Stewardship and Accountability: Using God's Gifts Wisely

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Will Return—Live Ready

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 is set in the context of Jesus’ teaching about His return and the end of the age. He urges His followers to live with the expectation that He will come back, and to be ready for that day. Living ready means not being caught off guard or distracted, but instead living each day with purpose, knowing that our actions and stewardship matter in light of eternity. The anticipation of Jesus’ return should shape our priorities, our decisions, and the way we handle all that God has entrusted to us. [33:59]

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Reflection: If you knew Jesus was returning soon, what would you do differently with your time, resources, or relationships today to be ready for His coming?

Day 2: God Owns Everything—We Are Managers

Recognizing that God is the true owner of everything we have, including our money, radically changes our perspective on stewardship. We are not owners, but managers entrusted with God’s resources to carry out His purposes. This truth challenges us to examine how we budget, spend, and prioritize, remembering that every possession is ultimately God’s and we are accountable for how we use it. When we see our bank accounts, our jobs, and our possessions as belonging to God, it transforms our daily decisions and invites us into a deeper partnership with Him. [36:46]

Psalm 24:1 (ESV)
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.

Reflection: As you look at your finances or possessions today, how would your decisions change if you truly believed you were managing God’s resources and not your own?

Day 3: Celebrate What God Has Given You—Reject Comparison

Comparison is a subtle thief of joy, gratitude, and contentment, causing us to overlook the significant blessings God has entrusted to us. When we focus on what others have, we can become blind to the unique and intentional gifts God has given us, leading to discontentment and even unhealthy financial choices. Instead, God calls us to steward our own story, to celebrate what He has provided, and to resist the urge to measure our worth or success by someone else’s standard. Embracing gratitude for what you have opens the door to contentment and faithful stewardship. [44:55]

Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Reflection: What is one specific blessing or resource God has given you that you’ve overlooked because of comparison, and how can you intentionally thank Him for it today?

Day 4: Faithfulness Means Action—We Will Be Held Accountable

God expects us to do something with what He has entrusted to us, not simply to preserve it or do nothing out of fear or apathy. The parable of the talents makes it clear that faithfulness is not just about avoiding mistakes, but about actively using God’s resources for His purposes. We will one day give an account for how we managed what was given to us, and God desires to celebrate our faithfulness, not our inactivity. This truth should motivate us to take intentional steps, however small, to invest our time, talents, and treasures in ways that honor Him. [48:57]

Romans 14:12 (ESV)
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Reflection: What is one area where you have been passive or hesitant with your resources, and what is one step you can take today to actively use it for God’s purposes?

Day 5: Use God’s Resources to Advance His Kingdom

God entrusts us with resources not for our own gain, but to advance His kingdom and fulfill the Great Commission. Generosity is a powerful way to leverage what we have for eternal impact, and even the smallest gifts, when given intentionally and prayerfully, can be multiplied by God to change lives. Rather than giving out of habit or obligation, we are invited to give with purpose, asking God to use our resources to reach others and expand His kingdom. Imagine the stories and lives that could be changed if we made kingdom-advancing generosity our financial priority. [52:21]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally use your money or resources this week to help advance God’s kingdom or bless someone in need?

Sermon Summary

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents—a story about a master who entrusts his servants with his possessions before going on a journey. This parable is not just about money management; it’s about readiness for Christ’s return and the way we steward what God has given us. The story reminds us that God is the true owner of everything, and we are simply managers of his resources. When we look at our bank accounts, our jobs, our homes, and our time, we should see them as God’s, not ours. This shift in perspective radically changes how we make decisions and live our lives.

God has entrusted each of us with something significant, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. The “talent” in the parable was an enormous sum—20 years’ wages for the servant who received just one. No matter how much or how little we think we have, it is of great worth in God’s eyes and for his kingdom. Yet, comparison often robs us of joy and gratitude, making us believe what we have is insignificant. Instead of envying what others possess, we are called to celebrate and steward what God has specifically and intentionally given to us.

The parable also teaches that there will be a day of accountability. The master returns and asks his servants what they did with what was entrusted to them. The servant who did nothing was not condemned for wasting or losing the money, but for doing nothing at all. God expects us to act, to invest, and to use what he’s given us for his purposes. The goal is not just to avoid mistakes, but to actively participate in God’s mission.

Ultimately, we are called to use God’s resources to advance his kingdom. The first two servants were celebrated because they leveraged what they had for their master’s gain. In the same way, God calls us to use our money, time, and abilities to further the gospel and make disciples. Generosity is a powerful way to participate in God’s mission. Even small, seemingly insignificant gifts can be multiplied by God for eternal impact. The challenge is to move from autopilot giving to intentional, prayerful generosity—living and giving with purpose, knowing that Jesus will return and that our faithfulness matters for eternity.

Key Takeaways

1. God is the Owner, We Are the Managers Everything we have—our money, possessions, and opportunities—belongs to God. We are entrusted as managers, not owners, and our role is to steward these resources according to his purposes. This perspective should transform our daily decisions and financial habits, reminding us that we are accountable to God for how we use what he has given us. [35:10]
2. What You Have Is Significant for the Kingdom No matter how much or how little you possess, God has intentionally entrusted you with something of great value. The enemy of contentment is comparison, which blinds us to the significance of our own story and resources. Instead of envying others, we are called to recognize and celebrate the unique gifts and opportunities God has given us, knowing that they are meant for kingdom impact. [44:55]
3. Accountability Is Inevitable—Faithfulness Is the Goal There will come a day when God will ask what we have done with what he has entrusted to us. The tragedy is not in losing or misusing resources, but in doing nothing at all—failing to act out of fear, apathy, or complacency. Faithfulness means actively engaging with God’s mission, using what we have to serve and bless others, so that we might hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” [48:57]
4. Kingdom Advancement Is the Purpose of Our Resources God’s desire is not for us to accumulate wealth for its own sake, but to leverage it for the advancement of his kingdom. Our giving, serving, and investing should be aimed at making disciples and expanding God’s reach in the world. Even the smallest acts of generosity, when surrendered to God, can have a multiplied, eternal impact far beyond what we can imagine. [50:13]
5. Intentional Generosity Unlocks Joy and Eternal Impact Giving should not be a mindless habit, but a purposeful act of worship and partnership with God’s mission. When we give prayerfully and intentionally, we experience the joy of seeing God multiply our gifts for his glory and the good of others. Don’t miss out on the stories and lives changed because of your faithfulness—live and give with eternity in mind, knowing that God can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. [52:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:51] - Sixth Grade Chaos and the Teacher’s Return
[33:59] - God’s Movement at Graceland Church
[35:10] - God Is the Owner, We Are the Managers
[36:46] - The Significance of the Talent
[43:14] - The Trap of Comparison
[44:55] - Celebrating What God Has Given You
[46:52] - The Master Returns: Accountability
[48:10] - The Danger of Doing Nothing
[48:57] - Faithfulness and the Well Done
[49:31] - Advancing the Kingdom with God’s Resources
[50:13] - The Great Commission and Generosity
[52:21] - God’s Multiplication: The Compassion Child Story
[57:42] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV) — The Parable of the Talents
(You may want to read the passage aloud as a group.)

Observation Questions

In the parable, what did the master entrust to each of his servants, and how did the amounts differ? What does the text say about why the master gave different amounts?
What actions did the first two servants take with what they were given, and what was the result?
What did the third servant do with his talent, and what reason did he give for his actions?
According to the sermon, what was the real reason the third servant was condemned by the master?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says, “Don’t confuse possession with ownership.” What does it mean that God is the owner and we are the managers of what we have? How does this change the way we view our money, time, and abilities?
The “talent” in the parable was worth about 20 years’ wages, even for the servant who received just one. What does this teach about the value of what God entrusts to each of us, no matter how much or little it seems?
The sermon points out that comparison is “the thief of joy.” How does comparing what we have to others affect our ability to be grateful and faithful with what God has given us?
The master’s return brought a time of accountability. What does this parable teach about the importance of using what God has given us, rather than just playing it safe or doing nothing?

Application Questions

When you look at your bank account, your job, your home, or your time, do you see them as yours or as God’s? What would it look like to start making decisions as a manager of God’s resources instead of the owner?
Is there an area of your life where you feel like what you have is insignificant? How might God want to use even your “small” resources for His kingdom?
Can you think of a time when comparison with others made you feel less grateful or less willing to use what you have for God? How can you shift your focus to celebrating what God has given you?
The third servant was condemned for doing nothing. Are there resources, gifts, or opportunities in your life that you have been “burying” out of fear, apathy, or complacency? What is one step you could take this week to use them for God’s purposes?
The sermon shared a story about giving to a Compassion child and how God multiplied that gift far beyond what was expected. Have you ever seen God multiply a small act of generosity in your life or someone else’s? What happened?
The sermon challenges us to move from “autopilot” giving to intentional, prayerful generosity. Is your giving (of money, time, or abilities) more of a habit or a purposeful act of worship? What would it look like to give more intentionally?
Jesus will return, and we will give an account for how we used what He entrusted to us. If Jesus returned today, what would you be excited to show Him? Is there anything you would want to change?

