lesson three JANUARY 13–19

God or

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of

those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

(Phil. 2:9–11, NKJV).

Mammon?

The balances represent the fact that it is impossible to serve both God and the world. Therefore each of us makes a choice (whether intention-ally or not) based on which has the larger weight of our affection.

29

Introduction

sabbathJANUARY 13

I was reading a book recently, and the author stated that he was teaching a weekend seminar and wrote the following words on a flip chart: “I do nothing on my own. I can only do what I see my dad doing.”* He asked the participants in the seminar to analyze the person who would make such a statement, and these are some of the replies that he received:

“He sounds weak. Almost helpless.”“Has this person been to counseling?”“Not healthy.”“He’s codependent.”

I bet many of our answers would be the same. This “weak,” “codependent” individual is Jesus speaking in John 5:19, 30. Jesus recognized that He was not here to operate of His own accord. He was a steward for His Father—He was here to operate God’s business plan.

The world in which we live is rigged with convenient ways of fooling us into thinking that we rule our own lives. We are taught that if we get a good educa-tion, we can get a good job and we will be able to take care of ourselves. We enter schools and the workforce with the idea of pursuing our desires and dreams, and most of us give very little thought to what God’s plan is for our lives. Ultimately, if things are going well—good grades, good salary—it’s easy for us to think that we have everything under control. Self-sufficiency was never part of God’s plan. Jesus recognized His desperate need for His Father and was not ashamed to say, “I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me” (verse 30, NKJV).

Therefore, the question is, Who’s your daddy? Are you prepared to come to the place where you realize that you don’t belong to yourself? That’s right, you were bought at a significant price through the blood of Jesus and for an exact purpose. Have you considered asking God to show you what He wants you to do? Where He wants you to go? True, the answers may surprise you, but the only way to be a good steward of the life He has given you is to recognize that He’s your daddy.

____________* Paul E. Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus (Carol Stream, Ill.:

Tyndale House Publishers, 2014), chap. 11.

Who’s Your Daddy?John 5:19, 30

Ultimately, if things are going well—good grades, good salary—it’s easy for us to think that we have

everything under control.

Patrice Yorke, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

30

sundayJANUARY 14

Stewardship (Exod. 34:6, 7; John 3:16)Stewardship is the management of resources. It is taking on respon-

sibility and applying the skill, talent, and expertise to ensure that a great job is accomplished. We daily go about being stewards in our roles as professionals, men, women, friends, and families. In fact, we spend a considerable amount of time from toddlerhood until we are in our early or even late twenties mastering scholastic and vocational talents to truly ex-cel at what we enjoy doing. Why? Because we love what we pursue. Love is the benchmark of our actions; it is also the foundation of stewardship.

Love—the Benchmark of Stewardship (Luke 16:13; John 5:19, 30)True stewardship stems from the love of God. When we are in love with

someone or something, we commit ourselves to always being engaged with that person or thing. We are enamored by the joys that come from the interaction. We spend time getting to know and learning more about that person or thing. We give of ourselves. “For God so loved the world, that he gave . . .” (John 3:16). God gave Himself to the world to show us real stew-ardship. Likewise, we are called to give of ourselves to God and the world. He has shown us how to serve. Each day, Jesus would consult with His Father. “I can do nothing of myself” was His constant declaration. Each morning, He would rise early to talk to His Father and learn from Him. Relationship building with God the Father was crucial to Jesus’ steward-ship. Likewise, we should spend time with God to learn more about Him so that we can engage in true stewardship, the highest quality of service.

Stewardship—Knowing the Heart of God (Job 38; Ps. 50:10; John 10:10; 1 John 2:15)

Knowing the heart of God sweetens the act of stewardship because we will know how to please Him. When God gave to the world, He gave His whole self as a sacrifice. He shared a deep love with humanity, that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He created the world and the things in it for our enjoyment. The things of the world were not made for us to worship. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in

Matt. 28:19, 20Enamored by God

Love is the benchmark of our actions; it is also the foundation of stewardship.

