Where were you on September the 11th, 2001?
Most people in this room, most people in this country
who are over, say, age 35 to 40
can tell you where they were and what they were doing
when they heard news that there had been a terrorist attack
on American soul.
It had a profound effect on just about everyone
who saw those twin towers come crashing down.
Many people immediately opened their hearts
and their pocketbooks to those victims.
Many people gave donations to various charities
to be used to help the thousands that needed help.
Well, then the first weeks after the attack,
the Red Cross received $547 million
designated to help those touched by this tragedy.
But then the Red Cross made a shocking announcement.
They were going to hold almost half of those funds,
$247 million in reserve.
Some of you may remember that.
Well, as you can imagine,
there was a great public outcry against that decision.
The Attorney General of New York issued a warning to the Red Cross
that they must spend those donations
in the way or according to the way those donors had specified
and nothing else.
There was a company in California,
Siebel Systems.
When they heard what the Red Cross was planning to do,
they asked for their $3.2 million to be returned.
Well, after the upheaval,
the Red Cross reversed their decision
and promised that all 9-11 donations
would be used to help 9-11 victims.
And that company said they could keep the money.
But what I want us to think is this.
The public outcry over the Red Cross
holding half of those donations
made it clear that everyone,
people in government,
private, common, ordinary citizens,
everyone expects their donations
to whatever cause
be used only for the purpose
that they were given.
Now, in the same way,
God expects us to use all the resources
he has given us
according to his purpose,
the way that he intends.
And that's because everything that we have,
our time,
our talents,
and our treasures,
they were all ultimately given to us by God
with the understanding
that he remains the owner.
And what he gives to us,
he entrusts us
with the privilege and responsibility
of being his good managers.
I want to ask you,
how well are you taking care of
and using the time that God's given you?
The talents,
the abilities,
the opportunities that you have.
The money,
the material possessions
that God has entrusted to your care.
You know,
it's important that we be good managers
or stewards of this
because one day
we are all going to give an account
of how we have used
everything that God has given us.
Jesus talked about that
in several of his parables.
Probably the most well-known
is in Matthew chapter 25.
And I want to ask you to turn with me
as you see on the screen there,
Matthew 25,
beginning in verse 14.
And this will not be on the screen.
So if you would,
please turn.
If you don't have your Bible,
there's a pew Bible.
And follow along with me
in Matthew 25,
beginning in verse 14.
Matthew 25,
Jesus is explaining
some things about
the kingdom of God
or the kingdom of heaven.
That's how he begins
chapter 25,
verse 1.
Then the kingdom of heaven
will be like,
and he talks about,
gives one parable.
Then in verse 14,
he's talking again
about the kingdom of heaven.
Let's read in verse 14.
For it will be like
a man going on a journey
who called his servants
and entrusted to them
his property.
To one,
he gave five talents.
To another,
two.
To another,
two.
To another,
one.
To each,
according to his ability.
Now notice that.
God creates us all differently.
He entrusts to us
different amounts
of all that we have.
Then he went away.
Verse 16.
He who had received
the five talents
went at once
and traded with them
and he made five talents more.
So also,
he who had the two talents
made two talents more.
But he who had received
the one talent
went and dug in the ground
and hid his master's money.
He dug a hole
and put it in it.
Let me pause here.
A lot of you
have a Bible translation
that when you see
the word talent there
at the beginning,
there's a footnote
that explains
what that means.
In the ESV version
that I'm reading from,
it says a talent
was a monetary unit
worth about
20 years wages
for a laborer.
It's a lot,
but not as much
as you might think
because a laborer
made just enough
to get by
for the day.
Let's continue on now
in verse 19.
Now after a long time,
the master of those servants
came and settled accounts
with them.
And he who had received
the five talents
came forward,
bringing five talents more,
saying,
Master,
you delivered to me
five talents.
Here I have made
five talents more.
His master said to him,
Well done,
good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful
over a little.
I will set you over much.
