The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says,
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"To receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
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to present
yourself approved to God
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today
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is Stewardship
Motives of the Heart.
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Hello, welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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So good to have more
than one person here.
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Good to see Shelley and
Jill and Mollie and Kenny,
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always good to
be able to sit down
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with all of you to
study the Word of God.
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And we thank you for tuning in
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to take this time
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to open your
Sabbath School lessons.
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We pray that you have one.
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This quarter,
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we are studying Stewardship
Motives of the Heart.
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And every time I
hear motives of the heart,
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I think where your
treasure is there will your...
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Heart be also.
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And we pray that today
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your heart is
in the right place.
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We are going to
take this wonderful hour
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and turn our hearts to
the study of God's word.
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If you'd like to
follow along with us,
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go to the following website
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ABSG.Adventist.org
and download the lesson.
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We are studying
lesson number five,
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Stewards After Eden
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covering January
27th to February 2nd.
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And we know that if you are near
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or in a city where
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there is an
Adventist church not far away,
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or maybe you are a
member of the church,
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and don't have a
copy of the lesson,
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get one and join
a Bible study class.
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Before we go any further,
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we always ask
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for the Lord's
leading and guiding.
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And, Shelley, would
you pray for us today?
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Would love to.
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Precious Heavenly Father,
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we pause once again today
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to come before You
in the name of Jesus.
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Thanking you, Lord,
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that You are the giver of
every good and perfect gift.
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Thanking you, Father,
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for all that You
have bestowed upon us.
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The spiritual gifts
and the material gifts,
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Lord, we are so grateful.
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We want to learn to
be good stewards, Father.
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And we ask in the name of Jesus
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that You will send
Your Holy Spirit now
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to be our teacher,
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give us ears to hear
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what the Holy Spirit has to say,
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and the power to
put it into practice.
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In Jesus' holy
name we pray, amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you so much, Shelley.
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You know, this
lesson on stewardship,
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I would say Stewards
After Eden which means,
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there was a
stewardship before Eden.
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And that is clearly delineated
when the Lord said to Adam,
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I'm giving you all the garden...
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He was the gardener.
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He was the one to
till and to keep the soil.
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And what was so
beautiful about that setting
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is that if you go back,
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it's kind of a
hard concept to grab
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when you think of
being on an earth,
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and there's no one but you,
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and then the Lord
gives you a wife and you say,
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"Why are there
only two people here?"
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Oh.
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So I'm gonna garden,
I'm going to till the soil,
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I'm going to be a
steward of what God gave to me.
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And in a perfect setting,
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it's hard to think
of a perfect setting
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that God gave Adam
everything he would ever need.
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Amen. Every bird.
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And, you know, the Bible
makes it clear in Genesis
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that when the Lord asked
Adam to name the animals.
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The Lord didn't
tell him the name,
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Adam was instantly intelligent,
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he was also a
steward of the knowledge
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God have given to him.
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And to whom much is given...
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Much is
required. Much is required.
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So I think that the first thing
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I want to point
out in stewardship
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is that each one of us
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whether we own
something physical or not,
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each one of us is a steward...
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Because every one of
us has received something
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from the Lord,
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and to whom the
more you received,
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the more you
are accountable for.
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And so
stewardship has many levels.
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The master has a
greater level of stewardship.
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The apprentice
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has a lesser
level of stewardship.
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I have a saying that
goes this way as a pastor,
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when a person becomes
a member of the church,
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I say, if you
want to attend there,
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no standards for fellowship.
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There are
standards for membership,
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and high
standards for leadership.
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This stewardship, and
when it comes to a worship,
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now the person who
is the worship leader
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is in a greater
position of stewardship
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than the ones who are following,
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because if he's blind,
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you're leading other
people in and they're blind,
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you're gonna both
fall into the pit.
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There is
stewardship for preachers.
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You can't say, I'm a
preacher and tell a lie.
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You can't say, I did not know
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because you cannot step outside.
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And I learned that
beautifully in this lesson,
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a steward can never,
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a steward can
never claim ignorance.
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So a person who is
preaching can never say,
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"Well, I didn't know."
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If the honesty
of a person's heart
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is they were in ignorance,
the Lord will overlook that.
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But you cannot say
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after a
particular period of time,
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I didn't know so I
told only what I knew.
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Stewardship requires us,
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not just to
communicate what we know,
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but to know more...
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Yes. Amen.
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Especially in this day and age.
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But let's look at
stewardship, its meaning.
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I'm covering Sunday,
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stewardship in
the Old Testament.
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And I want to begin
with a particular passage.
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Let's read our
memory verse together.
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It is taken from
1 Thessalonians 2:4
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and we always
like to begin our study
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by reading it together.
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Here we are.
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"On the contrary,
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we speak as
those approved by God
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to be entrusted with the gospel.
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We are not
trying to please people
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but God, who tests our hearts."
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Amen. Wow!
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That's a...
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Paul talked about
not being men pleasers.
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And that's vitally important.
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Stewardship,
according to the lesson,
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"The word 'steward'
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itself is
translated only a few times
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in the Old Testament.
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In most cases
on Sunday's lesson,
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it comes from the
phrase regarding the one
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who is 'upon the house,'
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the idea of being in charge
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of the running of a
house, that is a 'steward'.
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Stewards had responsibilities,
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and I'm reading the
introduction to Sunday,
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to manage household affairs
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and their master's possessions,
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doing whatever
was asked of them.
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The definition of a
steward in the Old Testament
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can be found by identifying
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the
characteristics of a steward.
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Stewards cannot be separated
from their stewardship,
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for it reveals their identity."
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So you can't say,
well, I'm a steward
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but then I'm not a
person, I'm not responsible.
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I've learned, and I
think that in a production
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and being here at 3ABN,
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you know, lots of
decisions are made.
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And, Jill, they keep increasing
your decision making capacity,
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or ability, or
responsibility I should say.
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But when you're in the
position to make a call
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and things fall apart,
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as the person in
the lead position,
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you are in fact a steward.
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You can't say," Well, I
don't know what happened,"
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because it's our
responsibility to what?
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Know.
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To know what's
happening. Absolutely.
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In the same sense of
the leader of the church,
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the pastor of the
church to claim ignorance,
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I didn't know what was going on
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is to reveal the lack of
a fiduciary responsibility
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or accountability.
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In the same way in programming,
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if a program happens
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and Shelley
doesn't know about it,
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that shows a lack of
fortitude on Shelley's part
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because you are a
steward of programming.
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And, Mollie, you've been
a steward for many years.
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And you continue
to be in that capacity
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where people come to you with...
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They want advice
from a mother figure,
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or advice from the
vice president of 3ABN.
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And what happens
after that moment,
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you are responsible.
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Responsible. You're steward.
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And, Pastor Kenny,
you know it as a preacher.
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You preach it,
you better live it.
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You say it, you
better hung up to it.
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Each one of us is a steward.
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A steward cannot be
separated from his stewardship.
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Let's go to the covenant,
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and I want to
look at something else
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because
stewardship is also financial.
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But stewardship
comes in four categories.
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Time, what's the first one?
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Time, talent,
testimony, and treasure.
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Nice.
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Stewardship is a
four part process
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in anyone's life.
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Time, how do
you manage your time
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or does your time manage you?
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Talent, do you
recognize your talent
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as a spiritual gift
or just a great ability?
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Because you see a
lot of good singers,
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but ministers of
music is something
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all together
different, you know.
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Amen. Yeah.
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Time, talent, then testimony.
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The Lord, as
Revelation 12:11 says in,
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they overcame him by
the blood of the lamb
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and by the word
of their testimony.
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It behooves us that
God does something for us.
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And the Bible says,
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"Let the redeemed
of the Lord say so,
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who He has redeemed by
His righteous right arm.
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So time, talent,
testimony, and then treasure.
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None of us owns what we have.
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None of us can manufacture
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the things that
sustain us from day to day.
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The Lord is the one
that manufactures that,
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and our treasure
also belongs to God.
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A wonderful
example, and by the way,
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let me just put this
in the proper context.
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Some people say, well, you know,
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there are certain
passages in the Bible
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that are not
reiterated in the New Testament.
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And then some
individuals think that
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because the Sabbath
is in the Old Testament,
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then it's not
reiterated in the new,
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but it's in both, old and new.
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It's not separated.
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Something else that's in
both testaments is tithing.
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Amen.
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And tithing is not based
on the Levitical Priesthood,
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but the Melchizedek Priesthood,
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which means
since Jesus is a priest
00:10:03.03\00:10:06.33
according to the
order of Melchizedek,
00:10:06.37\00:10:08.37
and that never dies
00:10:08.40\00:10:09.74
because Jesus is
a priest forever,
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then tithing which was a pledge
00:10:12.11\00:10:14.01
that Abraham made
for the goodness of God.
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Let's look at Genesis 28.
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Genesis 28, and
this is where tithing
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was most prominently
amplified in the scriptures.
00:10:22.32\00:10:29.02
Amazing how finances
or tithing is the doctrine
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that all churches agree on.
00:10:32.23\00:10:34.56
No controversy
there in the most cases.
00:10:34.60\00:10:38.57
How they handle that,
00:10:38.60\00:10:39.93
that's a
different story altogether.
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.37
But Genesis 28:20 to 22.
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Jill, could you
read that for us?
00:10:45.37\00:10:46.98
"Then Jacob made a vow, saying,
00:10:47.01\00:10:48.64
'If God will be with me
00:10:48.68\00:10:50.15
and keep me in
this way than I'm going,
00:10:50.18\00:10:52.75
and give me bread to
eat and clothing to put on.
00:10:52.78\00:10:55.35
So that I come back to
my father's house in peace,
00:10:55.38\00:10:58.59
then the Lord shall be my God."
00:10:58.62\00:11:00.82
Verse 22? Yes.
00:11:00.86\00:11:02.29
"And this stone, which
I have set as a pillar,
00:11:02.32\00:11:04.39
shall be God's house.
00:11:04.43\00:11:05.76
And of all that you give me
00:11:05.79\00:11:07.13
I will surely
give a tenth to you."
00:11:07.16\00:11:09.73
See, so tithing
that was established
00:11:09.76\00:11:11.90
for God's goodness,
and notice the context.
00:11:11.93\00:11:14.34
The Lord is going
to bless us abundantly,
00:11:14.37\00:11:16.97
but then the
requirement of acknowledging
00:11:17.01\00:11:19.11
where that blessing comes from
is returning a tenth to God.
