Sermon Notes | Sunday, May 21st, 2023
The Fruit of Stewardship | Faithful with Little
Pastor Chris Pletcher
Intro // Genesis 2:1-15
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Recap from Last Sunday //
Last week, we looked at God's confrontation with Pharaoh through Moses. We talked about the beauty of the declaration... "Let MY people go, that they may serve ME." The Hebrew word used there is âbad, and it means to serve, to labor, to work... GOD WAS CHALLENGING PHARAOH'S FALSE OWNERSHIP OF THE HEBREW SLAVES. And He was calling out His people to build His Kingdom, not Pharaoh's.
WORK IS A HOLY AND BEAUTIFUL PART OF BEING HUMAN!
(Unless you are a SLAVE building Pharaoh's Kingdom instead of a SON building the Father's House.)
Matthew 25:14-21
“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 one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 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. 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, ʻMaster, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.ʼ His master said to him, ʻWell 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.ʼ
GOD IS ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR FAITHFUL SERVANTS THAT HE CAN TRUST WITH HIS PROPERTY!
PROPERTY!
1 Corinthians 4:1-2
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.
What is a steward?
- Someone who has been entrusted with the management of someone else's HOUSE or PROPERTY - The manager of household or of household affairs
- A distributor, a manager, an overseer, a governor, an employee
IF YOU THINK IT IS YOURS, YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND STEWARDSHIP.
Luke 12:35-44
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
How can we grow in our FAITHFULNESS with what He's entrusted to us?
The Kingdom
Your Family
Your Job
Your Spiritual Gifts
Your Church
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
RESPONSE //
- A call to surrender ourselves as servants and stewards of the Lord.
- A call to examine our work, our priorities and our faithfulness and let the Lord convict us. - A call to offer ourselves afresh to serve the Lord's Kingdom with all of our strength, gifting, resources and fervor.
The cry of a sold-out steward...
"Zeal for YOUR HOUSE has consumed me."
Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.