SMCC Stewardship 2011

SMCC Stewardship 2011 Part 1: God’s Strategy for Success

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Commitments • What kind of commitments do we have in our lives? • Which are voluntary, and which are mandatory? • Why are we reluctant to make many commitments? • What makes it hard for us to keep our commitments?

It wasn’t yours to begin with… • Commitments are easier when you recognize: • It was never “yours,” it all belongs to God. • It has been put in your hands by God. • God gave it to you for a purpose. • Your response can have a tremendous impact (good or bad) on those around you.

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Corinthians 4:7

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Entrusted with the Truth • We are stewards of God’s truth, which is under consistent attack. • What are the crucial components to sharing this truth? • Among them, our testimony. • Ultimately, what is your testimony?

Entrusted with Time • We are to “make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” • Ephesians 5:16 • How do we make the most out of every opportunity?

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Entrusted with Talent • God has given us talents to share with others. • What talents do you have? • How are you using them in His service? • Pop Quiz: You’re suddenly faced with unemployment and an obsolete trade. Family’s hungry. What do you do?

So, what about Treasure? • Our stewardship, according to our main passage, is to be: • Periodic • Personal • Proportionate • Purposeful

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Periodic Stewardship Lay something aside on “the first day of the week.” (16:2a) What happens when you repeat the same action, with regularity and predictability, without fail, for an extended period? Conversely, how many of you “don’t feel like paying the mortgage this month?”

Personal Stewardship • Paul delivers his instruction to “each one of you.” (16:2a) • The Church is not graded on a curve. • Stewardship is not a subjective or relative exercise. • Don’t go looking for a small church with a faithful billionaire.

Proportionate Stewardship • We are to lay aside our offerings in proportion to God’s prospering in our lives. • (16:2b) • Abraham Commenced it (Genesis 14:18-20) • Jacob Continued it (Genesis 28:22) • Moses Commanded it (Leviticus 27:30) • Jesus Commended it (Matthew 23:23) • Paul Concluded it (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)

Purposeful Stewardship Paul wants “no collections when [he] comes.” (16:2b) He has come to teach, not to collect. Same for our church leadership. Teaching, ministry, outreach, missions…all should proceed without constant worry of paying the bills.

Conclusion Satisfied with your allocations and management of truth, time, talent, and treasure? Is your stewardship periodic, personal, proportionate, and purposeful?

SMCC Stewardship 2011