Keys to Godly Stewardship
Looking at our Attitude & Perspective
2004009
Topic # 1373
Introduction:
A. What are your feelings about the following statement?
1. If many Christians understood Christianity – their feelings & behavior would change.
2. What is your concept of Christianity?
B. Some: God will give Christians eternal life when they successfully do one of the following:
1. They are “good enough” for God to love.
2. They do more “good things” than “evil things.”
a) If our good offsets the evil things we do – God will save us.
3. We successfully hide from God the “evil things” we do.
4. We actually deceive God by living two lives.
a) Live by principles of evil – when not w/Christians & live by principles of goodness when w/Christians.
C. Many who profess to be Christians actually live by one or a combination of these views.
1. What to say to: those who actually believe they can be “good enough” to be loved by God?
a) Never can a Christian deserve God’s love.
b) If God’s love for humans depended on our meeting divine standards of perfection – God could love no one & we are hopelessly lost.
2. What to say to: those who feel they must do more good than evil?
a) Our hope cannot rest alone in human accomplishment.
b) It must rest in God’s forgiveness through Jesus.
c) We must do good in appreciation of salvation & to develop a godlike heart.
3. What to say to: those who feel they can hide evil from God?
a) 1 Cor. 4:5 – we cannot hide anything from God.
4. What to say to: those who feel they can deceive God?
a) Gal. 6:7-8 – it is impossible to deceive God. Think we deceive God – we deceive self!
D. Christians who come to these conclusions fail to understand forgiveness; mercy; atonement; or grace.
1. Any approach to Christianity that places confidence or external acts & controlled behaviors – completely misses the NT concept of Christianity.
2. Christianity is a whole person response to God.
3. We respond to God internally & externally.
4. The body follows the heart.
a) Watch your heart with diligence – from it flow the springs of life. Pro. 4:23
b) As a man things – so is he – Pro. 23:7
E. All obedience based on love; faith. Obedience from necessity or from ungodly motives meaningless to God!
F. What has all this to do w/stewardship?
1. We run into problems w/our Christianity because of improper attitudes & perspectives.
2. So we must change them for better.
3. To do this – our hearts must change.
G. Only a godly servant’s heart produces the attitudes & perspectives of a godly steward.
I. Problems result when our attitudes & perspectives center on the physical.
A. Take a look at the following bible character’s attitudes & perspectives. What was their view of “life’s big picture?”
B. Lk. 12:15-21
1. Ask: How did this man view the big picture of human existence?
a) 12:17-19 – is God in his picture? Is God in the equation?
b) Who is the most important person in the picture of his life?
c) Note also: nothing but the physical life is part of his life.
2. The rich fool gave no consideration to God.
3. How much consideration do we give to God?
a) How many of us lead productive lives & are laying up many goods for many years?
b) How many of us tempted to eat/drink/be merry & NEVER give spiritual priorities the proper place in life?
4. 12:23 – life is more than food, body more than clothing.
5. How much do we let God in our lives? Does He have the proper consideration?
C. Mk. 10:17-22 – Rich Young Ruler
1. How did this man view the big picture of human existence?
a) What was his attitude? His perspective?
2. 10:17-22
3. We might conclude God was in his picture IF God was represented by rules & regulations. Typical Jew of the day.
4. 10:21-22 – who was central in his picture? S E L F !
5. His life involved a separation of physical & spiritual realities!
a) W/this man the physical was of great significance!
6. RYR gave serious consideration to God’s commands but:
a) Had a poor understanding of what it meant to be God’s person.
b) He believed you could do what was required w/o belonging to God!
7. Do we do the same?
a) Do we experience difficulty in surrendering self to the cause of Christ?
b) How many justify a character defect – that’s just the way I am?
c) Hold on to some habit that hurts Christian example?