Enter into the joy
of your master.
And he also said,
and he also,
who had the two talents
came forward,
saying,
Master,
you delivered to me
two talents.
Here I have made
two talents more.
And I want you to note,
his master said to him,
the very same thing.
He wasn't given as much.
He didn't have as much
when the master returned.
But he'd been faithful
with what he had been given.
And so he has commended
just as much.
Well done,
good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful
over a little.
I will set you over much.
Enter into the joy
of your master.
He also,
who had received
the one talent,
came forward,
saying,
Master,
I knew you
to be a hard man,
reaping where you
did not sow
and gathering
where you scattered
no seed.
So I was afraid
and I went out
and hid your talent
in the ground.
Here you have
what is yours.
But his master
answered him,
you wicked
and slothful servant.
You knew that I reap
where I have not sown
and gather
where I scattered
no seed.
Then you ought
to have invested
my money
with the bankers
and at my coming
I should have received
what was my own
with interest.
So take the talent
from him
and give it to the one
who has ten talents.
For to everyone
who has
will more be given
and he will have
an abundance.
But from the one
who has not,
even what he has
will be taken away
and cast
the worthless servant
into the outer darkness.
In that place
there will be
weeping
and gnashing
of teeth.
Now I think
it's pretty obvious
that the man
in this parable,
the master of the servants
represents God.
The men receiving
the talents,
they represent
God's people.
Jesus is making
a point
that whatever
we've been given
by God,
whether it be
great or small,
we are responsible
to God
to wisely
manage it.
Note how
Jesus concludes
this.
His point
of the parable
is that
one day
everyone
is going to
give an account
to God
for how they
have managed
what God
has given them.
And we're not
just talking about
money here.
I'm beginning
a series today
that will help
us to evaluate
our stewardship
and we'll explain
that word
in a moment
of what God
has given us
using three
categories.
Our time,
our talents,
our abilities,
our opportunities,
and our treasures,
our money
and material
possessions.
As we go
through this study
today and the
next few weeks,
I want us to pray
that God will work
like this.
If we are being
wise stewards,
and I know a lot
of people in this room
are,
you'd recognize
that the time,
talents,
and treasures
God has given you
are a trust.
And while none of us
does it perfectly,
some people really
do seek to be
a wise manager
of their time,
of their talents,
and their treasures.
They want to please
God.
They want to be
used by God
to meet people's
needs in their life.
And so,
as we go through
this,
if you're being
a wise steward
in one or more
of these areas,
you'll be affirmed.
You'll be
encouraged
to continue
to remain
faithful.
Pray that God
will do that
if you're a wise
manager.
But if we're not
being wise stewards,
let's pray that
we will be
convicted of our
sin of poorly
managing what
God's given us.
Let's pray that
we will be made
aware of it.
We'll know
what needs to
change.
What priorities
need to change
so that we can
become wise
and faithful
stewards
of everything
that we are
and everything
that we have
because
every single
one of us
in this room,
if you
truly believe
what the Bible
says about God,
about living life
as a Christian,
about how things
are going to
come to an end,
I want us to
understand that
one day,
every single one
of us in this
room,
we're going to
stand before
God.
And a part of
what will take
place that day
is we will
give an account.
Jesus told this
and several other
parables like this.
We're going to
give an account
of what we have
done,
how we have
managed
the time,
talents,
and treasures
that God has
entrusted to our
care.
Now,
the first step
to understanding
our responsibility
to wisely manage
our resources
is to accept
the fact
that God
owns it all.
So let's
look first.
God is the
creator and
owner of
everything.
You know
how the Bible
begins.
God created
the world
and everything
in it.
Just as a
reminder,
Genesis 1,
1,
in the beginning,
God created
the heavens
and the earth.
Now,
the fact that
God is the
creator of
all that is
means that
he owns
all that
is.
And this
is stated
in numerous
ways
throughout the
Bible.
I want you
to look at
this example
from Psalm
24.
