Stewardship: Transforming Resources into Eternal Investments
Summary
In today's sermon, I explored the profound relationship between our spiritual journey and our stewardship of resources, particularly focusing on money and possessions. We began by understanding that money, while a daily part of our lives, is not just a tool for personal gain but a resource for doing good. Jesus spoke extensively about money because he recognized its power to influence our hearts and priorities.
As we delved deeper, I highlighted the concept of tithing, not merely as a religious obligation but as a divine strategy to teach us trust and prioritization of God in our lives. Tithing is a reminder that everything we own is not ours but entrusted to us by God for His purposes. This act of giving is not just about supporting the church but about aligning our hearts with God’s heart.
The narrative then shifted to a metaphorical story where you wake up in a luxurious setting, thinking it's all yours. However, you soon realize that everything around you is provided not for your consumption but for your healing and to equip you for service. This twist in the story parallels our spiritual awakening to the realization that our blessings are not merely for personal enjoyment but for helping others.
I emphasized the importance of using what we have for the good of others, reflecting on Micah 6:8, which calls us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. This scripture encapsulates the essence of what it means to live a life that pleases God, not by accumulating wealth but by using our resources to make a positive impact.
Towards the end of the sermon, I addressed the dangers of money, noting how it can fight for our hearts and replace God if we're not vigilant. The Puritans had a wise approach to money, treating it like an outer garment that can be easily shed, suggesting a healthy detachment and readiness to give.
In conclusion, I urged everyone to consider their eternal investments over temporal gains. Our time on earth is limited, and how we use our resources can either welcome us into eternal dwellings or leave us with regrets. The challenge is to live faithfully with what we have now, so we can be entrusted with true riches in heaven.
### Key Takeaways
1. Money as a Tool for Good - Money should be seen not just as a means for personal comfort but as a tool for doing good. This perspective aligns with Jesus’ teachings and challenges us to evaluate how our financial decisions impact others. It's about making a positive difference, not accumulating wealth for its own sake. [05:12]
2. The Principle of Tithing - Tithing teaches us to put God first, trusting Him with our finances. This principle is foundational in developing a lifestyle of generosity and faith. By giving our first fruits, we acknowledge God's sovereignty over our resources and learn to depend more deeply on His provision. [03:45]
3. Spiritual Awakening to Stewardship - The realization that our blessings are to be used for others' healing and benefit mirrors our spiritual awakening. Just as in the story where the luxurious setting was meant for healing, our resources are given to us by God to serve and uplift others. [07:19]
4. The Dangers of Money - Money can easily become a master if we allow it to take precedence over God. Recognizing the potential pitfalls of wealth can safeguard our hearts from idolatry and lead us to use money in ways that honor God. [15:33]
5. Eternal Investments - Our ultimate focus should be on eternal investments rather than temporal gains. The way we handle our resources now can either set us up for eternal rewards or lead to missed opportunities in God's kingdom. This perspective is crucial for living a life that is truly rich towards God. [21:41]
### Chapters
0:00 - Welcome
00:44 - Introduction to Money and Spirituality
03:45 - Understanding Tithing and Trust
05:12 - Money as a Resource for Good
07:19 - Realization of Spiritual Stewardship
09:01 - The Gospel and Generosity
10:31 - Acting Justly and Loving Mercy
11:01 - Practical Applications of Generosity
13:10 - The Consequences of Neglecting Tithes
15:33 - The Pitfalls of Wealth
17:16 - Trusting God with Our Finances
18:26 - The Puritan View on Money
20:08 - Parable of the Shrewd Manager
21:41 - Investing for Eternity
23:02 - The True Riches of Heaven
24:17 - Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Deuteronomy 14:23 - "The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives."
2. Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
3. Luke 16:9 - "Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you into an eternal home."
### Observation Questions
1. According to Deuteronomy 14:23, what is the primary purpose of tithing? How does this align with the sermon’s message about trust and prioritization of God? [03:45]
2. In Micah 6:8, what three actions does the Lord require of us? How do these actions relate to the use of our resources as discussed in the sermon? [10:31]
3. What is the main lesson Jesus teaches in Luke 16:9 about the use of worldly resources? How does this lesson connect to the idea of eternal investments mentioned in the sermon? [21:41]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the act of tithing help believers develop a lifestyle of generosity and faith according to the sermon? [03:45]
2. What does the metaphorical story of waking up in a luxurious setting reveal about our understanding of stewardship and the purpose of our blessings? [07:19]
3. How can recognizing the dangers of money, as discussed in the sermon, help safeguard our hearts from idolatry? [15:33]
4. What does it mean to make eternal investments over temporal gains, and how can this perspective change our daily financial decisions? [21:41]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current financial decisions. How can you shift your perspective to see money as a tool for doing good rather than just for personal comfort? [05:12]
2. Think about your practice of tithing. How does it reflect your trust in God’s provision? What steps can you take to prioritize God more in your finances? [03:45]
3. Consider the metaphorical story shared in the sermon. How can you use your resources to serve and uplift others in your community? [07:19]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where money might be fighting for your heart. What practical steps can you take to ensure God remains your priority? [15:33]
5. Reflect on Micah 6:8. How can you act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God in your financial decisions this week? [10:31]
6. Think about the concept of eternal investments. What is one specific way you can invest your resources in something that has eternal value this month? [21:41]
7. Share a time when you felt the tension between accumulating wealth and using it for good. How did you navigate that situation, and what did you learn from it? [09:46]
Devotional
Day 1: Harnessing Money for Kingdom Purposes
Money is not merely a currency for transactions but a powerful tool that can be used to further the kingdom of God. When viewed as a resource for doing good, money shifts from being a personal asset to a divine provision for helping others. This perspective encourages believers to assess their financial decisions through the lens of impact and generosity. It challenges the conventional use of wealth for self-satisfaction and redirects it towards acts of kindness and support for communal upliftment. By aligning financial practices with Jesus’ teachings, individuals can transform their resources into blessings for others, thereby making a tangible difference in the world. [05:12]
Luke 16:9 (ESV): "And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings."
