Stewardship: Trusting God with Our Resources
Summary
### Summary
Today, we embarked on a new sermon series titled "Making Change," focusing on the theology of stewardship. We began by acknowledging the presence of the Holy Spirit and praying for those in need of healing and comfort. The core of our discussion revolved around the concept of stewardship, emphasizing that everything on earth belongs to God, and He has entrusted us with His creation. This series is not just about financial stewardship but also about how we manage all the resources God has given us, including our time, talents, and relationships.
We explored the question, "What is enough money?" and how our emotional attachments to money can often cloud our judgment and hinder our trust in God. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, we examined how our past experiences and emotional baggage can affect our perspective on money and stewardship. We delved into Psalm 24, where David acknowledges that the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord, and how this understanding should shape our approach to stewardship.
We also discussed the importance of trusting God with our resources. When we trust Him, He entrusts us with more, both in earthly and heavenly riches. This trust is built through obedience and faithfulness in small things, as illustrated in the parable of the talents from Matthew 25. We are called to be faithful stewards, not just of our finances but of all that God has given us.
The sermon concluded with a call to seek healing from past hurts and emotional baggage related to money. By opening up to God and asking for His healing, we can change our perspective and better understand our role as stewards of His creation. We were encouraged to participate in the 90-Day Giving Challenge as a practical step towards trusting God more with our resources.
### Key Takeaways
1. Everything Belongs to God: Psalm 24 reminds us that the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord. This foundational truth should shape our perspective on stewardship. Recognizing that we are merely caretakers of God's creation can help us manage our resources more faithfully and generously. [33:15]
2. Emotional Attachments to Money: Our past experiences and emotional baggage can significantly impact our perspective on money. It's essential to seek healing from these past hurts to trust God fully with our resources. Emotional healing allows us to see money as a tool for God's purposes rather than a source of security or identity. [39:28]
3. Trust and Obedience: Trusting God with our resources leads to greater blessings, both earthly and heavenly. When we are faithful in small things, God entrusts us with more. This principle is illustrated in the parable of the talents, where faithful servants are rewarded with greater responsibilities and blessings. [50:03]
4. Seeking Healing: To be effective stewards, we must seek healing from past financial hurts and emotional baggage. This involves prayer, forgiveness, and a willingness to open up to God about our struggles. Healing allows us to change our perspective and better understand our role as stewards of God's creation. [01:02:34]
5. Practical Steps in Stewardship: Participating in initiatives like the 90-Day Giving Challenge can be a practical step towards trusting God more with our resources. It's not just about giving money but about cultivating a heart of generosity and obedience. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's purposes and open the door for His blessings in our lives. [01:10:17]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[21:27] - Opening Prayer
[22:41] - Introduction and Offerings
[23:02] - New Sermon Series: Making Change
[23:33] - The 90-Day Giving Challenge
[24:46] - What is Enough Money?
[25:52] - God is Always Enough
[26:47] - Making Change in Our Lives
[27:19] - Emotional Attachments to Money
[32:21] - The Theology of Stewardship
[33:15] - Psalm 24: Everything Belongs to God
[39:28] - Emotional Healing and Money
[50:03] - Trust and Obedience
[01:02:34] - Seeking Healing from the King
[01:10:17] - Practical Steps in Stewardship
[01:23:40] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Making Change"
#### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 24:1-10 - "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory."
2. Matthew 25:14-30 - Parable of the Talents: "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' The man with two bags of gold also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.' His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
3. Genesis 2:15 - "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Psalm 24, what does David acknowledge about the earth and everything in it? How does this shape our understanding of stewardship? [33:15]
2. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), what were the different responses of the servants to the master's trust? What were the outcomes for each servant?
