AN ATTITUDE OF STEWARDSHIP, PART 2 (2 COR 8:10-12)

SERIES: ATTITUDES DISCIPLES REVEAL, PART 10

GCEFC: MARCH 15, 2009

INTRODUCTION

1. This morning we conclude our 10-part series on the Attitudes Disciples Reveal. We’re ending on the attitude of stewardship, but we could have logically started there.

2. Simply because in the final analysis, the entire Christian life is a life of stewardship. And if we don’t have an attitude of stewardship—then we won’t live like stewards.

3. A steward is a person who manages or administers the property or personal affairs of another. A steward is a manager of what he doesn’t actually own, but who’s been given the responsibility of managing on behalf of the owner.

4. A biblical definition of a steward is: One who uses God’s resources to accomplish God’s purposes for God’s glory.

5. In the biblical sense, every Christian is a steward. That is, each one of us must manage what God owns but has entrusted to us to manage.

6. We’ve been called to a life of service to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master. 1 COR 6 says: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

7. In other words, we don’t even belong to ourselves—we belong to God! God owns us as a slave owner owned a slave. Only more so. How more so?

8. Because God created us. As PSA 100 says: It is he who has made us and we are his. Even a slave owner was not the slave’s creator!

9. And God redeemed us. He’s bought and paid for us through the atoning death of his own Son on the Cross. So here’s the situation:

a. God created us to begin with. He gave us life.

b. God redeemed us from the penalty of sin through Jesus’ death on the Cross.

c. All that we have came as a gift of God’s grace.

d. And whatever we have God gave us to be used for His purposes and glory.

e. No matter how much you own, no matter how much you acquire, no matter how much you store up—in the end you must leave it all behind.

f. Why? Because it doesn’t belong to you! You’ve heard it said that you never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. You really can’t take it with you.

g. It’s been tried. The Egyptian Pharaohs were buried with a fortune in gold, silver, and jewels. But though the stuff was with them—they didn’t take it anywhere.

h. Thousands of years later archaeologists found the stuff right where it was left thousands of years earlier.

i. It’s like a Monopoly game. No matter how much property you own. Even if you own Boardwalk and Park Place and have a hotel on each—at the end of the game—it all goes back in the box.

j. When we leave this earth—it all goes back in the box. All of it. As Job said thousands of years ago: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.

k. If the economic picture these past 6 months has taught us anything, it’s taught us that possessions and fortunes can be quickly lost and with little or no warning.

l. I read this week that Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Prize winning author lost $22 million in personal wealth through investments with Madoff Securities—his entire life savings.

m. The Bible warns in 1TIM 6: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.

10. Now—this is not meant to depress us, or discourage us. It’s meant to give us perspective on the way things really are.

11. Because life is so uncertain and so unpredictable—it behooves us to be doing what we’ve been called to do—not something else.

12. If you think life is certain and predictable, just wait. You’ll eventually discover that it’s not. The only thing that’s certain in life is life’s uncertainty.

13. So if this is the case—and this is the case—then what does this mean for us as disciples? It means that we must accept the fact that we are stewards and not owners.

14. When we make that paradigm shift. When we accept what the Bible teaches about who we are and why we’re here—it will become so much simpler…and so much easier.

15. We’ll realize it’s not my agenda that matters—it’s God’s agenda that does. It’s not my money in the bank—it’s God’s money. It’s not my property—it’s God’s property.

16. The most basic understanding a steward must grasp is that he is not the owner of what he manages. He’s the manager of what God owns.

17. Until we get a handle on the fact that we are stewards and not owners—we will be frustrated, disappointed, disillusioned, and confused.

18. This morning I want to give 3 reasons why Christian disciples should be generous givers. Then look very briefly at some advice the Apostle Paul gives in 2 COR 8.

A. GOD COMMANDS US TO BE GENEROUS GIVERS

1. The first reason we should be generous givers is because God owns what we possess and he’s said that we should be generous givers with what’s his.

2. When I was growing up, I received a regular allowance. It wasn’t very much money, but it was enough to help me learn something about managing money.

3. I started my own kids on an allowance a couple days after they learned how to walk.

4. My allowance was my own money and as soon as I removed my tithe, I was free to spend it any way I liked. That left me 45 cents to spend.

5. My kids were also free to spend their own allowance as they wished. I took out 10% for their tithe and 10% for savings.

6. But when it comes to what you and I have—it’s not that way. God is not entitled to 10% and we’re entitled to the rest. It all belongs to God. Not 10%, not 99%—100%. All of it!

7. And God commanded us to be generous with his money. But what kind of a deal is that? It’s a great deal. Listen to LU 6:38: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

8. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to out give God. But good luck if you try. You see, God owns everything, including what we give away.

9. Do we think that when we’re generous with what God entrusted to us that he will then be stingy back? He says: Give and it will be given to you!

B. GOD’S USES OUR GIFTS TO COMPLETE HIS WORK

1. Another reason we’re to be generous givers is because God uses our gifts to do his work through the church. God could do it some other way, but this is the way he’s chosen.

