13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13 – 21)
Theme: If not You, then Who?
What a blessing it has been to hear stories of service over the last three days from fellow participants. I hope we are even more inspired to do our part in advancing God’s kingdom.
Over the next two days, we will turn our attention to the Discipline of Stewardship. If the ongoing pandemic has taught us nothing else, I hope it has taught us that our control over our lives has significant limitations. I also hope that this lesson increases our understanding of our roles as stewards in God’s kingdom. All the resources we have (not just physical assets), are on loan from God and we should use the resources God has blessed us with in service to Jesus. That in essence describes the Discipline of Stewardship.
Our passage for today highlights the futility of assuming more ownership and control than we really do have. The parable in the passage addresses agricultural assets but the application is much broader. The lessons apply to other resources such as our talents, our vocation, and our very lives.
Please read the passage carefully and answer the question below.
Question:
Why is it important for us to understand our role as stewards if we are going to advance God’s kingdom?
March 18, 2021 at 6:01 am
Without a Godly and eternal perspective we will have an incorrect understanding of the source and purpose for all we have. I would liken it to a financial broker who has the mistaken idea that the money entrusted for management is a gift to use at will for personal advancement. Then the investor shows up at retirement only to learn their funds weren’t managed as expected.
God has deposited life into me and continues to make additional deposits but not to collect at the end but instead excepts me to manage and multiple and give away. The giving away to enrich the lives of others is how He measures my effectiveness.
March 18, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Well said.
March 18, 2021 at 6:32 am
I took this statement from above.
“All the resources we have (not just physical assets), are on loan from God and we should use the resources God has blessed us with in service to Jesus.“
This statement is one that we should remind ourselves of. If we do, stewardship should be a natural “habit”. We wouldn’t and shouldn’t feel as if we’re losing some of our belongings, resources, money, etc., when we give. It is important for us to understand that as Godly stewards, we’re just “distributing” to others, what God has provided for us and blessed us with.
March 18, 2021 at 10:43 am
It is important to understand our role as stewards if we are going to advance God’s kingdom for at least a few reasons. One, a biblical perspective on stewardship provides us with the best lens with which to view life as a whole. Two, with the view of a maturing steward we will live with values and attitudes that will count for time and eternity. Three, our gratitude to God for the gifts/resources he has given to us increases. Four, we realize our sense of obligation to every legitimate sphere of our lives because to whom much is given, much is required.
March 18, 2021 at 9:24 pm
I really like that last line .
Don’t think many people think this way.
March 18, 2021 at 7:58 pm
This lesson and the comments have certainly deepened my understanding of stewardship. All we have, all we are, our actions and words for God’s glory. Without God what and where would we be? I am humbly grateful for God’s mercy and steadfast love.
March 18, 2021 at 8:08 pm
It is important for us to understand our role as stewards if we are going to advance God’s kingdom because it enables us to have the right posture, mind set, and approach to how we live and interact everyday. Being reminded that we are stewards helps us to remember that ultimately we are not in control and all that we have and possess is not ours; it humbles us. How I also see it is that God has entrusted us with a great responsibility, in managing what he has provided, for the sake of his Kingdom.
March 18, 2021 at 9:33 pm
This is so true.Now I don’t feel so bad as I seem to be without the frills as I tend to give and not take.
Has always shared whatever I have and am glad to continue doing so as this is what God intended.
How can we do otherwise.
March 18, 2021 at 10:39 pm
All our blessings are from above. What we often allocate for God’s kingdom is not even enough and comparable to what the Lord has given us, and still continuing to shower us with blessings and provisions every single day. Being cheerful giver is indeed important to keep in mind. When we give to God’s kingdom, we fulfill our role as good stewards and we also help to further the mission of spreading the gospel.
March 19, 2021 at 9:29 pm
It is important to understand our role as stewards because every aspect of our lives impacts the kingdom of God, be they our talents, abilities, financial support for His work, spiritual involvement in winning and nurturing souls for the Lord, helping those who are in need and simply doing whatever we can for the Lord, We came into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing even though that does not mean we should be unambitious, lazy and apathetic or that we should squander the resources God has blessed us with. God has only loaned us a few days to get the job done before standing before Him to account for our stewardship.