Introduction
This man in the photo is Denethor from Lord of the Rings. What was his title? Steward of Gondor.
Steward. What is a steward? He is a manager of someone’s property. In Denethor’s case, the King of Gondor was absent, so he was charged with leading the people of Gondor. As Steward, he was to lead, guide, and protect until when?? Until the King returned.
We are stewards like Denethor. We are stewards. Managers.
Who is the OWNER? The King, the Lord God.
Psalm 24:1 NIV “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
He made this world. And he made us. So he is the owner. You and I and this world belong to him. And we are to respond to him in this Creator/Creature relationship.
Psalm 95:6–7 ESV Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
He is our Maker, so we worship him. We love him. We obey him. And we steward all that he has given to us.
This is our last week in a 3-week series on being Stewards. Two weeks ago, Matt looked at being Stewards with our work. Our jobs, Our calling in life. Last week, Paul looked at being Stewards of our time. Both were excellent messages. If you didn’t hear them, listen to them. Very beneficial for your life.
Today I want to look at a 3rd area of our Stewardship, something very near and dear to us. MONEY. Possessions. Stuff.
Let’s pray together.
Lord, we humbly acknowledge You as Creator and King.
We owe our existence to you. Today with our hearts and lives and voices and thoughts, we kneel before you, the King. Help us today to acknowledge Your Role as King and strengthen our Role as STEWARD. We cannot see you, but by faith we acknowledge you.
Soften our hearts. Open our eyes. Stir up our trust.
Our Whole Lives
In these 3 weeks, we are separating out Stewardship of 3 areas, but in reality we cannot easily set them apart from each other. All these things— our Work, our Time, and our Money—really are part of us. In the truest sense, we are really to Steward our whole lives before God, for we, in our entire being, belong to him.
2 Corinthians 5:14–15 ESV For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
The work of Jesus Christ compels us to be Stewards. Christ died for you so that you would now stop living for yourself and would start living for him.…that you would steward your life for him.
Not only does he own you because he made you. He owns you because he saved you from judgment and Hell. But the Lord is not some evil slave owner who whips his subjects to make them comply. No, he appeals to his Love. “The Love of Christ controls us.”
The Lord appeals to us to love him in return. What is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. With our whole lives.
So in one sense, we cannot compartmentalize our Stewardship into Work, Time, and Money, because we’re truly talking about Stewarding our entire being. But it’s helpful and even necessary to think in terms of Stewarding parts and pieces in order to grasp this all-encompassing CALL from God.
So we Love him with our Work. We love him with how we use our time. We love him in our handling of money.
The Lord is the Owner of all things. And really, nothing we have in this life belongs to us.
1 Timothy 6:7 ESV “…we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”
We brought nothing into this world and we shall take nothing out of it. We are simply stewards. One day we will go and leave it all. We are managers of our lives, including our Money. Our Stuff. Our Assets. The Lord calls us to manage it faithfully.
Jesus spoke:
Luke 16:10–13 ESV “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”
Faithful means Trustworthy. Dependable. Reliable. Are you and I trustworthy even with the smallest amounts of money or the smallest of possessions? Or are we Undependable? Unreliable? Dishonest?Do we say, “Oh, it’s only a little thing. What difference does it make?”
If we are people who are Good Stewards—faithful and honest and dependable—with the small things in THIS world, the Lord Jesus will later entrust to us True and Eternal riches in the future world.
Then Jesus draws a stark line in vs. 13:
"No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Are we serving God, stewarding well what he has entrusted? Or are we serving ourselves by serving and loving money? Which is it?
One author said this:
“We can use mammon in the course and in the cause of serving God; or we can serve it as an end in itself. If we do the latter, it means, as God sees it, that we are despising him and giving him second place.” (David Gooding, According to Luke Comm)
Wow. If we use our Mammon for the cause and glory of God, hallelujah. The King is very pleased. But if we use our Mammon for the cause and glory of self and the love of money and things, we are devoted to Money, putting it #1. And we are despising the Lord and putting him in 2nd place.
We are Stewards. Why would we love the King less than his possessions? Stop and consider this. Let’s list all of our Mammon.
