Abundant LIFE Lessons

Abundant LIFE Lessons

Track 1 –Essentials to Christian Living

Lesson #7 – Principles of Stewardship

Objective – This lesson is designed to teach the Christian the importance God places on stewardship and specifically how it should affect our giving.

Format – The format is an individual daily exercise of reading and answering questions concluding with a weekly discussion in a LIFEgroup setting. (There is no reading or questions for Sunday.) The LIFEgroup leader will take role and keep track of the disciple’s progress and faithfulness. Each disciple must recite the scripture memory to the LIFEgroup leader at the LIFEgroup meeting. Those who complete each track will receive a Certificate of Completion at an awards ceremony on a weekend service.

Note – It may be a wise investment to hole-punch the left hand side of the lessons and organize them in a three-ring binder. Write questions in the margins during your devotional time to ask at LIFEgroup. Take notes during discussions for future reference so you can use them when you disciple another new believer in the future.

Scripture Memory

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. ” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

“What? 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? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. ” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

Day #1Reading

Perhaps you read in the newspaper about the family in Florida who allowed a movie crew to blow up their front yard by crashing a car into it. As it turned out the home didn’t belong to the family living in it. They were just renters and the owners were unaware of the agreement. I imagine things did not go well for that family when the owners discovered the ordeal. The renter’s decision was and example of poor and dishonest stewardship. Stewardship is the proper care and management of someone else’s property or belongings and it is one of the most important issues in a Christian’s life. Take a moment to memorize and meditate on the following passage of Scripture:

Honest stewardship is recognizing God owns everything and we are the manager of the things He entrusts to us. To drive the point home, suppose you were driving your car and decided to “hotrod” a little bit. You hop in your car, spin the tires, race around the block and slide sideways into your driveway using the emergency brake. It is your car and for all practical purposes you can do what you want with it. Now, suppose you lent me your car to drive to the store to get some milk and I decided—without your permission—to do the same. Would it be appropriate for me treat your car any way I pleased? The answer is, no! I have been entrusted with something that does not belong to me and I am responsible for its proper care.

This week’s lesson is going to expound and apply the principle of proper stewardship in our lives. The simple and working definition of stewardship can be stated, “God is the owner; I am the manager.” The basic application can be understood that everything under my authority—including my body, my mind and my spirit—Is God’s and has been lent to me to use for his glory. I must trust him by acting in obedience and one day I will stand before God and give account of my stewardship. Read Romans 14:12.

Day #1 Question – Give the simple working definition of Stewardship

Write out your Scripture Memory

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Day #2 Reading

In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus teaches a young man the importance of proper stewardship by confronting his covetous spirit. Read the passage before you proceed. Jesus was in the middle of teaching on some important issues when a man interrupts His sermon and asks Him to make his brother share the inheritance with him. Jesus, in his usual manner, takes an opportunity to teacha lesson, not only to the rude man, but to the entire crowd. He teaches them three important truths. First, he teaches them the fallacy of possessions (15). A steward understands that his life does not revolve around what he owns; nor is he identified by his possessions. Next, he teaches them the foolishness of covetousness (21). Foolishness is living life without considering God. The man in the parable lived for this temporal world and lost everything, including his soul. Finally, he teaches them the focus of stewardship (22-40). A steward recognizes everything belongs to God and He will provide amply for His servants.

There is a lot more to consider in this passage, but let me summarize it’s theme by repeating our working definition of stewardship: “God is the owner; I am the manager.” Neither covetousness nor worry has any place in the life of God’s stewards. God cares for us better that we can care for ourselves. Real stewardship understands God is trustworthy and then follows his instructions in the handling of all financial and material matters in this life. Failing to do so actually brings us greater hardshipand fails to bring the glory to God that he deserves. Look up and read Matthew 6:33.

Day #2 Questions

Explain the fallacy of possessions.
Explain the foolishness of covetousness.
Explain the focus of stewardship.
What are the two outcomes of failed stewardship mentioned above?
To what “things” is Jesus referring in Matthew 6:33?

Write out your Scripture Memory

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Day #3 Reading

Yesterday we read from Luke 12:13-21. Today, let’s pick up at the same chapter and read verses 41-48. The passage reveals God will hold us responsible for what he gives us to manage. Faithfulness brings privilege and blessing. Unfaithfulness brings judgment and loss. We must realize that we could lose our stewardship if we are not faithful in our responsibilities.

Look up and read Luke 16:1-3. Here a man is losing his stewardship because he was unfaithful. Note – Jesus is not commending him for his stewardship. He is simply stating the man was shrewd in business because he was painfully aware of his pending judgment. In comparing him to Christians, Jesus is saying, the world is more aware of the coming judgment than believers often are. Next, look up and read Revelation 2:1-5. Here a great church is threatened with the loss of its gospel influence because of its failure to properly steward their salvation. They were busy doing, but lost sight of who they were doing it for. Finally, look up and read Malachi 3:8-12. Here the nation of Israel is being rebuked and threatened with a curse because they have not been faithful to God with the tithe. Notice, in verse 10, they were called to “bring” the tithe to God’s storehouse. This is because it is His tithe. To withhold it was robbing from Him. When people fail to bring God what is rightfully His, they are robbing from Him. That is dishonest stewardship. Imagine how you would handle a person you entrusted to deposit your money in your bank account for you who kept back part of the money for himself. At the very least you would not trust them anymore. The object of one’s stewardship may vary, but in every case the principle of responsibility is the same. Further, the principle of stewardship is not relegated to a particular generation or era of revelation; it is a timeless principle applicable to all.

