SPF 076: Giving an Account for Your Life - Stewardship Part 1

King David said But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. Today we are talking about stewarding all the things God has given us and what happens when He will return and we give an account. This is part 1 in a 2 part series on stewardship.   

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Riot and the Dance

Want to learn more about gospel-centered biology curriculum? Check out the Riot and the Dance curriculum on Canonpress.org: http://canonpress.com/search.php?search_query=riot+and+the+dance&Search=

Life Hack - Dinner Prep

This comes from SPF listener Serena!

"During busy, busy seasons of life, making dinner can be one of my hardest daily tasks. Dinner comes at the end of the day, after hard homework discussions, loads of laundry, a toddler’s failed naptime, etc, when I am at my lowest energy point of the day. BUT! Creating and cooking meals to nourish the bodies of my loved ones is one of my favorite ways to show my love for them all.

So what’s my life hack? After cooking breakfast, I immediately start cooking and/or prepping dinner. If it’s taco night, the beef is browned & seasoned, the veggies are chopped and placed in appropriate containers. I toss the cook ware in the dishwasher and clean up. When it’s time to serve dinner, it’s a basic “heat and eat” meal that is still homemade and from my heart - but the mess of cooking is already cleaned up and I can focus on enjoying the company of my family."

Stewardship

1 Chronicles 29:10-16

Stewardship is managing what God has given us for His glory. Verse 14 says, "All things come from you and of your own have we given."

Matthew Henry says, “Whatever we have, the property of it is God’s, we have only the use of it, and that according to the direction of our great Lord.”

Stewardship also has an expiration date. Verse 15 says, "For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding."

Other verses on fleeting life:

  • 1 Peter 1:24

  • Psalm 103:15-16

  • James 4:14

  • Psalm 39:4

  • Job 8:9

How Then Shall We Live?

Matthew 25:14-30

The point of this parable isn’t salvific information. We cannot earn our way into heaven. Jesus is teaching this parable to illustrate stewardship. 

1. This passage is about the coming Kingdom of Heaven

2. The master gave according to their ability (and even our ability comes from God)

3. The master comes back and the servants give an account of what they've done.

Two types of servants

First two servants: worked hard, invested, and labored - and they did it on behalf of the master. They did it because they loved him and they trusted him, they did their best, they wanted their work to mean something, they took a risk and succeed - which that success what from the hand of GOD! They worked on behalf of the master.

Third servant: wicked and lazy, hide the coin on behalf of himself; scared and lived for himself.

This parable shows two ways to answer these questions:

Why do we exist? and Why does God give us talents/abilities?

Is it for God or for ourselves?

We are to live purposeful lives in light of the coming again of our Lord and the judgement of our God. Romans 14:11 says that each of us will give account.

Take A Risk

We cannot be too scared. We cannot live in fear. Fear of God should not paralyze us but spur us on.

  • sin is not our master anymore

  • we do not have to fear what people think of us - when we care what we think of ourselves or what others think of ourselves vs fear God we will not be good stewards.

  • we have a promise that the Kingdom will advance SO WE TRY

YOU ARE a steward of things of God.

And you have a set time to prove faithful with the things entrusted to you, including your time, your talents, and your treasures.

Time: Ephesians 5:15-16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Talents: Ephesians

Treasures: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Persevere

Stay in God’s word to be sanctified - it gives us peace!

Look at what you have now and knowing tHIS:  it’s from God and to God and your time is limited - knowing those facts, how then shall you live?

Set your face like flint - and be free (repentance and belief, rest in Christ’s goodness)

And Look back at the servants with the talents - they entered their masters joy. We steward well for the JOY of God the Father set before us - just as Jesus endured the cross with the joy set before Him.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Resources

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Great resources to help you prove faithful: