20--STEWARDSHIP

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." -- Genesis 1:26-28


Note: God gave humans the responsibility to care for this earth and all the creatures in it. This was his stewardship. He would find satisfaction in fulfilling this responsibility.

"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." – Genesis 2:15


Note:Part of this responsibility included caring for a garden. This was a pleasant work for Adam and Eve. It was not toilsome as it is now.

"But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things [come] of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." – 1 Chronicle 29:14


Note: Everything we have comes from God. Our possessions as well as our abilities belong to Him because of creation and redemption. We were created by Him and He bought us back, after we sinned, at an infinite cost. Therefore we owe Him our stewardship.

"Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, [Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house [lie] waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages [to put it] into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Ye looked for much, and, lo, [it came] to little; and when ye brought [it] home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that [is] waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed [from] her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon [that] which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands." – Haggai 1:3-11

Note: The Israelites had neglected their duty (stewardship) to God. They went about working for themselves, forgetting who had given them everything they had. God caused them to suffer loss, to help them wake up to their solemn duty to serve Him. He loved them, but they needed to see where they were heading in their selfish living.

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it]. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts." –Malachi 3:8-12

Note: Part of our stewardship is in giving back to God what we owe Him. The tithes (10% of our income) belong to Him for the support of the ministry. The offerings must come as a free will gift because we love and serve Him. We are breaking one of God’s commandments when we rob Him in this way.

"For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." – 1 Corinthians 9:9-14

Note: God’s ministers will live of the gospel. They make their living while preaching the gospel. This is due to them, even as it was due to the priests in ancient Israel. This is God’s way of supporting those who put full time in to this work. It is our duty to support them with our tithe.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." – Matthew 23:23


Note: We have here an extreme. These men made rituals out of tithe paying, but failed to show mercy, sound judgment, etc. Of course, we find out they are guilty of taking advantage of people in this way, because of their greed.

"For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things." – Romans 15:26, 27


Note: As God’s stewards we need to support those who minister to us in spiritual matters. But also we are responsible to help out poor saints among us. The tendency, sometimes, is to think it is their own fault they are poor. But God tells us in the Bible that the poor are among us to test us. Are we willing to help those who are less fortunate than us? This is another duty of a true steward.

CONCLUSION:

Will we do all we can to serve God and our fellow humans, as future citizens of His heavenly kingdom? It is here we learn compassion as well as responsibility. It is here were learn to find joy in service.