Sermon Central
-
Stewardship Series
Contributed by Rick Stacy on Nov 28, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon is based on the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
02/06/00 - What's In It for Me? …Stewardship!
Who would like to win 6000 denari? 6000 denari (1 denari was 1 days wage)
How much is that? Well, what are your worth a day?
Minimum wage? - $252,000.00 dollars
At say $18.00/hr - $864,000 dollars
What would you do with a quarter of a million dollars? Final Answer?
The Parable of the Talents tells a story and gives many truths about the Stewardship of Life. 10 Truths about the Stewardship of Life
Truth #1: What you have is not yours (vs 14)
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone.
Stewardship is about the right use of our life. Money is a part of that life. Money is simply a representation to time, talent, and sweat - poured into a piece of paper or a checking account. It ALL belongs to the master. All of it!
The Principle of the tithe is the returning of 1/10 of what is his to honor him as God Abraham - Moses - Jesus all upheld the tithe - certainly it belongs to God
Truth #2: What you have is to benefit the Kingdom of God (vs 14)
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone.
Talk about purpose and meaning in life - You have been called to work in the greatest work of all time and eternity - the establishment of the kingdom of God
I've been reading the biography of Billy Graham. I'm not Billy and you're not George Beverly Shea.
I'm me and you're you and we are each called to be a part of building up His kingdom - Lansing Area of Michigan.
Truth #3: God never asks for more from you than you can handle (vs 15)
He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last – dividing it in proportion to their abilities – and then left on his trip.
God proportioned the bags of money according to the abilities. God has given me some - you he has given a different amount and His expectations of our depends on our ability to handle the blessings He gives. We don't all have the same talents, abilities, judgement, timing, physical strength, or appearance.
We aren't all in the same place spiritually. Some are babes, some are young and immature, some are adults and mature in the spiritual things
Now I have a choice
1) feel cheated and want more/different want more resources allocated to me - preaching, singing, leadership, wealth, faith, mercy, discernment or,
2) Understand that God knows more about me than I know about me.
Maybe I could handle more - maybe if I had more it would ruin me!
Do you really think that winning a million dollars would make a difference? Changes a poor unhappy person into a rich unhappy person - can destroy everything.
Recently a woman bought the winning lottery ticket in California. She divorced her husband and hid it from him. He found out and sued 9 months later. She lost it all - and now she's bitter and he's wearing a new $800.00 suit!
Truth #4: What you have is yours to invest, work with, bury, or join with others to build the kingdom! (vs 16-18)
The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money for safekeeping.
The five-bag man invested his money and doubled it.
He was able to take his money and turn it into equipment, loans, veture capital that produced jobs and work for others. Here is a man who not only took care of his master but took care of others in the process!
The two-bag man went to work and doubled his money. He was able to take his money and use it to buy a business he worked in himself and he doubled his money.
The one-bag man dug a whole in the ground and hid it.
He was more concerned about risk management and he determined to do as little as possible to give himself a feeling of security. He thought nothing of his master or for others - only himself.