Jun6-12: Stewardship

Talents

1. Read Matthew 25:14–30.What basic message about stewardship do you take from Jesus’ words here?

ANSWER:

• God has given talents to every man according to each person’s ability
• We will be judged according to the usage of our talents

OBSERVATION:

• We do not earn salvation by usage our talents.
• Notice verse 14, the Master gave them “His goods”
• “His goods” are the talents. See verse 15
• Therefore when the servants “went and traded” the talents, they were doing good works.
• We do not do good works in order to be saved.
• So then what is the attitude of the servants that used their talents? Before we can answer this question we need to ask the following question.
• Is it possible conclude that their attitude was opposite from the attitude of the servant that hid his talent? I think so.
• What was the attitude of the servant that hid his talent? Why did he hide his talent?
• See verse 24 and 25, “I knew thee that thou art an hard man…And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent”
• He was afraid. This means that he did not know the Master. He did not know the Master because he did not love the Master (1 John 4:8 says, to know Him is to love Him). And he did not live by faith because faith works by love (Gal. 5:6). And without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6)
• Therefore the other servants that used the talents lived by faith, loved the Master, and they knew the Master’s character. They were doing the good works because they had a loving relationship with Him.

Time

1. What do we learn from the Gospels about Jesus’ use of His time?

ANSWER:

• Matt. 4:23 – Jesus was busy helping people physically, mentally, and spiritually.
• Mark 1:21-35 – Jesus was busy all day Sabbath teaching and preaching. After sundown, Jesus healed more people. Next day morning, Jesus still got up early enough to pray!
• Luke 4:16 – Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Jesus did not forget to keep the Sabbath day holy.
• John 2:1-11 – Jesus did not neglect an innocent feast and celebration.
• John 12:2 – Jesus spent time with those who are close to Him.

Stewards of Our Body

1. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.What do these verses tell us about our bodies and our spirits?

• 1Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
• 1Cor. 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

ANSWER:

• We should glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits. They have been bought with a price.
  

2. How much did Jesus pay to buy us back? Read Matt. 13:45, 46

• Matt. 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
• Matt. 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

ANSWER:

• Sold all that He had and bought us.

OBSERVATION:

• The value of a product can be determined by the price of a product. We are worth all that He had!

3. Read 1 Cor. 7:22, 23 and observe.

• 1Cor. 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
• 1Cor. 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

OBSERVATION:

• We have been bought back to God with a great price. Therefore we are His servants. Our body and spirit belong to Him. We become stewards of our body and spirit.

4. How do should we glorify God in our body?

• 1Cor. 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
• 1Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
• 1Cor. 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

ANSWER:

• Keep our body (appetite and passion) under the subjection of the Holy Spirit.

Our Material Possession

1. Read the following texts: Lev. 27:30, Deut. 8:18, Ps. 50:12, Mal. 3:8–10, Matt. 6:31, Matt. 23:23. What lessons do you draw from them?

ANSWER:

• Lev. 27:30 – God is the owner of all our increase
• Deut. 8:18 – God gives the power to get wealth
• Ps. 50:12 –The whole world belongs to God
• Mal. 3:8-10 – God honors us with His blessings if we acknowledge Him as the Owner of all thing when we return tithes and offerings to Him.
• Matt. 6:31 –Eating and Drinking are necessary in this life but not as important as seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This text is not suggesting that we should not work. Paul said, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” 2 Thess. 3:10. However working should not take away our eyes from the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Therefore God asked us to return our tithes and offerings to Him so that we will be reminded to seek Him first.
• Matt. 23:23 – Righteous judgment, mercy, and faith are not to be forgotten when we practice giving our tithes and offerings to God.

2. Don’t forget how we came and how we will go.

• 1Tim. 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
• 1Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

CONCLUSION:

• Do not live for money. Money exists for us. Yes, we can make money but let not money make you.

While We Are Waiting

1. What should characterize our waiting for the second coming of Christ? Matt. 24:42–46. What do these verses mean for us in the practical sense of how we live?

• Matt. 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

ANSWER:

• “Doing” is the key word for the answer. Not “done” or not “will do” but “doing” It is continually doing the will of God. What is the will of God in this sense? Using our talents to “feed” others spiritually. God has given us talents so that we may use them to bless others. We destroy ourselves if we use these God given talents only for our survival in this world. Are you that wise servant “feeding” others or are you that evil servant who just eat and drink for himself?