00:11:19.14\00:11:22.91
And I tell you,
stewardship comes not as a test
00:11:22.94\00:11:27.25
of what you're
gonna do with your money,
00:11:27.28\00:11:28.98
but a test of what's
happening in your heart.
00:11:29.02\00:11:32.29
It's always a test of the heart,
00:11:32.32\00:11:34.06
not just a test
of the pocket book.
00:11:34.09\00:11:36.62
Because I never
forget that story
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.09
and I've told it many
times, and it fits right here,
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.40
where a gentleman
was joining a church
00:11:40.43\00:11:42.16
and was being baptized,
00:11:42.20\00:11:43.53
and just before he
went on to the tank,
00:11:43.57\00:11:45.27
he realized his wallet
was in his back pocket.
00:11:45.30\00:11:47.20
He said, "Wait, wait,
let me remove my wallet."
00:11:47.24\00:11:49.54
And the preacher said,
00:11:49.57\00:11:50.91
"No, we want to
baptize your money too."
00:11:50.94\00:11:53.68
Because many people bring
00:11:53.71\00:11:55.18
only what they want to
in a relationship with God,
00:11:55.21\00:11:57.88
but everything
the Lord gives to you
00:11:57.91\00:11:59.91
is a part of our
relationship with God,
00:11:59.95\00:12:01.95
and stewardship so
much more is a part of that.
00:12:01.98\00:12:05.32
The other thing I
want to point out as we go,
00:12:05.35\00:12:07.92
there are various
roles of stewardship.
00:12:07.96\00:12:10.33
Stewards are chosen.
Let's go to Matthew 20:16.
00:12:10.36\00:12:14.83
Stewards are chosen.
00:12:14.86\00:12:16.20
Stewards are chosen.
00:12:18.67\00:12:20.47
One is Matthew 20:16.
00:12:20.50\00:12:23.94
"So the last will be
first, and the first last.
00:12:23.97\00:12:27.98
For many are called,"
but we know the rest...
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.28
"Few are
chosen." "Few are chosen."
00:12:30.31\00:12:32.85
Another one, John 13,
00:12:32.88\00:12:36.99
John 15:16, I
believe that's one.
00:12:37.02\00:12:39.02
Let me just double check
that because as I copied it,
00:12:39.05\00:12:41.39
I brought both passages.
00:12:41.42\00:12:42.76
John 15:16.
00:12:42.79\00:12:44.46
Let me see if that's the one.
00:12:44.49\00:12:45.83
Is that the one,
Shelley, "You did not choose..."
00:12:45.86\00:12:47.20
"You did not choose me..."
Could you read that for us?
00:12:47.23\00:12:48.56
"You did not choose
me," this is Jesus speaking,
00:12:48.60\00:12:51.23
"but I chose you
and appointed you
00:12:51.27\00:12:53.00
that you should
go and bear fruit,
00:12:53.03\00:12:54.60
and that your
fruit should remain,
00:12:54.64\00:12:56.40
that whatever you ask
the Father in My name,
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.14
He may give you."
00:12:59.17\00:13:00.51
That's right.
00:13:00.54\00:13:01.88
And notice the fruit, we
are stewards of the fruit.
00:13:01.91\00:13:05.65
The Lord looks for fruit.
00:13:05.68\00:13:07.02
And all stewards must
have a productive life.
00:13:07.05\00:13:10.95
Yes.
00:13:10.99\00:13:12.32
A life that is not productive
00:13:12.35\00:13:13.69
is not the life of
a faithful steward.
00:13:13.72\00:13:16.73
The life that we
have and live to God
00:13:16.76\00:13:18.49
must be a productive life.
00:13:18.53\00:13:20.20
And He chooses us
and holds us responsible.
00:13:20.23\00:13:22.86
We must always
improve upon the talents
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.60
God has given to us.
00:13:24.63\00:13:25.97
If it's preaching,
you have to improve on.
00:13:26.00\00:13:27.34
If it's
teaching, improve on that.
00:13:27.37\00:13:29.34
If it's
administration, improve on that.
00:13:29.37\00:13:31.87
If it's
preaching, improve on that,
00:13:31.91\00:13:33.68
whatever it is,
00:13:33.71\00:13:35.04
if it's being a
helper in the kitchen,
00:13:35.08\00:13:36.41
improve on that.
00:13:36.44\00:13:37.78
That's right.
00:13:37.81\00:13:39.15
Every gift that
God has given to us...
00:13:39.18\00:13:40.52
The New Testament church
00:13:40.55\00:13:41.88
if I could give it a
completely different context
00:13:41.92\00:13:43.25
or a completely
different identity,
00:13:43.28\00:13:44.85
we are not just those
to proclaim the gospel,
00:13:44.89\00:13:47.36
but we are to live lives
of stewardship recognizing
00:13:47.39\00:13:50.29
that everything we have...
00:13:50.33\00:13:52.06
Yeah. Belongs to the Lord.
00:13:52.09\00:13:54.33
Amen. Amen.
00:13:54.36\00:13:55.70
No one lives to himself,
00:13:55.73\00:13:57.50
and no one lives apart
from the responsibility
00:13:57.53\00:14:01.40
that God has given to us.
00:14:01.44\00:14:03.10
Another one is the steward
always identifies himself
00:14:03.14\00:14:07.48
with the master.
00:14:07.51\00:14:08.84
I'm gonna read Luke 6:46-48.
00:14:08.88\00:14:12.25
The steward
always identifies himself
00:14:12.28\00:14:14.22
with the master.
00:14:14.25\00:14:15.58
This passage takes us
00:14:15.62\00:14:18.35
to the place of
ultimate responsibility.
00:14:18.39\00:14:21.62
"But why do you
call Me 'Lord, Lord,'
00:14:21.66\00:14:24.76
and do not do the
things which I say?
00:14:24.79\00:14:27.13
Whoever comes to Me,
00:14:27.16\00:14:28.50
and hears My
sayings and does them,
00:14:28.53\00:14:31.27
I will show you whom he is like.
00:14:31.30\00:14:33.54
He is like a man
building a house,
00:14:33.57\00:14:36.47
who dug deep
00:14:36.50\00:14:38.57
and laid the
foundation on the rock.
00:14:38.61\00:14:40.51
And when the flood arose,
00:14:40.54\00:14:42.24
and the stream beat
vehemently against that house,
00:14:42.28\00:14:45.08
and could not shake it,
00:14:45.11\00:14:46.45
for it was founded on the rock."
00:14:46.48\00:14:49.45
What's being said here,
00:14:49.48\00:14:51.95
this is the key
that I got from it.
00:14:51.99\00:14:53.66
You are founded on the rock
00:14:53.69\00:14:55.26
when you not only
call the Lord, "Lord"
00:14:55.29\00:14:57.99
but you do what the Lord says.
00:14:58.03\00:14:59.96
Savior is the savior,
00:15:00.00\00:15:01.83
the word "Lord" is
the word of stewardship.
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.10
Like we get the word "landlord".
00:15:04.13\00:15:05.73
I know, Kenny is a landlord.
00:15:05.77\00:15:07.57
If somebody had
a property of yours
00:15:07.60\00:15:08.94
and painted it
without your permission,
00:15:08.97\00:15:11.17
you'd be kind of
perturbed, wouldn't you?
00:15:11.21\00:15:13.07
Or made changes or
added on an additional room
00:15:13.11\00:15:14.98
without even
consulting the landlord.
00:15:15.01\00:15:17.01
So here's my transitional point.
00:15:17.05\00:15:18.78
When you are a steward,
00:15:18.81\00:15:20.25
you recognize the
Lord's ownership over you,
00:15:20.28\00:15:23.49
your time, your
talent, your testimony,
00:15:23.52\00:15:25.19
and your treasure.
00:15:25.22\00:15:26.55
Amen and amen.
00:15:26.59\00:15:27.92
Thank you, John.
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.29
Okay, yours was
stewards in the Old Testament,
00:15:29.32\00:15:30.79
and then I have Monday's lesson
00:15:30.83\00:15:32.83
which is stewards
in the New Testament.
00:15:32.86\00:15:36.40
And, you know, it's interesting
the concept of steward both
00:15:36.43\00:15:42.00
in the Old and the New Testament
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.97
are very similar.
00:15:44.01\00:15:45.61
And as you said, essentially,
00:15:45.64\00:15:47.88
a steward is
defined by what they do.
00:15:47.91\00:15:51.85
Generally, was a
slave in a master's house
00:15:51.88\00:15:54.68
like in the Old
Testament we think of.
00:15:54.72\00:15:58.02
Joseph in Potiphar's house
00:15:58.05\00:16:00.16
who was over
the whole household,
00:16:00.19\00:16:01.96
he managed everything.
00:16:01.99\00:16:04.33
But there's two
terms in the New Testament
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.40
that describes the
steward, and it incorporates
00:16:07.43\00:16:11.23
the managerial
responsibilities entrusted
00:16:11.27\00:16:15.47
to the steward by the owner.
00:16:15.50\00:16:18.34
The New Testament
00:16:18.37\00:16:22.04
basically expands
the idea of stewardship
00:16:22.08\00:16:25.25
beyond household management.
00:16:25.28\00:16:27.62
Please, open to Luke 16.
00:16:27.65\00:16:31.72
What we're thinking
of in the New Testament,
00:16:31.75\00:16:34.22
it talks about
the accountability
00:16:34.26\00:16:36.66
and the
expectations of the steward.
00:16:36.69\00:16:39.66
And both the terms in the Greek
00:16:39.69\00:16:43.47
really emphasize
subordination to your master.
00:16:43.50\00:16:47.57
So let me set this up.
00:16:47.60\00:16:48.94
We're gonna be in Luke 16.
00:16:48.97\00:16:51.51
Jesus here expands the
definition of a steward,
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.24
and He's telling this parable
about a dishonest steward.
00:16:55.28\00:16:59.85
And basically, the master comes
00:16:59.88\00:17:01.52
and realizes, hey,
he's wasting my resources,
00:17:01.55\00:17:04.19
he was about ready to
relieve him of his position.
00:17:04.22\00:17:09.92
And the steward recognized this,
00:17:09.96\00:17:12.09
and so he dealt very
shrewdly with those people
00:17:12.13\00:17:17.20
who owed his master money.
00:17:17.23\00:17:19.10
And what he did was,
00:17:19.13\00:17:20.50
he'd have him
come in, and he'd say,
00:17:20.54\00:17:22.14
okay, I'm gonna
reduce your debt.
00:17:22.17\00:17:23.84
I'll take off the interest.