3. What specific task did God give to Adam in Genesis 2:15, and how does this relate to the concept of stewardship discussed in the sermon? [40:59]
4. How does the sermon describe the emotional attachments people have to money, and what impact do these attachments have on their trust in God? [27:59]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does recognizing that "the earth is the Lord's and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1) influence our approach to managing our resources? [33:15]
2. In the Parable of the Talents, why do you think the master was so harsh with the servant who hid his talent? What does this teach us about the expectations of stewardship? [56:08]
3. How can past experiences and emotional baggage related to money affect one's ability to trust God with their resources? [27:59]
4. What does it mean to seek healing from past financial hurts and emotional baggage, and how can this change our perspective on stewardship? [01:02:34]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Do you see yourself as a steward of God's resources? How does this perspective change the way you manage your time, talents, and finances? [33:15]
2. Have you ever experienced emotional attachments to money that hindered your trust in God? How did you or how can you seek healing from these attachments? [27:59]
3. In what small ways can you begin to trust God more with your resources, as illustrated in the Parable of the Talents? What practical steps can you take this week? [50:03]
4. The sermon mentioned the 90-Day Giving Challenge as a practical step towards trusting God more with our resources. Are you willing to participate in this challenge? Why or why not? [23:33]
5. Think about a past financial hurt or emotional baggage you may have. How can you open up to God and seek His healing in this area? What steps will you take to address this? [01:02:34]
6. How can you cultivate a heart of generosity and obedience in your daily life? Identify one specific action you can take this week to practice generosity. [01:10:17]
7. Reflect on the statement, "Trust the king, and the king will trust you." How can you demonstrate trust in God with your resources this week? What changes might you need to make in your current habits? [50:03]
Devotional
Day 1: Recognizing God's Ownership
Everything on earth belongs to God, and we are merely caretakers of His creation. This foundational truth should shape our perspective on stewardship. When we understand that all we have is entrusted to us by God, it changes how we manage our resources. We become more faithful and generous, knowing that we are handling God's property. This perspective helps us to prioritize God's purposes over our own desires and to use our resources in ways that honor Him.
Psalm 24:1-2 (ESV): "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." [33:15]
Reflection: How does recognizing that everything you have belongs to God change the way you manage your resources today?
Day 2: Healing Emotional Attachments to Money
Our past experiences and emotional baggage can significantly impact our perspective on money. It's essential to seek healing from these past hurts to trust God fully with our resources. Emotional healing allows us to see money as a tool for God's purposes rather than a source of security or identity. By addressing these emotional attachments, we can free ourselves from the bondage of financial anxiety and develop a healthier, more God-centered view of money.
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." [39:28]
Reflection: What past experiences or emotional attachments to money do you need to bring before God for healing today?
Day 3: Trusting God with Our Resources
Trusting God with our resources leads to greater blessings, both earthly and heavenly. When we are faithful in small things, God entrusts us with more. This principle is illustrated in the parable of the talents, where faithful servants are rewarded with greater responsibilities and blessings. Trust and obedience in managing our resources demonstrate our faith in God's provision and His ability to multiply what we have for His glory.
Luke 16:10 (ESV): "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." [50:03]
Reflection: In what small ways can you demonstrate trust and obedience to God with your resources today?
Day 4: Seeking Healing from Financial Hurts
To be effective stewards, we must seek healing from past financial hurts and emotional baggage. This involves prayer, forgiveness, and a willingness to open up to God about our struggles. Healing allows us to change our perspective and better understand our role as stewards of God's creation. By seeking God's healing, we can break free from the chains of past financial wounds and move forward with a renewed sense of purpose and trust in God's provision.
Jeremiah 17:14 (ESV): "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." [01:02:34]
Reflection: What specific financial hurts or emotional baggage do you need to bring before God for healing today?
Day 5: Practical Steps in Stewardship
Participating in initiatives like the 90-Day Giving Challenge can be a practical step towards trusting God more with our resources. It's not just about giving money but about cultivating a heart of generosity and obedience. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's purposes and open the door for His blessings in our lives. Practical steps in stewardship help us to develop a disciplined and intentional approach to managing our resources in a way that honors God.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (ESV): "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." [01:10:17]
Reflection: What practical step can you take today to cultivate a heart of generosity and obedience in your stewardship?
