Last month I wrote about
how God wants ABUNDANT life for all of us. Indeed, I do not need to retract
from making that statement for I truly believe God desires that every human
being on the face of this planet experiences abundant life; life that is full
and is lived to its fullness. As part of that abundant life that God desires
for us is God’s desire for us to use the resources we have received from God in
a manner that is consistent with God’s will, and our commitment to God. We usually
refer to this in the Christian tradition as Stewardship.
Given the fact that I
have decided to focus my messages for the month of September on Discipleship at Trinity United Methodist Church in Frederick, Maryland, I
thought that it would be appropriate to open the conversation with a subject
that is intrinsically connected: Stewardship.
Let me just say that as I
start that I do not think that I have much to teach anyone about
the subject, for I think people already know plenty about it, but as a pastor I
must address this matter. In the first place let me say that for Disciples of Christ, stewardship
is an integral part of our identity. Stewardship is not about giving money
(although it involves some of that), it is not about bequests, and it is not
about raising funds either. Stewardship is a way of life; for to be a Good
Steward means a life commitment to God’s purpose and desire. Indeed, stewardship
is part of a life of holiness.
Here John Wesley has some
great points to contribute in this conversation. In his sermon on The Good
Steward, Wesley tells us that a good steward is one that is “is not at liberty
to use [wealth and resources] as [they] please, but as [their] master pleases. [They
have] no right to dispose of anything which [they possess], but according to
the will of [their] Lord. For [none of us are] the proprietor of any of these
things, but barely entrusted with them by another; and entrusted on this
express condition, -- that [we] shall dispose of all as [our] master orders.
Now, this is exactly the case of every [human being], with relation to God.”
Indeed, as stewards of
God’s resources, we have been entrusted with all the things we have so that we
might use them to supply for our needs and the needs of others. So Wesley
continues: “We are not at liberty to use what [God] has lodged in our hands as
we please, but as [God] pleases, who alone is the possessor of heaven and
earth, and the Lord of every creature. We have no right to dispose of
anything we have, but according to [God’s] will, seeing we are not proprietors
of any of these things; they are all, as our Lord speaks, allotria, belonging to another person; nor is anything properly our
own, in the land of our pilgrimage. – (See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-51-The-Good-Steward#sthash.4QEbTbw1.dpuf).
Indeed, everything we
have: wealth, influences, education, intellect, abilities, etc. Everything
belongs to God. You can see how this changes our conversation of stewardship,
if everything belongs to God, and I have been entrusted with all these things by
God, then stewardship is not a mere ten percent of my wealth (as in tithing),
stewardship is a life commitment to live a life that is holy to the Lord; a
life that is worthy of the Lord. Stewardship then is about giving back to God
that which belongs to God in the first place. As Hebrews states: “Everything belongs to God, and all things were
created by his power” (2:10).
Wesley uses this sermon
to explain that we as God’s Stewards (as disciples of Christ) are not the
owners of what God entrust to us, but temporary custodians. This applies
to our souls, bodies, possessions, time, abilities and
opportunities. In this sermon, Wesley states, that there will be a day of
great judgment, a day when we are to give our final accountability on the use
of the resources God has placed in our hands. On that day may our “books” be in
order with God.
Saint Augustine had the
same understanding we see in Wesley, that is why he said: “Find out how much
God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by
others.”
Let me end with a quote
from Randy Alcorn the founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries, which I
believe will bring the concept of stewardship home: “When I save, I lay
something aside for future need. If I sense God's leading, I will give it away
to meet greater needs. When I hoard, I'm unwilling to part with what I've saved
to meet others' needs, because my possible future needs outweigh their actual
present needs. I fail to love my neighbor as myself” (from Money,
Possessions and Eternity). Indeed,
God’s abundance in our lives is given so that we can provide for our needs, and
for the needs of those whom our God loves.
May
you be able to live in God’s abundance and grace.