It's familiar
to a lot
of people.
The earth
is the
Lord's
and all
it contains
the world,
look at
this,
and those
who dwell
in it.
Don't just
look out
at the
mountains.
Think about
God's
beautiful
creation.
You know,
God made
this,
this is
his,
look in
the mirror.
God made
all of us
in his
images.
We're going
to see
it in a
moment.
Just as
the mountains,
the world
belongs to
him,
we belong
to him.
Paul repeats
this,
at least part
of it,
in 1 Corinthians
10.
Note,
the earth
is the
Lord's
and everything
in it.
Now,
in the
story of
creation,
it really
zeroes in
on God's
special
creation,
which is
human beings.
Just look at
this.
God created
human beings
in his
image.
Here's a
summary statement
of the
creation of
man.
Look at it
in verse
26 and
27,
the first
part of
verse 26.
Then God
said,
let us make
man in
our image
after our
likeness.
And then,
so God
created man
in his own
image.
In the
image of
God,
he created
him.
Male and
female,
he created
them.
Now,
this is
such a
special
creation,
the creation
of human
beings in
God's
image,
that God
goes on
in the
second
chapter of
Genesis,
the whole
chapter,
to describe
in detail
how God
created the
man and
the woman.
Now,
the creation
of human
beings leads
us to the
major point
about stewardship.
Look at
this.
God made
human beings
the managers
or stewards
of all
that he
created
and owned.
And God
made this
clear when
he created
that first
man and
woman.
Look at
it.
It's really
the climax
of creation
in Genesis
1.
Then God
said,
let us make
man in
our image
after our
likeness
and let
them have
dominion
over the
fish of
the sea
and over
the birds
of the
heavens
and over
the livestock
and over
all the
earth and
over every
creeping thing
that creeps
on the
earth.
And then
verse 28,
and God
blessed them
and God
said to
them,
be fruitful
and multiply
and fill
the earth
and subdue
it and
have dominion.
There's that
word again.
Have dominion
over the
fish of the
sea and
over the
birds of
the heavens
and over
every living
thing that
moves,
on the
earth.
We need
to understand
especially in
this day
and time,
God created
everything.
He created
everything good.
Animals and
plants,
the earth,
the environment.
It is very
good because
it is created,
it was created
by God.
It's God's.
But God
created human
beings.
Let's be more
specific.
Let's think
about it.
God created
us and gave
us the
privilege and
responsibility
to be in
charge of
this creation,
to get
dominion,
to rule.
There's a lot
of weird
environmentalists
who just don't
seem to
understand that
plants and
animals and
humans are not
all equal.
Plants and
animals exist to
serve our
purpose.
Now we've got
to be good
stewards,
no doubt.
We've got to
be responsible
in taking care
of this earth,
everything in it.
And we don't
always do a good
job in doing
that.
But make no
mistake,
your dog,
and especially
your cat,
is not,
is not on
equal ground
with you.
We've got a
little dog,
Molly.
If fire breaks
out in my
house when all
my family's
there, I'm
going to make
sure that Lisa
and David and
Amy and Will
and Olivia and
Michael and
Jennifer get
out.
And if I have
time, I'm going
to go back and
get Molly.
But I'm not
going, I'll risk
my life for my
family.
But I'm not
going to risk
my life for a
dog.
Human beings
are created in
God's image.
Human beings
are special.
Human beings
are in charge
under God to
take care of,
to be stewards
of everything
that exists.
We need to do
it well,
we need to do
it wisely.
But don't listen
to the liberal
environmentalists
who want to
make us think
that we're here
to serve the
earth.
The earth is
not our
mother.
Only a fool
thinks that.
We are God's
people created
in His image
with the God
given responsibility
says right here
to rule,
to have
dominion.
It's a
privilege,
but it's also
a responsibility.
Now let's look
closer at this
idea of
stewardship.
Stewardship is
really the most
accurate and
traditional word
that describes
our responsibility
and privilege
to care for
and manage
God's creation.
