Stewardship Beyond Finances
Pastor Erickson teaches a Wednesday night lesson on stewardship from Luke 12, Matthew 25 and 1 Corinthians 4, showing that everything belongs to God and that stewards must be found faithful with what is not their own. He calls the church to give God the first fruits of its time, talents and testimony, and to serve and share the gospel with what God has given.
The message in 6 points
Stewardship beyond finances
He takes up the church's study on stewardship but leaves money aside to teach on three other things God entrusts to us: time, talent and testimony. He reads 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 4:1 and Luke 12:42-46, contrasting the faithful servant with the one who does not steward what is the Lord's.
36:04Caretakers of what is not our own
A steward, like Joseph over Potiphar's house, manages things that belong to someone else and must give an account. From 1 Corinthians 10:26 and 6:19-20 he says everything is the Lord's, even our bodies, and the rich fool of Luke 12 laid up treasure for himself and was not rich toward God.
46:57The parable of the talents
In Matthew 25 the servants who used their talents hear well done, good and faithful servant, and are given more, while the one who buried his talent loses it. He says that if we do everything we can with what God gives us, God will promote us, and the first requirement of a steward is to be found faithful.
55:45Stewards of our time
Psalms 90 reminds us that life is short, so we must number our days. He says busy lives, phones and the news will take our first moments unless we plan to give God the first fruits of our time in prayer and the Word, and then give time to his house and his work.
1:09:58Talent and testimony
Talent reaches far beyond music, to builders, nursery workers, sign language interpreters, translators and baristas who raise money for missions. He reads Matthew 10:8, freely you have received, freely give, and urges everyone to be good stewards of their testimony by sharing the truth they were given.
1:18:08First fruits in every category
From Proverbs 3:9 he teaches that God blesses whatever we honor him with, in the same category we give him our first fruits. Giving God the first of our time, talent, testimony and treasure brings blessing in every area, because God cannot bless what we do not give to him.
1:26:14
In his words
“Christian stewardship is, is, it's using temporal goods to accomplish an eternal purpose.”
“Unless we specifically plan to give a portion of our time to God, the demands and the pressures of our hectic schedules are going to keep us from giving God the time He deserves.”
“If we honor God in our first fruits of our finances, guess what, He's going to bless our finances. If we honor God in the first fruits of our time, He's gonna bless our time.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
1 Peter 4:10
10As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
King James Version.
1 Corinthians 4:1
1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
King James Version.
Luke 12:42-46
42And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
King James Version.
1 Corinthians 10:26
26For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
King James Version.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19What? 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? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
King James Version.
Luke 12:16-21
16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
King James Version.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
King James Version.
Matthew 25:14-21
14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
King James Version.
Matthew 25:24-29
24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
King James Version.
1 Corinthians 4:2
2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
King James Version.
Psalms 90:9-12
9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
King James Version.
Ephesians 5:16
16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
King James Version.
Hebrews 10:25
25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
King James Version.
Matthew 10:8
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
King James Version.
Proverbs 3:9
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
King James Version.
Romans 14:12
12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
King James Version.
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