We'll do this, we'll do that.
00:17:23.87\00:17:26.51
And so the master actually
saw him doing these things
00:17:26.54\00:17:30.85
because the man was trying
to gain favor with the debtors
00:17:30.88\00:17:34.62
so that he could
have a little security
00:17:34.65\00:17:36.95
for the future, I
guess you could say.
00:17:36.99\00:17:39.75
But what Jesus does now
is He's going to show us
00:17:39.79\00:17:44.26
that if we're not
faithful in small things,
00:17:44.29\00:17:49.63
we're not gonna be
faithful with the larger things.
00:17:49.66\00:17:51.63
That's good. He
can't trust us with more.
00:17:51.67\00:17:53.47
So let's look at Luke 16:11-13.
00:17:53.50\00:17:57.27
Jesus says,
00:17:57.31\00:17:58.64
"Therefore
00:17:58.67\00:18:00.01
if you have not been faithful
in the unrighteous mammon,
00:18:00.04\00:18:05.11
who will commit to
your trust the true riches?"
00:18:05.15\00:18:09.28
In other words,
00:18:09.32\00:18:10.65
if we're not faithful
with the small amount of money
00:18:10.69\00:18:13.09
that we actually
have here on earth,
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.56
how can God trust us with more?
00:18:14.59\00:18:17.63
That's right.
00:18:17.66\00:18:18.99
You know, and if we are
poor stewards of a little,
00:18:19.03\00:18:23.30
guess what?
00:18:23.33\00:18:24.67
We're gonna be
poor stewards of more.
00:18:24.70\00:18:26.84
It says,
00:18:26.87\00:18:28.20
"If you have not been faithful
in what is another man's,
00:18:28.24\00:18:32.51
who will give
you what is your own?
00:18:32.54\00:18:34.61
No servant can
serve two masters,
00:18:34.64\00:18:38.01
for either he will hate
the one and love the other,
00:18:38.05\00:18:41.72
or else he will be loyal
00:18:41.75\00:18:43.65
to the one and
despise the other.
00:18:43.69\00:18:46.52
You cannot
serve God and mammon."
00:18:46.55\00:18:49.96
That's right.
00:18:49.99\00:18:51.33
You know, in our
materialistic society,
00:18:51.36\00:18:55.30
many people
make money their God.
00:18:55.33\00:18:57.97
I mean, they give
all of their efforts,
00:18:58.00\00:19:00.44
all of their time,
00:19:00.47\00:19:01.80
all of their
interest is wrapped up
00:19:01.84\00:19:03.64
in making money.
00:19:03.67\00:19:05.14
And we know money
can be a good thing
00:19:05.17\00:19:08.21
if it's used for good purposes,
00:19:08.24\00:19:09.98
but the love of money
is the root of all evil.
00:19:10.01\00:19:12.45
That's right.
00:19:12.48\00:19:13.82
So I'm gonna skip
over some of my notes
00:19:13.85\00:19:15.45
because I wanted to
get, if we have time,
00:19:15.48\00:19:17.42
I'll come back to that,
00:19:17.45\00:19:18.79
but I wanted to us
to look at 1 Peter 4:10.
00:19:18.82\00:19:24.23
Because when we're
talking about stewards,
00:19:24.26\00:19:27.46
the New Testament
clearly identifies
00:19:27.50\00:19:31.40
all of us as stewards,
00:19:31.43\00:19:34.17
each and every one
in a spiritual sins
00:19:34.20\00:19:36.50
we are stewards.
00:19:36.54\00:19:38.31
So 1 Peter 4:10.
00:19:38.34\00:19:42.31
Peter writes,
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.75
"As each one has
received a gift,"
00:19:43.78\00:19:46.78
now this is a spiritual
gift that he is referring to,
00:19:46.82\00:19:50.49
"minister it to one another,
00:19:50.52\00:19:52.92
as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God."
00:19:52.95\00:19:57.63
Amen.
00:19:57.66\00:19:58.99
Every person in the church
has been given a gift by God.
00:19:59.03\00:20:04.23
Anybody who is in
the body of Christ,
00:20:04.27\00:20:06.37
the Holy Spirit has bestowed
00:20:06.40\00:20:07.87
some kind of the
spiritual gift upon us.
00:20:07.90\00:20:10.44
And we are given that
not for our own pleasure,
00:20:10.47\00:20:14.44
not to be used selfishly,
00:20:14.48\00:20:16.58
but it is for the
benefit of the body of Christ.
00:20:16.61\00:20:19.25
That's right.
00:20:19.28\00:20:20.62
So if we are going
to be good stewards
00:20:20.65\00:20:25.59
of the manifold grace of God,
00:20:25.62\00:20:28.12
our priority should be
living in the light of Christ
00:20:28.16\00:20:33.26
and serving with intensity.
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.36
We should be putting to
use demonstrating the gift
00:20:36.40\00:20:40.20
that God has given us,
00:20:40.24\00:20:41.57
putting it to use in the church.
00:20:41.60\00:20:46.31
When we think about...
00:20:46.34\00:20:48.81
Let me see where
I want to go here.
00:20:48.84\00:20:53.52
The manifold, he makes us
good stewards of God's grace.
00:20:53.55\00:20:58.19
I wanted to read this passage.
00:20:58.22\00:21:02.56
This is from Fundamentals
of Christian Education
00:21:02.59\00:21:05.49
by E.G. White.
00:21:05.53\00:21:07.43
And she writes,
00:21:07.46\00:21:08.80
"Shall I open my
heart to the Holy Spirit,
00:21:08.83\00:21:11.33
that every faculty
and energy may be aroused,
00:21:11.37\00:21:14.50
which God has
given me in trust?"
00:21:14.54\00:21:18.54
Everything is basically,
00:21:18.57\00:21:21.18
you know, we talk
about setting up a trust,
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.14
God has put everything in
trust and He's given it to us.
00:21:23.18\00:21:26.61
"I am Christ's property,
00:21:26.65\00:21:28.88
and am employed in His service.
00:21:28.92\00:21:33.05
I am a steward of His grace."
00:21:33.09\00:21:37.46
So when we think about
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.49
being wise
stewards, Jesus says...
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.93
And let's look at Luke 12:45.
00:21:42.96\00:21:47.44
Jesus is using
00:21:47.47\00:21:48.80
the term steward
metaphorically here.
00:21:48.84\00:21:52.54
And he talks
about a wise steward
00:21:52.57\00:21:55.88
that's ready for
the Son of Man's return.
00:21:55.91\00:22:00.25
But again, he talks
about an unfaithful steward,
00:22:00.28\00:22:03.62
and here's what he says
about the unfaithful steward.
00:22:03.65\00:22:07.69
Luke 12:45.
00:22:07.72\00:22:09.96
This is the one who...
00:22:09.99\00:22:15.06
Instead of looking
for the return of Jesus,
00:22:15.10\00:22:18.13
this steward has said,
00:22:18.17\00:22:20.27
"Uh, been saying
for years He's coming,
00:22:20.30\00:22:24.11
you know, I don't see it..."
00:22:24.14\00:22:26.68
So they become
abusive with the grace,
00:22:26.71\00:22:31.95
the gifts of grace
that God has given.
00:22:31.98\00:22:34.35
And they are not
using for their own benefit.
00:22:34.38\00:22:37.49
I mean, they are using
it for their own benefit.
00:22:37.52\00:22:39.95
And he says,
00:22:39.99\00:22:41.32
"If the servant
says in his heart,
00:22:41.36\00:22:43.26
'My master is
delaying His coming,'
00:22:43.29\00:22:45.43
and begins to beat the
male and female servants,
00:22:45.46\00:22:48.03
and to eat and
drink and be drunk."
00:22:48.06\00:22:50.57
Well, Jesus knew this is the era
00:22:50.60\00:22:53.23
that generation
could fall into, right?
00:22:53.27\00:22:55.44
They were
expecting Christ to come
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.64
during their generation,
00:22:57.67\00:22:59.61
but He didn't,
00:22:59.64\00:23:01.58
so He knew that they
could then start thinking,
00:23:01.61\00:23:04.48
well, okay.
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.18
So he's talking about beating
the male and female servants,
00:23:06.21\00:23:11.82
being drunken, what is this?
00:23:11.85\00:23:14.09
This is just selfish,
undisciplined conduct.
00:23:14.12\00:23:18.36
And this can mark
the person's behavior.
00:23:18.39\00:23:22.53
He goes on in Luke 12:46 saying,
00:23:22.56\00:23:24.93
"The master of that servant,"
of this wicked servant,
00:23:24.97\00:23:28.94
"is gonna come on a day
when he is not looking for him,
00:23:28.97\00:23:31.84
and at an hour
when he is not aware,
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.08
and will cut him in two
and appoint him his portion
00:23:34.11\00:23:38.05
with the unbelievers."
00:23:38.08\00:23:40.32
Now, this is a
spiritual metaphor,
00:23:40.35\00:23:41.85
so what is He referring to here?
00:23:41.88\00:23:44.12
He is referring to
the Day of Judgment.
00:23:44.15\00:23:45.75
That's right.
00:23:45.79\00:23:47.12
And we know that
Christ's second coming
00:23:47.16\00:23:51.29
is absolutely going to happen,
00:23:51.33\00:23:55.50
though it may
seem delayed to us,
00:23:55.53\00:23:57.87
it will come to pass
as the Lord has promised.
00:23:57.90\00:24:00.64
So we need to faithfully use
00:24:00.67\00:24:05.31
what God has given us
for the glory of His name.
00:24:05.34\00:24:08.88
And as you said,
00:24:08.91\00:24:10.25
you know, Jesus talks
in one place about those
00:24:10.28\00:24:13.55
who'll be beaten
with a few stripes
00:24:13.58\00:24:15.28
or those with many stripes.
00:24:15.32\00:24:17.05
The more opportunities
00:24:17.09\00:24:18.52
that the Lord has opened for us,
00:24:18.55\00:24:21.36
the more He has given to us,
00:24:21.39\00:24:24.36
those who have received much
00:24:24.39\00:24:27.60
are accountable to God for much.
00:24:27.63\00:24:29.23
That's right. That's right.
00:24:29.26\00:24:30.60
He expects more out of us.
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.53
But no matter,
00:24:32.57\00:24:34.17
if you've just been
given that one little talent
00:24:34.20\00:24:36.77
and the parable of
the talents comes to mind.