But let's be
honest,
how many times
have you used
the word
steward or
stewardship
in the last
year or even
heard it?
I don't use it.
It sort of,
just sort of
left my way
of thinking.
Well,
because it's
no longer a
commonly used
word,
it may be
sort of hard
to grasp
what we're
talking about
here.
Many modern
Bible translations
even use
other words
to describe
this responsibility.
There's nothing
wrong with that,
but at the same
time,
the word
steward and
stewardship,
these words
are good,
they're helpful.
I want you
to look at
some examples
of how they're
used in Scripture.
In 1 Corinthians
4 verses 1 and 2,
note that the
word steward
refers to a
person.
Here's the
Scripture.
This is how
one should
regard us
as servants
of Christ
and stewards
of the mysteries
of God.
Moreover,
it is required
of stewards
that they be
found faithful.
Other translations
describe a
steward as
someone who
has been
entrusted with
something,
the NIV.
Someone who
has been put
in charge
as a manager
of something,
the New Living
Translation.
Now look at
the word
stewardship
in Colossians
1.25.
The word
stewardship
refers to
a steward's
responsibility.
Here's the
Scripture.
I became a
minister according
to the
stewardship from
God that
was given
to me for
you to
make the
word of
God fully
known.
The New
Living
Translation
uses the
word
responsibility
to describe
the idea
of stewardship.
Now let's
try to define
what the Bible
means when it
uses these
two words.
Look first
at a
steward.
A steward is
someone who
is entrusted
with what
belongs to
another.
A steward is
a manager of
what belongs
to another.
Stewardship
refers to the
actual responsibility
of managing
or taking care
of what
belongs to
another person.
The idea of
stewardship really
has in mind
we're not just
managers,
we're managers
of that which
has been given
to us and
in this case
we're managers
of what God
has entrusted
to our care.
Stewardship is
a God-given
responsibility
that we need
to understand
and take very
seriously
but it's not
a very popular
idea today
is it?
A lot of
us grew
up being
told we're
a part of
the me
generation.
Life's about
me.
What pleases
me.
Spending my
time, talents
and money
on me
and what
makes me
happy.
We've learned
that lesson
very well
haven't we?
We have
become today
the most
selfish and
self-centered
generation in
American history.
We have
fallen far
short of the
example of the
World War II
generation,
generation
that Tom
Brokaw
called the
greatest
generation
and for a
lot of us
in this
room that
was our
parents.
That was
our
grandparents
who understood
the idea of
stewardship,
who understood
the idea of
service,
who understood
their time,
talents and
treasures could
be used to
accomplish much
in this world
for others
and they
willingly gave
their time,
their talents,
their treasures,
their lives.
A lot of us
know they gave
it for us
and they also
gave it to
many great
causes.
We've also
fallen far
from the
commitment of
earlier generations
of Christians.
You know,
Baptists have
historically
emphasized the
importance of
stewardship.
Let me say,
when we talk
about stewardship,
it's a lot
more than money.
Southern
Baptists
developed
their own
statement of
their faith,
what they
believe,
in 1925
called the
Baptist Faith
and Message.
The Baptist
Faith and Message
has been revised
twice,
updated,
emphasized some
things that need
to be more
emphasized today
in light of
today's culture,
clarifies some
things.
In both
updates,
1963 and
the year
2000,
stewardship
remained in
the statement
of faith.
And I want
you to look
at it.
This is our
church and
denomination's
official statement
of faith.
God is the
source of all
blessings,
temporal and
spiritual.
All that we
have and are
we owe to
him.
Christians are
therefore under
obligation to
serve him with
their time,
talents,
and material
possessions,
and should
recognize all
these as
entrusted to
them to use
for the glory
of God and
for helping
others.
Now,
Baptists have
never had a
monopoly on
truth.
Don't ever
think that
you're something
special because
you're a
Baptist.
You're not.