Logos

31

the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The things of the world are only tools to give God glory. When we grow daily in our understanding of the depths of God’s love, then our true acts of stewardship will come to life.

Stewardship—Talents in Action (Matt. 25:24–28)We know the story of the talents very well. The servant who hid the

one talent told his master that he was “an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed” (Matt. 25:24). This was his mental understanding of his master’s character. Yet, when we examine the story closely, the master depicted is God. How is it that our loving God could be known as “an hard man”? Even in our society today, many people still have this picture of God in their minds. Are we truly using our talents to share with our society who God really is? Have we spent the time to know God so that we can share with others our personal encoun-ters with Him? The Bible says in Revelation that the saints will overcome by the word of their testimony (Rev. 12:11). Build up your testimony through personal time with God. Stewardship is about our whole self—our time, talents, money, and possessions. They are all to be used in service to share God with the world. Spend time with God and set your talents in motion.

Stewardship—How to Shine (Deut. 10:14; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20)It is easy to talk about stewardship, but it is equally important to share

how to go about being a great steward. It first must start in the heart, through developing a relationship with God. It will be easier, then, to know His voice and hear His daily instructions to you. Then it will be time for action. Be you: shine in the gifts, talents, and traits that God has given to you. Your input matters in this world. If you don’t share you, we will miss out on the light you bring to this world. Do what you can, where you can, with what you have. Take the time also to grow and develop your skills. Share your earthly treasures, such as your money and possessions—pay your tithe and give to charitable causes. Be a blessing.

Enamored by God (Ps. 33:6–9; Gal. 3:13; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Pet. 1:18; Heb. 2:14, 15; Rev. 1:5)

Stewardship is an outpouring of the heart’s response to love and a per-sonal relationship with a God who cares. We get to meet God up close and personal; we learn to hear His voice and understand His ways. We become enamored by Him. Such love puts boots on (Matthew 28:19, 20). We will use our gifts, talents, and traits and truly “go . . . therefore, and teach all nations.”

REACT1. From your personal devotional life, can you truly say you are swept

away by God’s love?2. Identify two ways you can improve in your acts of stewardship.

Elaine Thompson, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

32

mondayJANUARY 15

God requires all of us to be faithful stewards of His goods. God expects us to be faithful with whatever He has bestowed to us, however small that may be. God wants us, as His faithful stewards, to dedicate every aspect of our lives to Him because “Christ has purchased us by the price of His own blood. He has paid the purchase money for our redemption, and if we will lay hold upon the treasure, it is ours by the free gift of God.

“ ‘How much owest thou unto my Lord?’ Luke 16:5. It is impossible to tell. All that we have is from God. He lays His hand upon our possessions, saying: ‘I am the rightful owner of the whole universe; these are My goods. Conse-crate to Me the tithes and offerings. As you bring these specified goods as a token of your loyalty and your submission to My sovereignty, My blessing shall increase your substance, and you will have abundance.’

“God is testing every soul that claims to believe in Him. All are entrusted with talents. The Lord has given men His goods upon which to trade. He has made them His stewards, and has placed in their possession money, houses, and lands. All these are to be regarded as the Lord’s goods and used to advance His work, to build up His kingdom in the world. In trading with the Lord’s goods, we are to seek Him for wisdom, that we may not use His sacred trust to glorify ourselves or to indulge selfish impulses. The amount entrusted varies, but those who have the smallest gifts must not feel that because their talent of means is small, they can do nothing with it.

“Every Christian is a steward of God, entrusted with His goods. Remem-ber the words: ‘Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faith-ful.’ 1 Corinthians 4:2. Let us be sure that we are not robbing God in any jots or tittles, for much is involved in this question.”*

Christ is speaking to every human being to heed His call to stewardship. Matthew 25:21 records the testimony of a faithful steward commended by his master for a job well done. This biblical account is a vivid example left for us to emulate and make stewardship a part of our lives.

REACT1. What difference would it make if you were owner rather than steward?2. What is the best way to overcome selfishness and be a faithful steward?3. To whom have we become stewards? To God or to money?

____________* Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, pp. 245, 246.

Matt. 25:21“Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant!”

