“Stewing Over Stewardship”
2 Corinthians 9
23 June 2019 (SBC, Sligo IE)
INTRODUCTION:
Last Sunday
Matthew led us in a study of 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Today we will be
following that up with a look at 2 Corinthians 9. As he explained, these two
chapters provide us with the most complete text on stewardship in the entire
Bible. Of course, there are many other verses that help make up the basis for
the doctrine of Biblical Stewardship, but here in these two chapters we have it
all in condensed form.
TRANSITION:
I have
entitled this message, “Stewing Over Stewardship” because for most
church members this is probably their most despised sermon topic, and for most
pastors it is the topic about which they would most like to avoid having to
preach. In fact, it is so unpopular that many preachers never talk about it,
for fear of making their parishioners unhappy, angry or uncomfortable. But here
at Sligo Baptist we do not let that stop us because this subject is so
fundamental to our understanding of our relationship to God.
So, what is
it about this subject that gets people so worked up? Questions like:
·
“Well, I know that the Jews were required to tithe
their incomes in the O.T. but does that rule still hold for believers today?”
·
“What if I only give 8% or 9%? Some people say that is
‘robbing God.’ Is that true?”
·
“If God owns the cattle on a thousand hills why does
He need my money? Can’t He just zap money into existence?”
·
“You keep saying that salvation is by grace, but this
business about me needing to give my money to Him sounds like works. Why is
that?”
Our hope is
that we can answer some of these questions and set your minds at ease. One of
the words used in the NT to describe believers is the word “steward.” As Matthew
shared last Sunday, the word “steward” means “manager, caretaker, or trusted
servant.” To be God’s trusted servant is a great honor, as well as a
tremendous responsibility. Yet when we hear the
word, “steward,” most of us immediately think that it only involves money.
However, the Bible teaches that we are to be God’s stewards over at least eight
(8) areas that have been entrusted to us, money being only one of them; and
in fact, our money is the last thing that God is worried about. If we
take seriously our stewardship over the first seven areas, #8 will give us no
problem at all.
Eight
Areas of Biblical Stewardship:
1.
OUR TIME — How we use our hours,
24-7-365, is important! Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Therefore
be careful how you walk [live], not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making
the most of your time, because the days are evil.” We are to redeem
the time, recognizing that the time that we use for God must be paid from
somewhere else. There is always going to be a sacrifice, a cost factor! (cf.
Colossians 4:5)
2.
GOD’S CREATION — The earth and the ecology
are part of our stewardship. We are to take good care of this “garden” we live
in. (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)
3.
OUR CHILDREN — Children are not our
possessions. They are only loaned to us by God and Ephesians 6:4 says we
are to “bring them up in the discipline and
instruction of the Lord,” so that they will know, love,
and serve Him. (cf. also Deut. 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 78)
4.
OUR BELONGINGS — In Luke 12:15 Jesus
says, “Beware, and be on your guard against
every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life
consist of his possessions.” We are to possess and use them for His
glory, without being possessed by them. (1 Tim. 6:6-10)
5.
OUR BODIES — 1 Cor. 6:18-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in
your body.” We are to treat our “temple” as the holy dwelling place
of God. (cf. also Rom. 12:1; Phil. 1:20)
6.
OUR TALENTS — Our gifts, skills, and
abilities are to be used for His glory. Paul in 1 Cor. 12:4-7 instructs us, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5
And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There
are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the
common good.”
7.
THE GOSPEL — We are to dispense the
Good News freely for it is the Gospel that has the power to save the lost. 1
Cor. 4:1-2 says, “Let a man regard us in this
manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2
In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found
trustworthy.” (cf. also Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 9:16-17)
8.
OUR TREASURES — We are to invest our
wealth in the Kingdom of God.
MAIN
BODY:
The
Jerusalem Church was the “mother church” of all the other churches. However,
she was poor and was suffering because of a severe famine in the land, and it
was Paul’s desire that the Gentile churches should remember her and help the
church that was their mother in the faith. So, he came up with this plan for a
collection that would be taken up in all the churches to help the believers in
the Jerusalem church.
