God, Man, and Money

TEXTDeut. 8:18

INTRODUCTION:

A.      ALL THAT WE HAVE BELONGS TO GOD ( Psa. 24:1;  Rom. 14:8 ).

B.      STEWARDSHIP IS THE WORD THAT FULLY EXPRESSES MAN’S RELATION

          TO GOD WHEN IT COMES TO ALL MATERIAL POSSESSIONS.

I.      GOD’S OWNERSHIP ( Psa. 24:150:10-12 ).

A.      GOD CLAIMS EVERYTHING – WHY NOT?  CREATOR!

B.      GOD HAS THE ADDED CLAIM OF REDEMPTION ( 1 Pet. 1:18-19 ).

          1.       Redeem or Ransom – Look at the Price.

          2.       What are we bought back from? ( Titus 2:14;  Rom. 6:23 ).

          3.       His ownership means redemption from death.

          4.       1 Cor. 6:19-20.

C.      CONCERNING GOD’S OWNERSHIP, HE IS …

          1.       A good owner ( James 1:17-18 ).  Not despotic or tyrannical.

          2.       A wise owner ( Job 42:1-2;  Jer. 32:17;  Rom. 11: 33-36 ).

          3.       A generous owner ( Mal. 3:10;  Luke 6:38 ).

II.     MAN’S STEWARDSHIP ( 1 Cor. 4:1-2Gal. 6:19-20 ).

A.      STEWARDSHIP MEANS MANAGEMENT.

          “A trustee;  a manager, an overseer.”  “One who controls, occupies, supervises, seeks

          to advance or multiply that which belongs to another.”

B.      THIS IS THE RELATION GOD WISHES TO EXIST BETWEEN HIM AND US.

          1.       Each is a steward of the talent God has given us ( 1 Pet. 4:10 ).

          2.       Is this the prevalent attitude of church members?  My attitude?

          3.       This is basic to our faith ( Gal. 2:20;  Rom. 12:1 ).

C.      STEWARDSHIP REQUIRES FAITHFULNESS ( 1 Cor. 4:2;  Luke 16:10-13 ).

D.      STEWARDSHIP SHOULD BE WILLING SERVICE

          ( Luke 10:27;  2 Cor. 8:12;  9:7 ).

III.    GOD HAS A PLAN FOR FINANCING THE WORK OF THE

        CHURCH ( 1 Cor. 16:1-2 ).

IV.   GOD’S GENEROUS REWARD TO MAN ( Mal. 3:10Luke 6:38 ).

A.      GOD HAS PROMISED TO REWARD THE LABORER ( 1 Cor. 15:58 ).

          1.       In this life ( Matt. 6:33 ).

          2.       In the next ( Matt. 25:23 ).

B.      IN REGARD TO OUR GIVING ( 1 Tim. 6:6-8, 17-19;  2 Cor. 9:6 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      JESUS PROMISES AN ETERNAL DIVIDEND FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE

          ( Matt. 6:19-21 ).

B.      THE SECRET IN ANY SERVICE ( 2 Cor. 8:5 ).