00:24:36.81\00:24:39.14
You've been given
that one little talent,
00:24:39.17\00:24:41.28
don't go bury it in the
ground because Jesus expects you
00:24:41.31\00:24:46.11
to put it into good
use to earn interest on it,
00:24:46.15\00:24:51.69
and that interest is
in spreading the gospel
00:24:51.72\00:24:55.36
so that others can come to Him.
00:24:55.39\00:24:58.39
Thank you so much,
Shelley, that's beautiful,
00:24:58.43\00:25:00.16
you and Pastor John,
stewards in the Old Testament
00:25:00.20\00:25:02.63
and the New Testament.
00:25:02.66\00:25:04.23
I have Tuesday
00:25:04.27\00:25:05.60
which is stewards of
the mysteries of God.
00:25:05.63\00:25:08.80
And just being honest with you,
00:25:08.84\00:25:10.54
when we first
get our assignments,
00:25:10.57\00:25:12.74
we get the assignment,
you're getting this day,
00:25:12.77\00:25:14.58
I thought I don't believe
00:25:14.61\00:25:16.14
and this is the
honest confession.
00:25:16.18\00:25:18.85
I don't believe
I ever have studied
00:25:18.88\00:25:21.42
what are the mysteries of God.
00:25:21.45\00:25:22.92
So I'm so
excited, I got this day
00:25:22.95\00:25:25.72
because it enabled
me to be able to get in
00:25:25.75\00:25:28.32
and to study that.
00:25:28.36\00:25:29.69
Before we talk about
the mysteries of God,
00:25:29.72\00:25:31.83
let's just look at 1
Corinthians 4:1 and 2.
00:25:31.86\00:25:37.83
1 Corinthians 4:1 and 2,
00:25:37.87\00:25:41.64
and then we would talk about
there is many of the mysteries.
00:25:41.67\00:25:44.31
Hopefully, we'll
get to seven of them.
00:25:44.34\00:25:46.01
But first we want to
lay some foundation here.
00:25:46.04\00:25:49.61
1 Corinthians 4:1,
"Let a man so consider us,
00:25:49.64\00:25:54.25
as servants of Christ
00:25:54.28\00:25:55.88
and stewards of
the mysteries of God."
00:25:55.92\00:25:59.05
There is three words
00:25:59.09\00:26:00.42
I want to look at
here as we study this.
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.19
Let a man consider us,
the three words are servants,
00:26:02.22\00:26:05.79
stewards, and mysteries.
00:26:05.83\00:26:08.03
Okay.
00:26:08.06\00:26:09.40
So if we look at
the word for servants,
00:26:09.43\00:26:11.60
it literally means in the
Greek a servant or underlain.
00:26:11.63\00:26:15.57
But it comes
from two Greek words,
00:26:15.60\00:26:18.17
one means under, and
the other means to row.
00:26:18.21\00:26:22.84
So if you put that
together it could be a rower,
00:26:22.88\00:26:26.11
a crewman on a boat, or
it could be an under rower,
00:26:26.15\00:26:30.12
or one of the men
00:26:30.15\00:26:31.49
who mans the oars on
the lower deck of a boat.
00:26:31.52\00:26:35.66
So when I read that,
00:26:35.69\00:26:37.03
we're supposed to
be servants of Christ,
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.79
or in under rower.
00:26:39.83\00:26:42.36
It makes me think of
two things that would be,
00:26:42.40\00:26:45.70
we are one who
takes orders, right?
00:26:45.73\00:26:49.74
They are to take orders.
00:26:49.77\00:26:51.24
So a servant of
Christ has to take orders.
00:26:51.27\00:26:54.08
The second thing
00:26:54.11\00:26:55.44
is it would be woman or a person
00:26:55.48\00:26:56.98
who is part of a team,
everyone rowing in unison,
00:26:57.01\00:27:00.42
everyone working together.
00:27:00.45\00:27:02.82
So as servants of Christ
we are under orders of Christ,
00:27:02.85\00:27:08.32
the Master Steward.
00:27:08.36\00:27:09.69
And we are to work together,
pull together as a team.
00:27:09.72\00:27:13.19
Now Shelley and Pastor John
already talked about stewards,
00:27:13.23\00:27:16.87
and what that means,
the next word is stewards.
00:27:16.90\00:27:19.37
But one thing I really
liked is in the ancient world,
00:27:19.40\00:27:23.14
the steward was
usually not always,
00:27:23.17\00:27:25.17
but usually a freedman, meaning,
00:27:25.21\00:27:27.44
he was a slave released
from forced legal servitude.
00:27:27.48\00:27:31.95
And I love that
because we have been freed,
00:27:31.98\00:27:34.68
bought by the
precious blood of Christ.
00:27:34.72\00:27:38.15
And then we are to spend
our lives in service for Him.
00:27:38.19\00:27:42.22
Now, if we look at
the word mysteries,
00:27:42.26\00:27:46.06
if I were to ask you,
00:27:46.09\00:27:48.06
what is mysteries,
usually in English,
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.53
we think a
mystery would be something
00:27:50.57\00:27:52.17
we can't understand,
00:27:52.20\00:27:53.54
or something not
understandable to us.
00:27:53.57\00:27:55.84
But in the Bible,
00:27:55.87\00:27:57.21
it has a little
different meaning.
00:27:57.24\00:27:58.87
It does not mean something
that can't be understood.
00:27:58.91\00:28:02.81
Instead it's
something that is revealed
00:28:02.84\00:28:06.51
by divine revelation.
00:28:06.55\00:28:08.65
In the Bible, a mystery
is not something unknowable
00:28:08.68\00:28:11.99
rather it is what can
be known through Revelation
00:28:12.02\00:28:15.29
because God reveals it.
00:28:15.32\00:28:17.79
It is a
declaration of spiritual truth
00:28:17.83\00:28:20.80
revealed by God
through divine inspiration.
00:28:20.83\00:28:25.33
So you and I as stewards
00:28:25.37\00:28:27.64
are entrusted
with the announcement
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.77
of God's revealed word,
00:28:29.80\00:28:31.67
and we find that
in the Word of God.
00:28:31.71\00:28:33.54
So let's look at
some of those mysteries.
00:28:33.58\00:28:36.24
Hopefully, we'll
get to seven here.
00:28:36.28\00:28:38.81
Let's look at 2 Thessalonians 2.
00:28:38.85\00:28:43.02
And, Mollie, I
will have you read it
00:28:43.05\00:28:44.39
because I like it in King James
00:28:44.42\00:28:45.75
and I know you
have King James Bible.
00:28:45.79\00:28:47.72
2 Thessalonians 2:7.
00:28:47.76\00:28:52.49
2 Thessalonians 2:7.
00:28:55.56\00:28:59.10
"For the mystery of
iniquity doth already work,
00:28:59.13\00:29:02.67
only he who now
letteth will let,
00:29:02.70\00:29:06.47
until he be
taken out of the way."
00:29:06.51\00:29:09.31
So your version says
the mystery of iniquity.
00:29:09.34\00:29:12.01
So this is one of the mysteries
00:29:12.05\00:29:14.28
we could say, not
literally unknowable,
00:29:14.32\00:29:16.65
but one of the revealed truths
00:29:16.69\00:29:18.59
in the Word of God,
the mystery of iniquity.
00:29:18.62\00:29:21.29
My Bible says the
mystery of lawlessness
00:29:21.32\00:29:23.59
because I have New King James,
00:29:23.63\00:29:24.96
but that's why I like
the mystery of iniquity.
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.96
We are as stewards
of the mysteries of God.
00:29:28.00\00:29:30.80
We are entrusted with holding up
00:29:30.83\00:29:32.93
the law of God
00:29:32.97\00:29:34.77
which shows sin,
00:29:34.80\00:29:36.74
so that other people
see their need of a savior.
00:29:36.77\00:29:40.08
Now in contrast to this,
00:29:40.11\00:29:42.48
we're not only stewards
of the mystery of iniquity,
00:29:42.51\00:29:45.35
but the mystery of godliness.
00:29:45.38\00:29:46.95
Let's look at, 1 Timothy 3:16.
00:29:46.98\00:29:51.35
And, Pastor Kenny, you
want to read that for us?
00:29:51.39\00:29:54.36
1 Timothy 3:16.
00:29:54.39\00:29:58.29
"And without controversy great
is the mystery of godliness.
00:29:58.33\00:30:02.30
God was manifested in the flesh,
00:30:02.33\00:30:04.73
justified in the Spirit,
00:30:04.77\00:30:06.94
seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles,
00:30:06.97\00:30:11.54
believed on in the
world, received up into glory."
00:30:11.57\00:30:14.21
Yes, without
controversy. Yes, that's a lot.
00:30:14.24\00:30:17.45
Without Controversy meaning
00:30:17.48\00:30:19.28
by consent of all or admittedly.
00:30:19.31\00:30:22.12
So by consent of everyone great
is the mystery of godliness.
00:30:22.15\00:30:26.89
Now, this is great contrast
to the mystery of iniquity.
00:30:26.92\00:30:30.79
As stewards of
the grace of Christ,
00:30:30.83\00:30:33.23
we are the mysteries of
God, we are called to proclaim.
00:30:33.26\00:30:37.27
This whole list
really deals with the life,
00:30:37.30\00:30:40.04
the birth, the
life, the ministry,
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.74
the resurrection,
00:30:42.77\00:30:44.11
the ascension of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:30:44.14\00:30:47.98
You think it
says the first part,
00:30:48.01\00:30:49.44
God was manifested in the flesh,
00:30:49.48\00:30:51.61
it reminds me
of the incarnation.
00:30:51.65\00:30:53.88
John 1:1,
00:30:53.92\00:30:55.25
"In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
00:30:55.28\00:30:57.29
and the Word was God.
00:30:57.32\00:30:58.65
In verse 14, "The
Word was made flesh."
00:30:58.69\00:31:01.32
Jesus Christ, "The
Word was made flesh,
00:31:01.36\00:31:04.39
justified in the
spirit, seen by angels."
00:31:04.43\00:31:08.73
Remember, immediately
after His resurrection,
00:31:08.76\00:31:11.10
He went up, He ascended up
to His Father seen by angels,
00:31:11.13\00:31:15.47
preached among the Gentiles.
00:31:15.50\00:31:17.41
This gospel message,
00:31:17.44\00:31:18.77
the message that
Jesus is our Savior,
00:31:18.81\00:31:22.24
Jesus is the crucified
risen and soon coming Savior,
00:31:22.28\00:31:25.45
we are to proclaim that
message with power to the world,
00:31:25.48\00:31:29.42
believed on in the world.