2. As a pastor I get very annoyed with the complaint that the church is always talking about money and is only concerned about money.

3. I know for a fact that last week some folks were attending Grace Church for the very first time. And the very first time they were here the preacher was preaching about money.

4. They didn’t know that the last time I preached on money was last spring. But it probably helped perpetuate the myth.

5. Actually, our church talks very little about money. One of the reasons I made the commitment last spring to address stewardship each year is because we talk about money SO LITTLE.

6. The church is virtually the only service provider that charges nothing for its services. You could attend and be a member of Grace Church for decades and never contribute a dime.

7. Have you been to the mall or the grocery store lately? Have you noticed that there are price tags on the stuff?

8. The next time you’re at a store, pick up something you like and take it to the cashier and say: This store is only concerned about money. I’m taking this item and I’ll pray about whether God wants me to pay for it or not. I don’t feel led to pay at this moment.

9. On Monday night when I was sitting at home minding my own business, one of my tooth crowns decided to remove itself from my tooth. Not just the crown, but most of the tooth, including the post holding the crown.

10. So on Tuesday morning I went to the dentist and was told that I needed some major dental work that would require me to drive to Saratoga Springs to see a specialist.

11. I was given an estimate of how much this procedure is going to cost. It reminded me of the federal stimulus package. It’s a lot of money.

12. So I said to the dentist: You know, you’re only concerned about money here. I know I need this work done, but I’m not so sure I should have to pay for it. (Not really)

13. You know, April 15^th is coming up one month from today. Why don’t you just call up the IRS and tell them that all they ever talk about is money, and that you’re keeping their cut this year. Get back with me and let me know how that goes.

14. We have many people come through the doors of Grace Church with needs. Many different kinds of needs. But you know, we don’t charge for ministry.

15. People come for counseling, prayer, discipleship, programs for men, programs for women, for moms, for dads, for kids, for teens, those struggling with issues, for financial assistance. For all kinds of things.

16. But one thing we never do. We never say: You know, I can see here from your account statement that your giving pattern is pathetic. So we’re not going to be able to help you.

17. The fact is, the Church of Jesus Christ has been the most giving, the most caring, the most selfless organization in human history.

18. And the reason this is so is because of the generosity of God’s people. We give so that God’s work can be done through the church. It’s one of life’s great honors and privileges.

19. You may already know that. If not, you’ll know it eventually. Hopefully it won’t be too late when you find out.

C. WE’VE BEEN BLESSED SO MUCH ALREADY

1. The third and final reason I’m suggesting for giving generously is that we’ve been blessed so much already.

2. Have you seen the signs around the building for the GAiN Project? One of the signs says that 1 out of every 3 people in the world does not have safe drinking water.

3. Safe drinking water. Water we use to wash our clothes, our dishes, and our cars.

4. Not only do we have safe drinking water from our faucets. But consumers spend $100 billion each year on bottled water!

5. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness—you’re more blessed than 1 million people in the world that won’t live through this week.

6. If you’ve never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pain of starvation—you’re ahead of 500 million people who have.

7. If you attend church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death—you’re more blessed than 3 billion people in the world who cannot.

8. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a warm and dry place to sleep—you’re wealthier than more than half of the world.

9. If you have any money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a jar—you’re among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

10. The Bible considers a person rich if they have more than they need. I think we qualify. In fact, one of the major scourges of our generation is that many of our illnesses and problems are the result of excess.

11. Overindulgence is killing us. We eat too much, spend too much, waste too much, and have more than we need of nearly everything.

12. I suspect that this recession is going to show us that we don’t need nearly as much as we thought we needed. And that we should be giving away more of what we have—not less.

13. We are the most blessed, the most wealthy, and the most comfortable of any people in all of human history.

14. Now I know this probably sounds dangerously close to a scolding. But I include myself. It’s only meant to point out that for God’s people in America to be any less than generous in giving to advance God’s kingdom is nothing short of tragic.

15. Our Scripture reading makes the point crystal clear. 2 COR 8:10: And here is my advice about what is best in this matter: (in the matter of giving) Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

16. The Word of God is saying that if we HAVE, then we should be giving generously in keeping with how much we’ve been blessed. We’ve been blessed beyond description. So our giving should be generous.

17. I’ve tithed nearly my entire life. A tithe is 10% of your gross earnings. But a title is only a starting point for generous giving. It’s not the goal—it’s a place to start.

18. Try it and watch what God does. See if he doesn’t take your willingness to be generous and return to you in ways you never imagined.

19. I’m not suggesting that you give in order to get. We give because it’s our responsibility as disciples to give.

20. But you’ll never out give God. He won’t allow it. Give and it will be given to you. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

21. As disciples we should be careful to give according to our blessing—lest God bless us according to our giving.

22. I trust that those of you who need this challenge will be challenged by it. And those who don’t need it will be affirmed in your generosity. And I thank you on behalf of Grace Church for your faithful generosity.