WEBVTT 00:00:09.280 --> 00:00:13.359 We're going to finish up on our series of stewardship. 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:16.059 And since I don't have to do the doctrinal reading, 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:18.199 I'm going to pray. We're going to dig right in 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:21.920 immediately. And then this is not going to, this 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:25.320 is, it's not a hard message, but it's a very 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.280 straightforward message. I mean, the scripture 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:30.769 is really clear. and God says some things that 00:00:30.769 --> 00:00:33.310 are really hard, and that's okay. So let's just 00:00:33.310 --> 00:00:34.869 pray, and we'll dig in. Father, I want to thank 00:00:34.869 --> 00:00:37.030 you so much for your goodness. Thank you for 00:00:37.030 --> 00:00:38.350 your faithfulness. Thank you, Lord, for your 00:00:38.350 --> 00:00:40.170 word. Thank you that we can love you, love your 00:00:40.170 --> 00:00:42.729 word, love your ways, love your things. I ask, 00:00:42.770 --> 00:00:44.969 Lord, that you would speak to your people at 00:00:44.969 --> 00:00:46.750 the full council of your word as spoken and taught 00:00:46.750 --> 00:00:48.890 today, that you are honored and glorified, and 00:00:48.890 --> 00:00:51.350 you would draw all men unto you as you have promised. 00:00:51.409 --> 00:00:53.090 We praise you and thank you. In Jesus' name, 00:00:53.229 --> 00:00:58.289 amen. Fundamentally, So this is love his things, 00:00:58.409 --> 00:01:01.490 the heart of the steward, the heart of the steward. 00:01:01.929 --> 00:01:04.069 Fundamentally, stewardship is about exercising 00:01:04.069 --> 00:01:07.890 our God -given dominion over his creation, reflecting 00:01:07.890 --> 00:01:11.269 the image of our creator, creator God in his 00:01:11.269 --> 00:01:14.489 care, responsibility, maintenance, protection, 00:01:14.829 --> 00:01:17.269 and beautification of his creation, R .C. Sproul. 00:01:17.469 --> 00:01:21.680 In Genesis 126, Then God said, let us make man 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:23.819 in our image and in our likeness and let them 00:01:23.819 --> 00:01:27.120 have dominion over the fish of the sea and over 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.900 the birds of the heavens and over the livestock 00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:31.879 and over all the earth and over every creeping 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:34.680 thing that creeps on the earth. I want you to 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:37.939 hear that. God created man and he made him a 00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:41.599 steward. He gave him a trust, the trust of all 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.519 of his things. Everything is God's. Our responsibility 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:49.890 is to steward it. Genesis 2 .15, for God took 00:01:49.890 --> 00:01:54.030 them, the man, took the man and put them, put 00:01:54.030 --> 00:01:56.989 him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep 00:01:56.989 --> 00:02:01.810 it. You are to work and steward his stuff. The 00:02:01.810 --> 00:02:05.709 true steward is put in trust with his master's 00:02:05.709 --> 00:02:09.569 property for us to protect it. Oh, with what 00:02:09.569 --> 00:02:13.469 earnestness ought we to guard the gospel of Christ? 00:02:14.349 --> 00:02:18.409 with what holy valor ought we to contend earnestly 00:02:18.409 --> 00:02:22.210 for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. 00:02:22.330 --> 00:02:26.810 Hold fast the form of sound words, wrote Paul 00:02:26.810 --> 00:02:30.270 and Timothy, not only the words, but particular 00:02:30.270 --> 00:02:34.610 form of them, which the apostles had delivered, 00:02:34.710 --> 00:02:38.789 not merely sound doctrine, but the very words 00:02:38.789 --> 00:02:41.990 in which these doctrines have been made to take 00:02:41.990 --> 00:02:51.550 shape. The true steward is to defend his master's 00:02:51.550 --> 00:02:54.689 treasure with his very life. And the Lord has 00:02:54.689 --> 00:02:59.409 put us in trust with the gospel. And all the 00:02:59.409 --> 00:03:02.889 people of God, in their measure, have also become 00:03:02.889 --> 00:03:08.080 trustees of those inestimably precious doctrines 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:11.879 wherein will be found the glory of God and the 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:15.439 salvation of the sons of men. So we are to defend 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:18.860 our master's property, Charles Spurgeon. That's 00:03:18.860 --> 00:03:22.379 a hard word. Who would have thought that? 1 Corinthians 00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:26.699 4, 1 through 2. This is how... one should regard 00:03:26.699 --> 00:03:30.960 us as servants of Christ and stewards of the 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.139 mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required as 00:03:34.139 --> 00:03:38.020 stewards that they be found faithful. So stewardship 00:03:38.020 --> 00:03:42.780 is the next to salvation is the, in my opinion, 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.650 most important biblical practice. If you cannot 00:03:47.650 --> 00:03:51.110 steward, you cannot love God. You've got to steward 00:03:51.110 --> 00:03:53.530 your relationship with him. He has given that 00:03:53.530 --> 00:03:56.870 as a trust to you. You have to steward his word. 00:03:56.949 --> 00:03:59.810 You have to steward his ways. And you have to 00:03:59.810 --> 00:04:04.330 steward his things. Stewardship. As you guys 00:04:04.330 --> 00:04:08.449 know, when we first got here, the first thing 00:04:08.449 --> 00:04:10.629 I did was walk through the buildings. And I found 00:04:10.629 --> 00:04:15.909 these secret places where we would hide stuff. 00:04:18.280 --> 00:04:21.300 And so I go downstairs. This building is one 00:04:21.300 --> 00:04:22.839 of them. As you guys know, Beacon was another. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.720 So I went downstairs, and I find in the kids' 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:29.639 room, there's this double closet space area. 00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:32.300 And I walk in, and there's all kinds of stuff. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:35.680 And I said to Jody, I believe it was Jody. It 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.740 was one of you guys. I think it was you, Jody. 00:04:39.860 --> 00:04:42.839 I really do. I said, how long has this been here? 00:04:43.540 --> 00:04:47.720 Oh, 25 years. I said, we've never used it in 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:51.759 25 years. She goes, no. I said, why do we have 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:54.180 it? Because we might need it one day. I said, 00:04:54.220 --> 00:04:58.420 you haven't needed it for 25 years. So in God's 00:04:58.420 --> 00:05:04.339 providence, up comes the dumpsters. And two dumpsters, 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:09.459 full later, we cleaned it out. Why is this important? 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:11.759 Because we have to steward the very things he's 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.879 given us, the property. It's the easiest way 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.600 to show that you love God by stewarding the very 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:21.720 simplest things. The simplest things. His stuff. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:25.660 My responsibility immediately was to start stewarding 00:05:25.660 --> 00:05:28.680 his people. To love them. To walk with them. 00:05:28.860 --> 00:05:32.360 To go through struggles with them. And so stewardship 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:35.100 was the first thing that I established when I 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:39.379 got here. We cleaned house. We cleaned house. 00:05:40.009 --> 00:05:42.829 A steward is to do the will of the master and 00:05:42.829 --> 00:05:46.449 freely share what the master has given. 1 Corinthians 00:05:46.449 --> 00:05:49.709 4 .1. This is how one should regard us as servants 00:05:49.709 --> 00:05:52.389 of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 00:05:52.589 --> 00:05:54.910 The one thing that God has given us that's of 00:05:54.910 --> 00:05:58.689 greatest value is the gospel. And are we stewarding 00:05:58.689 --> 00:06:01.370 it and giving it away? Because that's what the 00:06:01.370 --> 00:06:06.790 master said we should do. 1 Peter 4 .1 -11. Since 00:06:06.790 --> 00:06:09.930 therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves 00:06:09.930 --> 00:06:13.529 with the same way of thinking. How should you 00:06:13.529 --> 00:06:17.449 think? If Christ came to suffer, then you should 00:06:17.449 --> 00:06:21.730 also want to suffer. For whoever has suffered 00:06:21.730 --> 00:06:27.269 in the flesh has ceased, has refrained, has desist 00:06:27.269 --> 00:06:30.170 from sin. That's what this word ceased means. 00:06:30.250 --> 00:06:32.389 I don't know if in the English they did it justice 00:06:32.389 --> 00:06:36.310 in the ESV in translation of ceased. It's more 00:06:36.310 --> 00:06:39.670 of refraining and desisting of sin. Because as 00:06:39.670 --> 00:06:41.769 long as we live in this body, we are seriously 00:06:41.769 --> 00:06:44.269 going to struggle with the battle of it. Now, 00:06:44.290 --> 00:06:47.709 immediately after that, and you'll see why I 00:06:47.709 --> 00:06:49.509 think the word refrain and desist would have 00:06:49.509 --> 00:06:53.110 been a better translation. Only because it clarifies 00:06:53.110 --> 00:06:58.170 verse 2. So as to live for the rest of the time 00:06:58.170 --> 00:07:02.569 in the flesh, no longer for human passion, but 00:07:02.569 --> 00:07:05.569 for the will of God. Now, that doesn't sound 00:07:05.569 --> 00:07:08.959 like good English to me. So I'm going to... I'm 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.680 going to say it in my English, I think. It's 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.620 more like this. So as to live the remainder of 00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:20.079 our life in the body, no longer for our sensual 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:23.740 and human passions, but solely for the will of 00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:28.240 God. In other words, if I have refrained and 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.899 desist from sin, then I will live my life, the 00:07:32.899 --> 00:07:36.420 rest of my life, in this broken, sinful body. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:41.220 For God's will, not mine. That's what this means. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:44.800 Makes a lot more sense though, doesn't it? See, 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.740 if we have ceased from sin, then there's no need 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:51.699 for me to be here. So, for the time that is past 00:07:51.699 --> 00:07:54.699 suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to 00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:57.399 do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:01.519 orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 00:08:01.579 --> 00:08:04.439 What he's saying here is, if this is the way 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:08.310 a believer should live, And this is the way non 00:08:08.310 --> 00:08:11.689 -believers live. There's a clear contrast between 00:08:11.689 --> 00:08:14.870 the two. And as a steward, we should live this 00:08:14.870 --> 00:08:16.870 way. And we're going to see that in a minute. 00:08:17.470 --> 00:08:20.910 With respect to this, they are surprised when 00:08:20.910 --> 00:08:23.990 you don't join them in the same flood of debauchery 00:08:23.990 --> 00:08:26.750 and they malign you for it. So in other words, 00:08:26.810 --> 00:08:29.290 because you're not willing to partake in their 00:08:29.290 --> 00:08:33.350 junk, they actually get angry at you and start 00:08:33.350 --> 00:08:38.019 talking bad about you. Now, For this is why the 00:08:38.019 --> 00:08:40.980 gospel was preached even to those who are dead, 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:45.259 that though judged in the flesh the way people 00:08:45.259 --> 00:08:48.659 are, they might live in the spirit the way God 00:08:48.659 --> 00:08:51.360 does. And this is what it means. That the very 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:54.240 way of life that they were living, which was 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:57.759 a dead life, God preached the gospel to them. 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.539 And as a result, some of them have become alive 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:04.700 in which now they can live the way God intended 00:09:04.700 --> 00:09:07.750 for them to live. That's good stewardship. Now, 00:09:07.830 --> 00:09:11.370 the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, 00:09:11.529 --> 00:09:14.769 be self -controlled, sober -minded for the sake 00:09:14.769 --> 00:09:19.149 of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another 00:09:19.149 --> 00:09:22.669 earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. 00:09:22.950 --> 00:09:25.769 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:09:26.110 --> 00:09:32.620 Why? As each has received a gift, use it to serve 00:09:32.620 --> 00:09:36.360 one another as good stewards of God's very grace. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.379 Now, here's what this means. I don't know why, 00:09:40.460 --> 00:09:42.120 again, in the English, they have a tendency to 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:44.320 put, you know, our English language doesn't do 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:46.600 well sometimes. And I've talked about that quite 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:50.059 a bit. And here's why. This term gift here in 00:09:50.059 --> 00:09:53.799 verse 10 means the gift one receives without 00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:56.679 merit. What gift have we received without merit? 00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:59.990 Salvation. Salvation is the gift we received 00:09:59.990 --> 00:10:02.549 without merit. Now, this makes a lot more sense, 00:10:02.610 --> 00:10:04.789 especially when you go to Hebrews and you read 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:06.909 that all the spiritual gifts were given for one 00:10:06.909 --> 00:10:10.529 purpose, to preach the gospel. As each has received 00:10:10.529 --> 00:10:13.389 the gift one receives without merit, meaning 00:10:13.389 --> 00:10:17.649 salvation, use it to serve one another as good 00:10:17.649 --> 00:10:22.769 stewards of God's varied grace, of God's manifold 00:10:22.769 --> 00:10:26.750 and diverse grace. What do we use? See, when 00:10:26.750 --> 00:10:29.509 you're born again and you're saved, you're driven 00:10:29.509 --> 00:10:33.269 to serve. Salvation is not just your way to heaven. 