Study Notes for Stewardship 1

Week 1

Stewardship versus Ownership - 2 September 2012

Let’s start with the foundational principle: ownership.

The truth of God’s ownership is so simple, yet so profound!

Read I Chronicles 29:11-13.

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
    and praise your glorious name.

¹⁴ “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

Read Psalm 24:1.

“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

Discuss: What is ownership?

Some answers: It is the right of control; it is the right to use……………………………..

Discuss: What does it mean when you claim Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

There are hundreds of references to Jesus Christ as Lord!

Read 1 Corinthians1:9.

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Lord refers to the one to whom a person or thing belongs; a lord has power of decision; He is master.

Read Acts 4:24.

The Greek word “Lord” in Acts 4:24 is despotes, a term likened to “despot.” He is one who is in total control! When you say “Lord” you are saying he is the one who has total control!

What is the hardest area for us to let God have complete control?

Discuss: What right does God have to claim ownership?

Some answers might include: By right of creation, God has created you; by right of redemption, God has redeemed you. He bought back a second time! Satan stole mankind away. He held them in bondage. What did God do? He sent his Son to pay the payment—the death penalty. Read I Corinthians 6:19,20 and Romans 10:13.

Why does God expect us to make Him Lord?

Discuss: What should be your response to God’s ownership?

Some answers might include: Trust, eg Proverbs 3:5,6; Obedience; Stewardship

Concluding discussion

What is ownership?

What does “Lord” mean?

What is the hardest area in which to allow God complete control?

What does stewardship mean?

What is the relationship between ownership and stewardship? 

The Good Steward

By John Wesley

(text from the 1872 edition - Thomas Jackson, editor)
This version has been sourced from Global Ministries United Methodist Church 

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"Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward." Luke 16:2

I. In what respects are we now God's stewards?

II. When he requires our souls of us, we "can be no longer stewards."

III. We will need to "give an account of our stewardship."

IV. There is no employment of our time, no action or conversation, that is purely indifferent and we can never do more than our duty.

1. The relation which man bears to God, the creature to his Creator, is exhibited to us in the oracles of God under various representations. Considered as a sinner, a fallen creature, he is there represented as a debtor to his Creator. He is also frequently represented as a servant, which indeed is essential to him as a creature; insomuch that this appellation is given to the Son of God when, in His state of humiliation, he "took upon Him the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men."

2. But no character more exactly agrees with the present state of man, than that of a steward. Our blessed Lord frequently represents him as such; and there is a peculiar propriety in the representation. It is only in one particular respect, namely, as he is a sinner, that he is styled a debtor; and when he is styled a servant, the appellation is general and indeterminate: But a steward is a servant of a particular kind; such a one as man is in all respects. This appellation is exactly expressive of his situation in the present world; specifying what kind of servant he is to God, and what kind of service his Divine Master expects from him.

It may be of use, then, to consider this point thoroughly, and to make our full improvement of it. In order to this, let us,

I. First, inquire, in what respects we are now God's stewards.

II. Let us, Secondly, observe, that when he requires our souls of us, we "can be no longer stewards."

III. It will then only remain, as we may, in the third place, observe, to "give an account of our stewardship."

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I.

1. And, first, we are to inquire, in what respects we are now God's stewards. We are now indebted to Him for all we have; but although a debtor is obliged to return what he has received, yet until the time of payment comes, he is at liberty to use it as he pleases. It is not so with a steward; he is not at liberty to use what is lodged in his hands as he pleases, but as his master pleases. He has no right to dispose of anything which is in his hands, but according to the will of his lord. For he is not the proprietor of any of these things, but barely entrusted with them by another; and entrusted on this express condition, -- that he shall dispose of all as his master orders. Now, this is exactly the case of every man, with relation to God. We are not at liberty to use what he has lodged in our hands as we please, but as he pleases, who alone is the possessor of heaven and earth, and the Lord of every creature. We have no right to dispose of anything we have, but according to His will, seeing we are not proprietors of any of these things; they are all, as our Lord speaks, allotria, belonging to another person; nor is anything properly our own, in the land of our pilgrimage. We shall not receive ta idia, our own things, till we come to our own country. Eternal things only are our own: With all these temporal things we are barely entrusted by another, the Disposer and Lord of all. And he entrusts us with them on this express condition, -- that we use them only as our Master's goods, and according to the particular directions which he has given us in his Word.

2. On this condition he hath entrusted us with our souls, our bodies, our goods, and whatever other talents we have received: But in order to impress this weighty truth on our hearts, it will be needful to come to particulars.

And, first, God has entrusted us with our soul, an immortal spirit, made in the image of God; together with all the powers and faculties thereof, understanding, imagination, memory, will, and a train of affections, either included in it or closely dependent upon it, -- love and hatred, joy and sorrow, respecting present good and evil; desire and aversion, hope and fear, respecting that which is to come. All these St. Paul seems to include in two words, when he says, "The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds." Perhaps, indeed, the latter word,nohmata, might rather be rendered thoughts, provided we take that word in its most extensive sense, for every perception of the mind, whether active or passive.

3. Now, of all these, it is certain, we are only stewards. God has entrusted us with these powers and faculties, not that we may employ them according to our own will, but according to the express orders which he has given us; although it is true that, in doing His will, we most effectually secure our own happiness; seeing it is herein only that we can be happy, either in time or in eternity. Thus we are to use our understanding, our imagination, our memory, wholly to the glory of Him that gave them. Thus our will is to be wholly given up to Him, and all our affections to be regulated as he directs. We are to love and hate, to rejoice and grieve, to desire and shun, to hope and fear, according to the rule which he prescribes whose we are, and whom we are to serve in all things. Even our thoughts are not our own, in this sense; they are not at our own disposal; but for every deliberate motion of our mind we are accountable to our great Master.

4. God has, Secondly, entrusted us with our bodies (those exquisitely wrought machines, so "fearfully and wonderfully made,") with all the powers and members thereof. He has entrusted us with the organs of sense; of sight, hearing, and the rest: But none of these are given us as our own, to be employed according to our own will. None of these are lent us in such a sense as to leave us at liberty to use them as we please for a season. No: We have received them on these very terms, -- that, as long as they abide with us, we should employ them all in that very manner, and no other, which he appoints.

5. It is on the same terms that he has imparted to us that most excellent talent of speech. "Thou hast given me a tongue," says the ancient writer, "that I may praise Thee therewith." For this purpose was it given to all the children of men, -- to be employed in glorifying God. Nothing, therefore, is more ungrateful or more absurd, than to think or say, "Our tongues are our own." That cannot be, unless we have created ourselves, and so are independent on the Most High. Nay, but "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;" the manifest consequence is, that he is still Lord over us, in this as in all other respects. It follows, that there is not a word of our tongue for which we are not accountable to Him.

6. To Him we are equally accountable for the use of our hands and feet, and all the members of our body. These are so many talents which are committed to our trust, until the time appointed by the Father. Until then, we have the use of all these; but as stewards, not as proprietors; to the end we should "render them, not as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but as instruments of righteousness unto God."

7. God has entrusted us, Thirdly, with a portion of worldly goods; with food to eat, raiment to put on, and a place where to lay our head; with not only the necessaries, but the conveniences, of life. Above all, he has committed to our charge that precious talent which contains all the rest, -- money: Indeed it is unspeakably precious, if we are wise and faithful stewards of it; if we employ every part of it for such purposes as our blessed Lord has commanded us to do.

8. God has entrusted us, Fourthly, with several talents which do not properly come under any of these heads. Such is bodily strength; such are health, a pleasing person, an agreeable address; such are learning and knowledge, in their various degrees, with all the other advantages of education. Such is the influence which we have over others, whether by their love and esteem of us, or by power; power to do them good or hurt, to help or hinder them in the circumstances of life. Add to these, that invaluable talent of time, with which God entrusts us from moment to moment. Add, lastly, that on which all the rest depend, and without which they would all be curses, not blessings; namely, the grace of God, the power of his Holy Spirit, which alone worketh in us all that is acceptable in his sight.

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II.

1. In so many respects are the children of men stewards of the Lord, the Possessor of heaven and earth: So large a portion of His goods, of various kinds, hath he committed to their charge. But it is not forever, nor indeed for any considerable time: We have this trust reposed in us only during the short, uncertain space that we sojourn here below; only so long as we remain on earth, as this fleeting breath is in our nostrils. The hour is swiftly approaching, it is just at hand, when we "can be no longer stewards!" The moment the body "returns to the dust as it was, and the spirit to God that gave it," we bear that character no more; the time of our stewardship is at an end. Part of those goods wherewith we were before entrusted are now come to an end; at least, they are so with regard to us; nor are we longer entrusted with them: And that part which remains can no longer be employed or improved as it was before.

2. Part of what we were entrusted with before is at an end, at least with regard to us. What have we to do, after this life, with food, and raiment, and houses, and earthly possessions? The food of the dead is the dust of the earth; they are clothed only with worms and rottenness. They dwell in the house prepared for all flesh; their lands know them no more: All their worldly goods are delivered into other hands, and they have "no more portion under the sun."