- Bank accounts
- Checkbook, credit card, debit card
- Paycheck
- Investments
- Land and houses
- Furniture
- Cars
- Appliances
- Tools
- Clothes
- Books
- Jewelry
- Collections
- Gadgets
All of this belongs to the Lord. It is his. He is the Owner. You are the Steward of it.
Are you using it with the Lord in mind as your King and Owner?? Did you purchase them knowing the Lord is the Owner? Are you caring for them as a Steward of the King? Are you searching and following the King’s book, the Bible, to use his Money and Possessions as he would call you to??
Or are you simply following the world’s methodologies and practices? Sort of mindlessly floating along in the stream of the culture?
Our Mammon and what we do with it represents us. We cannot separate the use of our Mammon from our very lives. Like last week, Paul spoke about Stewarding our Time. Our Time is really our lives. How we use it is a reflection of who we are. So it is with our Money. We cannot detach it from who we are and what our lives are about.
If I spend my money wisely, that reflects me.
If I am careless with my money, that reflects me.
If I am generous or if I’m stingy, that reflects me.
If my fears and anxieties drive me to use my Mammon in certain ways, that is reflection on me.
If faith and love drive me to use my Mammon, it shows me.
Even how I earn my money at my Work is a reflection on me. My work ethic, my honesty, my faith, my love.
These things show who I really am. Does that make sense?
This is highly significant. We cannot COMPARTMENTALIZE our Money from US. From who we are. The Lord doesn’t see a gulf between money and the spiritual like we do. They are tied together.
What is Mammon?
Here is a $50 bill. What really is Money? Money is neither inherently good or evil. It’s amoral. Not moral. Not immoral. It’s amoral.
Money is really the same as our stuff. Possessions, bank accounts. Money provides a consistent way to exchange for goods. I give you this $50 bill, and you give me your goods.
Two erroneous extremes, though: Money is “just earthly.” Money has no connection to God or my heart or the core condition of my life. Or, money is the ultimate thing. Money and stuff is what LIFE is all about.
But it’s not the ultimate thing. It’s not a true treasure.
How can it be? For we came into this world with nothing. Buck naked. And we will leave this world with nothing. A moving van won’t be following your hearse to take your stuff with you.
As to money being just earthly, Jesus’ own words make this view impossible. He connects money with our hearts.
We must Live as if we are at war.
In World War II, the entire country was focused on the war effort. Rationing. Different jobs. Sacrificing.
In the spiritual realm, we are in a war. A war for SOULS. The Lord would call us to live in such a way as to maximum the War Effort. Learning to live with less so that more can be used to Win and Build Souls for Christ. Learning to live more frugally for the sake of the War for Souls.
John Wesley, 18th century preacher, is well-known for his Stewardship of Money. He said:
“Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can.”
What’s missing? Spend all you can. Doesn’t Wesley know the American way? Haha!
Living at war doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy things. Even soldiers overseas have times where they can relax and enjoy. The intensity of the battle varies over time. But it means you’re always aware that souls are at stake. So we set appropriate limits for recreation and entertainment.
Dave Ramsey has one expression that a friend of mine said he would like to change. And I agree. Rather than, “Live like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else,” Let’s say, “Live like no one else so that others can live.” That more and more of our money would go towards helping people in God’s kingdom.
We Must Develop a Framework
Managing our money can be like managing our time. We need a framework. A plan. Wisdom tells us this. We all need some sort of structure in our lives to guide us in Daily Decisions. In using our time. In our health, like having a meal plan and an exercise plan. Also in the stewardship of our money.
Why and how do we have a framework?
- Gives us direction in daily and monthly decisions about our stewardship.
- Simplifies decision-making (for you’ve already made some well-thought out decisions). Without a framework, every day’s choices are more difficult.
- Consists of basic needs, savings, and giving.
- If married, you will have a better marriage because you’ve agreed ahead of time how you will steward God’s possessions.
- How to do it? God’s Word, prayer, counsel,
- Dave Ramsey and FPU excels at this.
We’re not bound by the framework, and there are times we need to change and adjust. Such as when an emergency happens. Or when a unique or urgent need comes up, and you have an opportunity and obligation to give.
This takes discipline and hard work to establish and follow a framework. It usually takes the help of someone else. If married, your spouse. If single, a trusted friend. Having a framework helps us make decisions on how much to spend on groceries, eating out, getting a replacement vehicle.