Christians for
all generations
have understood,
wrote about the
importance of
being good
stewards.
The English
Standards Version
Study Bible,
ESV Study Bible,
Bible.
In the back of
that Study Bible
are some great
articles.
I used to say
it a lot and I
got tired of
saying it, but
everybody in this
church, you ought
to have an ESV
Study Bible.
Even if you
don't want to
have notes at
the bottom to
help you understand
the different
passages, it's
worth buying for
the articles in
the back.
They'll help you
to understand more
about who God
is, understand
more about what
we believe as
Christians.
It even has a
lot of things
related to ethics,
things like
taking care of
the environment
the right kind
of way.
Things like
divorce and
remarriage.
But there's also
an article on
stewardship.
That's what I
want to call your
attention to.
Stewardship in
all of life.
It says,
whatever a person
owns, he or she
is to manage as a
steward who is
responsible to God.
Stewardship
responsibilities
extend not only to
the creation,
material possessions,
and natural
resources, but also
to other things
such as talents or
skills that have
been given by God,
as explained in
1 Corinthians 4-7.
Time and
opportunities,
Ephesians 5.
The wonderful
responsibility of
bearing and raising
children, Ephesians
6-4.
And spiritual gifts
and ministries found
there in 1 Corinthians,
Ephesians, and 1 Peter.
Now let me say here,
we're going to talk
about a lot of
things in this course
of studies on
stewardship, but I'm
not going to get into
who should have more
children.
Okay?
I'm not going to
emphasize anything
about producing and
bearing children.
But some of you need
to have more.
I will tell you that.
Okay?
Those articles
reveal that Christians
have historically
understood their
responsibility to
practice wise
stewardship.
But that was a day
gone by.
That's other people.
What about us?
What about you?
Do you understand
that God has given
you the responsibility
to wisely use all
the resources that He
has entrusted to your
care?
And then think,
how well am I really
practicing God-honoring
stewardship or management
of my time,
of my talents,
of my treasures?
As we begin this series
on stewardship,
I want to make it clear
that we will not be just
looking at our resources
or using our resources
in the ministry of the
church.
Here's what I mean.
You may come to church
every single Sunday
of the year.
And that's great.
But what about the other
days of the week?
How do you use your time
Monday through Saturday
as well as spend time
in church on Sunday?
You may give a tithe
or more.
But you may give a tithe,
10% of every dollar
you earn to the Lord
through this church
without fail,
and I commend you
for that.
But what about
the other 90%?
Are you wisely
using all the money
and material things
that God has entrusted
to you?
Now,
I also want to make it
clear that when we seek
to be wise and faithful
stewards,
we won't just work
and give it all away.
That's what some people
will get in mind
to start talking about
things like stewardship.
He's going to try to
inflict a guilt trip on me
that I need to work hard
and make a lot
and give it all away.
No,
not at all.
The Bible talks about
working,
giving,
enjoying even,
having,
taking pleasure from
the fruits of our labor.
Look at how Paul
points this out.
It's in 1 Timothy
chapter 6,
verse 17.
As for the rich
in this present age,
charge them not
to be haughty,
nor to set their hopes
on the uncertainty
of riches,
but on God
who richly provides us
with everything
to enjoy.
God created joy
and pleasure.
It's a part of the makeup
of a human being
made in His image.
So,
some of the money
that we make,
some of the things
that we have,
we ought to just enjoy them.
We ought to use them
in such a way
that brings us pleasure.
But at the same time,
we need to look
at the warning here.
Paul tells us
in that passage there,
and by the way,
I put it wrong
in the notes.
It's 1 Timothy chapter 6.
There is no 2 Timothy chapter 6.
1 Timothy 6.
We must always guard
against pride
of possessions
or thinking
they're going to last forever
or thinking
we're going to last forever
to be able
to enjoy them.
You know,
there's nothing wrong
with having nice things,
but there's a whole lot wrong
with being prideful
and arrogant
and acting like
you're so great
that you're able
to acquire them
with nobody else's help.