3. The case is the same with regard to the body. The moment the spirit returns to God, we are no longer stewards of this machine, which is then sown in corruption and dishonour. All the parts and members of which it was composed lie mouldering in the clay. The hands have no longer power to move; the feet have forgot their office; the flesh, sinews, and bones, are all hastening to be dissolved into common dust.

4. Here end also the talents of a mixed nature; our strength, our health, our beauty, our eloquence, and address, our faculty of pleasing or persuading, or convincing others. Here end, likewise, all the honours we once enjoyed, all the power which was lodged in our hands, all the influence which we once had over others, either by the love or the esteem which they bore us. Our love, our hatred, our desire, is perished: None regard how we were once affected toward them. They look upon the dead as neither able to help nor hurt them; so that "a living dog is better than a dead lion."

5. Perhaps a doubt may remain concerning some of the other talents wherewith we are now entrusted, whether they will cease to exist when the body returns to dust or only cease to be improvable. Indeed, there is no doubt but the kind of speech which we now use, by means of these bodily organs, will then be entirely at an end, when those organs are destroyed. It is certain, the tongue will no more occasion any vibrations in the air; neither will the ear convey these tremulous motions to the common sensory. Even the sonus exilis, the low, shrill voice, which the poet supposes to belong to a separate spirit, we cannot allow to have a real being; it is a mere flight of imagination. Indeed, it cannot be questioned, but separate spirits have some way to communicate their sentiments to each other; but what inhabitant of flesh and blood can explain that way? What we term "speech," they cannot have: So that we can no longer be stewards of this talent when we are numbered with the dead.

6. It may likewise admit of a doubt, whether our senses will exist, when the organs of sense are destroyed. Is it not probable, that those of the lower kind will cease -- the feeling, the smell, the taste -- as they have a more immediate reference to the body, and are chiefly, if not wholly, intended for the preservation of it? But will not some kind of sight remain, although the eye be closed in death? And will there not be something in the soul equivalent to the present sense of hearing? Nay, is it not probable, that these will not only exist in the separate state, but exist in a far greater degree, in a more eminent manner, than now, when the soul, disentangled from its clay, is no longer "a dying sparkle in a cloudy place;" when it no longer "looks through the windows of the eye and ear;" but rather is all eye, all ear, all sense, in a manner we cannot yet conceive? And have we not a clear proof of the possibility of this, of seeing without the use of the eye, and hearing without the use of the ear? Yea, and earnest of it continually? For does not the soul see, in the clearest manner, when the eye is of no use; namely, in dreams? Does she not then enjoy the faculty of hearing, without any help from the ear? But however this be, certain it is, that neither will our senses, any more than our speech, be entrusted to us in the manner they are now, when the body lies in the silent grave.

7. How far the knowledge or learning which we have gained by education will then remain, we cannot tell. Solomon indeed says, "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." But it is evident, these words cannot be understood in an absolute sense. For it is so far from being true that there is no knowledge after we have quitted the body, that the doubt lies on the other side, whether there be any such thing as real knowledge till then; whether it be not a plain sober truth, not a mere poetical fiction, that

All these shadows which for things we take,
Are but the empty dreams, which in death's sleep we make;

only excepting those things which God Himself has been pleased to reveal to man. I will speak for one. After having sought for truth, with some diligence, for half a century, I am, at this day, hardly sure of anything but what I learn from the Bible. Nay, I positively affirm, I know nothing else so certainly, that I would dare to stake my salvation upon it.

So much, however, we may learn from Solomon's words, that "there is no" such "knowledge or wisdom in the grave," as will be of any use to an unhappy spirit; "there is no device" there, whereby he can now improve those talents with which he was once entrusted. For time is no more; the time of our trial for everlasting happiness or misery is past. Our day, the day of man, is over; the day of salvation is ended! Nothing now remains but the "day of the Lord," ushering in wide, unchangeable eternity!

8. But still, our souls, being incorruptible and immortal, of a nature "little lower than the angels" (even if we are to understand that phrase of our original nature, which may well admit of a doubt,) when our bodies are mouldered into earth, will remain with all their faculties. Our memory, our understanding, will be so far from being destroyed, yea, or impaired, by the dissolution of the body, that, on the contrary, we have reason to believe, they will be inconceivably strengthened. Have we not the clearest reason to believe, that they will then be wholly freed from those defects which now naturally result from the union of the soul with the corruptible body? It is highly probable, that, from the time these are disunited, our memory will let nothing slip; yea, that it will faithfully exhibit everything to our view which was ever committed to it. It is true, that the invisible world is, in Scripture, termed "the land of forgetfulness;" or, as it is still more strongly expressed in the old translation, "the land where all things are forgotten." They are forgotten; but by whom? Not by the inhabitants of that land, but by the inhabitants of the earth. It is with regard to them that the unseen world is "the land of forgetfulness." All things therein are too frequently forgotten by these; but not by disembodied spirits. From the time they have put off the earthly tabernacle, we can hardly think they forget anything.

9. In like manner, the understanding will, doubtless, be freed from the defects that are now inseparable from it. For many ages it has been an unquestioned maxim, Humanum est errare et nescire; -- ignorance and mistake are inseparable from human nature. But the whole of this assertion is only true with regard to living men; and holds no longer than while "the corruptible body presses down the soul." Ignorance, indeed, belongs to every finite understanding (seeing there is none beside God that knoweth all things;) but not mistake: When the body is laid aside, this also is laid aside, for ever.

10. What then can we say to an ingenious man, who has lately made a discovery, that disembodied spirits have not only no senses (not even sight or hearing,) but no memory or understanding; no thought or perception; not so much as a consciousness of their own existence! That they are in a dead sleep from death to the resurrection! Consanguineus lethi sopor indeed! Such a sleep we may call "a near kinsman of death," if it be not the same thing. What can we say, but that ingenious men have strange dreams; and these they sometimes mistake for realities?

11. But to return. As the soul will retain its understanding and memory, notwithstanding the dissolution of the body, so undoubtedly the will, including all the affections, will remain in its full vigour. If our love or anger, our hope or desire, perish, it is only with regard to those whom we leave behind. To them it matters not, whether they were the objects of our love or hate, of our desire or aversion. But in separate spirits themselves we have no reason to believe that any of these are extinguished. It is more probable, that they work with far greater force, than while the soul was clogged with flesh and blood.

12. But although all these, although both our knowledge and senses, our memory and understanding, together with our will, our love, hate, and all our affections, remain after the body is dropped off; yet, in this respect, they are as though they were not -- we are no longer stewards of them. The things continue, but our stewardship does not: We no more act in that capacity. Even the grace which was formerly entrusted with us, in order to enable us to be faithful and wise stewards, is now no longer entrusted for that purpose. The days of our stewardship are ended.

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III.

1. It now remains, that, being no longer stewards, we give an account of our stewardship. Some have imagined, this is to be done immediately after death, as soon as we enter into the world of spirits. Nay, the Church of Rome does absolutely assert this; yea, makes it an article of faith. And thus much we may allow, the moment a soul drops the body, and stands naked before God, it cannot but know what its portion will be to all eternity. It will have full in its view, either everlasting joy, or everlasting torment; as it is no longer possible to be deceived in the judgment which we pass upon ourselves. But the Scripture gives us no reason to believe, that God will then sit in judgment upon us. There is no passage in all the oracles of God which affirms any such thing. That which has been frequently alleged for this purpose seems rather to prove the contrary; namely (Heb. 9:27) "It is appointed for men once to die, and after this the judgment:" For, in all reason, the word "once" is here to be applied to judgment as well as death. So that the fair inference to be drawn from this very text is, not that there are two judgments, a particular and a general; but that we are to be judged, as well as to die, once only: Not once immediately after death, and again after the general resurrection; but then only "when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all His holy angels with Him." The imagination therefore of one judgment at death, and another at the end of the world, can have no place with those who make the written Word of God the whole and sole standard of their faith.

2. The time then when we are to give this account is, when the "great white throne comes down from heaven, and he that sitteth thereon, from whose face the heavens and the earth flee away, and there is found no place for them." It is then "the dead, small and great, will stand before God; and the books will be opened:" -- The book of Scripture, to them who were entrusted therewith; the book of conscience to all mankind. The "book of remembrance," likewise (to use another scriptural expression,) which had been writing from the foundation of the world, will then be laid open to the view of all the children of men. Before all these, even the whole human race, before the devil and his angels, before an innumerable company of holy angels, and before God the Judge of all, thou wilt appear, without any shelter or covering, without any possibility of disguise, to give a particular account of the manner wherein thou hast employed all thy Lord's goods!

