BLOG

Biblical Stewardship—Part 1

Note: This article is one part in a series of articles focused on biblical stewardship encouraging us to take a closer look into how to become biblical stewards of what God has given to us and our church.

Despite the fact that our culture no longer uses the word stewardship, the church remains committed to it because of the relationship between God and His people that it uniquely represents. There is simply no other word that communicates this critical Christian perspective. It informs our entire mindset about the world and our role in it.

A definition of biblical stewardship from the sermon on 09/16/2023: Biblical Stewardship is the faithful use of the things God created and has allowed us to possess for service to Him and to others.

God, Humanity, and Stewardship

Humanity’s role as stewards is embedded in the story of creation. The writer Genesis explained why Adam was placed in the garden:

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15 ESV)

The psalmist further expounded on the relationship between God’s creation and humanity’s management:

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:6-8 ESV)

God put people in charge of what He created, but they were to understand that creation ultimately belonged to Him. In Psalm 50, God explained this to the Israelites:

I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. (Psalm 50:9-12 ESV)

The Perspective of Biblical Stewardship: God Owns Everything

Consider the scriptures to remind us that nothing falls beyond God’s ownership.

Behold, to the Lord your God belonged heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. (Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV)

The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. (Leviticus 25:23 ESV).

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12 ESV)

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. (Job 41:11 ESV)

And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:7-8 ESV)

As you think through everything God owns, consider how He wants you to care for what is His. What is your next step in growing your stewardship biblically?

Next month, in part 2 of Biblical Stewardship, we will take a look at our role as stewards of what God owns and has entrusted us with and two parables to help us understand biblical stewardship.

Stewardship Prayer Focus

Oh what riches we have in Jesus!

His love has no limit! His grace has no measure!
His power has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
– He Giveth More Grave, Annie J. Flint

• We are blessed by all you have given us, LORD—our faith, our families, our church, our jobs, our very lives! Your presence now and forever. Thank you!
• Help us put all these blessings to work in your kingdom for your glory.
• Remind us daily that everything in heaven and earth is yours.
• Make us faithful stewards. Show us how we can serve you. Show us how we can serve others.
• Help us to share our time, our wealth, our gifts as abundantly as you share yourself with us.
• Align our desires with yours. Give us the will to do the things which you prepared for us to do.
• Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. Hear on earth as it is in heaven.