Day #3 Questions

According to Luke 12:41-48, what does faithful stewardship bring?
According to Luke 12:41-48, what does unfaithful stewardship bring?
What did the three examples above have in common?
Why were those who failed to bring the tithe called robbers?
In Malachi, who were the Jews supposed to trust to meet their needs?
Who should we trust to meet our needs?

Write out your Scripture Memory

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Day #4 Reading

While stewardship applies to every part of our life, financial stewardship is the most obvious and commonly considered stewardship in the Bible. Jesus taught 16 different parables that dealt with money. Money is the tangible expression of our own life. It is the due compensation we receive for work that we do. The accumulation of it gives us buying power. That’s why Jesus said “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ” (Matthew 6:21). It is no wonder, then, money is a sensitive topic and God uses it as the litmus test of the authenticity of our faith. How we handle the giving, saving and spending of money will reveal some interesting things about our faith.

In later lessons we will discuss in more detail principles of giving, saving and spending as parts of our stewardship, but this week we will look briefly at giving. Consider the case of the Macedonian Christians (2 Corinthians 8:1–5). Paul tells us, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these Christians were in bad shape. They were being persecuted and were living in deep poverty. But they gave generously—even above what they could really afford—to the needs of others. Their ability to do so was because of their proper recognition of stewardship. Before they ever considered how they were going to give to a particular need, they had already given themselves to the Lord. Let’s readand compare this passage with Paul’s admonition to the Christians at Rome:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ” (Romans 12:1)

When we are faithful to give as God leads us, it is because we are acknowledging His rightful ownership of all things—even our very lives. We see ourselves as only the managers and act in obedience to God, the owner, trusting Him to meet our needs.

Day #4 Questions

How many of Jesus’ parables dealt with money?
Why does God use money as a litmus test of our faith?
How were the Macedonians able to give so generously even though they were in poverty?
According to Scripture, where does proper stewardship begin?

Write out your Scripture Memory

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Day #5 Reading

An important part of our stewardship is giving. So let’s look at the way a faithful steward gives to God. Consider 1 Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. ” The first principle we learn from this passage is God wants us to give systematically. To think that giving once or just occasionally is sufficient would be wrong thinking. “The first day of the week” comes fifty-two times a year. The implication is realized when we understand that some kinds of giving, like tithing, were in place to support the work of God. Look up and read Malachi 3:8-12 again. We will discuss tithing in more detail in a later lesson, but for now it is important only to understand that tithing is a principle of priority—It shows where we place God in our lives—and was practiced by believers even before the law was given (Genesis 14:18-20). For New Testament Christians, it is not a legalistic mandate, rather a starting place for grace giving. Recognize, for the time being, God intended to finance his work through those who benefitted from his blessings. The passage under consideration further implies honest giving. “As God has prospered him” denotes a portion that will accurately reflect God’s blessing. Not everyone is blessed the same, financially; therefore God does not expect everyone to give the same. Consider the true story of the widow’s mite in Mark 12:41-44. Jesus took the opportunity to teach his disciples that the amount of money was not the issue. Rather, the amount given when compared with the person’s ability to give reflected the real condition of one’s heart. Honest giving is proportionate giving.

Briefly consider a list of other principles given in Scripture that should guide our giving habits. God wants us to give generously. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. God wants us to give cheerfully. Read 2 Corinthians 9:7. God wants us to give by grace. Read 2Corinthians 8:7-9. God has given some specifics in how to give. Obedience to God out of a thankful heart is honest and proper stewardship.

Day #5 Questions

Why should we give systematically?
What is honest giving?
What are two other principles that should guide our giving?
Define proper stewardship in regards to our giving?

Write out your Scripture Memory

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Day #6 Reading

A quick recap of our week reminds us that God is the owner of all things and we are the managers of what he gives us. We are not to become attached to the things he gives us because they do not provide us with our identity. Our identity is in Jesus Christ. One of the areas of stewardship that is often misunderstood and causes people to stumble is the concept of money. Because it represents our living potential in a tangible way, it is a sensitive topic. God directs the management of the money entrusted to us according to some specific principles.

Today, we will consider the proper motivation for giving according to God’s directives. While obedience is motivation enough for someone who understands what it is God has done for them, He graciously reminds us of why we should obey Him. Keep in mind, God does not need our money. The earth and its fullness is His (Psalm 24:1). He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10).

The first reason for giving is to demonstrate our thanks for past blessings. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. ” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus died so we could inherit the kingdom of the Father with him (Romans 8:14-17). We give to demonstrate our priorities in the present. Compare 2 Corinthians 8:5 with Matthew 6:33. As stewards, we must trust God to meet our needs because we belong to Him. Finally, we give to demonstrate our faith in the future. Compare 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 with Luke 6:38 and Galatians 6:7,8. The principle of the harvest—sowing and reaping—teaches us we cannot out give God. If we are faithful in our stewardship, the work of God and the needs of others will be financed and God will have the opportunity to show His faithfulness.

Day #6 Questions

Who directs the management of money entrusted to us?
What is the primary principle guiding all giving? (think through this before answering)
What is the first motivation for our giving?
What is the motivation given for our giving?
What is the principle of the harvest?
How does the principle of the harvest motivate us to give?

Write out your Scripture Memory

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