3. The Judge of all will then inquire, "How didst thou employ thy soul? I entrusted thee with an immortal spirit, endowed with various powers and faculties, with understanding, imagination, memory, will, affections. I gave thee withal full and express directions, how all these were to be employed. Didst thou employ thy understanding, as far as it was capable, according to those directions; namely, in the knowledge of thyself and me -- my nature, my attributes? -- my works, whether of creation, of providence, or of grace? -- in acquainting thyself with my word? -- in using every means to increase thy knowledge thereof? -- in meditating thereon day and night? Didst thou employ thy memory, according to my will, in treasuring up whatever knowledge thou hadst acquired, which might conduce to my glory, to thy own salvation, or the advantage of others? Didst thou store up therein, not things of no value, but whatever instruction thou hadst learned from my word; and whatever experience thou hadst gained of my wisdom, truth, power, and mercy? Was thy imagination employed, not in painting vain images, much less such as nourished "foolish and hurtful desires;" but in representing to thee whatever would profit thy soul, and awaken thy pursuit of wisdom and holiness? Didst thou follow my directions with regard to thy will? Was it wholly given up to me? Was it swallowed up in mine, so as never to oppose, but always run parallel with it? Were thy affections placed and regulated in such a manner, as I appointed in my word? Didst thou give me thy heart? Didst thou not love the world, neither the things of the world? Was I the object of thy love? Was all thy desire unto me, and unto the remembrance of my name? Was I the joy of thy heart, the delight of thy soul, the chief among ten thousand? Didst thou sorrow for nothing, but what grieved my spirit? Didst thou fear and hate nothing but sin? Did the whole stream of thy affections flow back to the ocean from whence they came? Were thy thoughts employed according to my will -- not in ranging to the ends of the earth, not on folly, or sin; but on 'whatsoever things were pure, whatsoever things were holy;' on whatsoever was conducive to my glory, and to 'peace and good-will among men?'"

4. Thy Lord will then inquire, "How didst thou employ the body wherewith I entrusted thee? I gave thee a tongue to praise me therewith: Didst thou use it to the end for which it was given? Didst thou employ it, not in evil speaking or idle speaking, not in uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; but in such as was good, as was necessary or useful either to thyself or others? Such as always tended, directly or indirectly, to 'minister grace to the hearers?' I gave thee, together with thy other senses, those grand avenues of knowledge, sight, and hearing: were these employed to those excellent purposes for which they were bestowed upon thee? In bringing thee in more and more instruction in righteousness and true holiness? I gave thee hands and feet, and various members, wherewith to perform the works which were prepared for thee: were they employed, not in doing 'the will of the flesh,' of thy evil nature; or the will of the mind; (the things to which thy reason or fancy led thee;) but 'the will of Him that sent' thee into the world, merely to work out thy own salvation? Didst thou present all thy members, not to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness, but to me alone, through the Son of my love, 'as instruments of righteousness?' "

5. The Lord of all will next inquire, "How didst thou employ the worldly goods which I lodged in thy hands? Didst thou use thy food, not so as to seek or place thy happiness therein, but so as to preserve thy body in health, in strength and vigour, a fit instrument for the soul? Didst thou use apparel, not to nourish pride or vanity, much less to tempt others to sin, but conveniently and decently to defend thyself from the injuries of the weather? Didst thou prepare and use thy house, and all other conveniences, with a single eye to my glory -- in every point seeking not thy own honour, but mine; studying to please, not thyself, but me? Once more: in what manner didst thou employ that comprehensive talent, money? -- not in gratifying the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life; not squandering it away in vain expenses -- the same as throwing it into the sea; not hoarding it up to leave behind thee -- the same as burying it in the earth; but first supplying thy own reasonable wants, together with those of thy family; then restoring the remainder to me, through the poor, whom I had appointed to receive it; looking upon thyself as only one of that number of poor, whose wants were to be supplied out of that part of my substance which I had placed in thy hands for this purpose; leaving thee the right of being supplied first, and the blessedness of giving rather than receiving? Wast thou accordingly a general benefactor to mankind? Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the sick, assisting the stranger, relieving the afflicted, according to their various necessities? Wast thou eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, a father to the fatherless, and an husband to the widow? And didst thou labour to improve all outward works of mercy, as means of saving souls from death?"

6. Thy Lord will farther inquire, "Hast thou been a wise and faithful steward with regard to the talents of a mixed nature which I lent thee? Didst thou employ thy health and strength, not in folly or sin, not in the pleasures which perished in the using, 'not in making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the desires thereof,' but in a vigorous pursuit of that better part which none could take away from thee? Didst thou employ whatever was pleasing in thy person or address, whatever advantages thou hadst by education, whatever share of learning, whatever knowledge of things or men, was committed thee, for the promoting of virtue in the world, for the enlargement of my kingdom? Didst thou employ whatever share of power thou hadst, whatever influence over others, by the love or esteem of thee which they had conceived, for the increase of their wisdom and holiness? Didst thou employ that inestimable talent of time, with wariness and circumspection, as duly weighing the value of every moment, and knowing that all were numbered in eternity? Above all, wast thou a good steward of my grace, preventing, accompanying, and following thee? Didst thou duly observe, and carefully improve, all the influences of my Spirit -- every good desire, every measure of light, all His sharp or gentle reproofs? How didst thou profit by 'the Spirit of bondage and fear,' which was previous to 'the Spirit of adoption?' And when thou wast made a partaker of this Spirit, crying in thy heart, "Abba, Father," didst thou stand fast in the glorious liberty wherewith I made thee free? Didst thou from thenceforth present thy soul and body, all thy thoughts, thy words, and actions, in one flame of love, as a holy sacrifice, glorifying me with thy body and thy spirit? Then 'well done, good and faithful servant! Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!' "

And what will remain, either to the faithful or unfaithful steward? Nothing but the execution of that sentence which has been passed by the righteous Judge; fixing thee in a state which admits of no change through everlasting ages! It remains only that thou be rewarded, to all eternity, according to thy works.

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IV.

1. From these plain considerations we may learn, First, How important is this short, uncertain day of life! How precious, above all utterance, above all conception, is every portion of it!

The least of these a serious care demands;
For though they're little, they are golden sands!

How deeply does it concern every child of man, to let none of these run to waste; but to improve them all to the noblest purposes, as long as the breath of God is in his nostrils!

2. We learn from hence, Secondly, that there is no employment of our time, no action or conversation, that is purely indifferent. All is good or bad, because all our time, as everything we have, is not our own. All these are, as our Lord speaks, ta allotria -- the property of another; of God our Creator. Now, these either are or are not employed according to his will. If they are so employed, all is good; if they are not, all is evil. Again: it is His will, that we should continually grow in grace, and in the living knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, every thought, word, and work, whereby this knowledge is increased, whereby we grow in grace, is good; and every one whereby this knowledge is not increased, is truly and properly evil.

3. We learn from hence, Thirdly, that there are no works of supererogation; that we can never do more than our duty; seeing all we have is not our own, but God's; all we can do is due to Him. We have not received this or that, or many things only, but everything from Him: therefore, everything is His due. He that gives us all, must needs have a right to all: so that if we pay Him anything less than all, we cannot be faithful stewards. And considering, "every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour," we cannot be wise stewards unless we labour to the uttermost of our power; not leaving anything undone which we possibly can do, but putting forth all our strength.

4. Brethren, "who is an understanding man and endued with knowledge among you?" Let him show the wisdom from above, by walking suitably to his character. If he so account of himself as a steward of the manifold gifts of God, let him see that all his thoughts, and words, and works, be agreeable to the post God has assigned him. It is no small thing, to lay out for God all which you have received from God. It requires all your wisdom, all your resolution, all your patience and constancy; far more than ever you had by nature, but not more than you may have by grace. For His grace is sufficient for you; and "all things," you know, "are possible to him that believeth." By faith, then, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ;" "put on the whole armour of God;" and you shall be enabled to glorify Him in all your words and works; yea, to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!

Edinburgh, May 14, 1768

Peace while so many were making themselves ready for battle

Tuesday 19 July 1763: Finding it was not expedient to leave London during the ferment which still continued by reason of Mr. Maxfield’s separation from us, I determined not to remove from it before the Conference. This began on Tuesday, July 19, and ended on Saturday 23. And it was a great blessing that we had peace among ourselves, while so many were making themselves ready for battle.

Our Conference concluded

Tue 3 Aug 1784: Our Conference concluded, in much love, to the great disappointment of all. This evening, I went as far as Halifax and, the next day, to Manchester.

Our Conference began

Tue Aug 3 1773: Our Conference began. I preached mornings as well as evenings; and it was all one. I found myself just as strong as if I had preached but once a day.

Our Conference began

Mon 9 Aug 1762: I preached at Elland and Birstal in my way to Leeds, where our Conference began on Tuesday morning; and we had great reason to praise God for his gracious presence from the beginning to the end.