Quotes
1. "But we also, um... Want to be consistent. And so there's different ways that you can be a part of this. And if... If money is not something you're able to do, you can also help with, um... Supplying things for our classrooms, for our kitchen, things like that. Or, um... To simply pray about the mission and the, um... What God wants to do. Because without God, like, leading us and guiding us, then we're always going to fail. You know, money is important because you have to have money in order to do the next steps of mission, of planning, of all that kind of stuff. But without God leading us, we will always fail no matter how much money or supplies we have." [24:04] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "What is enough money? What is enough money? Right? Have you ever heard somebody say, like, well, if I have enough, or, you know, if I just had enough money, then I could. But this question is so... So vague. What is enough? Because I truly believe that God has given us enough. No matter where we are, it may look a lot different for some people than other people, but God is always enough. So if we trust God and we focus on God, and we're just like, well, I'm not going to focus on is there enough money. I'm going to focus on God is enough." [25:20] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Making change is so important. And I believe that making change is what God wants to do with us. Not just in related to, like, money and finances, all that stuff, but God wants to make changes in us and in our perspective, in our minds, in our hearts. Because where we're allowing God to make a change when we come to him and we're like, God, I want something from you and we're willing to give and he's willing to give back to us. And also, it's a little different than in a store because when we make change with God, it's not that he's giving us the leftover. But he's giving us far more than we had ever expected to get back. Spiritually, emotionally, physically, economically. God wants to do something in and through us." [26:47] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When we stick our emotions too much into it, we find ourselves being too emotional instead of just trusting in God. And so today's message is called the theology of stewardship. And so I want you to turn with me to Psalm 23. Now you might be like, wait, if you're talking about money, why are you going to the Psalms, right? This Psalms, Psalm 23 is such a powerful Psalm. It's a Psalm of David. And so I thought I had it marked, but apparently I don't. Not Psalm 23, Psalm 24. Psalm 24 after Psalm 23, maybe some of you know what Psalm 23 is, but after Psalm 23 is 24. And so it's another Psalm of David. And so David is, is, is, is amazing when his understanding of who God is, right?" [33:15] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Everything is the king's and the king has entrusted everything to you. It is a powerful statement to recognize that everything is god's right the earth is the lord's and everything in it but the powerful thing here is that it's not just that everything is god's and people's servants but the king has come to each one of us and said i'm entrusting the world to you everything is god's but he entrusts everything to us it's a powerful thing you can look throughout the bible you see people who are who are living in this in this um little kingship where david knew he was the king of israel but he knew he was not the king of the world he was the king who who led the people but it was god who brought everything to him was only because it was entrusted to him" [36:24] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "When we misplace ownership, then we misplace emotional energy. When we misplace ownership, then we misplace emotional energy, right? So I talked about this idea that like, you know, it was something that I struggled with because this guy laughed at me and, you know, said I wasn't good enough at all, this kind of stuff, and I just got so upset and I started feeling like, oh, it's never going to happen. Talked to a trusted Christian friend who was like, well, I know things about money and there's 100% no way you're ever going to get it. I'm not going to get it. I'm not going to get it. I'm not going to get it. I'm not a house or a mortgage. And I was like, man, I thought, what am I going to do, right? And the emotional energy of feeling left out, feeling down was just like weighing on my heart." [45:33] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Trust the king, and the king will trust you. Trust the king, and the king will trust you, right? If the king owns everything, everything is the king's, and the king has entrusted to you. When we, when we trust him, when we trust the king, or God our Savior, he will trust us even more. In Luke 16, 10 through 10 and 11, it says, if you are faithful with little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you will be dishonest with great responsibility. And if you are untrustworthy, outworldly well, who will trust you with true riches of heaven?" [50:03] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Open up ancient gates, open up ancient doors, and let the king of glory in when we are willing to trust the king. And see, I surrender this to you. I don't know what to do. I'm just listening and obeying. I'm going to trust you. All of a sudden, doors and gates become open, and the king enters, and he's like, thank you for letting me in. Let's see what happens now. Now that I'm here, now that you have, you have allowed me into more of the recesses, the, the, the far depths of your heart, now let's see what I can do, because what I can do, me personally, Pastor Andy, is much less than what the king of kings can do. In me, in you, any of us, open up ancient doors, open up ancient gates, and let the king of glory in. It's powerful. Powerful." [53:12] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "If everything is the king's and the king has entrusted everything to us, we must be people who he can trust with. You can't entrust things to people who are not trustworthy. And obedience is following him just like the tree in the garden. Don't eat of it, but care for it the way you're caring for the rest of the garden. In Malachi 3, 10 through 12, it says, bring all the tithes or tenth, percent into the storehouse so that you will be in, there will be enough food in my temple. If you do, says the Lord of heaven's armies, I will open up the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great that you won't have enough room to take it in. Try it. Test me in this." [01:10:17] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Seeking healing starts you in the journey of trusting and obeying. And you might be like, well, that's, that's Old Testament. You know, God doesn't really want us to give 10% anymore. And you could say that and that's fair because that is the Old Testament. But there's a lot of people who like debate this and I'm not going to get into it because this is the last point and nobody wants to sit here for another like six hours debating this because that's how long this debate goes or, you know, for the next day or two. But I believe 10% is what we're called to do as Christians because Jesus says in Luke 11, 24, he says, So giving money is important, but what is justice and love? Riches from heaven. Okay, so, so they're, they're giving their physical, but they're ignoring the spiritual riches, right?" [01:13:26] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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