00:31:29.45\00:31:32.22
"He who believes in
the Son has eternal life,"
00:31:32.25\00:31:36.12
and received up into glory.
00:31:36.16\00:31:38.56
Now let's look
at another mystery
00:31:38.59\00:31:40.83
Mark 4:11
00:31:40.86\00:31:42.73
and, Shelley, you want
to take that one for us?
00:31:42.76\00:31:44.10
Most certainly.
00:31:44.13\00:31:45.47
Mark 4:11, this is
a different mystery.
00:31:45.50\00:31:51.31
I've got so many
things in my Bible here,
00:31:51.34\00:31:53.11
it's hard to turn the pages.
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.18
Mark 4:11.
00:31:55.21\00:31:56.71
Mark 4:11 says,
00:31:56.75\00:32:00.58
"And He said to them,
00:32:00.62\00:32:02.75
to you it has been given to know
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.69
the mystery of
the kingdom of God,
00:32:04.72\00:32:07.16
but to those who are outside
all things come in parables."
00:32:07.19\00:32:10.89
Yes, the mystery
of the kingdom of God.
00:32:10.93\00:32:13.90
And the word kingdom in
Greek comes from the word king
00:32:13.93\00:32:17.83
or the realm in
which a king rules.
00:32:17.87\00:32:21.37
And I believe, I'm sure
there's many applications,
00:32:21.40\00:32:23.67
but I believe it especially
refers to the rule of Christ
00:32:23.71\00:32:27.14
in the believers hearts.
00:32:27.18\00:32:29.48
Let's look at
another mystery, Pastor John,
00:32:29.51\00:32:32.35
you want to take this one.
00:32:32.38\00:32:34.08
Ephesians 3. Okay.
00:32:34.12\00:32:36.38
Verses...
00:32:36.42\00:32:38.29
We won't read all of it.
00:32:38.32\00:32:40.66
Just the first couple of verses.
00:32:40.69\00:32:42.52
Ephesians 3 what?
00:32:42.56\00:32:43.89
Ephesians 3, can
you read verse 3 to 6?
00:32:43.93\00:32:46.33
Okay, here it
is Ephesians 3:3-6.
00:32:46.36\00:32:52.57
And we are told
in the Word of God,
00:32:52.60\00:32:55.20
"How that by revelation
00:32:55.24\00:32:57.67
He made known to me the mystery,
00:32:57.71\00:33:01.14
as I wrote before in a few words
00:33:01.18\00:33:03.68
by which when you read
00:33:03.71\00:33:05.08
you may understand my knowledge
in the mystery of Christ.
00:33:05.11\00:33:09.12
Which in other ages
00:33:09.15\00:33:10.49
was not made known
to the sons of men,
00:33:10.52\00:33:13.15
as it has now been revealed
00:33:13.19\00:33:15.99
by the Spirit
00:33:16.02\00:33:17.59
to His holy
apostles and prophets."
00:33:17.63\00:33:19.86
And then verse 6,
00:33:19.89\00:33:21.53
"That the Gentiles
00:33:21.56\00:33:22.90
should be fellow
heirs of the same body,
00:33:22.93\00:33:26.27
and partakers of His promise
in Christ through the gospel."
00:33:26.30\00:33:31.67
The mystery we see
here is the mystery,
00:33:31.71\00:33:33.98
there are several
parenthetical expressions
00:33:34.01\00:33:35.98
and, you know, with parentheses,
00:33:36.01\00:33:37.35
but if you take all that out.
00:33:37.38\00:33:38.91
We have made known to Him,
00:33:38.95\00:33:40.28
the mystery that the
gentiles should be fellow heirs
00:33:40.32\00:33:43.85
of the same body
00:33:43.89\00:33:45.22
and partakers of His promise
in Christ with the gospel.
00:33:45.25\00:33:48.39
The mystery of the
church, in the Greek,
00:33:48.42\00:33:52.09
if you look at fellow heirs,
it literally is joint heirs.
00:33:52.13\00:33:56.50
Then it says, the
Gentiles should be joint heirs,
00:33:56.53\00:33:58.67
the Jews and Gentiles
together of the same body.
00:33:58.70\00:34:02.30
The word in Greek is joint body,
00:34:02.34\00:34:04.67
meaning they're
belonging to the same body,
00:34:04.71\00:34:07.21
and partakers, in the
Greek it is joint partakers.
00:34:07.24\00:34:11.41
So each one of them are
joined, joined together,
00:34:11.45\00:34:14.72
the Jews and the Gentiles
to form the Christian Church.
00:34:14.75\00:34:18.85
We don't have time,
00:34:18.89\00:34:20.22
but 1 Timothy 3:9 talks
about the mystery of the faith.
00:34:20.26\00:34:24.49
Colossians 2:1-3 talks
about the mystery of God.
00:34:24.53\00:34:29.00
And one of my
favorites Colossians 1:27,
00:34:29.03\00:34:32.97
"Christ in you
the hope of glory."
00:34:33.00\00:34:35.87
The greatest mystery of all
00:34:35.90\00:34:37.31
is that the Lord Jesus Christ
by the power of the Holy Spirit
00:34:37.34\00:34:42.84
can dwell in you and I by faith.
00:34:42.88\00:34:46.21
So those mysteries are things
00:34:46.25\00:34:48.72
that are revealed to
us by divine revelation.
00:34:48.75\00:34:52.55
Praise God, Jill.
00:34:52.59\00:34:53.92
Well, I have Wednesday,
00:34:53.96\00:34:56.09
and I'm looking at
stewards of spiritual truth.
00:34:56.12\00:35:00.50
And a scripture that you used
00:35:00.53\00:35:02.40
I'm going to use also as
my foundational scripture
00:35:02.43\00:35:06.03
and it's 1 Peter 14,
00:35:06.07\00:35:08.84
as each one has received a gift,
00:35:08.87\00:35:11.64
now how many of us,
Jill, you made this very clear,
00:35:11.67\00:35:14.44
how many of us
have received a gift?
00:35:14.48\00:35:16.31
Everyone of us.
00:35:16.34\00:35:17.68
Every single one
of us have a gift
00:35:17.71\00:35:19.11
and you may think, no, I don't.
00:35:19.15\00:35:21.12
You pray and you ask God...
00:35:21.15\00:35:23.02
And I have got the
best story about that,
00:35:23.05\00:35:25.12
I just don't
have time to share it.
00:35:25.15\00:35:26.79
you pray and ask it,
00:35:26.82\00:35:28.62
and He will show
you what your gift is.
00:35:28.66\00:35:32.93
For everyone
has received a gift,
00:35:32.96\00:35:35.46
minister it to one another.
00:35:35.50\00:35:37.63
Now those gifts
00:35:37.67\00:35:39.00
that we receive are
our gifts for ourselves.
00:35:39.03\00:35:41.97
No, therefore one
another it's just like fruit.
00:35:42.00\00:35:45.87
We're all to be fruit
bearers in the kingdom of God,
00:35:45.91\00:35:48.31
are we not?
00:35:48.34\00:35:49.68
Well, think about this. Do
you bear fruit for yourself?
00:35:49.71\00:35:54.42
Think about that apple tree.
00:35:54.45\00:35:56.38
Does that apple tree
00:35:56.42\00:35:57.75
produce apples to
consume it upon itself?
00:35:57.79\00:36:00.86
No, we bear fruit
to share with others.
00:36:00.89\00:36:04.23
We are given gifts by God
to minister to one another
00:36:04.26\00:36:09.23
as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God.
00:36:09.26\00:36:15.14
Just as God has made us
stewards of those things
00:36:15.17\00:36:19.81
He entrust us with
our tangible possessions,
00:36:19.84\00:36:23.95
He has also made us stewards
of intangible possessions.
00:36:23.98\00:36:28.62
And that's what
I'm going to look at,
00:36:28.65\00:36:30.49
intangible possessions.
00:36:30.52\00:36:32.45
God blesses each of
us with intangible gifts
00:36:32.49\00:36:36.79
to assist us as we develop.
00:36:36.83\00:36:40.46
Now, what's the one thing
00:36:40.50\00:36:41.83
you can take
into heaven with you?
00:36:41.86\00:36:43.26
Character.
00:36:43.30\00:36:44.63
He has given us intangible gifts
00:36:44.67\00:36:48.30
to assist us
00:36:48.34\00:36:49.67
as we develop
Christian character
00:36:49.70\00:36:53.71
and become the people
that He's called us to be.
00:36:53.74\00:36:57.15
You see, God doesn't
just throw us out here
00:36:57.18\00:37:02.02
and tell us just
do the best you can,
00:37:02.05\00:37:04.75
you know, be good
and do the best you can.
00:37:04.79\00:37:07.09
No, He fully equips us. Amen.
00:37:07.12\00:37:11.26
He instructs us.
00:37:11.29\00:37:12.99
Actually, He's given us
the whole book of instructions,
00:37:13.03\00:37:18.77
and in this is our
equipping and our instructions.
00:37:18.80\00:37:22.67
He holds our hand,
00:37:22.70\00:37:25.07
He picks us up
when we fall down,
00:37:25.11\00:37:28.24
He forgives us when
we have our temper fits.
00:37:28.28\00:37:31.38
God is there for
us in every situation,
00:37:31.41\00:37:35.35
He takes good care,
00:37:35.38\00:37:36.72
He is a good steward
of us, did you know that?
00:37:36.75\00:37:39.75
He has given us
tangible and intangibles for us
00:37:39.79\00:37:43.93
to be good stewards
over, but in the meantime
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.56
He's taking
such good care of us.
00:37:46.59\00:37:49.23
So I want to still look at
some of the intangible gifts
00:37:49.26\00:37:53.54
that we are to be
good stewards over.
00:37:53.57\00:37:55.50
And I want you to
turn to Ephesians 6.
00:37:55.54\00:37:58.94
Now what I'm going to
look at is weapons of warfare.
00:37:58.97\00:38:03.91
Now those are intangible gifts,
they're vitally important.
00:38:03.95\00:38:07.55
Now what we're going to
read is Ephesians 6:13-17,
00:38:07.58\00:38:11.95
but first I want to
still look at Ephesians 6:11.
00:38:11.99\00:38:15.92
The scriptures says
00:38:15.96\00:38:17.29
put on how much
of the amour of God.
00:38:17.33\00:38:19.66
"Put on the whole armor of God
that you may be able to stand
00:38:19.69\00:38:24.63
against the wiles of the devil."
00:38:24.67\00:38:27.00
Now why are we given this armor?
