Stewards for God’s Glory Possessions

to keep, preserve; to watch, guard; to obey; to manage. Primarily means “to watch,” but can denote obeying in the sense of keeping or observing a command.

Last week we talked about Stewardship of the what? (Body)

This week we are going to talk about stewardship of our possessions

Question:

How many of you live in a house now that is bigger than the house you grew up in? Raise your hand or if you are at home type it in the chat yes I am in a bigger house than the one I grew up in.

Next Question How many of us have more stuff in your home than you had when you was a child?

Check out this graphic (Slide average home size according to the us census bureau)

Mark Twain once defined “civilization” as “a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities,”

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 220.

Growing up in baseball. Several of us would get baseball bats and we would all share. Before we would buy bats as individuals we only had team bats. We would all use team bats.

Now kids have two bats on average a piece and no one is allowed to use anyone else bat. You ever played baseball? How many people get to hit at a time? 1 at a time. How many bats can you use while you hit?

God has given us possessions. How are you using all that God has given you for the Glory of God? Scripture has so much to say about our possessions.

Luke 12.

My hope is to give you some stewardship things you can focus on at the beginning of 2024 to get your year started off right and hopefully make some long term lasting lifestyle changes. Last week, we talked about stewarding our bodies well and this week we look at our possessions.

Research is all over the place on this one…

On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In Lally’s study, it took anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit.

Luke 12:13 HCSB

13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

A man in the crowd interrupts Jesus and ask Him to solve a family problem.

Rabbis were expected to help settle legal matters

Jesus refuses to get involved in this.

Jesus knows that ruling on this matter would not solve the brothers problem.

The brothers are arguing over stuff and greed.

These brothers greatest need was not stuff. They needed a change of heart.

They are dealing with Covetousness

Covetousness

is an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied.

Luke 12:14–15 HCSB

14 “Friend,” He said to him, “who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

One’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.

Some research suggest that those with less stuff are more happy and that having less is actually beneficial for your own mental health.

Henry David Thoreau

“That man is the richest whose pleasures are cheapest.”

“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.”

Henry David Thoreau

Rick Frogg from homeless to acquiring things

Stressed out about having so much stuff that people might come and steal from him.

Marie Kondo if it sparks joy

The better question is to look at our stuff and ask does this bring Glory to God?

If it doesn’t, then either sell it or donate it to the thrift store

Some of the stuff we own does bring Glory to God

1 Timothy 6:17 HCSB

17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.

provides us with all things to enjoy

Luke 12:16 HCSB

16 Then He told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive.

All throughout scripture we see the idea of stewardship and much of this relates to stewarding land. Even in Genesis the mandate is to steward the land.

So that is to work it and guard it. Make it better and keep it or manage it.

In Luke 12 there is nothing wrong with the rich man having land that is very productive.

The parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.

A man is going on a journey and he calls his slaves and turns over his possessions over to them.

To one he gives 5 talents

To another he gives 2 and another 1 each to his ability.

The man who had 5 went and got 5 more

The man who had 2 earned 2 more

the man who had 1 went and dug a whole and hid his masters money

Here is the result

Matthew 25:20–29 HCSB

20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ 21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’ 22 “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’ 23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest. 28 “ ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Principles

Use and multiply what the Lord has given you

Be faithful over little in order to be trusted with much

Soap Box that I need to improve on:

I have been shocked that it is normal in our culture to treat vehicles like they are disposable.

My father is a mechanic so this is a subject that is important to me.

My father until all the kids were grown and out of the house never owned a new vehicle. We always drove old cars.

He would maintain them and fix them. One car we called the white bomb it was a chevy impala and went down the road lopsided

We kept it up and my sister and I prayed that it would die and it just kept going and dad kept maintaining it.

Change the oil

Keep it clean

Clean the trash out

It gets you back and forth to work

It is a resource the Lord has given you. Maintaining a vehicle that is paid off is cheaper than monthly payments.

Luke 12:17–21 HCSB

17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’ 21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:48 HCSB

48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

If you travel to El Salvador because of the color of your skin you will be viewed as rich.

The color of your skin and where you live!

We want to hold things loosely in our hands and value people over things.

How can my things be used for God’s glory?

Can my things be used to help my neighbor?

Can my things be used to help my community?

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Stewards for God’s Glory Possessions

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