00:10:33.649 --> 00:10:36.529 Salvation is the means to love one another. That's 00:10:36.529 --> 00:10:39.889 what it says here. As each has received the gift 00:10:39.889 --> 00:10:42.750 one receives without merit, salvation, that's 00:10:42.750 --> 00:10:46.870 what that means, use it to serve one another 00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:51.450 as good stewards of God's varied, manifold, diverse 00:10:51.450 --> 00:10:55.039 grace. We should use the gift of salvation we 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:58.360 have to speak as one who speaks oracles of God. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:03.200 It says we are to serve as one who serves by 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.200 the strength that God supplies. In order that 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:09.320 in everything God may be glorified through Jesus 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:13.440 Christ. Salvation is our motivation to be good 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:17.879 stewards. Being good stewards of salvation is 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:24.059 the responsibility of the steward. stewards don't 00:11:24.059 --> 00:11:27.139 need a thank you to care for and manage God's 00:11:27.139 --> 00:11:31.039 things. So in our society today, we have a tendency 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:34.159 to always want that, that a boy. Thank you. You 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.740 know, like God, God, I really don't think you're 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:39.980 being nice to me. You should thank me for obeying 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:43.100 you. You know, I mean, after all, it's the least 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:46.679 you can do. And Jesus handles this pretty clearly. 00:11:47.450 --> 00:11:50.009 In Luke 17. But look what it says in 1 Corinthians 00:11:50.009 --> 00:11:55.669 4. Moreover, it is required of stewards to be 00:11:55.669 --> 00:12:00.250 found faithful. It's not an option. Stewardship 00:12:00.250 --> 00:12:03.769 is not an option. It's required that a steward 00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:06.389 is found faithful with God's stuff. Found faithful 00:12:06.389 --> 00:12:09.669 with God's salvation. Found faithful being good 00:12:09.669 --> 00:12:13.789 stewards of our lives as we live amongst each 00:12:13.789 --> 00:12:16.350 other. Being good stewards of his things. It's 00:12:16.350 --> 00:12:20.370 not an option. And so what we see here is that 00:12:20.370 --> 00:12:22.490 there comes this moment where, you know, God 00:12:22.490 --> 00:12:25.549 should thank me for doing good stuff. I mean, 00:12:25.570 --> 00:12:28.950 everybody deserves a thank you. Look what Jesus 00:12:28.950 --> 00:12:32.590 says. It's quite interesting how he brings them 00:12:32.590 --> 00:12:34.629 to this point. So I'm going to share the whole 00:12:34.629 --> 00:12:38.090 thing with you. It's Luke 17, 1 through 10. And 00:12:38.090 --> 00:12:41.549 so there's this stuff happening among the disciples. 00:12:42.669 --> 00:12:44.909 And then Jesus kind of calls them out on their 00:12:44.909 --> 00:12:48.200 stuff. And what you're going to see is quite 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:52.679 shocking. And he said to his disciples, temptations 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:55.740 to sin are sure to come. In other words, you 00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:59.340 are going to screw up. It's going to come. But 00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:04.120 woe to the one whom they come. It would be better 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:07.059 for him if a millstone were hung around his neck 00:13:07.059 --> 00:13:11.259 and he was cast into the sea than that he should 00:13:11.259 --> 00:13:13.600 cause one of these little ones to stumble or 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.279 one of these little ones to sin. So what he's 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.000 saying, hey, you're going to mess up. But when 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.100 you mess up, don't mess up and cause them to 00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:25.379 mess up. That's what he's saying. It's not going 00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:28.220 to be good for you. Not a good idea. Immediately 00:13:28.220 --> 00:13:30.779 after that in verse 3, he says, pay attention 00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:35.000 to yourselves. Manage yourselves. If your brother 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:38.159 sins, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:42.309 him. You can see, you're going to mess up. Here's 00:13:42.309 --> 00:13:44.570 the way a steward should live. Pay attention 00:13:44.570 --> 00:13:47.230 to yourself. Don't cause little