D. Lk. 15:25-32 – prodigal son’s older brother:
1. Was God in his picture? Who was the central figure in his life view?
2. He was to be considered BEFORE his brother. Harbored ill will toward father – because he never received accolades.
3. His life was centered totally in the physical. Self absorbed in what he perceived to be physical injuries.
II. A great contrast:
A. Lk. 15:11-24 – prodigal son.
1. 15:11-13 – prodigal living.
a) Here’s a young man who thinks he is in control of his own life.
b) He answers to no one.
c) Self; pursuits of the flesh; the forefront of his existence.
2. 15:14-16 – moral bankruptcy.
B. 15:17 – after he came to his senses:
1. Who is in the center of his picture? Self? God?
a) 15:18, 21 – I have sinned against heaven & in your sight.
2. 18:19 – he was NOT the central figure in that picture.
a) He asked to be a servant.
b) He did not regard himself as worthy of being a son.
3. It is in these verses we see him acknowledging & accepting responsibility for his evil against heaven….
a) He recognized this BEFORE he sought physical acceptance by his father.
C. This is a man who left home thinking he was everything; he was it…
1. He returned home knowing he is nothing & realizing he had wasted life.
D. Every redeemed sinner must begin w/the same realization that the prodigal son had:
1. Each one of us must come to our senses!
2. We sin against God!
3. None of us are worthy of being called sons/daughters of God.
4. We are mere servants of God.
5. Brethren: we are nothing w/o Him! Everything comes from Him!
6. Acts 17:28; Col. 1:16-18
E. We will never become a successful servant or a faithful steward until we apply these life altering principles to our lives!
III. Attitude & perspective are essential in stewardship!
A. Beginning in Rom. 12 – Paul makes clear how proper attitudes & perspectives would work to change attitudes & behavior.
B. 12:1 – we expected to present ourselves as living & holy sacrifices.
1. Nothing in life should be so precious as to not offer it in God’s service.
2. 12:2 – stewardship begins w/a transformation. We must renew our mind.
C. Consider Rom. 12:10-21. Here are godly perspectives in action:
1. 12:10 – love is to be genuine & unselfish.
2. 12:11-12 – commitment to each other is real.
3. 12:13 – assisting others will be fundamental to a Christian’s identity.
4. 12:14 – Christians are a blessing – not a threat to their enemies.
5. 12:15 – Christians would sincerely empathize with others.
6. 12:16 – Christians would establish real relationships with each other.
7. 12:17a – Christians would treat others as they were treated.
8. 12:17b-18 – Christians would be concerned about correct behavior in the sight of evil & the godly.
9. 12:19-20 – Christians would regard vengeance as God’s exclusive prerogative.
10. 12:21 – Christians would accept & live by this truth: the only human option for overcoming evil is doing good.
D. Unless these attitudes & perspectives are correct – these responses will NOT occur.
1. They cannot occur in the life of a self centered person.
2. Hypocritical person; deceitful person who strives to live by double standards; or in the person controlled by anger.
E. Rom. 12 presents to us the actions; attitudes; and perspective of a steward.
1. For God’s steward – it’s all about God!
2. This lifestyle cannot be faked!
3. It is not a product of forced behavior. It is not mere “religion.”
4. It IS heart behavior – that reflects TOTAL existence on Jesus Christ.
F. Christian stewardship begins with the attitudes & perspective of a godly heart.
1. Godly stewardship is an expression of a godly heart controlling a godly person.
2. David Chadwell: it cannot be produced by forced behavior that submits to requirements or by mechanical compliance to “correct” responsibilities.
3. Stewardship involves what a person IS as well as what a person DOES.
4. It is the converted person that becomes a steward. Only conversion can produce stewardship!
Conclusion:
A. Have you been converted?
1. Have you started down the same road as the prodigal son?
2. Have you come to your senses?
3. DO you realize your sin is against God?
4. Do you realize it is only through Jesus that your sin can be forgiven?
B. Why do you delay? Obey the gospel today!
C. Brethren: have you been converted? What is the perspective you have in life?
D. I N V I T A T I O N
