How are you? How is your week going? Have you been a good steward this week?
A pastor long ago told me about an incident that he had with his son. They just bought some McDonald’s and were eating together. My pastor went to grab some french fries when his son stopped him and said, “Mine!” The son didn’t pay for the food. They were supposed to share the fries. And yet the son still wouldn’t share, and he claimed the fries as his.
In our self-centered, individualistic culture today, it is so easy for us to think the same way. I know I struggle with this. I so easily fall into the trap of thinking that my time, talents, gifts, possessions, and money are “Mine!” I treat them as if I own them. I use them for my plans and pleasure. And I forget that we have been called to steward all the resources we have for the sake of God’s glory and kingdom.
Here is the list of points that I made from the sermon on Matthew 25 this past Sunday. I hope it rebukes, challenges, and draws you to Christ as it has for me.
1. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective of ourselves: We are mere servants. We are not the owners or the masters.
2. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective of God: He is the Master. He is self-sufficient within himself. This means that our stewardship is not something He needs, but it is for our good.
3. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective of our talents: Whether we have 5, 2, or 1, they are valuable. They come with great responsibility.
4. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective of our fruit: Fruit is not an option. We are to bear fruit. However, Jesus does not look at the amount of fruit we have produced, but He looks at the faithfulness we displayed to produce the fruit.
5. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective of our timeline: In the story, the Master came back after a LONG TIME. Stewardship is a marathon, not a sprint.
6. Stewardship gives us a proper perspective on our reward: The fruit or the profit is not the reward. Entering the Master’s joy is the reward. What is the ultimate goal of our stewardship?
7. Faithless stewardship is an inactive stewardship.
8. Faithless stewardship is a self-justifying stewardship.
9. Stewardship is a matter of the heart, and it is a matter of faith. One’s view of the Master will determine one’s actions.Therefore, we don’t steward TO BE saved, but we steward because we HAVE BEEN saved.
10. Jesus is the Ultimate Faithful Steward. He came to this earth with nothing in lowliness, and yet He bore fruit exponentially. He used every opportunity to glorify God and to further His kingdom. And yet, He was crucified for our faithless stewardship. He was stripped of everything He had. He was cast out onto Calvary. He bore the utter darkness of the judgment for sin. There was weeping and gnashing of teeth as He writhed and cried out, receiving the wrath of God for our sins. And yet, through His death and resurrection, He bore the greatest fruit to the glory of God: the salvation of His people.
I apologize for the length of this Word of Encouragement, but I was blessed by each point as I prepared last week. I pray that it may challenge and encourage you in the Lord as well!
Join us for FB Live tomorrow @5:30pm as we continue to discuss racial in justice. Pre-register for our in-person Lord’s Day Worship:  https://newlifecolorado.net/reopen
Continue to pray for one another, our ministry, our worship, and our world!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
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