And we'll look at
in other messages.
God made you
the way you are.
If you've had the ability
to make money,
if you've had the ability
to invest money
and you've done well,
thank God
for the wisdom.
Thank Him
for the opportunity.
Thank Him
for the health.
We have nothing
that He has not given us.
We've got to guard
against the pride
of possessions
thinking they'll always last
or that we'll always
be around to enjoy them.
But God also wants
us to enjoy our resources.
He gives them to us
to enjoy.
The key to experiencing
this joy though,
look at it.
Keep our hope on God.
God's the giver.
See, what God
wants us to do
is we enjoy
what we've got.
Enjoy the gifts
He gives us.
But always remember
the gifts come
from Him,
the giver.
And enjoy the gifts
but enjoy the giver
more
and thank Him.
And as we're talking about,
use them
in a way that you know
will please Him.
Now,
we're going to wind this up
and I want you to think
with me.
How do you think
of all the resources
at your disposal?
I'm talking about everything.
You,
your mind,
your energy,
your abilities,
all the stuff you own.
How do you think
of all the resources
at your disposal?
Do you really
and truly
acknowledge
that God owns
it all?
Do you really
and truly believe that?
Are you seeking
to be a faithful
steward
of all
that God
has given you?
Time,
talents,
treasures.
Here's something
all of us need
to understand.
We're going to give
an accounting
for what we've done
with it,
so are you prepared
right now
to give an accounting
to God
for what you have done
with all that He has put
in your hands
or in your body
or around you.
I want us
in the next few minutes
just to ask God
to help us
to see
what kind of steward
we are
in His eyes.
And then we need
to respond
accordingly.
If God convicts you
of selfishness,
of hoarding,
of wasting time,
confess it
as the sin
that it is.
Change your mind.
Turn from it.
Ask His forgiveness.
If God does that,
then ask Him
to show you
what needs to change,
how you need
to change your schedule,
change your priorities,
change your emphasis,
and ask Him
to help you
to be able
to do that,
to follow through
with that.
It may be, though,
that God affirms you.
Or maybe He affirms you
in your giving
but not in your use
of time.
Or in the way
you use your talents
for His glory
and people's good
but not the way
you give.
Ask God
to help you
to see what kind
of steward
you are
right now.
And in the areas
He affirms you,
just give thanks
to Him
and ask Him
to help you
to remain faithful.
But I want us
this moment,
I want you
to make
a commitment
to be present
the next few Sundays
as we look at
how God wants
all of us
to practice
faithful stewardship
with all of our time,
talents,
and treasures
in a way
that does
bring glory
to Him,
good to others,
and joy
to ourselves.
Let's pray together.
Dear God,
we all have time,
talents,
and treasures.
Show us
from your perspective,
which is the
true perspective,
what kind of stewards
we really are
with the way
we spend our time,
the way we spend
our talents
and abilities,
the way we spend
our money.
Help us,
Father,
to respond to you
right now
accordingly.
Father,
if there are
people in this room
who do not
have a relationship
with you,
help them to
understand that
they have been
created
in your image,
that Jesus died
to pay the penalty
for their sins.
Overwhelm them
right now,
Father,
with your grace.
Enable them
to trust Jesus
and call upon him
to save them.
Help any Christian
in this room,
dear God,
who walking in
the idea of being
a steward of anything
was foreign to them
because everything
in life is about them.
It's theirs
and they do what
they want to do with it.
Convict whoever
of such an attitude.
Help us all,
dear God,
to grasp hold of,
to truly embrace
that you own it all
and we are stewards,
managers,
that one day
we will give
an account to you
for how faithful
we have been
with what we had.
And just in an attitude
of prayer,
you respond to the Lord
as he wants you to.
I'd be happy
to pray with you
during this time
here at the front
if you would like
to do that.
But the important thing
is listen to the Lord
and respond to him,
obey him.
Thank you.