00:38:27.04\00:38:29.50
Is because we're in a battle,
and that would be verse 12,
00:38:29.54\00:38:32.77
"For we wrestle not
with flesh and blood."
00:38:32.81\00:38:36.44
Now this is Mollie's version,
but bless God we wrestle.
00:38:36.48\00:38:40.25
We wrestle not
with flesh and blood,
00:38:40.28\00:38:42.08
but that great
controversy is real.
00:38:42.12\00:38:45.59
There really is a war going
on and it's going on over us.
00:38:45.62\00:38:49.72
There is a fight between light
00:38:49.76\00:38:51.29
and darkness, good and
evil, Christ and Satan,
00:38:51.33\00:38:54.10
and we are thrown
right in the middle of that.
00:38:54.13\00:38:56.90
Now let's look at these gifts
00:38:56.93\00:38:58.60
that God has given us
and that's verse 13-17.
00:38:58.63\00:39:03.41
Pastor Lomacang, are you there
00:39:03.44\00:39:04.94
in Ephesians 6:13-17?
00:39:04.97\00:39:07.11
Yes, I am.
00:39:07.14\00:39:08.84
If you'll read
those please? Sure.
00:39:08.88\00:39:10.91
"Therefore take up
the whole armor of God
00:39:10.95\00:39:14.08
that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day,
00:39:14.12\00:39:18.79
and having done all, to stand.
00:39:18.82\00:39:21.26
Stand therefore,
00:39:21.29\00:39:22.62
having girded
your waist with truth,
00:39:22.66\00:39:25.73
having put on the
breastplate of righteousness,
00:39:25.76\00:39:29.26
and having shod your feet
00:39:29.30\00:39:31.93
with the preparation
of the gospel of peace.
00:39:31.97\00:39:34.70
Above all, taking
the shield of faith,
00:39:34.74\00:39:37.14
with which you
will be able to quench
00:39:37.17\00:39:40.21
all the fiery
darts of the wicked one,
00:39:40.24\00:39:42.61
and take the
helmet of salvation,
00:39:42.64\00:39:44.81
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God."
00:39:44.85\00:39:48.55
Now remember we're in
a war, we're in warfare.
00:39:48.58\00:39:51.92
The reason it's so important
00:39:51.95\00:39:54.86
that we're good stewards
of these spiritual gifts
00:39:54.89\00:39:58.59
is because they're
all for our protection.
00:39:58.63\00:40:01.13
If you look at
all of this study out
00:40:01.16\00:40:04.63
each one of these
gifts that God has given us,
00:40:04.67\00:40:08.40
if we properly apply them,
then we are totally protected.
00:40:08.44\00:40:13.78
There is no chink in our armor.
00:40:13.81\00:40:16.41
We are totally protected, but...
00:40:16.44\00:40:18.71
And I just want to throw this in
00:40:18.75\00:40:21.35
and we need all of
these spiritual gifts,
00:40:21.38\00:40:23.65
but the greatest
gift that God has given us
00:40:23.69\00:40:27.32
is eternal life in Christ Jesus
through no merit of our own
00:40:27.36\00:40:33.43
God gave us a free
gift He redeemed us,
00:40:33.46\00:40:37.90
that means, He bought us back.
00:40:37.93\00:40:39.87
Salvation and redemption,
those are our greatest gifts.
00:40:39.90\00:40:44.57
You and I as fallen humanity
you see when Adam and Eve fail
00:40:44.61\00:40:50.88
in the garden they did what?
00:40:50.91\00:40:52.98
They fail. What
did they fall into?
00:40:53.01\00:40:55.32
They fell into
sin and degradation.
00:40:55.35\00:40:58.32
They lost their lofty place
00:40:58.35\00:41:01.86
in the presence of almighty God.
00:41:01.89\00:41:03.83
And, you know what happened?
00:41:03.86\00:41:05.43
Everyone, you and I were born
in Adam, did you all know that?
00:41:05.46\00:41:09.70
We the fallen race of humanity
00:41:09.73\00:41:14.90
is what we were born into.
00:41:14.94\00:41:17.27
We were without hope,
we didn't have a future,
00:41:17.31\00:41:22.64
we had no hope.
00:41:22.68\00:41:24.08
Oh, but thank God, you
know, there's a but in there,
00:41:24.11\00:41:27.12
but God by sending His only Son
00:41:27.15\00:41:31.09
to die an agonizing,
00:41:31.12\00:41:34.42
bloody death on a cruel cross
00:41:34.46\00:41:38.83
used His shed blood in
exchange for our lives.
00:41:38.86\00:41:45.17
He has shed blood, Pastor Kenny,
00:41:45.20\00:41:48.37
became the currency He
used to ransom us back.
00:41:48.40\00:41:55.01
His shed blood
became the currency
00:41:55.04\00:41:59.28
that He used to give
us a future and a hope.
00:41:59.31\00:42:03.02
There was an exchange
by accepting this gift
00:42:03.05\00:42:08.56
that was purchased for us,
we have a future and a hope.
00:42:08.59\00:42:14.13
We get to see Adam and
Eve had fallen, we can't fail,
00:42:14.16\00:42:18.57
we were born into
that fallen condition,
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.80
but you know what happens
00:42:21.84\00:42:23.27
when you make Jesus
Christ the Lord of your life,
00:42:23.30\00:42:26.17
you stand back up.
00:42:26.21\00:42:27.81
He stands us up when
we make Him our Lord.
00:42:27.84\00:42:31.45
That Jeremiah 29:11,
how many of you love this.
00:42:31.48\00:42:35.55
"For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,
00:42:35.58\00:42:39.02
says the Lord,
thoughts of peace,
00:42:39.05\00:42:41.32
and not of evil,
00:42:41.36\00:42:42.82
to give you a
future and a hope."
00:42:42.86\00:42:44.73
Thank God.
00:42:44.76\00:42:46.09
This redemption, this
gift that God gives us
00:42:46.13\00:42:50.60
is our most valuable position.
00:42:50.63\00:42:54.47
You can your lose your
home, you can lose your car,
00:42:54.50\00:42:59.47
you can lose your loved ones,
00:42:59.51\00:43:01.84
but you've got a
future and a hope
00:43:01.88\00:43:03.58
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:43:03.61\00:43:05.91
Your most valuable
possession is your redemption.
00:43:05.95\00:43:11.65
You know, I had
someone some time ago
00:43:11.69\00:43:14.42
kind of accused me of something
00:43:14.46\00:43:17.03
that would have
jeopardized my salvation.
00:43:17.06\00:43:20.66
If I was guilty of what
they were accusing me of,
00:43:20.70\00:43:24.43
then what I would
be doing would be...
00:43:24.47\00:43:26.90
"Oh, no, nothing is worth
jeopardizing our salvation.
00:43:26.94\00:43:33.44
Nothing and no
one is worthy of that.
00:43:33.48\00:43:36.48
Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:7,
00:43:36.51\00:43:40.12
"In Him we have
redemption through His blood,
00:43:40.15\00:43:43.39
the forgiveness of sins,
00:43:43.42\00:43:45.52
according to the
riches of His grace.
00:43:45.55\00:43:48.12
How crucial that
we are good stewards
00:43:48.16\00:43:51.73
of these precious
gifts God has given us,
00:43:51.76\00:43:55.13
in order that
the enemy of our soul
00:43:55.16\00:43:58.10
doesn't take them away."
00:43:58.13\00:43:59.53
And I just want to
share this very quickly
00:43:59.57\00:44:02.57
who is out to
steal, kill, and destroy?
00:44:02.60\00:44:05.41
It's the thief.
00:44:05.44\00:44:07.81
Pastor Kenny
said that dirty devil.
00:44:07.84\00:44:10.65
This is in Mark 4,
00:44:10.68\00:44:14.72
"And these are
they by the wayside,
00:44:14.75\00:44:18.42
where the Word is sown,
but when they have heard,
00:44:18.45\00:44:22.22
Satan cometh immediately
00:44:22.26\00:44:24.83
and taketh away the Word
that was sown in their heart."
00:44:24.86\00:44:27.60
Satan is a thief,
00:44:27.63\00:44:30.07
he is coming to
steal, kill, and destroy.
00:44:30.10\00:44:33.07
We have these
precious gifts and the only way
00:44:33.10\00:44:37.74
that we can jeopardize
our redemption our salvation
00:44:37.77\00:44:41.64
is we neglect these gifts,
but if we apply these gifts
00:44:41.68\00:44:45.41
and use them as God intended,
there is no chink in our armor,
00:44:45.45\00:44:49.65
and our
salvation, and our future,
00:44:49.68\00:44:52.75
and our hope is
secured in Christ.
00:44:52.79\00:44:55.19
That's right. Praise the Lord.
00:44:55.22\00:44:56.56
Oh, yeah, well covered.
00:44:56.59\00:44:57.93
That's giving me
hope and encouragement.
00:44:57.96\00:44:59.29
Yes, praise
God. Thank you, yeah.
00:44:59.33\00:45:00.66
For each one of you
and Thursday's lessons
00:45:00.70\00:45:02.96
more like a Friday kind of to me
00:45:03.00\00:45:05.90
I studied it here
is our responsibility
00:45:05.93\00:45:08.67
as steward is really
is kind of a round up
00:45:08.70\00:45:10.87
of what each of
you have covered.
00:45:10.91\00:45:13.34
And so if we go
over same passage
00:45:13.38\00:45:15.88
it's all right to do
that, that's what we learn.
00:45:15.91\00:45:17.71
That's right. Yes.
00:45:17.75\00:45:19.08
And our responsibility
so Thursday's lesson
00:45:19.11\00:45:21.25
and our first passage
of scripture is Luke 12:48.
00:45:21.28\00:45:24.95
Now at least two of
you referred to this,
00:45:24.99\00:45:26.65
I'm not sure if anyone
read it through or not,
00:45:26.69\00:45:29.19
but the principle was there
00:45:29.22\00:45:30.56
but in order for us
to kind of make sense
00:45:30.59\00:45:32.39
and put it in order.
00:45:32.43\00:45:33.76
Let's just read
that someone has it
00:45:33.80\00:45:35.13
or like to read it
for me, Luke 12:48.
00:45:35.16\00:45:38.73
"But he who did not
know yet committed things
00:45:38.77\00:45:42.00
deserving of stripes,
shall be beaten with few.
00:45:42.04\00:45:45.24
For everyone to
whom much is given
00:45:45.27\00:45:48.81
from Him much will be required,
00:45:48.84\00:45:50.91
and to whom much has
been committed of Him,
00:45:50.95\00:45:54.82
they will ask the more."