James Garang, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

“God is testing every soul that claims to believe in Him.”

Testimony

33

Randy Goldson, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA

tuesdayJANUARY 16

An important cultural script of the ancient Mediterranean world was the belief that physical resources are limited and not expanding.* This view of fixed resources resulted in two attitudes toward material possessions:

1. A desire to share with those who lacked, especially the poor and vul-nerable (Deut. 15:7–9).

2. A desire to accumulate and hoard wealth at all costs (Luke 12:13–21).The Gospel of Luke, sometimes called the Gospel of the Poor, presents

powerful teachings about the proper attitude toward material goods. In Luke 12:13–21, Jesus reminds the crowd that life is more than the abundance of possessions by telling the parable of a rich farmer. Jesus calls the rich farme r a fool because he hoards instead of sharing his wealth. Throughout Luke, people are sometimes asked to give up material possessions (see Luke 3:10–14; 18:18–23). The request to give away one’s material goods is not because wealth is bad. The request is to test one fundamental principle— Is the desire for money stronger than the desire for God?

The core of Christian stewardship is that everything belongs to God. The Lord tells ancient Israel that the earth and heavens belong to Him. Sharing our resources is, therefore, an indication of our belief that it is God who provides. The tendency to hoard not only indicates a lack of faith in the all-providing God but also shows an unhealthy attachment to possessions that will not last.

Deuteronomy brings out another element of people’s attachment to material things as seen in Luke. There is the tendency to forget the providence of God. In Deuteronomy 8:18, the Lord asks the people to remember that He gives them strength to labor and earn wealth. Remembering the Lord as Creator, Owner, and Provider helps to regulate our attitude toward our earthly posses-sions. We will not make idols out of money and material things. Inasmuch as we value what we have, a loving relationship with God is far more important.

Even in a society where resources are limited, the believer has no prob-lem in sharing with others. Our service of stewardship flows from a recogni-tion that God provides everything. All that we possess, while valuable, is transient. Our desire is not to accumulate wealth but to be steadfast in the God who provides for all our needs. ____________

* Bruce J. Malina, The New Testament World: Insights From Cultural Anthropology (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), pp. 108–118.

The God Who ProvidesDeut. 8:18; 10:14;

Luke 12:13–21Evidence

Remembering the Lord as Creator, Owner, and Provider helps to regulate our attitude toward our earthly possessions.

34

wednesdayJANUARY 17

Money seems to be a taboo topic in many churches, but I believe that financial prosperity is a great blessing when used for God’s glory. Stewarding our financial resources in such a way that they can bless others also blesses our Creator; He blesses those who are faithful with what they have been given and who prove themselves to be good and trustworthy stewards. Here are some ways that we can practice financial stewardship:

Pray for the right heart and mind-set. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10, NIV). One of the first things we need to do is become right with God in our hearts and have the right at-titude toward stewardship of our money. Money is a tool that we can use to further God’s kingdom and bless others.

Have a budget and live below your means. Living a debt-free lifestyle is a major value of mine, and if it is one of yours, then it is important to stick to a monthly budget and live on less than you make so that you are able to designate some of your finances for saving and some for giving. Be faithful with the resources with which you have been blessed.

Have a giving account. On top of your monthly tithes, have an amount that you can give to other projects, missions, or individuals in need. We have the beautiful privilege of partnering with God to finish His work and the awesome responsibility of using what we have been given to do that. God blesses those who give, but it is not for the purpose of receiving blessings that we give; we give when we have the right attitude that comes from a renewed heart.

Realize that everything you have does not belong to you. I think that one of the most freeing moments that I’ve experienced, when it comes to money, is that nothing I have is mine; it all belongs to God. Everything in this universe is His, and He can choose what He will do with it. If God has entrusted me with something, that’s great! At the same time, if God chooses to take it away, that’s great too. We are stewards of what is His, and because of that, we may realize that all we have is because of God’s goodness and love.

Self-reflect. Take time to reflect on things to which you are emotionally attached, be it money, material things, activities, or even people. Anything that comes before God in our lives is an idol and takes the place of God in our hearts. Take time to search your heart and ask God to cleanse you from whatever your struggle is.

