Principles of Stewardship
Luke 16:8-15; 20:45-47; 21:1-4
Introduction: Owing our very existence to God our Creator, we must admit that all that we are and have rightfully belongs to Him. We may assert personal and property rights as against other creatures, but before our Creator we are not owners but stewards of our possessions, including our own souls. The God Who made us will require of us an accounting of what we have done with His property which He permitted us to hold for a little while.
This doctrine of stewardship applies to all responsible creatures, including lost sinners; but how much more to the born again children of God, who have been made new creatures in Christ! We are not our own; we have been bought with the precious blood of the Lamb of God; surely we owe everything to Him!
Some principles of stewardship are set forth in this lesson, which may be outlined as follows: 1. Principle of Transfer, Luke 16:8, 9 a. Comparative wisdom, 8 b.Comparative worlds, 9
2. Principle of Trust, Luke 16:10, 12 a. Faithful in measure, 10 b. Faithful in mammon, 11 c. Faithful in management, 12
3. Principle of Tension, Luke 16:13-15 a. Divided service, 13 b. Derided Savior, 14 c. Decisive sermon, 15
4. Principle of Truth, Luke 20:45-47 a. Hypocrisy exposed, 45 b. Hypocrisy exemplified, 46 c. Hypocrisy execrated, 47
5. Principle of Totality, Luke 21:1-4 a. Little from much, 1 b. Much from little, 2-4 Notes on the Printed Text: Principle of Transfer, Luke 16:8, 9.
In the parable of the unjust steward (read verses 1-7), the steward accused of waste and expecting loss of employment transferred his attention to provision for his future, so winning praise for his wisdom. So present opportunities for gain may soon be past, but perhaps we can transfer some profit from them to a future account. Comparative Wisdom, 8.
"The lord" here is not the Lord Jesus, but the lord or "rich man" in the parable (vss. 1, 3, 5). The commendation was not for the steward's dishonesty, but for his wisdom in providing for his own future. On this point, Jesus explains, "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." It is too bad, of course, that their wisdom does not extend to eternity, but is only in or for their generation. Comparative Worlds, 9.
Applying the lesson to His disciples, Jesus commands us to make friends for a better world to come. We can use whatever material means God has given us, called here "the mammon of unrighteousness," to bless the lives of others, especially to help lead others to Christ for salvation. Those whom we have helped in this way will be our friends in "everlasting habitations" after our lives in this world have "failed." Principle of Trust, Luke 16:10-12.
Stewardship involves holding in trust the property of another. We may call this the language of appearance, but in a sense God has entrusted to each of us a portion of His goods, which we are to administer as trustees. Faithful in Measure, 10,.
Whether we have little or much to administer is not nearly so important as whether we are faithful in what we have. Generally speaking, our faithfulness does not depend on the measure of goods possessed. Whatever the measure, let us be faithful. Faithful in Mammon, 11.
Material wealth is called here "unrighteous mammon." The implication is clear that this is the least of God's gifts, and that the true riches are spiritual, not material. The rhetorical question suggests that unfaithful stewardship of material wealth disqualifies us for "the true riches." Faithful in Management, 12.
Spiritual riches become our own in. a sense in which material possessions do not. We must manage material means faithfully to qualify for the best of spiritual blessings. Principle of Tension, Luke 16:13-15.
Conflicting loyalities, conflicting attitudes, conflicting standards, will pull us to and fro and ruin our effectiveness unless we are careful to hold a tight rein. Let us be sure of the right direction, and then, keep a straight course. Divided Service, 13.
God and mammon are opposing masters. Attempts to serve both can end only in miserable failure. Beware of giving money the devotion that belongs to God. With God occupying first place in our hearts, money can be a useful servant; but if we let money become our god, God will have no use for us. Derided Savior, 14.
People respond to truth according to their own attitudes. The Pharisees were covetous (therefore idolaters — see Ephesians 5:5), and so they derided or knocked at the Savior when they "heard all these things." Ridicule is often a handy and effective weapon, but it cannot change the truth. Decisive Sermon, 15.
Unlike some modern preachers who carry His name in vain, Jesus could speak the truth clearly and decisively. Generally speaking, God hates or abominates what men highly esteem; but few preachers today have the nerve to say so. Principles of Truth, Luke 20:45-47.
Stewards or trustees of human affairs, accountable to human authorities, may sometimes deceive the rightful owners and the legal authorities without getting caught or punished for their unfaithfulness. But God knows all things and can not be deceived. As stewards of God we shall eventually have to face a truthful accounting. We may for a time deceive other men; we may even be deceived and deceive ourselves; but God is truth, knows all truth, and will judge according to truth. Hypocrisy Exposedd, 45.
Secret sins of darkness are exposed in all their ugliness by Him Who is the Light. It is not surprising that hypocritical religious leaders, from thef irst century to the twentieth, have hated the Christ of God. (John 3:20) Jesus exposed their hypocrisy "in the audience of all the people." Hypocrisy Exemplified, 46.
Calling people bad names is something anyone can do; presenting evidence is something else. Jesus did not merely accuse His enemies in general terms: He stated specific examples of their hypocrisy which needed only to be pointed out to be recognized for what they were. Hypocrisy Execrated, 47.
Sin is sin, we hear sometimes, as if this were a great new discovery. I suppose no one will deny that sin is sin, but the fact remains that some sins are worse than others. Religious leaders accused Jesus of being a friend of publicans and sinners, and we thank God the charge was true in a sense different from what they meant. It is noteworthy that the harshest words of condemnation spoken by Jesus were not to moral outlaws but to religious hypocrites. Principle of Totality, Luke 21:1-4.
Now in view of all this plain teaching of Jesus, it appears that our stewardship before God really does include all that we are and all that we have. How much of ourselves do we owe to ourselves? Did we create ourselves or are we the creatures of God? Did we create our possessions or are they ours only in the providence and subject to the will of God? Little from Much, 1. Certainly it is better to give a little than to give nothing into the treasury of God's house. But small gifts from rich men reveal something of their attitude toward God and His work. In comparison with the poor widow's offering, they gave only a little from the abundance with which God had blessed them. As Jesus saw it, as God sees it, an offering of a thousand dollars from a millionaire may amount to less than one dollar from another person when that is the only dollar he has.
Much from Little, 2-4.
The poor widow gave more than all the rest because she gave "all the living that she had." We hear a lot of foolishness about "the widow's mite" from people who have plenty of money left in their pockets or in a bank. I do not mean to suggest that we ought all to give our last penny every time we make an offering to the Lord. Maybe most of us should keep some reserve ifor future needs, maybe even some capital for investment to increase future earnings. Bui then we are not in the same class as the poor widow. Her little was much simply because it was much from little — all she had. Key Verse:
"Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." — I Corinthians 4:2.
Stewards may be more or less competent, and may be entrusted with more or less goods, and still be good stewards. God knows our abilities, and proportions our responsibilities accordingly. But faithfulness is required of all, and it is primarily for faithfulness or unfaithfulness that we shall be judged. [From AAB, January 28, 1972, pp. 2-3.]
Return to NT Lessons
Return to HOMEPAGE