made.)

2. Your Family: Prov. 18:22, Ps. 127:3-5 (A good spouse and children are a gift from God. As such it is another stewardship that we have.)
A. Authority: Eph. 5:33, 1 Tim. 5:14, Eph. 6:1-2 (God has given husbands, wives and parents certain authority in the home. Like other kinds of stewardship, this is the authority to do the job God has given us to do.)

B. Responsibility: Eph. 6:4 (We have the responsibility to do the things described in the verses above. We must love our wives, submit to our husbands, lead our children and behave within the family structure as God commands.)

C. Accountability: Ezek. 18:20 (We do not bear the sin of our children. However, we will give account for whether or not we did the job God gave us to do.)

3. The Gospel: Ps. 60:4 (God has given us a banner to carry, the banner of truth. It is a gift from God, a stewardship.) 2 Cor. 4:5-7 (The truth, the story of Christ is a precious treasure. It is placed in us, earthen vessels. Again, it is a gift, a stewardship.)
A. Authority: Titus 2:15 (Paul told Titus to speak the word with authority. We have the authority to properly use God s word as a tool to reach others for Christ. Some presume to say, "who are you to tell me" We are God s children, that s who!)

B. Responsibility: Mt. 28:19-20 (The authority to preach carries the responsibility to preach. We are obligated to do what we can to promote the gospel of Christ.)

C. Accountability: Ezek. 3:18-19 (God will hold us accountable for not teaching others about Christ. We must work to warn the lost.)