A Perfectly Unanimous Conference

Friday, July 1, 1785. Most of our travelling preachers met, to confer together on the things of God. We began and ended in much peace and love, being all resolved not to ‘do the work of the Lord so lightly’. Sunday 3, we had a larger congregation than ever at St. Patrick’s, where many of our brethren found such a blessing that they will not easily be so prejudiced against the Church as they were in time past. Wed. 6. We concluded our Conference. I remember few such conferences, either in England or Ireland: so perfectly unanimous were all the preachers and so determined to give themselves up to God.

In Ireland

Sun. 17 July 1785 (Ireland). I preached both morning and evening on the education of children. I now spoke chiefly to the parents, informing them that I designed to speak to the children at five the next morning. Monday 18 at five, not only the morning chapel was well filled, but many stood in the large Chapel. I trust they did not come in vain. The rest of the week, I was fully employed in writing for the Magazine and preparing for the Conference. Sunday 24, I preached at West Street, morning and afternoon, when both the largeness and earnestness of the congregation gave me a comfortable hope of a blessing at the ensuing Conference.

A Conference without contention or altercation

Tuesday 26 July 1785 (Ireland):, our Conference began, at which about seventy preachers were present, whom I had invited by name. One consequence of this was that we had no contention or altercation at all, but everything proposed was calmly considered and determined as we judged would be most for the glory of God.

Local Preachers Rebel against JW and Appeal to Conference

Mon 22 Nov 1779: My brother and I set out for Bath, on a very extraordinary occasion. Some time since, Mr. Smyth, a clergyman whose labours God had greatly blessed in the north of Ireland, brought his wife over to Bath, who had been for some time in a declining state of health. I desired him to preach every Sunday evening in our chapel, while he remained there. But as soon as I was gone Mr. McNab, one of our preachers, vehemently opposed that; affirming it was the common cause of all the lay preachers; that they were appointed by the Conference, not by me, and would not suffer the clergy to ride over their heads—Mr. Smyth in particular, of whom he said all manner of evil. Others warmly defended him. Hence the society was torn in pieces and thrown into the utmost confusion. On Tuesday 23, I read to the society a paper which I wrote near twenty years ago on a like occasion. Herein I observed that ‘the rules of our preachers were fixed by me, before any Conference existed’, particularly the twelfth: ‘Above all, you are to preach when and where I appoint.’ By obstinately opposing which rule Mr. McNab has made all this uproar. In the morning, at a meeting of the preachers, I informed Mr. McNab that as he did not agree to our fundamental rule, I could not receive him as one of our preachers till he was of another mind. On Wednesday 24, I read the same paper to the society at Bristol, as I found the flame had spread thither also. A few at Bath separated from us on this account; but the rest were thoroughly satisfied.

Conference 1778 considers sending missionaries to Africa

Tue. 4 Aug 1778. Our Conference began; so large a number of preachers (see below) never met at a Conference before. I preached morning and evening till Thursday night; then my voice began to fail, so I desired two of our preachers to supply my place the next day. On Saturday, the Conference ended.

There were more than a large number of preachers present, as Thomas Taylor recalls in his diary: 

Aug. 5. Today we permitted all sorts to come into the Conference, so that we had a large company. The forenoon was occupied in speaking upon preaching-houses. In the afternoon, the sending of missionaries to Africa was considered. The call seems doubtful. Afterwards the committee met, and we were an hour and a half in speaking what might have been done in five minutes. We are vastly tedious, and have many long speeches to little purpose

Pastoral Letter

PASTORAL LETTER AUGUST 2012

Dear Alberton Methodist Family,

"So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but like wise people. Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days “(GNB) or "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time,

because the days are evil. “(KJV)

(Eph 5:15&16)

For Reflection: Winter is passing, so the days are getting longer and hopefully progressively warmer now that Spring seems to be on the way.

The seasons are a wonderful reminder that time comes and time goes but the verse above reminds us to use our time wisely, to be good stewards of time. We are called to 'redeem the time' or as the Good News version puts it "make good use of every opportunity you have" and we do that by living as good stewards in the time that God gives us to live. Let us be thankful for the time, in other words, the life, that we have. It has been and continues to be a gift from God given to us daily, but at some stage, taken away from every one of us as well.

Preaching Series: As we have studied the Scriptures over the last few months in our series on the Ten Commandments, we have seen that the best way to live is as good, faithful and obedient servants of our LORD, seeing in His moral commands (as opposed to His ritual and ceremonial commands which have been fulfilled) how we should live, how we ought to conduct ourselves as God’s people in God’s creation. At the same time we’ve emphasised that we are not saved by keeping God’s commandments. In fact it seems (especially as we read many of Jesus' parables), that on Judgement Day we are going to be judged more by what kind of steward we were rather than by how much we did or did not keep God’s commandments. It seems therefore a good idea to follow up our Ten Commandment series on Christian Moral Conduct with one on Christian Stewardship.

Starting on 2 September we are preaching a series on Stewardship and, after the introduction where we will look at the difference between stewardship and ownership, will be looking at Stewardship of Creation, of our Talents, Spiritual gifts and Abilities, of People (especially the poor), of our Time, of our Bodies, of the Bible and finally of our Money. Each of these will hopefully result in some change in our lifestyle as God’s people living in God’s creation. A series of study notes has been prepared which will be available in printed form each week. If you have e-mail or internet access, the notes are also available via e-mail on request from the office and can also be accessed on my blog at http://dentalmethodist.blogspot.com/search/label/Stewardship

For reflection: Being a good steward will never put us right with God and save us. We are put right with God and saved by faith alone. Many people behave as good stewards in this life and are very concerned about the environment, they put their talents to very good use in the service of humanity, they do good things for other people and they sometimes give huge sums of money to charities and foundations. Without faith however, these things have no eternal value. Likewise faith without works is dead faith and has no eternal value either (James 2:14-17). Let us all say "Yes" to stewardship in a new way, redeeming the time we have left and then look forward by faith to Christ's "Well done, good and faithful servant" on that great day that we will all stand before Him.

For prayer: Confirmation Sunday this year is 23 September and I covet your prayers for our confirmees; Candice Wilsnach, Chelsea Moses, Christine Guerini, Doreen Karuzi, Dylan Pete, Gayle McGuiness, Jacqueline Muller, Jared Sadie, Jaydene Lourens, Jordan Hibbert, Karin Kahl, Kate Woolway, Kelton Smith, Letitia Frosch, Margaret Tsotetsi, Olivia Guerini, Sherilee Barnes Dunstan, Thabo Nhlapo, Thokozani Msimango. Those who haven’t been baptised will be baptised at a special Baptism Service at midday that Sunday to which the congregation is invited and which will take place at John and Nora’s pool. From the 26 August to 16 September the confirmees will be sharing a little of their testimonies at our various Sunday worship services. Please pray for them as they complete their preparation for confirmation.

For information, prayer and preparation: As you might remember, at our Annual Society Meeting last year, a number of congregation members expressed concern at the steady decline in worship attendance over a number of years. The decision taken was that the Society Stewards would investigate Church Survey material and find something which might best suit our needs. A great deal of work has been done in this regard and we will soon be conducting the REVEAL survey, a survey which has been used in over 1200 churches worldwide, including many Methodist churches in SA. For more info, visit http://revealnow.com/ The key to success in this survey is going to be reaching as many of our members (and former or lapsed members) as possible, so please keep your eyes and ears open as more info comes to hand. The survey will be able to be completed on paper and also electronically. Folk on our e-mail database will receive a link via e-mail and will complete and submit the form electronically, while folk not connected to the internet will be able to fill in a hard copy and return it to the office. The responses are collected and interpreted by the Willow Creek Association. This survey will, very aptly, take place during our Stewardship series, giving us all an opportunity to be better stewards of the church our LORD has called us to be a part of, and better stewards of the community He has placed us in.

Conclusion: Please continue to pray into the life of Alberton Methodist Church as we seek to fulfil our vision of being a community of disciples seeking to grow the Kingdom of God, so that His Kingdom comes through us as His will is done by us in this special part of earth called Alberton.

Chris and I remain your servants and God’s stewards here in Alberton.

Much love

Stewardship Series

                                     Stewardship

I know that the word stewardship and steward are not words that we commonly use today. Therefore, I want to review the definition of stewardship. A steward is a person who manages and administrates what has been entrusted to him by another. In the context of Christian stewardship, a steward is a person who manages what has been entrusted to him/her by God. God has entrusted us with many things. In this series we will focus on stewardship of our planet, our talents, spiritual gifts and abilities, our time, our bodies, other people, especially the poor, the Bible, and our money. Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of the things God has entrusted to our care.    

Week 1

Stewardship versus Ownership - 2 September 2012

Let’s start with the foundational principle: ownership.

The truth of God’s ownership is so simple, yet so profound!

Read I Chronicles 29:11-13.

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
    and praise your glorious name.

¹⁴ “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

Read Psalm 24:1.

“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”

Discuss: What is ownership?

Some answers: It is the right of control; it is the right to use……………………………..

Discuss: What does it mean when you claim Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

There are hundreds of references to Jesus Christ as Lord!