Deut. 10:14; Ps. 50:10; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20 Stewarding Our Finances

Michelle Solheiro, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Stewarding our financial resources in such a way that they can bless others also blesses our Creator.

How-to

35

Shauna Spence, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

thursdayJANUARY 18

Each individual is called to cultivate and utilize their unique gifts, talents, and traits. Despite knowledge of this divine appointment, we as Christians often neglect to commit to this work.

Some Christians create invisible barriers to self-growth, confusing hu-mility with inferiority, modesty with fear, and indecision with sloth. Many churches also fall short, creating environments that rank members’ abilities in hierarchies of value and admirability. When this is the case, individuals’ aptitudes and potential can go unnoticed and underdeveloped until they are weakened, lost, and forgotten.

The Bible calls us not to let our talents shrink into obscurity but to use and build upon them. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14–30 il-lustrates this well. In the story, the master entrusts each servant with re-sources, providing little instruction on how to employ them. In an act of faith and creativity, two servants take a risk to use the resources and earn the master a better return. In fear, and likely idleness, one servant buries his resources, doing nothing. The parable shows us that when we cultivate our talents, the master (God) blesses us with even more.

The story also warns against missing opportunities. When the master re-turns and confronts the lazy servant, he predicts a life of sorrow for the ser-vant. We can take this to mean that when we don’t make use of the opportu-nities we have, we risk living lives of mediocrity, falling far short of fulfilling the plans God has for us. Therefore, the next time you think about stewardship, think about the unique personality traits, skills, abilities, interests, and talents you have and how you can develop them. Furthermore, pray for faith and an open door so you can fulfill the destiny God has for you.

REACT1. What does Job 38:4–11 tell us about the origin of our abilities and

talents?2. What can you do to make your church an environment that facilitates

personal growth?3. Several women and men in the Bible had dual or multiple abilities

(e.g., David was a king and a songwriter). What does this tell us about how we should cultivate our gifts?

Stewards for GrowthJob 38:36Opinion

The Bible calls us not to let our talents shrink into obscurity but to use and build upon them.

36

fridayJANUARY 19

CONCLUDE God has given us Jesus’ example of obedience to encourage us to see

how a loving relationship with Him builds us up into reliable stewards of His gifts. Jesus wanted only to mirror His Father’s actions and admit His own helplessness without His Father’s love (John 5:19). God also loved us before we even knew Him at all, and because of this infinite love, He “gave His only Son” to die for our sins, so that we might live. What greater love is there? God is our Creator, and Jesus is our Model. When we focus on His love, we are stirred to become obedient stewards of the world and resources He gave us—human, financial, and material.

CONSIDER• Planning a father-son and/or mother-daughter fun day, in the context of

John 5:19, “I can do nothing on my own. I can only do what I see my dad doing.” Create fun activities where fathers and sons and/or mothers and daughters can spend the day together, making special memories forever.

• Hosting a talent show for your church or youth group. You could fund-raise for a local charity; begin the program by reading Matthew 25:24–28, and talk about your desire to share your talents to glorify God.

• Writing a skit for Friday night vespers to show the relationship between the love that God has for us and our response of stewardship. You could have John 3:16 as your focus for “gift giving.”

• Reading 1  Corinthians 6:19, 20 and spending some time thinking about active ways to celebrate that your body is the temple of God. Work with a local Pathfinder/AY Club to plan a Healthy Living Day with games, aerobics, and other activities.

• Collecting clothes and household items to donate to a local Adventist Community Services or homeless shelter. Tell them why you chose to be a good steward and volunteer to spend some time with them.

• Talking with your local government park official about how your church or youth group could act as stewards of the land by volunteering at a park or other natural land site.

CONNECTZechariah 4:10; Luke 16:10–12Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 229, 230.Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot,

chapter 13: “Trust Little Deeds.”

Job 38:4–11; John 3:16; 5:19

Choose Today to Put Your Time and Money Where Your Mouth Is

Stephanie Yamniuk, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Exploration