In 1973, Howard Dayton, a successful businessman, began a Bible Study, looking for all the Scriptures that talk about money, riches, and possessions – then he organized them into a topical index. It was a massive study. The result was a list of 2,350 Scriptures that talk about money and the use of money.
Howard Dayton said, “That study radically and permanently changed me. I went from worshipping money to serving Christ.” He started Compass Financial Ministry.
See Compass1.org
“...there are probably fewer topics that have more spiritual and practical implications for our lives, our marriages, our families, our church, our nation and our world than how we handle money, or how money handles us.” - Pastor Tom Lundeen
• Jesus taught that money is tied to our hearts. • Money decisions are spiritual decisions. • Spiritual decisions are money decisions. • If we say we are following Jesus, we will have to teach our money to follow Him too. • Jesus teaches REST, not STRESS, when it comes to money.
TITLE: The Parable of the Stressed Out Steward
Luke 16:1 (NLT), Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’ 3 The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’ 5 So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation.”
“He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ 7 ‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’ 8 The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.”
There are three do’s and don’ts we can learn from the stressed-out steward:
- Money Do’s and Don’ts
DO – Acknowledge that God owns it all and that we are His stewards.
“There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs.” - Luke 16:1 (NLT)
DON’T – Mismanage God’s resources.
2, Money Do’s and Don’ts
DO – Prepare to give an account to God for your stewardship.
“… the manager was wasting his employer’s money. So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’” -Luke 16:1b-2
DON’T – Waste your God-given resources.
2 Cor. 5:10 (NIV), “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
- Money Do’s and Don’ts
DO – Plan for wise (shrewd) stewardship.
“‘Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’ 5 So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation… 8 The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd.” - Luke 16:4-5, 8 (NLT)
DON’T – Put off financial planning.
Luke 16:8b (NLT), “...it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.”
REVIEW:
- God owns it all! I am His steward.
- God holds His stewards accountable.
- God praises wise (shrewd) stewardship.
STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT
“I _________, acknowledge God’s ownership of my time, talents, treasure, temple, relationships, influence, and all other resources. I agree to act as a steward of those things, and I commit to seek God’s direction for what to do with His resources.”
Date:______
From, Ron Blue, God Owns It All
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