Read 1 Corinthians1:9.

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Lord refers to the one to whom a person or thing belongs; a lord has power of decision; He is master.

Read Acts 4:24.

The Greek word “Lord” in Acts 4:24 is despotes, a term likened to “despot.” He is one who is in total control! When you say “Lord” you are saying he is the one who has total control!

What is the hardest area for us to let God have complete control?

Discuss: What right does God have to claim ownership?

Some answers might include: By right of creation, God has created you; by right of redemption, God has redeemed you. He bought back a second time! Satan stole mankind away. He held them in bondage. What did God do? He sent his Son to pay the payment—the death penalty. Read I Corinthians 6:19,20 and Romans 10:13.

Why does God expect us to make Him Lord?

Discuss: What should be your response to God’s ownership?

Some answers might include: Trust, eg Proverbs 3:5,6; Obedience; Stewardship

Concluding discussion

What is ownership?

What does “Lord” mean?

What is the hardest area in which to allow God complete control?

What does stewardship mean?

What is the relationship between ownership and stewardship? 

Week 2 

Stewardship of Creation – 9 September 2012

The environment: Pinpointing the problem

Aim of the lesson:

•    To consider what underlies and motivates the abuse of the environment through thoughtless "progress" even among Christian people.

Study passages: Genesis 1:20-31, Romans 8:5-25, Matthew 21:33-40

Notes

•    A Christian attitude? There should surely be a very great difference in attitude to the physical world between those who believe that the universe came into being by blind chance and those who believe it was created by God. Christians must surely have a special element of respect in their dealings with human beings, other living creatures and the natural environment in which God has placed us. Yet, sadly, the evidence does not show this to be the case. We Christians seldom show a special concern for our environment. Reluctantly, one has to acknowledge a measure of truth in what Lynn White says: "Christianity, in absolute contrast to ancient paganism and Asia's religions ... not only established a dualism of man and nature but also insisted that it is God's will that man exploit nature for his proper ends".

•    Two key words have been highlighted in the quotation -' 'dualism" and "exploit". They can help us understand why we as Christians do not have a good track record where care of the environment is concerned.

•    Dualism. This is a way of thinking that creates ad vision between things that essentially belong together. Dualism, for instance, sees a total separation between the spiritual and the material aspects of life, between the sacred and the secular, between religion and politics, and between God and humanity. Dualism was initially foreign to biblical thinking. It was imported from the ancient Persians and Greeks. Its effect has been to set up in us undesirable, unhealthy and, one could say unbiblical, patterns of thought and action, which have led us to believe that concern for the earth has nothing to do with our spiritual lives.

•    Exploitation. Lynn White is far from the only one who accuses Christians and Christianity of serving a God who wills His people to exploit and abuse the earth for their own ends. Much of the evidence in recent centuries supports their claim. Civilizations influenced by Christianity have laid waste the earth in wars and industrial ' 'development". We have opened ourselves to the charge in Ezekiel 34:18, that we have taken the good things of the earth and left it in a mess! A criticism often leveled at the Bible's teaching on our relation to the environment is that human beings were instructed by God at the point of creation to "subdue" the earth and to "have dominion over" all its creatures (see 20)

Genesis 1:26 and 28 - This appears to give human beings the license, even the duty, to use and abuse the world and its creatures to suit our whims. A common oversight is that the instructions were given to human beings before they fell away from God. In their first relationship with God, harmonious as it was, the ways in which they would have gone about subduing and having dominion would surely have been in keeping with the love of the creator-God who "saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (v 31). There is no place for exploitation here - only for appreciation and care as privileged fellow workers with God in His creation. After all, it is His not ours!

Questions for discussion:

1.   Can you think of examples in your own environment in which we are "guilty as charged" by Ezekiel (34:18)?

2.   In what ways are we (as Christians) separate from other people and in what ways do we belong together with them?

3.   Can you think of other reasons why human beings exploit and abuse the earth as they do?

4.   'Caring for nature is not merely a practical necessity. For the Christian it is a primary spiritual responsibility". Discuss.

5.   What does the Romans passage suggest to you about the future of the earth in God's scheme of things?

6.   Can you remember an experience in which the beauty of nature and the wonder of creation were brought home to you? Share with the group.

7.   Is the saving work of Jesus intended for human beings alone, or do you see it as having some effect on the whole creation?

8.   Can you think of some simple ways in which you (individually or as a group) could celebrate creation? 

Week 3

Stewardship of Our Talents and Abilities (Spiritual Gifts)

16 September 2012

The Parable of the Talents

Aim of the lesson

• To appreciate the gifts God has given us and look at how we are using them.

Study passage: Matthew 25:14-30.

Notes

• Jesus was on the Mount of Olives when the parables in Chapters 24 and 25 were told (Mt 24:3). Across the Kidron Valley they would have been able to see the walled city of Jerusalem and the magnificent temple. It must have been a wonderful sight. Yet Jesus looked at it and said it was all going to be desecrated and destroyed (Mt 24:1-2, 15). Why? Was it because Israel had failed to use her 'talent', her covenant relationship with God? This may have been one of the thoughts in Jesus' mind as He told the story. But of course it has a much broader and deeper meaning for the religious life as a whole.

• A talent was actually a measure of weight (about 30 kg). A talent of silver would today be worth several thousand rands. In the parable the talents are meant to represent all the gifts and blessings which God gives us; nature, material wealth, abilities, opportunity, health, character, intellect, grace, privilege, love etc. Some people receive in abundance, others get just a few. The main point is that these gifts (talents) really belong to God, not to us. They are loaned to us and we are accountable to God for the way we use them or misuse them. Obviously too, they must not be used selfishly but for Him, in His service, and in the service of others.

• Verse 14: 'a man going on a journey....' The reference here is to the time in which we are presently living, the period between Christ's ascension and His coming again. All three of the parables in Matthew 25 focus on the return of Christ and the final judgment.

• Verses 21-23: These two men had different gifts. But they had both worked equally hard and therefore they received equal rewards. We are not rewarded for our abilities or the quantity of the talents we have been entrusted with. We are rewarded for our diligence and for trying. The person who has very little may in fact have worked harder with it than the person who has plenty. It is interesting that the reward’ for work well done is not rest, but more work. Is there an implication here that there will still be work for us to do in heaven? It would seem so.

• Verses 18 and 25-27: This man failed to use his talent, either for his own benefit or for anyone else's. Even if he had ventured and lost God might still have said, 'well done'. We cannot excuse ourselves because we have received little. We cannot say, my gift is so insignificant that it doesn't matter if I don't do anything with it. God will accept our work with all its shortcomings provided we have tried, and done it with a good heart. • Verse 29: The law of gifts is very simple. If you don't use it you lose it. If you do use it, you get more.

Questions for discussion:

Mt 25:14-30

1.  Why does God give some people many gifts and some just a few?

2.  Why does God hold people accountable for the way they use the gifts they have been given? What right has He to do so?

3.  Why did the man with only one talent fail to use it?

4.  In the silence think for a moment what gifts has God given you? Make a list on paper. What have you done with your gifts? What more do you think you should be doing with them? Share what you have written with the group.

5.  How can we discover our gifts?

Week 4

Confirmation Sunday – 23 September 2012

Duties of Church Membership

Aim of the lesson:

•    To look at what is involved in being full and responsible members of the
Church.

Study passages: 2 Corinthians 9:6-12, Colossians 3:5-17, Hebrews 10:19-25, 13:1-7, 1 Peter 4:7-11, Mark 1:14-20,  Romans 8:12-17, Jeremiah 31:31-34

Notes:

•    Conditions of membership. Any club or organisation has conditions of membership and duties which it lays down for its members. The Methodist Church is no different.   It lays down three simple requirements for membership:

A sincere desire to be saved from sin

Faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour

Involvement in the fellowship of the Church

•    These three conditions are stated in our "Laws and Discipline" as follows:

"Membership is based upon a personal experience of the Lord Jesus Christ, brought about by his Spirit.

"All persons are welcomed into membership who sincerely desire to be saved from their sins through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and show the same in life and conduct, and who seek to have fellowship with Christ himself and his people by taking up the duties and privileges of the Methodist Church.

"As membership in the Church also involves fellowship it is the duty of all members in the Church to seek to cultivate this in every possible way."

•    Duties of Church   membership - The following eight things should probably be regarded as minimum goals for members of the Church:

1.      To follow the example of Christ in home and daily life.

2.      To bear personal witness to Jesus Christ.

3.      To be regular in private prayer each day.

4.      To read the Bible each day and seek to be obedient to God's Word.

5.      To attend worship every Sunday.

6.      To receive Holy Communion regularly.

7.      To give meaningful financial support to the work of the Church, locally and for the wider mission field.

8.      To be involved in serving others in the Church and community.

As we grow in our faith and walk with the Lord we will understand these duties at a deeper and clearer level. We may add others to the list, but these will always remain a basic minimum for us.