ones to sin. 00:13:47.649 --> 00:13:50.190 If your brother sins, rebuke him for it. If he 00:13:50.190 --> 00:13:52.730 repents, forgive him for it. And if he sins against 00:13:52.730 --> 00:13:56.450 you seven times in a day and turns to you seven 00:13:56.450 --> 00:13:58.590 times saying, I repent, you must forgive him. 00:13:58.690 --> 00:14:03.070 These are options. These are commandments. You 00:14:03.070 --> 00:14:06.289 have an obligation as a steward of God and his 00:14:06.289 --> 00:14:10.120 ways to live in this way. And this is how. And 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:13.320 what's interesting is in verse 5. And the apostles 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.740 said to the Lord, increase our faith. Now, this 00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:21.019 is what they're saying. I kind of find it weird 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:23.059 in the statement, but this is what they're saying. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:28.000 Lord, we can't avoid this if we don't have more 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.379 faith to do it. Like, give me more faith and 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:33.080 I'll sin less. You know what? I want more of 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:34.940 your grace because if I get more grace, I'll 00:14:34.940 --> 00:14:37.779 sin less. So if I sin, it's okay because I just 00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:40.220 need more of your grace. So please. Increase 00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:44.120 my faith so I don't sin as much. And the Lord 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:46.940 said, if you had faith like a grain of the mustard 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:49.019 seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, be 00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:50.919 uprooted and planted in the sea and it would 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:55.340 obey you. It's like, if you were obedient, if 00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:58.100 you really had faith, you could do these things. 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:01.940 Will any of you who has a servant plowing and 00:15:01.940 --> 00:15:05.000 keeping sheep say to him, when he has come in 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:07.519 from the field, come at once and recline at the 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:10.100 table. So here's the point. If you're outside, 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.259 you're farming, hot day, 112, that's Arizona. 00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:19.480 And you come in and the master goes, hey, come 00:15:19.480 --> 00:15:22.500 on in. You worked hard. Come and sit at my table 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:24.980 and I'll feed you. Don't worry, I'll cook the 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:27.720 dinner. What Jesus is doing here, he's being 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:29.639 facetious. He's saying, you're not going to tell 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:32.679 your slave to come in and recline at the table 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:34.620 after he was doing what you had required him 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:39.539 to do. Will the master, will he not rather say 00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:43.159 to him, prepare supper for me, dress properly, 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:45.879 serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward, 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.460 you will eat and drink. So this is what he's 00:15:48.460 --> 00:15:51.120 saying. I'm not going to invite my slave to come 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:53.879 in and recline at my table. I'm going to tell 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:57.080 him when he gets done working outside, now go 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.220 in, get a shower, put on some clean clothes, 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.340 cook my dinner. When I'm done eating, you can 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:04.639 have the leftovers. That's exactly what this 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:07.259 means. You're like, well, that's kind of harsh. 