THE NUTS AND BOLTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
THE MOTIVATION FOR STEWARDSHIP
2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-15 (NIV) 14 FOR CHRIST’S LOVE COMPELS US, BECAUSE WE ARE CONVINCED THAT ONE DIED FOR ALL, AND THEREFORE ALL DIED. 15 AND HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THOSE WHO LIVE SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES BUT FOR HIM WHO DIED FOR THEM AND WAS RAISED AGAIN.
INTRODUCTION: MOTIVATIONS COME IN MANY FORMS; FEAR OF PUNISHMENT IS AN OBVIOUS EXAMPLE. ANOTHER WOULD BE THE PERSONAL BENEFITS. HERE IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE, PAUL LAYS OUT FOR US OUR MOTIVATION FOR CHRIST-LIKE ACTIVITY, AND BIBLICAL OBEDIENCE. SIMPLY PUT, WE SHOULD BE MOTIVATED IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE IN GENERAL, AND WITH REGARD TO STEWARDSHIP SPECIFICALLY AS A RESULT OF THE APPLICATION OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST ON US; HIS LOVE WITH ALL OF ITS RAMIFICATIONS SHOULD BE THE MOTIVATOR OF OUR LIVES WITH REGARD TO STEWARDSHIP.
PROPOSITION: THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS OUR MOTIVATOR TO GREATER LEVELS OF STEWARDSHIP.
I. THE COMPELLING LOVE OF CHRIST
A. THE LOVE OF CHRIST SHOULD COMPELS US
1. HOLDS US TOGETHER
a. THE WORD IS USED TO DESCRIBE THE CONFINING OF CATTLE OR LIVESTOCK SO THAT MEDICINE CAN BE ADMINISTERED
b. THE COMPELLING ACTION OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS MEANT TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR US
1) OUR WALK AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
2) OUR TESTIMONY AS A WITNESS FOR CHRIST
2. MOTIVATION FOR ACTION
a. THE COMPELLING LOVE OF CHRIST IS TO BE OUR MOTIVATOR
b. COMPELLED INTO ACTION AS A RESULT OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST EXPRESSED ON OUR BEHALF
3. CONTROL FOR ACTION
a. SIMILAR TO HOW REACTIONS OF EVERY SORT ARE CONTROLLED
b. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE EQUIPPED WITH CONTROL RODS SO THAT A REACTION OF EXPLOSIVE PROPORTIONS IS ADJUSTED INTO SOMETHING BENEFICIAL, INSTEAD OF DESTRUCTIVE.
4. DIRECTING US FOR ACTION
a. THE WORD COMPEL ALSO DESCRIBES A CURRENT THAT FORCES A SHIP INTO A NARROW CHANNEL
b. THIS IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL WHEN ONE THINKS OF THE RESULT OF RESISTING THIS FORCE – IT IS THE ROCKS, REEFS, AND SHORE TO EITHER SIDE; A SITUATION DEADLY TO THE SHIP
B. THE LOVE OF CHRIST SHOULD OVERPOWER US
1. OVERPOWERED BY THE ACT OF HIS LOVE
2. OVERPOWERED BY THE EXTENT OF HIS LOVE
II. THE ENCUMBERING LOVE OF SELF
A. THE LOVE OF SELF OFTEN HINDERS US
1. WE ARE HINDERED FROM RUNNING THE RACE HE HAS SET BEFORE US
B. THE LOVE OF SELF OFTEN BLOCKS US
1. WE LIVE SELFISHLY FOR OURSELVES
2. WE LIVE NEEDLESSLY CHAINED TO OUR OLD LIFE
III. THE ACTUAL INTENT OF BEING AN UNMOTIVATED STEWARD
A. BIBLICALLY WE DISOBEY GOD
1. COMMANDS OUR ASSEMBLY – DO NOT FORSAKE
2. COMMANDS OUR STEWARDSHIP – YOU ROB ME
3. COMMANDS ARE WORSHIP – BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
B. PRACTICALLY WE SUBJECT THE CHURCH TO A SLOW DEATH
1. LAST SUNDAY, I VOTED TO CLOSE THE CHURCH. NOT INTENTIONALLY, NOT MALICIOUSLY, PERHAPS, BUT CARELESSLY, THOUGHTLESSLY, LAZILY, INDIFFERENTLY, I VOTED. I VOTED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS THAT IT’S WITNESS AND ITS TESTIMONY MIGHT BE STOPPED. I VOTED TO CLOSE THE OPEN BIBLE ON ITS PULPIT—THE BIBLE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US BY YEARS OF STRUGGLE AND BY THE BLOOD OF MARTYRS WHO DIED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE IT TO READ. FOR, YOU SEE, I COULD HAVE GONE AND I SHOULD HAVE GONE, BUT I DIDN’T. I STAYED AWAY FROM CHURCH LAST SUNDAY. -- ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 15,000 ILLUSTRATIONS: SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
2. OR HOW ABOUT THIS -- I COULD HAVE PRAYED AND I SHOULD HAVE PRAYED, BUT I DIDN’T. I DID NOT PRAY WITH THE CHURCH LAST WEDNESDAY.
