Thursday: Stewardship Principles
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, NIV). How does this text help to set the foundation for a biblically based concept of stewardship?
We often tend to think of stewardship in terms of money. As we’ve seen this week, however, stewardship involves much more than just that. Yet, whether dealing with money or with environmental concerns or our own health, there are certain principles involved in good stewardship, principles that have their ultimate foundation in the Creation, as depicted in Genesis. In the end, because God is our Creator, and because everything we have is a gift from Him, we are obligated before Him to be good stewards of whatever has been entrusted to us.
Read Matthew 25:14-30 to see how this parable illustrates the rewards of good stewardship. What is the message of this parable regarding the principles of stewardship in general?
“To His servants Christ commits ‘His goods’-something to be put to use for Him. He gives ‘to every man his work.’ Each has his place in the eternal plan of heaven. Each is to work in co-operation with Christ for the salvation of souls. Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God.”-Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 326, 327.
What are you doing with the talents with which you have been entrusted (remember—everything good comes from “the Father of the heavenly lights”)? What choices can you make that will enable you to use these gifts in better service for the Lord’s work?
(1)
Each talent invested in us,is a seed sown in the ground from which Christ will be expecting to see the fruits thereof when he shall return...I have a question though,doesn't sitting on your talents and not do anything with them for the cause of God fall under the 'sins of omission' group?
Perhaps it comes under the sins of omission, but what a waste! God is so generous with His gifts and so eager to help us develop them. He wants us to enjoy the fruits of a fulfilled life.
Sitting on our talents is like a silly goose nesting on her unfertilized eggs. After a time the eggs rot and the stench drives her from her nest. But that's not all. She will not be able swim proudly around the pond with her brood following in her wake. I guess we need to ask ourselves are we like the silly goose?
The master's reply to the fearful servant who sat on his one talent was, "...You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank... Matt.25:26-30.
Indeed we can look forward either to outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth or the "Well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Lord." It's not too late to stop being the silly goose.
Let's get with it! Andy
I agree that the parable of the talents should be taken very seriously.
However, there is another parable that troubles me personally far more than the parable of the talents.
It is my understanding that some Greek scholars feel that to "cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers" is some of the strongest language that the Greek can produce. With that in mind I think this parable runs parallel to what James says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment" (James. 3:1 NKJV). It is a warning that if we are going to teach and be leaders we had better be sure that we have both our theology and our lives in proper order. And that causes me to sweat more than just about any other warning in the Bible.
From the parable of Talents, i glean some key points. First faithfulness is required of the talents entrusted to us by God. Two, faithfulness alone is not enough, the talents must be put into a proper use that has a multiplier effect. if our talents do not multiply, then we are not different from the last servant. It is my prayer that we will endeavour to have the multiplier effect in taking care of the talents entrusted to us.
We should have a strong foundation of stewardship that does not waver amidst difficulties and challanges and our heavenly father will be proud of us.
Can someone please explain to me the meaning of “sin by omission”?
To me sinning by omission is to neglect to do the good that we know to do or being disobedient to God's commands after we've come to the knowledge of His Word. It includes not being our brothers keeper, not preaching the gospel to rescue the perishing, and other things that imply selfishness.
pls my question is can a person's talent be in electronics
God is using the field of electronics to spread
His message to the world so I believe that
that electronics can be a talent from God.
I am thankful for the warnings God places in the Bible and for His merciful forgiveness. I need them. I want to be led of His Spirit so that I will be all He wants and use His gifts, especially His Love, the way He wants me to use them--putting them to the exchangers.
Yes, Adu Asante Boateng, I believe that all good gifts come from God. Electronics are good--to be used for good purposes. He can help us use them wisely, for His glory!! They can do much good when we dedicate them to Him!
Someone's talent can be at just about anything and that can be use to glory God and his creations. If you are great at electronics maybe you can put that to work to help keep the electronic devices used at a church at a community center up and run so that others can use their other talents with them to praise and glorify God.
Adu, the short answer is, yes. God gives us both natural talents as well as spiritual gifts that should be used for His glory. In the Old Testament we read about gifted craftsmen who were used in building the sanctuary. It's not hard to imagine that if the construction were taking place today, the list of skills (talents) might include electronics, as well.
So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.Exodus 28:3 NKJV
And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.Exodus 31:3-5 NKJV
God has committed talents to men that they nay be better fitted to honor and glorify him.to some he has entrusted means; to others special qualification for Service; others; tact and influence some have five others two others one from the highest. To the lowliest. Each has been entrusted some gift their are not our own they belong to God. he has given them to us for conscientious use and he will one day ask for account for them
The moment we begin to grasp the fact that God created man last, after everything as been set, then man was later introduced, not for anything but to take good care of what yahweh had already made, then shall we begin to monitor and to check our conduct towards these miraculous gifts we have,including time, health, abilities even before we talk about wealth.
For everything is the lords even a thousand cattle on the hills.
The parable of the Talents indicates that there was a degree of fear related to investing what the Lord had given the servent. Fear is a valid emotion that can cause us to hide our God given talents. What then are we afraid of? Well...failure, ridicule, my appearant lack of talent, and even the fear of success itself, (what do I do with it not that I have been successful?) The Lord had give the servent sufficient evidence that even with fear, you can still be blessed when you try. God has given us promisses in his word that he will help us with our fears. He will even help us with our failures and give us a second, third, fourth.....chance. Hold on to the promisses of God that he will be with us even in our fears. Success is assured thru Him.
Bro. Hamp.
Aloha:
Thank you for all these comments. What a powerful and strengthening words all have for each gives another more clearer understanding of GOD. We are to watch each others back and keep each other in our prayers so we can keep the faith and the good fight.
Thank you to all my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Zsuzsi
Can a persons talents be in electronics. I personally believe that anything good can be used for the building of God's kingdom. In this day and age our youth spend more time with electronics than paper, sometimes even the bible so yes, ones talents can be in electronics. However, I also believe that the talent goes deeper than electronics. It is the understanding that is the underlying talent. When one can apply that understanding to more than electronics and use it for the Kingdom, one's gift is being multiplied.
Moving lesson indeed we have for today. Its great to know that in Jesus we can grow and bear fruit in our talents even a hundredfold. I find this so amazing and wonderful. I see it as a call daily to earnest effort in all we do to grow in every aspect of our lives! However I have a question, what does the text mean when it says that the master sought to reap what he had not sown? Was this statement not in fact wrong on the part of the unfaithful servant? Had not the master given him the talent and thus 'sown'?
Can your talent be in athletics or any other sport?
In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul talks about spiritual gifts, and their purpose. Each gift is given by the Holy Spirit for one singular purpose, the edification of the church. If the talents that one possesses are used to edify the church, that is as God intended. Is excellence in sports a talent? Probably not. However, the willingness to work toward excellence may be the talent, and just needs sanctified direction. God took the zeal of Saul of Tarsus and redirected it so that it edified the church not only in his time, but till the end of time.
These weeks lesson has been good remindinding us of our role as the caretakers of Gods creation.however could someone help me out by teling me what are the principles of stewardship?
It seems to me talents are more in reference to how we can be of service to others. This is my humble view, perhaps I am wrong. Any thoughts on this?
to those who have been able to use their talents it will also be prudent to help others who are failing to use theirs. Mostly by not discovering what they are good at they go into caves and remain there until someone reaches out to offer support
The sabbath school clearly reveals the Sovereignty of God and how love he had for us.He has made us the heads of His creation.We need to manage,control and govern what he has made.Heavens declare the glory the Lord