00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:12.720 No, he feeds his slave. He gives him roof over 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:15.120 his head, takes good care of him. He doesn't 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:17.360 have to worry for anything. And now you're supposed 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.220 to be like hanging out. Like, that's not how 00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:23.039 this works. That's what Jesus is saying. Now, 00:16:23.059 --> 00:16:28.080 how many of you ever really read Luke 17, one 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.980 through 11? Really saw what Jesus was teaching 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:36.399 here. So verse 9, does he thank the servant because 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:38.480 he did what he was commanded? Does the master 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:41.740 go, hey, thank you for doing what I told you 00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:46.139 to do? No. Look at the response. So you also, 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.519 this is what he's saying. So you also, when you 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.860 have done all that you were commanded, say, we 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:57.200 are unworthy servants. We have only done what 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:01.070 was our duty. Do you get the attitude of the 00:17:01.070 --> 00:17:04.029 steward here? The attitude of the slave? No, 00:17:04.089 --> 00:17:07.369 master. It was our duty to do that. That's what 00:17:07.369 --> 00:17:09.650 you required of us. That's what he's saying here. 00:17:10.069 --> 00:17:14.150 So a steward is one who doesn't need a thank 00:17:14.150 --> 00:17:19.069 you, but does what his master has commanded him 00:17:19.069 --> 00:17:23.849 to do. Lastly, we don't go around doing service 00:17:23.849 --> 00:17:27.160 in God's house. Or serving God because we expect 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:30.160 God to say thank you. So that whole well done 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:32.559 my good and faithful servant. He actually talks 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:35.880 about this in chapter 19. And what you're going 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.339 to see is. He says well done my good and faithful 00:17:38.339 --> 00:17:41.920 servant. Because the servant obeyed the master. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:46.720 That's the important thing here. So a steward 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:50.180 is busy caring and growing and managing the master's 00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:53.880 things. This is a very important principle. That 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:56.059 doesn't mean as a father that our heavenly father 00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:58.000 doesn't come to us and thank us for what we do. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:00.579 But as a master, he doesn't need to thank me. 00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:05.079 It's my duty. And it's my aim to please my master. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:08.900 Matthew 7, 21 says it this way. Not everyone 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:11.380 who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom 00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:13.839 of heaven, but the one who does the will of my 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.460 father who is in heaven. Luke 19, 11 through 00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:19.430 27. And as they heard these things, he proceeded 00:18:19.430 --> 00:18:22.089 to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem 00:18:22.089 --> 00:18:25.789 and because they supposed that the kingdom of 00:18:25.789 --> 00:18:27.750 God was to appear immediately. In other words, 00:18:27.829 --> 00:18:32.849 Lord, you are to do what we expect you to do. 00:18:32.869 --> 00:18:37.170 We want the kingdom now. We want it now. You 00:18:37.170 --> 00:18:41.230 are our servant. Though he did come to serve, 00:18:41.390 --> 00:18:45.299 not to be served. Look what it says here. And 00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:48.220 he said, therefore, a nobleman went into a far 00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:50.880 country to receive for himself a kingdom and 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:53.000 then return. Doesn't that sound familiar? Where 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:56.960 did Jesus leave to come and receive a kingdom 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.759 and then to return back? His throne. That's the 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.559 nobleman. Jesus is the nobleman. Calling 10 of 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:07.160 his servants, he gave them 10 minas and said 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:09.799 to them, engage in business until I come. In 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:12.720 other words, here, a mina is a very valuable. 