Reflection: How can you adjust your current financial priorities to better reflect the values of the kingdom of God?
Day 2: Tithing as Trust and Training
Tithing is not just an ancient practice but a modern-day strategy to develop trust and dependence on God. It serves as a practical exercise in prioritizing God's kingdom and recognizing His sovereignty over all resources. By setting aside the first portion of our income, we acknowledge that everything we possess is entrusted to us by God and is meant for His purposes. This act of giving teaches us to rely not on our own understanding or abilities but on God’s provision. It fosters a spirit of generosity and prepares our hearts to be more attuned to God’s direction and blessings in our lives. [03:45]
Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV): "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine."
Reflection: What fears or hesitations do you have about tithing, and how can you address them with faith?
Day 3: Awakening to Spiritual Stewardship
The realization that our possessions are meant for more than personal enjoyment is a significant spiritual awakening. Like the metaphorical story of waking up in a luxurious setting designed not for indulgence but for healing and equipping, our resources are given to us by God for a higher purpose. This understanding compels us to use what we have not selfishly but in service to others, reflecting God’s love and mercy. It challenges us to view our blessings as tools for healing, support, and empowerment of those around us, thereby fulfilling our calling as stewards of God’s grace. [07:19]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: In what ways can you use your resources this week to serve someone else’s needs?
Day 4: The Perils of Wealth
While money can be a blessing, it also poses significant spiritual risks. It can easily become a master that competes for our allegiance to God. Recognizing the dangers of wealth helps in maintaining a healthy detachment and vigilance over our hearts. The Puritan view of treating money as an outer garment that can be easily shed exemplifies the attitude of readiness to give and not be bound by material possessions. This approach guards against idolatry and encourages believers to use their financial blessings in ways that honor God and advance His kingdom. [15:33]
Matthew 6:24 (ESV): "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to ensure that money does not become a master in your life?
Day 5: Investing in Eternity
Focusing on eternal investments rather than temporal gains shifts our perspective from the fleeting to the everlasting. This viewpoint encourages believers to consider how their actions, including the use of resources, align with God’s eternal purposes. It challenges us to live faithfully with what we have now, so we can be entrusted with true riches in heaven. By investing in what lasts forever, we prepare ourselves for eternal dwellings and ensure that our earthly time and resources are used in the most impactful way possible. [21:41]
Luke 12:33-34 (ESV): "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Reflection: How can you make more eternal investments with your resources this week?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Hey everybody, Pastor Mark. Welcome back to the Connect Class series. Hey guys, we've been at this. This is the fourth week now. There's only one week left after this week, and I just want to congratulate you. Thank you so much for being a part of this. For those of you who've been here the whole time, I'm just so proud of my people, man. I know it was a little bit scary for folks to get around tables, but you have done it so well. You've been so interactive. I'm loving what I'm seeing God do in our church." [00:44]
2. "Managing resources well adds a lot of joy to life. So let's start with number one. Money is for doing good. Money is for doing good. If we can avoid some of the pitfalls, and there are pitfalls. That come with money, money can make life a lot easier. There's a lot that can go really well when we are managing money well. But we can't forget the purpose of money. The purpose is to do good." [05:12]
3. "I want you to imagine with me. Okay, I'll tell you a little story. Let's imagine that you are just waking up and you seem to be in some kind of like really nice. I don't know if it's a hotel room. Maybe it's a condominium. You're like in a room, but there's other rooms and man, it's just really nice. And you look over to your left as you wake up and you see this little note and it says, I'm. I'm so glad you could come and get some rest." [05:55]
### Quotes for Members
1. "God has made all of us managers of his money, of everything you've got. And he wants us to always be about the business of doing good. Why do you have all that stuff? Why do you have so doggone much to do good with it? That's why. It's not just to fill up accounts. It's to do good." [09:46]
2. "Jesus is super kind. He super loves you and his heart is, I want you to have the best possible version of eternity that you possibly can have and you're going to get there and probably every one of us is going to be like, wow, if I'd only just given a little bit more. If I'd only prioritized God's priorities just a little bit more." [24:37]
3. "Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then when your possessions are gone, i.e., when you die, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you into an eternal home. We'll jump back to it in a second, but just picture this, okay? Every one of us, you have a limited time and you are going to die. Congratulations." [21:22]
4. "This is a lifelong trust test. This takes our whole life. We fall off and we get up. We fall off and we get up. For today, I just wanna plead with you in Jesus' name, for Jesus' glory and out of love for him, get back on and run with everything you got." [25:56]
5. "He asks his people to tithe to teach them to trust. Deuteronomy 14.23 says, The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives. So God asks for a tithe. A tithe means a tenth part. That means 10% of your income. He asks it of his people." [03:45]
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