Questions for discussion:

1.             Read through all the study passages carefully. What do they teach us about the conditions of membership in the early Church? Make a list

2.      What do you think of the three basic conditions for membership in the Methodist Church? Are they reasonable? Should there be others?

3.      Go through the eight suggested duties one by one. What does each one mean? Are they too strict, not strict enough, or about right?

4.      What should the Church do about people who want to be members, but don't want to accept any of the responsibilities of membership?

5.      As a group make a list of some ways in which you could become more involved in the activities of your local church.

Something to do:

Spend some time thinking about how you have worked out the implications of your Confirmation. Have you kept the vows you once made? How can you make your membership of the Church count for something? 

Week 5

Stewardship of People – 30 September 2012

Caring for the Poor

Aim of the lesson:

• To examine our Christian responsibility to care for, identify with, and give to the poor.

Study passage: James 2:1-17, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 10:25-37

Notes:

• God has a deep concern for the poor. This is evident throughout the Bible (Ps 12:5, Amos 4:1, Jn 13:29). In New Testament times most people were poor and the gap between rich and poor was very great. Even today the vast majority of people in the world are poor, and this is just as true of Southern Africa, the area in which we live.

• There is a growing concern for equality and a fair distribution of wealth, and a new awareness that we are part of a world community in which we have a responsibility for the welfare of all. Efforts are being made to care for the poor, the starving, the homeless, the refugees, the aged, the young, the sick and the dying, and many more. The modern world has the technology and the ability to feed and raise the living standards of most people on earth. But unfortunately other factors like war, greed, sin, ignorance, apathy and the unbelievable population explosion have hampered these efforts.

• Christians should be in the front-line of efforts to improve social justice, to provide better working and living conditions, to ensure a better use of land and resources, and to provide a larger share for all. We must work for a day when there will be no more poor. But it will be a long time before that happens, and until then, the plight of the poor will remain the special responsibility of Christians and one of the main objects of our giving.

• Christians must also identify with the poor far more than they now do, as for example Mother Theresa has done in India. We must involve ourselves with their needs, through real caring love and practical help, but not of course in a paternalistic or condescending way. The Mission Department of our Church has just embarked on a programme called 'Zikhulise', meaning 'develop yourself’, which has precisely these aims. It deserves our full support.

• Giving to the needy in the Christian family is the first duty of Christian giving. The early Church in Jerusalem set aside specially consecrated deacons (i.e. servers) for this work (Acts 6:1-7). Paul also organized collections among the new churches for the poor in Jerusalem. The poor of the church are to be the special objects of our care (1 Cor 3:3, Gal 6:10, Heb, 13:16). For a Christian to beg is a disgrace to the Christian Church and so we must care for one another and minister to each other's needs within the Body of Christ. As Christians we should support our Poor Funds, and our Relief Funds as well as giving individual help wherever we can.

• Our giving must also reach outside the Christian fellowship. All those in need have a claim on our support and service. One of the best forms of Christian witness is to help others. Then those who receive our gifts may ask 'Why do you do this for me?', and it opens doors to be able to tell them about a Father who cares for all His children. It gives us an opportunity to witness to a Lord who has taught us to show our faith through good works.

Questions for discussion:

Jas 2:1-17

1.  What does our study passage have to teach us about being a Church of the poor?

2.  Is the Methodist Church today a Church of the poor or of the rich?

3.  In what practical ways could we be more active in caring for the poor, giving to the poor, and identifying with them?

Group exercise:

Try to arrange a 'pilgrimage of pain and hope' for your group or class during the week. Visit a needy part of the community. Make sure you meet the people and talk to them. As a group reflect on your experience and try to make some resolutions about helping and being involved.

Something to do:

Do something meaningful for a needy person this week, something that will involve a sacrifice on your part. Or: Fast for 36 hours this week to see how it feels to be hungry. Give the money you would have spent on meals to your Poor Fund, or to a Relief Fund, or to some other cause. 

                                                                                   

Week 6

Stewardship of our Time – 7 October 2012

Study passages: Ephesians 5:8-17 (KJV – 16), Psalm 90:9-12

Read:

Romans 12

Time is the heritage of every person. Whether a king or street sweeper, an astronomer or truck driver, a business tycoon or grocery clerk, each of us has the same number of hours.

Many necessities and opportunities demand much of our day. Our work takes up a large percentage of our life. Being a good husband or wife, father or mother, employer or employee requires time.

As Christians, we have spiritual priorities as well. How many hours or days in a month should we set aside for evangelism and discipleship and the ministries of our church? What about caring for the poor, the orphans, and widows as God's Word commands (James 1:27; Galatians 2:10)?

Right Attitude About Time:

Read:

Psalm 90:12.

What should be our prayer concerning the use of the time that God gives us?

Why is the proper use of our time today so important? (James 4:13-15)

What does God demand of us in the stewardship of our time? (Psalm 62:8) When do you find this hardest to do?

What does Christ admonish us to do as stewards of time until He comes again? (Mark 13:33-37)

If we are wise stewards and heed the commands of our Lord, how will we use our time (Ephesians 5:15-16 )? What does making use of our time have to do with wisdom or with evil days?

Right Relationship with God:

As wise stewards concerned over the use of our time, what will we want to understand (Ephesians 5:17)?

What is necessary in order to know fully the will of God concerning the duties of our stewardship (Ephesians 5:18)?

What will the Holy Spirit give the faithful steward to enable him to perform the duties of stewardship (Acts 1:8)?

In whose name should the steward perform these duties (Colossians 3:17)?

What should be our attitude as we utilize the time over which God has made us stewards (Ephesians 5:19-21)?

How would you describe such a useful and joyous life (John 10:10)?

Most Important Use of Time:

As wise stewards who know and are obedient to the will of God, what will we spend so much of our time aggressively doing? (Mark 16:15)

What does God say about a soul winner in Proverbs 11:30?

Of what value is a soul according to Christ in Mark 8:36-37?

What is the greatest thing that has happened in your life?

What then is the greatest thing you can do for another?

What happens in God's presence when one repents and receives Christ? (Luke 15:7,10)

How did Paul feel about those whom he had won to Christ? (I Thessalonians 2:19-20)

Life Application:

Keeping track of how you spend your day can be of great value in evaluating the stewardship of your time. Record the number of hours spent on business, class, sleep, Christian service, recreation, etc. Place the total hours per week used in each activity below.

Study & Class:		Activities & Athletics:
Devotional Life:		Commuting:
Christian Service:		Employment:
Rest:		Laundry & Clean-up:
Recreation & Social Life:		Miscellaneous:

Week 7

Stewardship of our Bodies – 14 October 2012

Objective: To surrender our bodies to Christ, from the heart.

Study passages: Psalm 51, Galatians 5, Ephesians 5, Romans 12:1-2

Some time ago, my heart grieved as I learned of a respected Christian leader who had fallen into a life of sin. He had obviously not intended to do so, but when the temptation came, he yielded. As a result, his wife, his family, his friends, and fellow Christians suffered heartache. Most tragically, his testimony and witness for the Lord Jesus has suffered untold damage. Many have ridiculed and rejected the cause of Christ because of his sin.

Since God wants us to live a holy life, the enemy seeks to entrap us in sin and defeat. One of Satan's methods is to tempt us to misuse our bodies.

But God created our bodies for His glory. By surrendering them to Him, He can use us to further His kingdom and help us grow in our faith.

This study will help us understand the importance of giving control of your body to God. You will also discover danger areas in using your physical self and how to help further the cause of Christ with different parts of your body.

The Spirit and the Body:

Read 1 Peter 4:1-2 and Hebrews 10:1-10. How did Jesus regard His body?

What does Christ's sacrifice mean to us? (Hebrews 10:10) Look up the word "sanctified" in a Bible dictionary. How does this word relate to your stewardship?

What do you learn about the body of the Christian from Romans 8:8-9 and 12:1?

Express in your own words the additional reasons given in I Corinthians 6:19-20 for being a good steward of your body.

How are we to do this? (Galatians 5:16, Romans 12:1, Matthew 26:41)

Individual Parts of the Body:

The Tongue

Why is it so important to be a good steward of the tongue? (James 1:26 and 3:2-6)

Why should you know concerning its use? (Matthew 12:36) List areas where you misuse your tongue. How has this affected your life? How should you use your tongue properly? (James 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:24, 29, Proverbs 21:23, Psalm 39:1)

The Heart

What must we understand about the heart? (Jeremiah 17:9) How can we counteract our natural tendencies? (Psalm 139:23-24)

What condition of heart does God require? (Psalm 51:17) What kind of heart does God look for and why? (II Chronicles 16:9, Matthew 5:8, II Thessalonians 3:5, Psalm 15:1-2)

What is the result of keeping your mind focused on God? (Isaiah 26:3) How can you keep your mind on Him? (Philippians 4:6-7, Deuteronomy 11:18)

The Hands

What does God think about the work of your hands? (Proverbs 12:14, 24) How did the apostles feel about the importance of what their hands had done? (Acts 20:34-35 and I Thessalonians 4:11-12)

How can we use our hands to glorify God? (Proverbs 31:20, Ephesians 5:28, Deuteronomy 15:10-11, Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The Feet

Contrast the feet of those who do evil with those who do good. (Isaiah 52:7, 59:7, Romans 3:15, Psalm 119:101,105; 56:13)

How do Romans 10:15 and Ephesians 6:15 relate to evangelism?