00:19:13.610 --> 00:19:17.589 Coin. It's very expensive. It's not cheap. He 00:19:17.589 --> 00:19:21.049 gives them minas and their job is to engage in 00:19:21.049 --> 00:19:25.130 business until he comes back. So he doesn't give 00:19:25.130 --> 00:19:27.490 them money to go dig and hide it. Doesn't give 00:19:27.490 --> 00:19:30.390 them money for them to go enjoy. He gives them 00:19:30.390 --> 00:19:34.809 money so that he can get a return. Watch. Now, 00:19:34.829 --> 00:19:38.849 as he's done this with his slaves, here, go do 00:19:38.849 --> 00:19:43.319 business for me. The citizens, of his country, 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:48.160 hated him and sent a delegation after him saying, 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:52.319 we do not want this man to reign over us. Jesus 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:54.220 came to his own, but his own did not receive 00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:58.519 him. See, Jesus was of the kingdom of Israel 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:03.000 and he left the kingdom to go find a kingdom, 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:05.779 to go get a kingdom or receive a kingdom. And 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:08.259 then to return in the kingdom he's talking about 00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:11.000 is the kingdom of heaven. A kingdom that's not 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:14.240 of this world. And look what he says here. And 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:17.940 when he returned, having received the kingdom, 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:20.839 he ordered his servants to whom he had given 00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:24.880 the money to be called to him. So he told the 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:28.700 servants to come here. That he might know what 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:31.099 they had gained by doing business. In other words, 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:34.059 what did you get from me? Look what he says. 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:37.579 The first came before him and saying, Lord, you're 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:41.559 Mina. has made 10 minas more. And he said to 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:44.380 him, well done, good servant, because you have 00:20:44.380 --> 00:20:46.799 been faithful in the very little, you shall have 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:51.160 authority over 10 cities. And the second time, 00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:54.940 the second came, sorry, saying, Lord, your mina 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:57.960 has made five minas. And he said to him, you 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:00.579 are to be over five cities. But another came 00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:05.559 saying, Lord, here's your mina. I have kept, 00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:09.509 I have kept. I've kept it laid away in a handkerchief. 00:21:09.890 --> 00:21:12.829 This is what he did. Took the coin, rolled it 00:21:12.829 --> 00:21:14.289 up in a handkerchief, stuck it in his pocket. 00:21:14.730 --> 00:21:18.410 It was like, my master, if I lose this thing, 00:21:18.549 --> 00:21:21.069 I'm going to die. And it's exactly what this 00:21:21.069 --> 00:21:23.829 guy says. Look what he says in verse 21. For 00:21:23.829 --> 00:21:27.210 I was afraid of you because you are a severe 00:21:27.210 --> 00:21:32.109 man. You take what you did not deposit and you 00:21:32.109 --> 00:21:34.509 reap what you did not sow. And he said to him, 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.960 I will condemn you with your own words. This 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.920 is what the master says to the servant, you wicked 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:43.720 servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:46.579 what I did not deposit and reaping what I did 00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:51.519 not sow. This is what he means. He knew, if you 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:53.220 were to look at this from the picture of Jesus 00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:56.019 being the nobleman, that Jesus is severe. So 00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:58.160 I'm going to make this real clear for you. Jesus 00:21:58.160 --> 00:22:02.589 is a severe God. He is not playing. The little 00:22:02.589 --> 00:22:04.789 sissified Jesus that all these preachers talk 00:22:04.789 --> 00:22:08.509 about is not the Jesus who rules and reigns as 00:22:08.509 --> 00:22:11.269 king. He is severe when he needs to be, and he 00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:13.490 is loving when he has to be, and he's both at 00:22:13.490 --> 00:22:15.849 the same time all the time. That's the God we 00:22:15.849 --> 00:22:18.809 serve. He loves deeply his people, and he punishes 00:22:18.809 --> 00:22:22.190 wickedness by wrath. That's severity. Yes, he 00:22:22.190 --> 00:22:24.730 will see as severe. Why then did you not put 00:22:24.730 --> 00:22:28.549 my money in the bank? And am I coming? I might 00:22:28.549 --> 00:22:31.029 have collected it with interest. Why, when I 