The
16 October, 2016 issue of Stewards of
Faith proposed the following definition of Stewardship:
Stewardship
is our God-pleasing management of the time of grace, natural abilities,
spiritual gifts, and physical resources that our Lord has blessed us with and entrusted
to our care.
We
are each the steward of the blessings God provides to us, though we may approach
the fulfillment of our stewardship responsibilities somewhat differently. Some of us undoubtedly take those
responsibilities very seriously, and regularly pray and plan how they might
best be met. On the other extreme, the
concept that stewardship should be a vital and active part of a Christian life
might be new for some. This diversity in
our viewpoints and approaches to our responsibilities as stewards is somewhat surprising,
because we all have the exact same motivation!
Motivation #1: Even
though we were dead in our sins and enemies of God, Christ suffered the penalty
of our sins and God credited his righteousness to us.
- Col 2:13-14. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
- Rom 5:8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Eph 2:4-5. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Motivation #2: God
continues to shower us with physical and spiritual blessings.
- Mat 6:33. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
- Jas 1:17-18. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
- Eph 1:3-8. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Motivation #3: God
instructs us to practice good stewardship and promises rewards for doing so.
- 1Pe 4:10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
- Heb 13:16. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- 2Co 9:7-8. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- Gal 6:9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Through God’s grace, we
have been transformed from sinners doomed to suffer eternity in hell into his
children and members of a kingdom of priests!
How can we not respond with love, worship, and praise?
- Rom12:1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
- Heb 13:15. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
- Psa 13:5. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.
As
you consider the impact of God’s grace in your life each day, I pray that you will become
increasingly motivated to make stewardship an active and deliberate part of
your life as a forgiven child of God!
In
Christ,
Your
Stewardship Committee
