March 11, 2007
Sermon #669
Stewards of Wealth
Matthew 25:14 - 46 (NKJV) 14“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Introduction: A talent was a Roman coin. Forget your musical talent, your talent with sports, your talent with writing, your beauty talent – Jesus is talking about money-finances and the Kingdom of God!
I. How much money you have is not as important as how you manage it!
Three servants were given, one, two, and five unites of money respectively but all were called to be good stewards. All people are not born equal when it comes to finances – there are three classes.
A. Some are born into the lower class (1 talent)
ILL: My grandfather was an uneducated fisherman who only had enough to feed his family – education does play a big part in your finances. My father never had a high school education – he worked for the government and moved up a class.
ILL: We will always have poor people –
Matthew 26:6 - 13 (NKJV) 6And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 10But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
B. Some are born into a middle class family (2 talents)
ILL: Education, opportunity, and just hard work can move them into the next class
C. Some are born into the high class (5 talents)
ILL: Notice the unequal distribution the high class had 5 not 3 or 4 – seems unfair doesn’t it! But who said life was fair!
II. All three were charged with being stewards – none of them really owned the money!
A. 1st mistake – your money is not yours – everything belongs to God
1 Corinthians 10:25 - 31 (NKJV) 25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26for “the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” 27If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” 29“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? 31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
ILL: Even the food and drink I put into my mouth belongs to the Lord!
B. The Tithe belongs exclusively to Jesus
Hebrews 7:1 - 22 (NKJV) 1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The LORD has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’”), 22by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
C. Tithing and giving breaks the poverty mentality
Matthew 25:24 - 25 (NKJV) 24“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
1. He did not trust God
2. He was controlled by fear
3. Lack of trust and fear are poverty mentalities that will keep you from financial success.
D. There are no excuses for poverty
The parable provides no excuse for the servant with the one talent. The truth is that if you had more you would still be a poor money manager – and a poor money manager looses even what they have!
Matthew 25:29 (NKJV) 29‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
ILL: Careless stewardship produces negative results – always!
III. Good stewardship will always produce wealth
Matthew 25:27 - 28 (NKJV) 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
ILL: Nowhere in the Bible did Jesus criticize people on the basis of how much money they have.
Deuteronomy 8:17 - 18 (NKJV) 17then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
ILL: Abraham, David, Solomon and Job were some of the wealthiest men of their day – God did not criticize them for it but blest them with it!
ILL: I was openly criticized by another minister on television because of the affluence of this ministry. The question I want to ask is – The Cathedral of His Glory through our Save – a –Generation ministry is feeding and supporting over 2000 children, in third world countries, building a operating free medical clinics, ministering to people in prison, building and operating an orphanage – how many of these things can his ministry do without affluence?
Matthew 25:31 - 43 (NKJV) 31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
How can someone feed the poor if they have no wealth? How can you give away clothing if you cannot buy clothing? How can you go to the sick or those in prison if you have no transportation? How can you preach the Gospel to the world – 171 nations for “A Word from Glory” without money?
A. Consistent investment over time will produce wealth.
1. Very few people ever get wealthy by playing the lottery – those who do mostly loose it quickly.
2. Most rich people got there by saving and investing over a period of time
3. Get rich quick schemes never work – if it is to good to be true – it’s not
4. You cannot borrow you way out of debt!
B. What the Bible says about debt
Psalm 37:21 (NKJV) 21The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV) 7The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
Romans 13:8 (NKJV) 8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
1. Only borrow on something that you have good expectations of increasing value
2. Never get anything on a credit card that you do not pay off in 28 days
3. Pay off your car and save to buy the next one with cash
4. If you cannot afford to buy it – save until you can!
5.. My rules for economic stewardship:
* 10% to the Church
* 10% investment –diversified - (live off of 80%)
* No more than one weeks salary for house payment ¼ of yearly income (today my house is debt free)
* One years salary in cash reserve – can be gotten without penalty should the need arise.
* Buy insurance only on things I could not handle – term life insurance – auto & house insurance, health insurance – long term medical care
* Operate on a budget – budget special things i.e. Christmas, & vacations.
* Don’t buy it if you cannot pay for it!!!!!
* Don’t panic – fear will defeat you!
Conclusion: What made the difference – the amount of money? NO! Fear! “I was afraid” The “Good Steward” manages in faith and over a period of time faith always increases. The poor steward operated in fear and over time fear always leads to poverty!
Ephesians 2:8 - 10 (NKJV) 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Faith does not quit even when the bottom falls out. There were two men who lived in my home town during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. One lost his fortune in the stock crash and jumped out of the balcony of a hotel he owned the other lost his fortune but by faith invested $50 in 7 miles of railroad track – he died 30 years latter – one end of that track was at the port, the other led to Cherry Point Marine Core Station –he died a multi-millionaire! What was the difference in the two men? Faith!
