GOD'S STEWARDS ARE GOD'S STEWARDS!
This means that “God's stewards are stewards by virtue of creation and their re-creation in Holy Baptism; therefore, they belong to the Lord.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE MANAGERS, NOT OWNERS!
This means that “God's stewards have been entrusted by God with life and life's resources and given the privilege of responsibly and joyfully managing them for Him.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE SAINTS AND SINNERS!
This means that “God's stewards rejoice in and live out what God has declared them to be through the cross. At the same time His stewards recognize they are sinners who fight sin and its consequences each day.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE UNIQUELY SINGULAR, YET PROFOUNDLY PLURAL!
This means that “God's stewards recognize that their lives are not solo performances but are personal responses to God, lived out within the community of faith to benefit the whole world.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD!
This means that “God's stewards recognize that the Lord sets them apart from the world and by the transforming power of the Gospel sends them into the world to live out the Gospel.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE LOVED AND LOVING!
This means that “God's stewards recognize that their stewardship flows out of God's act of love for them in Christ which empowers them, in turn, to love others in acts of Christ-like love.”
GOD'S STEWARDS ARE SERVED AND SERVING!
This means that “God's stewards recognize that their stewardship involves a Gospel-powered style of life which is demonstrated in servanthood within all the arenas of life.”
GOD'S STEWARDS LIVE WITH AN AWARENESS OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, OF TIME AND ETERNITY.
This means that “God's stewards live intentionally in the light of God's eternal purpose while being firmly committed to His rule in the here and now.”
Sacrificial Giving is a Key Element
- Measured by the size of our heart, not our offering.
- Equal sacrifice, not equal amounts.
- In proportion to our blessings - “as we prosper.” (I Cor. 16:1-2)
- Giving up something of value for something of greater value.
- Adjusting our lifestyle so we can do something great for God.
- We don't understand sacrifice until we stand at the foot of the cross and behold God's love in Christ.
- We don't understand the freedom to give until we stand at the empty tomb and hear the words of new life.