00:45:54.85\00:45:57.75
You know, to me that's
simple, but it's very clear
00:45:57.79\00:46:00.72
and what's been brought out here
00:46:00.76\00:46:02.29
because I see Acts
17 coming into play here
00:46:02.32\00:46:05.76
was at verse 30 in
times of ignorance,
00:46:05.79\00:46:08.40
God wink said
00:46:08.43\00:46:09.76
and that's
always been a blessing
00:46:09.80\00:46:11.13
because I think probably I lived
00:46:11.17\00:46:12.50
most of my life in ignorance.
00:46:12.53\00:46:13.87
So I thank God
that He has brought us
00:46:13.90\00:46:15.40
out of that
situation because of the words
00:46:15.44\00:46:17.31
you are talking about here
00:46:17.34\00:46:18.97
that brings light
and life to mankind.
00:46:19.01\00:46:21.28
And so we can't
stay in that condition,
00:46:21.31\00:46:23.65
but I praise God that
He's a God who cares for you,
00:46:23.68\00:46:26.11
He cares for me,
and when we don't know
00:46:26.15\00:46:28.05
something or
understand it, He has mercy...
00:46:28.08\00:46:31.92
Kenny, I just
want to say one thing
00:46:31.95\00:46:33.56
because we didn't read verse
47 and you may have said that
00:46:33.59\00:46:36.19
because what He
says in verse 47,
00:46:36.22\00:46:38.26
"Is if we know the master's will
00:46:38.29\00:46:40.66
and did not prepare himself
or do according to His will,
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.33
will get beaten
with many stripes."
00:46:43.37\00:46:46.23
So and then if you didn't know
you get beaten with few, so.
00:46:46.27\00:46:49.24
Yes, absolutely.
00:46:49.27\00:46:50.91
And that
corresponds with Luke 13:34.
00:46:50.94\00:46:55.21
Again, to me it says,
"For where your treasure is,
00:46:55.24\00:46:59.91
there will your heart be also."
00:46:59.95\00:47:03.08
I mean, that's a very
familiar passage of scripture,
00:47:03.12\00:47:05.02
but it still
stands for everything
00:47:05.05\00:47:06.39
we've said here, and
every one of our lessons so far,
00:47:06.42\00:47:09.02
it's where our treasure is.
00:47:09.06\00:47:10.43
And somehow in my
mind just came back
00:47:10.46\00:47:11.99
and said where your love is.
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.43
I hope I'm not
trying to change scripture,
00:47:14.46\00:47:16.26
but where our love is
00:47:16.30\00:47:18.80
that's where our
heart is going to be
00:47:18.83\00:47:20.30
which still it's talking
about certainly our mind.
00:47:20.34\00:47:23.20
Simple passage but
it comes with alive.
00:47:23.24\00:47:24.74
So stewards, we do have
a personal responsibility.
00:47:24.77\00:47:29.24
And a personal
responsibility is not something
00:47:29.28\00:47:31.55
that we push
off on someone else.
00:47:31.58\00:47:33.98
I've seen it in time,
00:47:34.02\00:47:35.38
I've seen it in
church over the years,
00:47:35.42\00:47:37.32
a lot of folks come to the
end of the road in their life,
00:47:37.35\00:47:41.02
and they have
things of this world.
00:47:41.06\00:47:44.03
And what they want to do...
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.90
Probably get
letters in different things,
00:47:46.93\00:47:48.26
but we need to
look at the Word of God,
00:47:48.30\00:47:49.63
that's what's important. Yes.
00:47:49.66\00:47:51.60
As that we are steward,
God has given this to us,
00:47:51.63\00:47:55.80
therefore, I'm accountable,
00:47:55.84\00:47:57.17
you are accountable as
everyone has been applying.
00:47:57.21\00:47:59.31
What they do many
times is they give it
00:47:59.34\00:48:02.51
what the God has
give them to unbelieving
00:48:02.54\00:48:04.85
or even unbelieving children
00:48:04.88\00:48:06.65
who are not in
need, they pass it on.
00:48:06.68\00:48:10.52
See, and when you
pass it on to unbelievers
00:48:10.55\00:48:12.52
and people who
don't know Jesus Christ,
00:48:12.55\00:48:13.96
that's been in
the wrong direction.
00:48:13.99\00:48:15.56
And there will be a
day of accountability
00:48:15.59\00:48:17.83
because God did not give it
00:48:17.86\00:48:19.29
to the children to squander away
00:48:19.33\00:48:20.93
or spend it in an ungodly way.
00:48:20.96\00:48:23.50
He gave it to us
and I have to make sure
00:48:23.53\00:48:26.07
that my life is in order
00:48:26.10\00:48:28.40
and I've made arrangements
00:48:28.44\00:48:30.24
by the grace of God, you
know, before we pass away.
00:48:30.27\00:48:32.91
And one of the
things Sister White says
00:48:32.94\00:48:34.44
is we get rid of
those things before,
00:48:34.48\00:48:36.95
while we still
have that opportunity,
00:48:36.98\00:48:38.35
so it's a
challenge, it's a test.
00:48:38.38\00:48:40.75
But, you know, stewards
had been talked about here
00:48:40.78\00:48:43.75
many times
steward one who acts what?
00:48:43.79\00:48:46.05
What did they do?
00:48:46.09\00:48:47.42
Instead of someone else
they're acting in behalf of,
00:48:47.46\00:48:50.06
and some of
you've mentioned here
00:48:50.09\00:48:51.43
how important it is
00:48:51.46\00:48:53.06
that you are a
good steward of thing.
00:48:53.09\00:48:56.83
I think of banking, really,
00:48:56.87\00:49:00.34
they are a steward of your money
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.07
when you put it in
there, investing company,
00:49:02.10\00:49:04.77
I'm an investor.
00:49:04.81\00:49:06.17
You know, you want somebody
00:49:06.21\00:49:07.54
that's good investing your money
00:49:07.58\00:49:08.91
so there's good returns
so you're very careful about
00:49:08.94\00:49:11.51
someone who's going to
take care of your property
00:49:11.55\00:49:13.48
or you want
somebody who is trustworthy.
00:49:13.52\00:49:16.69
And if we accept that position,
00:49:16.72\00:49:19.35
and if we accept
that responsibility,
00:49:19.39\00:49:21.26
as I look through here,
there's two parts to it.
00:49:21.29\00:49:23.69
First of all,
is that the choice,
00:49:23.73\00:49:26.80
I made a choice to be
a responsible steward,
00:49:26.83\00:49:30.93
and then number two
I have to act on it,
00:49:30.97\00:49:33.50
it's an action word.
00:49:33.54\00:49:34.87
So you can't just
say, well, yeah, I agree.
00:49:34.90\00:49:36.44
It's an action word.
00:49:36.47\00:49:38.41
So a good steward
always does brought out here.
00:49:38.44\00:49:41.41
He acts in the best he can
00:49:41.44\00:49:43.95
for that person
he is representing.
00:49:43.98\00:49:46.05
We are representing Christ,
and so we want to make sure
00:49:46.08\00:49:49.75
that we do the right thing
00:49:49.78\00:49:51.12
because He's going to hold
us accountable for our actions
00:49:51.15\00:49:54.02
or something, I
thought how interesting.
00:49:54.06\00:49:55.99
He holds in every area.
00:49:56.02\00:49:57.36
Pastor, I think you brought
it, doesn't matter what it is,
00:49:57.39\00:49:59.79
everything belongs to God.
00:49:59.83\00:50:01.23
And all you have
do is take the Bible
00:50:01.26\00:50:02.66
and read it in Psalms 50,
00:50:02.70\00:50:04.80
you know, he talks about
the cattle, was it verse 10?
00:50:04.83\00:50:07.17
The cattle and
everything is mine.
00:50:07.20\00:50:09.07
You know, the hill, he
talks about everything there,
00:50:09.10\00:50:10.87
the cattle on the
hill, every beast is mine,
00:50:10.91\00:50:13.81
and so
everything belongs to Him.
00:50:13.84\00:50:15.18
And then if I...
00:50:15.21\00:50:16.54
Me, I'm slow so I
didn't get that quite straight,
00:50:16.58\00:50:18.75
so I just read a couple
of verses down in verse 12,
00:50:18.78\00:50:21.32
and he said, the world is mine.
00:50:21.35\00:50:23.59
So He just brought it clear,
00:50:23.62\00:50:24.95
Kenny, if you
didn't get the other,
00:50:24.99\00:50:26.32
the world is mine is God saying.
00:50:26.35\00:50:27.99
So, you know, His ownership,
00:50:28.02\00:50:30.13
and we need to give back to Him.
00:50:30.16\00:50:32.56
1 Corinthians
4:12, another passage
00:50:32.59\00:50:35.06
that has been
alluded to, maybe even read.
00:50:35.10\00:50:37.20
It says, more over, notice
this is required of stewards
00:50:37.23\00:50:40.80
that a man be found, what?
00:50:40.84\00:50:42.40
Faithful. Faithful.
00:50:42.44\00:50:43.77
We must be found faithful
'cause we all are stewards.
00:50:43.81\00:50:47.08
We all have something that
we need to give an account for,
00:50:47.11\00:50:49.81
and you want
someone that's sure,
00:50:49.84\00:50:51.28
you want someone that's true.
00:50:51.31\00:50:52.65
Responsibility,
00:50:52.68\00:50:54.02
simple obligation,
I think about it...
00:50:54.05\00:50:56.42
I've heard someone say,
you ever heard somebody say,
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.29
"Are they responsible?"
00:50:58.32\00:51:00.52
Somebody is going
to borrow my lawnmower,
00:51:00.56\00:51:02.16
I wanted him to be responsible.
00:51:02.19\00:51:03.53
Somebody's gonna borrow my car,
better be responsible, right?
00:51:03.56\00:51:07.40
And you would not
loan it to someone
00:51:07.43\00:51:08.76
who wasn't responsible
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.33
because a responsibility
to me would be then
00:51:10.37\00:51:13.64
and it's throughout the
scripture, Old Testament.
00:51:13.67\00:51:16.60
If you needed
to plow your field,
00:51:16.64\00:51:18.11
and you just go and
borrow your neighbor's ox,
00:51:18.14\00:51:20.68
something happened to
that ox, you better replace it.
00:51:20.71\00:51:23.24
And so and always in my
case mostly has always been
00:51:23.28\00:51:26.58
is if I borrow something
for somebody, I break it.