Sermon Clips

What you have is of significant worth for the kingdom, but many of you don't feel that way, if you're honest. Why? Church, let me tell you something that's quietly stealing joy, strangling gratitude and blinding us to the blessings that God has entrusted to us. It's not debt, but it can lead to it. It's not a lack of income. It's called comparison. And comparison, I think, is rightfully said to be the thief of joy. [00:42:31] (27 seconds) #ComparisonStealsJoy

Comparison is crushing. Our ability to be content causes you to believe that what you have is of little significance. God has entrusted something significant and specific, not random, not second rate, intentional, something significant and specific to you. And one of the tragedies of comparison is that it keeps us financially unhealthy. We spend to impress. We go into debt. We live beyond our means trying to steward someone else's story. But to be clear, God has not asked you to steward someone else's story. He has asked you to steward your story. [00:44:49] (41 seconds) #StewardYourOwnStory

What was he condemned for? It's not that he went off to Vegas and gambled all the money away. It's not that he built this massive house that he couldn't afford. It's not that he racked up a bunch of credit card debt. What was he condemned for? Let's say that I walk into one of my boys' rooms. I'm not saying that this has happened before. I'm not saying that it hasn't happened. And I see that their bed is not made up and we have company coming over. And so I tell my son, hey, buddy, can you make up your bed? We have company coming over. Need you to hurry up and make it up before they get here. He says, sure, dad, no problem. So I leave the room. A little bit later, come back, walk into the room. That bed is still not made up. Now, to be clear, it's not any messier than when I left. And his room's actually not any messier than when I left, but he still may receive some type of discipline or consequence. Why? Again, I'm not saying that this has ever happened, but I can still hear his little voice. But dad, I didn't do anything. And my response is, yeah, yeah, buddy, you're supposed to do something. Why was the third servant condemned? It's because he didn't do anything. He was supposed to do something. [00:47:48] (77 seconds) #CondemnedForInaction

Ask yourself, if I stood before Jesus today, would I be excited to show him what I did with the resources that he entrusted to me? Or is there something maybe that I wanna hide? Do you wanna revolutionize the way you view and manage money? Manage God's resources in a way that allows you to hear those awesome words. Well done, good and faithful servant. [00:49:05] (26 seconds) #FaithfulStewardship

Financially speaking, one of the ways to leverage our money for the Great Commission is through generosity. Randy Alcorn gave this quote, which is one of my favorite quotes. Giving is a giant lever positioned on the fulcrum of the world, allowing us to move mountains in the next world. Because we give, eternity will be different for others and for us. [00:51:04] (24 seconds) #SmallGiftsBigImpact

Our God is a God of multiplication he can take what little you can give and do incredible things with it he doesn't need a lot to make a big impact and some of you need to hear that some of you need to know that the little that you can give god can take it and create more stories like the one that we just saw up on the screen today. [00:54:41] (30 seconds) #IntentionalGenerosityJoy

For some of you if you're honest you're giving us on autopilot it's just done out of habit you don't really think any anything of it and maybe if you're honest it's not really that big of a deal it's not much of a of a sacrifice for me the lesson that i need to learn is to not miss out on the joy of intentional generosity yes god can multiply even the most overlooked gifts that's that's evident but what if we paid closer attention what if we gave prayerfully and generously asking god to do even more than we could ever imagine imagine the stories the lives changed here and around the world imagine the people that will be changed for all eternity because we decided to start living and giving generously not out of habit but out of purpose. [00:55:18] (68 seconds) #ManageForJesusReturn

You want to revolutionize the way you manage money today believe that jesus will return starts with the end recognize that god is the owner of everything and that you are the manager know that god has entrusted to you something significant not second rate significant manage that something in a way that allows you to hear those incredible words well done good and faithful servant and here's how you do that make kingdom advancing generosity your financial priority. [00:56:27] (31 seconds) #FuelTheKingdomFire

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