THIS IS GOD'S PROPERTY

THIS IS GOD’S PROPERTY
Preached on Sunday, 20 July 2008
At Shiloh Baptist Church
Waukegan, Illinois 10:30 Service

Before I go any further, I think it important to point out that I do not expect to get a whole lot of Amen(s) this morning. Why ... you may ask? Well ... as you know today is stewardship Sunday, and folks get real quite when a preacher starts to talk about GIVING. Therefore, if you do not say Amen ... I want to go on record and let you know that I will not be offended.

Illustration
In fact, ... this reminds me of a story of an old Baptist preacher who stood up to encourage his congregation on Sunday morning by asking them to consider the great potential of their church. He told them
• With GOD’s help, we can see the day when this church will go from crawling to walking. The people responded ... let the church walk preacher, let the church walk.
• The preacher continued and said with GOD’s help ... once we begin to walk -- this church can then begin to run.
• The people responded let the church run preacher let the church run.
• The preacher ... began to get happy, excited by the call and response, so he decided to push the envelope a little further, and said, with GOD’s help once the church begin to walk, once the church begins to run, then this church can begin to fly. Oh yes -- this church can fly I tell you ... but if we are going to fly, it is going to take a lot of money from each and every one of you to make that happen.

• The church got quite ... then with a faint voice from the back of the church, someone mumbled ... let the church walk preacher, let the church walk.

The moral of the story ... I do not expect to get a lot of Amen (s), but I going to preach anyhow.

So let us consider our text this morning...but before we do, let us review two supporting scriptures

Supporting Scriptures

Isaiah 56:7
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.

Matthew 21:12-13

(v.12) And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
(v.13) And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And out Text for this Morning

III John 3

(v.9) I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
(v.10) Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Subject: This is GOD’s Property

Well, the first thing we need to understand on this stewardship Sunday is ...

I. REALIZED THAT YOUR STUFF REALLY IS NOT YOUR STUFF.
a. Everything already belongs to GOD
b. Turn to Psalms 50:9-12

(v.9) I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
(v.10) For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
(v.11) I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
(v.12) If I were hungry,