We offer Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University occasionally. So next time it is offered, consider taking it.
And it helps us make decisions on how much money to give away.
We Must Imitate God
Because our Stewardship of our Money and Stuff is a reflection on who we are, we have to start with our hearts. The Lord calls us to imitate him in our Hearts and Attitudes and Actions.
Ephesians 5:1 ESV “ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
Imitate your Creator. Walk like him. Talk like him. Think like him.
What is our motivation? Through faith in Jesus the Son of God, you have been adopted as his sons and daughters. And you are loved.
In short, you work not to BE Saved. You work because you ARE Saved. You belong to the King. He is your heavenly Father. So imitate him.
So in relationship to Money and Stuff, what does this Imitation look like as Stewards?
Faithfulness
Faithfulness in worldly wealth leads to faithfulness (and reward) in greater things.
Luke 16:10–12 ESV “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”
Am I trustworthy in even the smallest of details?
When I worked as an engineer, I wouldn’t even take home a ball point pen that belonged to my employer. I could have excused it: “Oh, it’s only a pen. Just a few pennies.”
Hudson Taylor, a godly missionary in the 19th century, said this:
“A little thing is a little thing. But faithfulness in a little thing is a big thing.”
For me, that ball point pen or pad of paper were big things. If we are not currently being faithful in little things, we should repent, walk in the forgiveness of God, and start being faithful.
Faithfulness can also be in the form of caring for what we do have. Maintaining our car and our home so that they last longer. Neglecting maintenance can create a greater expense in the long run. We need to pay attention. Work hard. Plan things out.
Contentment
Be content. Be at peace with what you have. Contentment is an elusive quality.
The latest fashions.
The newest gadgets.
The bigger house.
Hebrews 13:5 ESV Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Notice the connection between love of $$$ and contentment. Note the command: it is possible to be free from the love of money. And it is possible to be content with whatever you have right now.
How? The promise of God: He will never leave us nor forsake us. Faith in the Gospel brings us into a remarkable relationship with Almighty God as our Father. He’s a devoted, loyal, never-forsaking Father. And he has sealed us with the Holy Spirit who will be with us forever. The Lord will be there for us. And he will provide whatever we need.
There is a profound truth here to keep us content: Faith. Faith. Faith in the Lord, that he is loyal and will never leave us.
1 Timothy 6:6–8 ESV But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
For many of us, we grow discontent because we wrongly compare. We see others who have bigger homes, nicer cars, exotic vacations. And we grow jealous and discontent. We complain. We go in debt. We spend money for the wrong reasons. We work more hours to buy the things that hopefully will relieve our discontentment. We harm our marriages.
Even a few years ago, I found myself frequently longing for more. Not millions. Just a few thousand more. I thought, “If only I had another $3000. OK, maybe $10,000. Well, as long as I’m longing for more, why not $20,000.” My heart was not grateful and content. I was not walking by faith. I was desiring riches.
By the way, if you’re a lottery player, why are you doing it? Is it a desire for riches? If so, beware.
One very easy way to grow in contentment is to go on a mission trip to an impoverished area. Each time I have gone overseas, I am humbled more. I see how little others have, and how much I have, and it changes my perspective. Not to make us feel guilty. Rather to give us perspective, and to bring us a thankfulness and contentment. And to stir a heart of generosity.
Grow in an extraordinary generosity
God is an extraordinary Giver.
John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that he……GAVE his Only Son…”
The Heart and Nature of God is to be a giver. God gave the greatest amount he could give.
The poor widow in the Gospels gave her all. Jesus commended her for giving 2 copper coins, all that she had to live on.
Instead of asking, “How much do I have to give? What are the requirements,” I want to move more towards, “How little can I live on in order to give more and more money away for the sake of God’s kingdom?”
Do you have a Plan—a Framework—for your giving? Annette and I have a general budget, including specified amounts we give regularly. We tithe every month, and have for our entire married life, and before that. Over 30 years.
A tithe means literally, a tenth. 10%. The tithe is not commanded in the NT, so I do not believe it is law for us. But we see it throughout the Scriptures, and many would agree with this: the TITHE is a good place to start. It’s a Beginning. If you are serious about being a Steward of the King’s Possessions, start with tithing. It may sound like a lot, but it’s not your money to begin with. You are a Steward of the King’s possessions.