3. OR THIS -- I KNEW THE NEEDS, AND I COULD MEET THE NEEDS, BUT I DIDN’T. I DECIDED NOT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CHURCH.
4. OR ONE FINAL ONE – I HAVE THE ABILITY TO SERVE, I DECIDED NOT TO SERVE.
C. REALISTICALLY WE REVEAL OUR TRUE NATURE TO THE WORLD
1. IF YOU LOVE ME OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS – JOHN 14:15
2. BY YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, MEN WILL KNOW YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES – JOHN 13:35
3. HE THAT KNOWS TO DO RIGHT AND DOES NOT DO IT, TO HIM IT IS SIN! – JAMES 4:17
THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST IS TO BE A STEWARD! OVER THE PAST MESSAGES IN THIS SERIES WE HAVE LOOK AT THE NEED TO BE GRATEFUL IN OUR STEWARDSHIP, THE CHALLENGE TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF OUR STEWARDSHIP, THE PRACTICE OF HABITUAL STEWARDSHIP, AND NOW THE MOTIVATION OF STEWARDSHIP.
THIS MESSAGE CHALLENGES US TO SEE WHAT KIND OF STEWARD WE ARE, ONE MOTIVATED BY THE LOVE OF CHRIST, OR SOMETHING ELSE
THIS IS A TIME TO EVALUATE AND LOOK AT OURSELVES AS STEWARDS FOR CHRIST, AND TO TANGIBLY AND MATERIALLY CONSIDER OUR STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CHURCH AND THE BODY OF CHRIST.
IT IS NO SECRET – THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE CHURCH. YET, I AM CONVINCED THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED A WAY, A MEANS, AND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO NOT ONLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS CHURCH BUT TO EXCEED THE NEEDS OF THIS CHURCH.
SO, ON JUNE 27TH I WILL BE PREACHING THE LAST MESSAGE IN THIS SERIES, ENTITLED, “THE ACTIVITY OF STEWARDSHIP”. WE WILL HAVE OUR SERVICE AS NORMAL. WE WILL WORSHIP, PRAY, STUDY GOD’S WORD, AND RECEIVE AN OFFERING.
AT THE END OF THE SERVICE, I WILL ASK YOU TO STEP OUT OF YOUR PEWS, AND PASS BY THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH. I AM ASKING YOU TO MAKE A STEWARDSHIP WALK, PLACING A SPECIAL OFFERING; A STEWARDSHIP OFFERING. AN OFFERING THAT WILL COME A S A RESULT OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING, THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A STEWARD AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND LEADING OF THE LORD THROUGH PRAYER.
I AM ASKING YOU OVER THE NEXT WEEKS TO PRAY TWO THINGS:
FIRST, THAT GOD WILL RAISE UP THE CHURCH TO BE A MODEL OF BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP, AND
SECOND, THAT GOD WOULD GIVE YOU FREEDOM, CONVICTION, AND JOY TO RESPOND TO HIS CALL ON YOUR LIFE TO BE HIS STEWARD IN THIS CHURCH.