00:51:26.61\00:51:31.19
I've been better
off to go buy one...
00:51:31.22\00:51:32.75
Buy me not to loan you anything.
00:51:32.79\00:51:34.82
When I try to do to someone,
00:51:34.86\00:51:36.19
if they say I want
to borrow your lawnmower
00:51:36.22\00:51:37.56
and it's older one,
I'll say, you know what,
00:51:37.59\00:51:38.93
it could go down at any moment.
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.43
Don't feel
responsibility if it goes out.
00:51:40.46\00:51:42.56
If it's a new one I'm loaning,
00:51:42.60\00:51:43.93
I expect him to
bring it back the way,
00:51:43.97\00:51:46.50
you know, plus, maybe go
ahead and wash it for me.
00:51:46.53\00:51:49.40
That's the plus the
Lord is looking for, right,
00:51:49.44\00:51:51.57
as stewards here.
00:51:51.61\00:51:52.94
So with that meaning,
00:51:52.97\00:51:54.31
as we just
expect accountability,
00:51:54.34\00:51:56.04
God expects
accountability to us.
00:51:56.08\00:51:58.65
Counsels on Steward,
page 111 makes this statement.
00:51:58.68\00:52:02.88
"In faithfully
discharging his stewardship,"
00:52:02.92\00:52:05.82
that's what we're
doing, faithfully doing it,
00:52:05.85\00:52:07.92
"He has but done his duty."
00:52:07.96\00:52:10.99
Amen. "Oh, I've done...
00:52:11.03\00:52:12.89
You've only done
your duty to faithfully,
00:52:12.93\00:52:16.00
you know, to
discharging your duty.
00:52:16.03\00:52:18.90
So why is it important to
have our own responsibility,
00:52:18.93\00:52:22.07
bear our own
responsibility as steward?
00:52:22.10\00:52:23.67
Why is it?
00:52:23.71\00:52:25.04
First of all,
because we just mentioned
00:52:25.07\00:52:26.41
Romans 2:6 tells us
00:52:26.44\00:52:29.71
who will render
to every man what,
00:52:29.74\00:52:32.18
according to his
deeds, these are passages,
00:52:32.21\00:52:34.95
you know, we've
read but they're still,
00:52:34.98\00:52:36.42
there are good ones.
00:52:36.45\00:52:37.79
We're going to
have to give what?
00:52:37.82\00:52:39.25
An account to God for the things
00:52:39.29\00:52:40.72
that we have done.
00:52:40.76\00:52:42.12
Seven Testimonies
176 says, each person,
00:52:42.16\00:52:45.49
same thing what the Bible
says, I'm always a believer,
00:52:45.53\00:52:47.76
I can find the
truth in the Word of God.
00:52:47.80\00:52:50.07
And I thank God for
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:52:50.10\00:52:51.83
I can go back and
it says the same thing
00:52:51.87\00:52:53.44
as what the Word says. Yes.
00:52:53.47\00:52:55.00
You know, so I don't
try to put one above,
00:52:55.04\00:52:56.71
I put the Bible up there. Yes.
00:52:56.74\00:52:58.64
But here's what the
Spirit of Prophecy says,
00:52:58.67\00:53:00.54
"Each person
must give an account
00:53:00.58\00:53:03.04
of his stewardship to God."
00:53:03.08\00:53:05.81
That's the same thing
as scripture, isn't it?
00:53:05.85\00:53:07.55
Everyone is
accountable for that.
00:53:07.58\00:53:09.02
2 Corinthians
5:10, we know this, why?
00:53:09.05\00:53:12.02
Because we must all appear
00:53:12.05\00:53:13.86
before the
judgment seat of Christ.
00:53:13.89\00:53:15.79
Right? Why?
00:53:15.82\00:53:17.16
Because we're going to
have to give an account
00:53:17.19\00:53:18.53
for those things
that are done in our body
00:53:18.56\00:53:20.83
and whether it's
good or whether it's bad,
00:53:20.86\00:53:23.03
we still have to do what?
00:53:23.06\00:53:24.40
We have to give
an account to God.
00:53:24.43\00:53:25.77
So this is all I think
this whole lesson is bringing
00:53:25.80\00:53:27.80
that everything belongs to God.
00:53:27.84\00:53:29.24
We're His stewards and
we need to give an account
00:53:29.27\00:53:31.51
and we will have
to give an account.
00:53:31.54\00:53:33.88
Our personal
responsibility to God
00:53:33.91\00:53:36.11
will be in everything
that we do success quickly,
00:53:36.14\00:53:39.81
I hear the word success.
00:53:39.85\00:53:41.18
Oh, somebody's successful,
somebody had success.
00:53:41.22\00:53:43.42
Heaven looks at
success different,
00:53:43.45\00:53:45.35
I'm thankful than we do.
00:53:45.39\00:53:47.06
You know, well, how
many baptisms you have,
00:53:47.09\00:53:48.86
how many do you
there, blah-blah.
00:53:48.89\00:53:51.19
All that may be
well and good and so,
00:53:51.23\00:53:53.13
but I think God
looks at success,
00:53:53.16\00:53:55.96
and for heaven looks at
success in the eyes of our faith
00:53:56.00\00:54:00.37
and our holiness
or our purity in Him,
00:54:00.40\00:54:03.71
and it's not our intelligence,
00:54:03.74\00:54:06.51
and it's not on our talent,
00:54:06.54\00:54:08.64
it's not how much money we have,
00:54:08.68\00:54:10.81
it's how is our
relationship with Him.
00:54:10.85\00:54:14.48
Genesis 3, we're
almost out of time 39:9 says,
00:54:14.52\00:54:17.72
"And Joseph stand
on principle here,"
00:54:17.75\00:54:20.36
he was tempted by who?
00:54:20.39\00:54:21.72
Potiphar's wife. What did he do?
00:54:21.76\00:54:24.73
How can I do this
thing and sin against God.
00:54:24.76\00:54:26.93
You're right, quickly
he stood on principle said
00:54:26.96\00:54:28.30
I can't do this.
00:54:28.33\00:54:29.66
On this passage Three
Spiritual Gifts 145 says,
00:54:29.70\00:54:32.73
and if like
Joseph they suffered,
00:54:32.77\00:54:34.80
notice this,
slander or false statement,
00:54:34.84\00:54:36.71
you were talking about,
that will hurt one's character
00:54:36.74\00:54:39.14
under a false accusation,
00:54:39.17\00:54:40.74
providence will overrule
00:54:40.78\00:54:42.51
all the enemies
devices for good,
00:54:42.54\00:54:44.91
and God will in his own
time exalt him higher place
00:54:44.95\00:54:48.42
while he has been
debased by wicked revenge.
00:54:48.45\00:54:52.45
So sometimes if you
feel like you have been,
00:54:52.49\00:54:53.99
you know,
somebody said something,
00:54:54.02\00:54:55.36
done something, it's not good
and your character is gonna,
00:54:55.39\00:54:57.26
in time God will
exalt you in the position,
00:54:57.29\00:55:00.43
and I praise him for that.
00:55:00.46\00:55:01.96
Amen, and amen. You
guys on a roll today.
00:55:02.00\00:55:05.13
I think that as stewards
I had a chance to sit here
00:55:05.17\00:55:08.64
and loop up some words,
00:55:08.67\00:55:10.37
and I have been flabbergasted
00:55:10.41\00:55:12.21
to see the
exhaustive list of 481 synonyms
00:55:12.24\00:55:17.11
and seven antonyms
for the word steward.
00:55:17.15\00:55:20.08
Just to think about
it, a butler, an agent,
00:55:20.12\00:55:21.98
a care taker,
custodian, a keeper,
00:55:22.02\00:55:23.69
a waiter, a flight attendant,
a warden, a gamekeeper,
00:55:23.72\00:55:27.06
a manager, a curator, a guardian
00:55:27.09\00:55:29.62
all of these are aspects today
00:55:29.66\00:55:31.26
in the modern
setting up our world today
00:55:31.29\00:55:33.16
of what a steward is.
00:55:33.19\00:55:36.20
Shelley, 10 seconds or
more or less I should say.
00:55:36.23\00:55:40.37
As you grow older
and you've got things
00:55:40.40\00:55:43.67
and you start
thinking what you're gonna do
00:55:43.71\00:55:46.78
to get rid of those things,
00:55:46.81\00:55:49.38
it becomes really apparent
that things aren't important
00:55:49.41\00:55:53.65
'cause a lot of times
people don't want your things.
00:55:53.68\00:55:55.68
You know, what I'm
saying. That's right.
00:55:55.72\00:55:57.05
But I loved what you
said, we are stewards,
00:55:57.09\00:56:00.59
everything is
given to us in trust.
00:56:00.62\00:56:02.72
We need to be very
careful how we pass that on,
00:56:02.76\00:56:06.49
and make sure it
goes for the glory of God.
00:56:06.53\00:56:11.80
Stewards of the
mysteries of God,
00:56:11.83\00:56:13.30
we often think
people the pastor,
00:56:13.34\00:56:15.54
the teacher, or the one
who are entrusted with that,
00:56:15.57\00:56:17.61
but each one of
us know the gospel.
00:56:17.64\00:56:19.91
Each one of us can
share that with someone else.
00:56:19.94\00:56:22.04
Amen. Mollie?
00:56:22.08\00:56:23.41
And just a word
of encouragement,
00:56:23.45\00:56:24.78
just don't be
negligent of the gifts
00:56:24.81\00:56:27.68
that God has bestowed upon us.
00:56:27.72\00:56:29.35
Be good stewards
of these blessings
00:56:29.38\00:56:32.35
that God has given
us, that's our protection.
00:56:32.39\00:56:34.99
Amen, Matthew 25:31, I
want to hear these words,
00:56:35.02\00:56:38.49
"Well done, thou good
and faithful servant."
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.53
It gives me goose bumps now,
I praise God for that passage.
00:56:41.56\00:56:44.90
That's right, and,
Kenny, you just took my passage,
00:56:44.93\00:56:46.84
but that's okay, we
could share it again.
00:56:46.87\00:56:49.04
The only desire that each
one of us has as stewards,
00:56:49.07\00:56:51.81
and servants, and
people that have been
00:56:51.84\00:56:53.78
given responsibilities
by the king who owns it all,
00:56:53.81\00:56:57.58
we all want to hear it together,
00:56:57.61\00:56:59.38
"Well done, thou good
and faithful servant."
00:56:59.41\00:57:02.58
May God bless you.
00:57:02.62\00:57:04.52