For Annette and me, tithing is our foundation. And we give beyond that. We give monthly to various causes such as missionaries and needy children.We give annually or so to a Pro-Life Medical Clinic in Ames called Informed Choices. And then we have sporadic giving, such as a friend in need, someone going on a mission trip, or helping Christians who are displaced in Syria because of the Islamic State.
And there is lots of informal giving. Buying a meal for a friend. Taking a meal to someone who had a baby or surgery. And we try to be generous in loaning objects we own. Tools, vehicles. I’ve told my neighbors multiple times, if you need a tool, call me. Just this week, one neighbor called to see if her co-worker could borrow my tile saw.
In my flesh, I can be very tempted to be selfish. Stingy. But with the Spirit’s help, I can become a generous man as I walk in love for the Lord and love for people.
This general framework we have guides us. We’re not locked into it. But it helps us to make those regular decisions. And we should be cheerful and walk in freedom in all of our giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We should never give out of guilt. I had a friend once who was very generous, but he told me later he gave money to ease his guilty conscience over some secret sins. Nothing but Christ’s blood washes away guilt before God.
Nor out of fear of man: “Everyone else is doing it, so I suppose I should lest they look down on me.”
Duty
We have a duty to certain people to help provide for their needs. “Duty” may be a negative word to some of us. I refer to duty in the sense of responsibility. Righteous obligation. Loving, joyful obligation. Like a soldier in the Army who serves out of a noble duty to his country and his compatriots.
I don’t think of duty as a dirty word. Not some oppressive obligation that says with a sigh, “OK, I suppose I have to do this.” This is not about guilt. This is about a healthy and holy duty.
We have obligations in the Christian life to provide financially for others.
1. Your family is the obvious one.
1 Timothy 5:8 ESV But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
You have a DUTY to provide for your wife and children. And your parents. And other family members.
Annette’s and my parents know that if and when they need help, we will be there. You should tell your parents that at some point.
I also have an 87-year old aunt—my dad’s sister—who has no husband or children to care for her when she needs it. I’ve had her in the back of my mind for years that if and when she needs help, I need to be there for her. In fact, as I was preparing for this teaching, I realized I should begin a conversation with my sister and my cousins about how to provide for her. So I did that. The needs are small so far, but as soon as my cousin tells me the specific needs, Annette and I are starting to send money to that cousin who lives near her in Sioux City and helps her.
2. Gospel workers
We have an obligation to provide for those who serve us in the gospel. Paul speaks at length of this topic in 1 Corinthians 9. But for sake of time,
1 Corinthians 9:14 ESV “… the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”
1 Timothy 5:17–18 ESV Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
“Double honor” refers not only to the honor you should give an elder with your words and heart, but the honor you should give by meeting their needs.
We have a responsibility and a duty to ensure those who are feeding us spiritually are being fed physically. I hold the view that this is where the tithe comes in. I’m not talking about some greedy television preacher who wants a mansion and a private jet.
If you have a broken car, you don’t refuse to pay the mechanic, do you? Doesn’t he need to eat? If a gospel worker is feeding you spiritually, isn’t he worthy of a wage, too?
3. Those in distress
Widows, orphans, the poor, a brother in Christ. There are many, many Scriptures on this.
Here is one example:
1 John 3:16–18 ESV By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
The Lord appeals to love. Have you received the Lord’s love? Has he been indescribably generous and sacrificial to you in the sending of his Son to redeem your soul?
The answer is a resounding, “YES!” Now he says, go and help those in need. Don’t close your heart. This is not about guilt. This is about love. We have a Godly duty to care for those who are in need.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ is King, and he is coming back to earth soon. Until then, you are his Steward. You are to manage your Life for him. All the parts and pieces of your life belong to him and should be Stewarded for him.
Your job.
Your time
Your money
We are at war. We need a framework. We must Imitate our holy, heavenly Father. True, eternal riches await the one who faithfully and wisely manages what God has entrusted to him.
PRAY
Holy Father, We look to you as our Provider. Our Protector. And our Maker.
We owe our physical lives to you. And we owe our spiritual lives to you.
Help us today to begin developing an entirely new way—a Godly way—to view money.
We yield control to you.
Help us, guide us. You have entrusted so much to us, so help us to be faithful with it, even in the smallest of things.