The Eyes

What is the importance of the eyes (Matthew 6:22-23) Describe what this means to you? What sins can we commit with our eyes? (Proverbs 21:4, 27:20, Jeremiah 22:17, Matthew 5:28, I John 2:16)

What privilege did the apostles have? (I John 1:1-3) How can we avoid temptation? (Psalm 19:8, 119:37, 121:1-2, 123:1)

The Ears

Write down ways we can misuse hearing. (Proverbs 21:13 II Timothy 4:3-4) What can listening to God give us? (Romans 10:17, John 5:24) How can you apply James 1:19-22 to your daily life? Give specific examples.

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Sexual Expression:

Compare the sexual sins in I Corinthians 6:9-10,13-18 with marriage in I Corinthians 7:1-8.

God considered David a man after His own heart, yet what was David's greatest sin? (II Samuel 11:2-5; 14-17; 26-27)

What is God's stern judgment against misusers and abusers of sex? (I Corinthians 6:9-10) Why is it especially tragic if a Christian becomes involved in the misuse of sex? (I Corinthians 6:15-18)

How serious is sexual lust, according to Christ? (Matthew 5:28)

How can the application of the following verses enable you to overcome sexual lust? (Philippians 4:8, Psalm 119:9, 11; I Corinthians 10:13; Romans 6:11-13; I Thessalonians 4:3-5)

List the things in your life that tempt you to have impure thoughts. How can you apply these verses to each?

Life Application:

How does stewardship of each individual part of the body affect each part?

How could it affect the body as a whole?

How would you apply I Thessalonians 5:22 to the following: The use of your tongue; desires of your heart; control of your mind; work of your hands; where you go; what you see; what you hear; your conduct with members of the opposite sex? 

Week 8

Stewardship of the Bible – 21 October 2012

Aim of the lesson:

•    To encourage regular devotional reading of the Bible and give some pointers as to how to do it.

Study passage: Psalm 119:89-112

Notes:

·     The Bible is the soil from which all Christian faith grows. Who is God? Is there a Divine plan for the world? What is God's purpose for us? How should we live today? We cannot know these things ourselves. Only God can reveal them to us. There used to be a gramophone record label "His Master's Voice", and this is a good description of the Bible. In it we hear God's voice making known the Divine nature and will.

·     The purpose of reading the Bible. There are various reasons why we should read it:

-    To develop our relationship with God by coming to understand more of his mind, what things are truly important, how God works etc.

-    To meet with and get to know Jesus Christ, the Living Word (Jn 20:31).

-    To give God an opportunity to speak to us and guide us through the Holy Spirit.

-    To allow ourselves to become saturated with God's word. This will affect our thinking, enabling us to bear fruit for God, and helping us to be obedient to the teaching of Jesus (Jn 15:5-7, 2 Tim 3:16-17).

•    How to read the Bible

-    Be regular and disciplined. The Bible rewards those who "stick with it" Persistence is one of the essentials of all Christian living.

-    Read expectantly, believing that as we read God will meet with us and speak to us.

-    Come in reverence, for we are meeting with the living God.

-    Rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us and enable us to know God's will (Jn 16:13-14). (When we say God "speaks" to us we do not usually mean that we actually hear an audible voice, but rather that the Holy Spirit convicts us inwardly about truth, sin or duty.)

-    Allow sufficient time. Bible study cannot be rushed. We are told to "wait" on the Lord (Ps 27:13-14). Use the time as follows:

-    Read the passage slowly. Don't read too much at a time.

-    Think about it; allow the mind to grasp the meaning.

-    Where appropriate, use your imagination to picture the scene.

-    Ask what God is saying to you through the passage.

-    Ask how can I be obedient? What does God want me to do?

-    Keep a note book and write down special thoughts, commitments to be obedient etc.

·     If you are just setting out on this road and don't know where to start, begin in the New Testament with Luke and move on to Acts, John, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Ephesians. Daily Bible study notes can take you on from there. (See below)

·     Commentaries - Many good commentaries exist and can help us to interpret the meaning of the passage. Ask your minister or your local Christian bookshop to advise you. However, it is more important to actually read the Bible yourself, not just books about the Bible. The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth. Discover things for yourself at first-hand.

·     Daily Bible study notes - These are intended to help with personal daily Bible study. A passage will be given to read, followed by a page or so of devotional comment and explanation. Various series are available: again, your minister or nearest Christian bookshop will advise you.

·     Bible study in a group - We often learn more in a group than as individuals. An essential part of our Bible study is to meet in Christian fellowship, in our class meeting or home fellowship group (Heb 10.25). If you are not already part of such a group, make a serious effort to join one.

Questions for discussion:

1.      Have you ever had an occasion when you have felt that the Bible has really "spoken" to you? Share what happened and how you felt.

2.      What benefits does the Psalmist get from studying God's Word (see the study passage)?

3.      What special things do we notice about a person who has spent many years in faithful study of God's Word?

4.      How can we be more systematic and disciplined about reading the Bible? What problems do we experience?

5.      Why is it important to apply what we learn in our Bible study? 

Week 9

Stewardship of Money – 28 October 2012

John Wesley — the Use of money

Aim of the lesson:

•   To study some implications of the stewardship of money.

Study passage: Luke 16:1-13

Introductory exercise:

Are group members intelligently informed about your congregation's budget needs? Why not allow 10 minutes for someone (e.g. Treasurer or minister) to explain how church finances work.

Notes:

•    A precious gift. Wesley's famous sermon on The Use of Money was preached to Methodists whose industry and thrift were already bringing them wealth. He makes it clear that it is not money, but the love of money, which is the root of all evil. "The fault", he says, "does not lie in the money, but in them that use it." In another sermon he speaks of "that precious talent which contains all the rest — money." He pronounces it "unspeakably precious if we are wise and faithful stewards of it."

•   Three Rules. Wesley reduced his instructions for the use of money to three plain rules, and claimed that by keeping them we prove ourselves to be faithful stewards of God's bounty. The rules are: Gain all you can; save all you can; give all you can.

•    Gain all you can. Methodists were to work diligently and to trade intelligently — but not to the extent of damaging their health. They were to engage in no "sinful trade", contrary to the laws of God or the country. They were forbidden to "rob the king of his customs"; today's equivalent would be to evade paying taxes. There was to be "no cheating or lying, or whatever is not consistent with a good conscience." They were to avoid unfair competition, which would damage their neighbor’s trade. They were also to avoid selling anything that might impair health. Gaining all one could was to be achieved only by honest industry.

•   Save all you can. This does not refer to building up a huge bank account, but was to be done by avoiding all expense that was not absolutely necessary. So Wesley cautions against expensive goods, needless ornaments, superfluous clothing and furniture, even "elegant rather than useful gardens". He also cautions against spoiling children with more money than necessity requires, maintaining that this is simply to put temptation in their way. Children should be educated in the right use of money and be taught not to squander it.

•    Give all you can. In giving all we can, we must provide first for the reasonable needs of our own families and dependants, and if there is anything over, we must "do good to them that are of the household of faith", and if there is anything still left, "do good to all men". "All that is laid out in this manner", says Wesley, "is really given to God." And this is as it should be, for Wesley maintained that all goods, including money, are God's sole property, and that we are but stewards of His bounty. In Wesley's own words: "Render unto God, not a tenth, not a third, not a half, but all that is God's, be it more or less; by employing it all ... in such a manner, that you may give a good account of your stewardship."

•    Wesley's own life squared with his teaching. It has been pointed out that the sales of Wesley's published works alone were enough to make him a rich man, but he never spent more than 30 pounds a year on his personal needs. Yet in a single year he gave away 1400 pounds, "through his brethren, the poor".

Questions for discussion:

1.  Examine the study passage. Is what Wesley taught consistent with it?

2.   Is Wesley's teaching in conflict with the traditional idea of the tithe?

3.   Wesley told his preachers: "You have nothing to do but save souls." Isn't he then being inconsistent in preaching on the use of money?

4.   What do you make of the three rules?

5.   Should a Christian with money to spare, give first to the Church and to the Christian poor, and only after that to needs in the outside world?

Something to do:

To what extent are you honestly "giving all you can"? Think about this and if necessary, do something about it.

Giving in the Old Testament

Aim of the lesson:

• To examine some of the principles of giving in the Old Testament and see what we can learn about our giving as Christians.

Study passage: Deuteronomy 26:1-15.