00:22:31.029 --> 00:22:33.609 gave you some of the most valuable things that 00:22:33.609 --> 00:22:37.390 I own, why did you not get a return? So I'm going 00:22:37.390 --> 00:22:38.970 to make it clear with you. This is what Jesus 00:22:38.970 --> 00:22:42.410 is saying. I've given you the gospel. Why haven't 00:22:42.410 --> 00:22:45.950 you brought me a return in the gospel? Why haven't 00:22:45.950 --> 00:22:48.630 you gone out and preached the gospel? And then 00:22:48.630 --> 00:22:51.890 there be a return back to me because of that. 00:22:52.210 --> 00:22:55.690 Or do you just keep it wrapped up in a handkerchief 00:22:55.690 --> 00:22:58.799 in the back of your throat? Do you not tell anybody 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:01.359 about Jesus because you're afraid they might 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:05.960 be offended or are you afraid that they may look 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:09.319 at you as being too churchy? And then he says, 00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:12.920 and he said to those who stood by, take the mina 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:15.779 from him, give it to the one who has 10 minas. 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:18.000 Notice, he doesn't give it to the one who's five 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.480 minas. He gives it to the one who gets the most 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:23.500 interest. And then this is what he says. And 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:26.769 they said to him, Lord, he has 10 minas. That's 00:23:26.769 --> 00:23:29.730 not fair. Why should he get the mina if he has 00:23:29.730 --> 00:23:32.269 10 minas? And he says, I tell you that everyone 00:23:32.269 --> 00:23:35.990 who has, more will be given. And from the one 00:23:35.990 --> 00:23:38.910 who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 00:23:39.410 --> 00:23:42.630 Do you get that? The steward that stewards and 00:23:42.630 --> 00:23:45.109 does what I commanded him to do will be given 00:23:45.109 --> 00:23:48.589 much because I can trust he will do much. But 00:23:48.589 --> 00:23:51.269 the one who does nothing, he loses everything. 00:23:52.390 --> 00:23:56.859 Now, as for these enemies of mine, who did not 00:23:56.859 --> 00:24:00.579 want me to reign over them, bring them here and 00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:04.500 slaughter them before me. Do you hear that? God 00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:08.579 is a severe God. Because God will slaughter every 00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:11.559 single person that has rejected him as king. 00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:16.160 You don't want me, you die. Period. There is 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.640 no simple way to say it. He's made it very clear 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:21.019 here. So what is the steward's responsibility? 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:24.819 It is the steward's duty to do the will of the 00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:28.299 master. to freely share what the master has given 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:31.640 and be found busy caring, growing, and managing 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:34.579 the master's things. That's the point of these 00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:37.539 three scriptures. What kind of steward are you? 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.259 Are we loving God? Are we loving his word? Are 00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:43.500 we loving his ways? And are we loving his things? 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:47.240 And there are two very valuable things that God 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:49.720 has given. He's given his gospel and he's given 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:52.579 his people. How are you stewarding the gospel 00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:55.119 and how are you stewarding each other? That's 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:58.220 what he's talking about. Okay? So God is serious 00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:00.539 when it comes to stewardship. Many principles 00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:03.740 to learn. Learn this one. When you can do this 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:08.779 one, you can do many other things. Okay? Father, 00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:10.319 I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:13.240 and your goodness. We praise you. You are God. 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:16.839 We are not. We thank you that you loved us first. 00:25:18.150 --> 00:25:20.710 and that you have called us and command us to 00:25:20.710 --> 00:25:23.589 steward all that you've given us for your glory. 00:25:23.710 --> 00:25:25.269 In Jesus' name, amen.