This scheme
was very near to his heart and he used it as an occasion to teach the Corinthian
believers about giving, and stewardship, and generosity. The details of the
collection are covered in 1 Cor. 16:1-4, but here in 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9
Paul is fleshing out the scheme. In Chapter 9 he lays out his appeal, but not
for their giving. He was already confident that they would give. But he
appealed for their state of heart, for their readiness, for their
preparedness, so that their giving might not be as the result of extortion, but
of bounty and generosity. He is instructing in them in the theology behind the
giving, laying out 9 Principles of Financial Stewardship that apply to
us as well as to those Corinthian believers:
Principle
#1: We should
already be prepared, having planned ahead for what and how much we will give.
(Verses 1-5)
1
For it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ministry to the saints;
2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to
the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year,
and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the
brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this
case, so that, as I was saying, you may be prepared; 4
otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not
to speak of you, will be put to shame by this confidence. 5 So I
thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you
and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that
the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by
covetousness.
Principle #2: We should give bountifully, liberally,
lavishly, the way a farmer sows seed liberally, looking forward to a
bountiful harvest. (Verse 6)
6 Now this I say, he who
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will
also reap bountifully.
Principle #3: We should give purposefully, decisively,
not haphazardly. (Verse 7a)
7 Each one must do just
as he has purposed in his heart…
Principle #4: We should give cheerfully, not
reluctantly or under duress. (Verse 7b)
…not
grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful [Gr. hilaron] giver.
Principle #5: We should recognize that God is
the Supplier of all that we possess, and He is not a stingy cheapskate, not
a mean miser. (Verses 8-10)
8 And God is able to
make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in
everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as
it is written, “He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness
endures forever.” [Ps. 112:9] 10 Now He who supplies seed to the
sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and
increase the harvest of your righteousness;
Principle #6: God generously enriches us so that
we might give liberally to others. (Verse 11)
…you
will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is
producing thanksgiving to God.
Principle #7: Our sacrificial, selfless giving will
result in people giving thanks to God. (Verse 12)
12 For the ministry of this
service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints but is also
overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Principle #8: Our generous giving will result
in people glorifying God. (Verse 13)
13 Because of the proof
given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your
confession of the Gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution
to them and to all,
Principle #9: Our gracious giving will result
in people praying for us and longing for us. (Verses 14-15)
14 …while they also, by prayer
on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God
in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
CONCLUSION:
In these two studies, last Sunday and today, we have looked at many
issues relating to our role as God’s stewards, His managers. I hope it has expanded
your understanding of what God asks of His servants.
I pointed out at the beginning of this message that when most Christians
hear the word “steward” or “stewardship” they immediately think we are talking
about money. But then we looked at eight (8) different areas of responsibility that
have been entrusted to us, money being only one of them. And you will
remember that I said to you that, in fact, our money is the last thing
that God is worried about, and that if we take seriously our stewardship over
the first seven areas, #8 will give us no problem at all. I truly believe that!
Then what is the secret? How do we become good stewards? The key is in a
verse that we looked at last Sunday. I believe that this is the KEY VERSE for
this whole subject and for our understanding of the biblical doctrine of
Stewardship. I’m referring to 2 Cor. 8:5. Look at it in your Bible. Starting at
verse 4 it says, “[The Macedonian believers]
begged
us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the
saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave
themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God.” Did you get that? “They first
[meaning as the first priority, not just chronology] gave themselves to the
Lord.”
The NIV says it this way: “They urgently
pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s
people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves
first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”
That is the Secret of Stewardship, including Financial Stewardship! We do not give
to people, or to causes, or out of guilt, or because of an impassioned appeal.
We give to God, first and foremost! Our stewardship in every area is to be done
as an act of worship unto the Lord. He is our Master. It is the Lord Christ
that we serve, and Him alone.
And if we have truly given ourselves first to the Lord, given with
nothing held back, nothing in reserve, then we will not even blink when God
asks us to open our wallets and handbags to support the work of His Kingdom. Money
is not the issue! The issue is, the critical question is: “Where are you
storing up your treasure?” For you see, that is where your heart will be also. It’s
not about the money!