Notes:

• The first-fruits. In Old Testament times it was the practice to bring the first part of the harvest and the first-born animals to God (vs 2, Deut 15:19, Ex 23:16). Because the Jews had a strong belief that God was the Creator, all living things, vegetable, animal and human belonged to Him. It was therefore necessary to offer the first of these things back to Him to acknowledge His ownership of them. The person was then free to use the rest of them with His blessing. It was also believed that if they were faithful in this regard God would bless the rest of the crop with abundance. As Christians do we tend to give God the left-overs rather than the 'first-fruits'?

Note: In the New Testament the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit are sometimes spoken of as the 'first-fruits' of God's grace (Rom 8:23, 11:16, I Cor 15:20, Jas 1:18, Rev 14:4).

• Tithing. The normal standard of giving in the Old Testament was a tenth of one's crops, produce, live-stock, income etc (vs 12, Deut 14:22, Gen 28:22). In return God promised to bless the giver with plenty (vs 15, Mai 3:10). Every third year the tithe was given entirely to the poor and the Levites (priests), who had received no inheritance when the Promised Land was divided among the twelve tribes (Deut 14:28-29, Josh 18:7). For convenience people could give money instead of produce, but then they had to give one fifth extra (Lev 27:30-31).

• Proportional giving. Giving in proportion to the blessings one had received from God is mentioned in the Old Testament but does not seem to have been widely practiced (Deut 16:10, 16). This seems to be more in keeping with what Jesus taught about giving (Mk 12:41-44).

• Sacrifice. There were many different types of sacrifice in the Old Testament, but the common purpose behind all of them was to honour God, and in return to receive a blessing from Him. It might be to give thanks or remember some great act of God. It might be to receive forgiveness of sins, to restore fellowship with Him, or for good crops. An important assumption of all sacrifice was that, for the person making it, it had to cost them something (2 Sam 24:24). It meant giving up something precious for God. Today we no longer need to make sacrifices of this sort because Christ is our once-for-all sacrifice (Heb 7:27). But our giving to God still needs to reflect something of the costliness of Old Testament sacrifice.

• Giving the best. An offering had to be without blemish or defect because only the best was good enough for God (Deut 15:21).

• Thanksgiving. At the heart of all worship in the Old Testament (and the New Testament) was gratitude for God's blessings and goodness. It was as a sign of this thanksgiving that people were to bring their gifts and care for the needs of the poor. In the same way our giving to God must always be done in a spirit of thanksgiving, and it must be an essential part of our worship.

Questions for discussion:

Deut 26:1-15

1.  What lessons can we as Christians learn from the principles of Old Testament giving referred to above (a) the first-fruits (b) the tithe (c) proportional giving (d) sacrifice (e) giving the best (f) thanksgiving?

2.  What are the most important standards of Christian giving?

3.  Why do Christians give to God? What are we to give Him?

Christian Giving

Aim of the lesson:

• To examine our giving to the work of God in the light of Paul's teaching. Daily Readings: Sun: 2 Cor 9:1-15; Mon: Mk 12:41-44; Tue: 2 Sam 24:18-25; Wed: Mai 13:6-12; Thu: Lk 19:11-27; Fri: Acts 27:27-44; Sat: Acts 28:1-30.

Study Passage: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15.

Notes:

•  Background. In New Testament times at least two great famines affected the Roman Empire. During the first the Christians in Antioch decided to take a collection for the Christians in Judea, who were suffering more than most. They gave, each one as much as he or she could, and sent their gifts by the hands of Paul and Barnabas and the church elders (Acts 11:27-30). This was the first recorded example of Christian famine relief that we know of where Christians in one area got together to help the needy in another area. The same thing happened about twelve years later, and this event provides the background to our study-passage. In his instructions to the Christians in Corinth Paul teaches us several things about giving.

• Verses 1-4. Paul was not afraid to encourage a spirit of healthy competition. He told the Macedonian churches how well the Corinthian church gave, and he now urges the Corinthians not to let him down.

• Verse 5. When we give to God's work, or to the needy (which is the same thing, Mt 25:40) it should be done willingly and with a good heart (vs 7).

• Verse 6. We must give generously and not sparingly. Tithing, giving one tenth of what we receive back to God, is a well established biblical principle of giving (Mai 3:10) But truly speaking there should be no limits to how much a Christian is prepared to give to God, because we have acknowledged that everything we have belongs to Him anyway. If we sow sparingly we will reap in the same way. We should give in proportion to what we get. There should be no uniform assessments.

• Verse 7. Giving demands a purpose and a plan (1 Cor 16:2). We should make up our minds before-hand what we intend to give and carry out our purpose reverently and faithfully. Some people make promises but are very slow to carry them out. Our giving should be a sacred pledge. Being systematic also means we will keep an accurate account of our income and what we spend.

• Verses 8-14. The Old Testament often promises that if we give God will return our gifts to us with interest (Deut 15:10, 24:19). Paul however does not teach that we should 'give in order to get' from God. He says we should give freely and even recklessly, without hope of reward, trusting that God will meet our own needs (Phil 4:19). He might not bless us with material things but we will certainly receive spiritual graces; ability to do more good works and give more freely; the enlargement of our heart and soul; the increase of our love and devotion; greater joy and satisfaction. But more than this, those who receive our gifts will give thanks for us, and hopefully also give thanks and praise to God.

• Verse 15. No giving can be adequate return for the wonderful gift of God. The old Israelites were urged to give because God had rescued them from Egypt. Christians give because they have been saved by the precious blood of Jesus.

Questions for discussion:

2 Cor 9:1-15.

1.  Christians are asked to give to the work of God. What is the 'Work of God'? To what should we give? Why?

2.  Jesus said it was more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). What do you think He meant?

3.  How and what should Christians give?

4.  How can we be more systematic in our giving (a) as individuals, (b) as a congregation?

Group exercise:

Decide as a group on a project or a specific need to which you would like to give and make the necessary plans to do so. Later on, assess what you have done.

Something to do:

Spend time this week examining your own giving. Write down on paper what you are actually giving. How much do you receive each month, or each week? How does what you give compare with what you receive? What is God saying to you?

Tithing

Aim of the lesson:

•   General aim: Understanding Christian giving.

•   Understanding the biblical principle of tithing.

Study passages: Mal 3: 6-12, Mark 12: 41-44.

Notes:

•   Tithing. When Abraham was successful in battle, he gave a tenth of his possessions to the priest Melchizedek (Gen 14: 17-20). When Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching up to heaven he had such a deep sense of the power and presence of God that he called the place Bethel (house of God), set up a memorial stone, and promised to give Him a tenth of his possessions and the increase of his possessions (Gen 28: 20-22). Tithing, giving a tenth of our income to God, is the biblical standard of giving and He promises that if we are faithful in this, He will bless us (Lev 27: 30, Deut 14: 22-29, 12: 6, 11, Neh 13: 5, Mai 3: 8-10, Heb 1: 5).

• Jesus accepted the principle of tithing but He stressed that our giving should come from a pure heart. He condemned those who tithed in a legalistic way but whose lives did not show evidence of the more important aspects of the law such as justice, mercy and faithfulness (Mt 23: 23, Lk 18: 12).

•   Christian giving requires more than just giving a tenth. Jesus taught that tithing was a basic minimum for Christians and mat we only begin to give when we have given over and above our tithe. The first tenth belongs to God anyway. If we fail to give it to God, we have in fact stolen what rightfully belongs to Him (Mai 3: 8-9). We start to really give to God when we give out of our nine-tenths. For a Christian there really are no legalistic laws and limits. Like the widow, we should be prepared to give our all to Him (Mk 12: 41-44).

•   What can we give to God? We can give Him nothing that He has not given us in the first place, but there are three clear areas of our lives in which we must give:

-        Our money. We must tithe our income to the work of God. The Bible teaches that money is the root of all evil (I Tim 6: 10) but also that we should be wise in putting it to work for God (Lk 16: 10-12).

-        Our time is also a gift from God. We ought to make sure that at least a tenth of our time is devoted to Him.

-        Our talents and gifts. Some are natural abilities, others are special gifts of the Spirit. God has many tasks to be done. He needs our talents and gifts, and we must ensure that they are consecrated to Him to be used in His service.

•   If we are faithful in giving, God promises to bless us (Mai 3: 10). We do not subscribe to the "prosperity gospel" preached by some churches these days, but there is clear teaching mat if we are faithful and obedient to God, He will supply all our need (Mt 6: 33, Phil 4: 19, Gal 6: 8-10).

Questions for discussion:

Mai 3: 6-12, Mark 12: 41-44.

1.   What insights come to you from the Malachi passage?

2.   In the Mark passage what differences can you find between the way in which the widow gave, and the way in which the rich people gave?

3.   Do you agree with the principle of tithing?

4.   Of what things is a Christian expected to tithe?

5.   Must our tithe be given to the Church or can we give it to the work of God in other ways?

6.   If we are faithful in giving, in what way can we expect God to supply our need?