5 T's of Biblical Stewardship

Stewardship Series: Temple

Preaching Portion: Philippians 3:10

Subject: Paul

Theme: Passionate Knowledge of Christ

INTRO: If you don’t know where you are going then any road will take you there. If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time!

• We are reminded of Jim Elliot’s words: “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”^[1]
• Excellence carries a price-tag. Everyone desires it, but few are willing to pay.
• The “tyranny of the urgent” robs people from achieving excellence and settling for mediocrity!
• Do you know where the most valuable piece of real-estate is located? It is not gulf-side, or lake-side. It is not mountain-top or valley. It is not east, west, north or south. It is the burial plots of man-kind. The untapped potential that was never harnessed.
• I do not believe that “determination is our problem. We are fiercely independent and determined to do pretty much what we please. The real problem lies in our determined focus to do what is most important instead of what is most urgent.

Explanation

• Only the Apostle Paul could say to us; “My determined purpose is that I may know Christ” while sitting in jail.
• Yes Paul is imprisoned while writing to the saints at Philippi. The theme of this letter is “Count it all joy!” You can’t help but notice the contrast of ideas with Paul: Prison Vs. Joy. The last time I checked, I would not naturally associate these two concepts in the same sentence.
• The sense of over-whelming joy from Paul spills out into his writing to this church. By the time you get to the third chapter it becomes clear that Paul is focused and is directing his passion to a single purpose: “…that I might know him…”
• He includes some items that probably don’t excite us too much; namely suffering and death. These principled beliefs are not what the average seeker is looking for when selecting a belief system or church to join.
• When considering this aspect of our stewardship series, the temple in the Bible is that place where the worshipper and God intersect. It is a place where we can adore and receive life’s marching orders.
• We cannot ignore this valuable facet of the Christian journey.

PROP: Every Christian must participate in a focused devotional life.

T.S: Every Christian can participate in a focused devotional life by gleaning the insights from the Apostle Paul’s losses in Philippians 3:7-11

1)    My Determined Purpose: The Knowledge of Christ – v.8

a)     ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^cthe surpassing worth of ^dknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^ehave suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ^[2] (emphasis added)

b)    Paul describes a sense of loss that is encased in the phrase; “ALL THINGS.” There is not sense of sorrow over this loss and what was lost is not missed. Something has taken its place as being more superior.

c)     What is it that Paul lost? He has lost all prior knowledge of what he thought about the Messiah and how he thought the Messiah would act and perform. He surrenders all previous understanding and comprehension so that nothing can get in the way of what he now understands to be his determined purpose: “The excellent knowledge of Christ as Savior.”

d)    Mankind cannot know everything. Perhaps that is why the Bible hints at those who always strive toward knowledge and never coming to the knowledge of the Savior. Keep in mind that Paul is writing from the context of a prison. He instructs us from these confines that his determined purpose is to gain the knowledge of Christ. He gets rid of all else to focus upon the quest for the knowledge of the savior. Only in a dedicated devotional life will this ever be true.

2)    My Determined Purpose: The Righteousness of Christ – v.9

a)     ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^fa righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^gthat which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith^[3]

b)    Paul suggests that he desires to “be found in Him…” This suggests the future meeting with the Lord at judgment. He desires this meeting to reveal that without question he had lived a righteous life according to Christ’s righteousness.

c)     Paul’s determined purpose was to have a righteousness not based upon the principles of man, “…but that which comes…” or has its source in God.

i)      This is where the real challenge is for us – we must get rid of that which does not have its source in Christ alone.

ii)    This righteousness of God is received through faith/on the basis of faith in Christ alone.

iii)   This is not based upon man’s achievement as though he has perfectly obeyed the law and all of its requirements. Faith is opposite of human works. It is the reception of God’s work by those who acknowledge that it is futile in their efforts to earn righteousness.

3)    My Determined Purpose: The Fellowship of Christ – v.10

a)      ^{10 h}that I may know him and ^ithe power of his resurrection, and ^jmay share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death^[4]

b)    Paul picks up on his earlier thought in verse eight, “to know Him.” Here he gives a more fuller explanation of what is involved. There are four things that Paul will say about this fellowship that he is determined to know.

i)      A Personal Experience – “That I many know him…” can be translated, “My determined purpose is that I may know him…” There comes a time when our devotional; walk and relationship with the Almighty must be personal, purposeful, and deliberate.

ii)    A Powerful Experience – The power of his resurrection indicates that Christ was alive and at work inside Paul. Notice Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:13-19; ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^ufor you, ^vwhich is your glory.¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^wevery family² in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^xthe riches of his glory ^yhe may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^zin your inner being, ^{17 a}so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^brooted and ^cgrounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^dcomprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^eheight and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^fthat surpasses knowledge, that ^gyou may be filled with all ^hthe fullness of God.^[5]

iii)   A Painful Experience – Paul knew that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ. As we grow in Christ we experience a buffeting of Satan. There are battles that we must conquer.  This death resulted in a spiritual resurrection so that Paul could walk in the newness of life.

iv)   A Practical Experience – There is a very real outcome for the person who practically applies himself devotionally to Christ. Paul took up his cross and followed passionately after Christ. “It is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” Gal 3:20.

Conclusion

Yes, Paul gained far more than he lost. In fact, the gains were so thrilling that Paul considered all other “things” nothing but garbage in comparison! No wonder he had joy—his life did not depend on the cheap “things” of the world but on the eternal values found in Christ. Paul had the “spiritual mind” and looked at the “things” of earth from heaven’s point of view. People who live for “things” are never really happy, because they must constantly protect their treasures and worry lest they lose their value. Not so the believer with the spiritual mind; his treasures in Christ can never be stolen and they never lose their value. Maybe now is a good time for you to become an accountant and evaluate in your life the “things” that matter most to you.^[6]

---

^[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Php 3:7). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

c [2 Cor. 5:15]

d Isai. 53:11; Jer. 9:23, 24; John 17:3; 2 Pet. 1:3

e Luke 9:25 (Gk.)

^[2]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Php 3:8). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

f Rom. 10:5; [ver. 6]

g See Rom. 9:30; 1 Cor. 1:30

^[3]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Php 3:9). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

h [Eph. 4:13]

i [Rom. 1:4; 6:5]

j 1 Pet. 4:13; See 2 Cor. 1:5

^[4]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Php 3:10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

u ver. 1

v [2 Cor. 1:6]

w See ch. 1:10, 21

2 Or fatherhood; the Greek word patria is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

x See ver. 8

y 1 Cor. 16:13; [ch. 6:10; Phil. 4:13; Col. 1:11]

z See Rom. 7:22

a [ch. 2:22]

b Col. 2:7

c Col. 1:23

d [John 1:5]

e Rom. 8:39; [Job 11:8, 9]

f [Phil. 4:7]

g Col. 2:10

h ch. 1:23

^[5]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Eph 3:13-19). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[6]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Php 3:7). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

5 T's of Biblical Stewardship

Stewardship Series: Testimony

HEAVEN Vs. HELL

Preaching Portion: Luke 23:39-43; 2 Peter 2:4-10

Subject: Eternity

Theme: Heaven or Hell

INTRO: As a pastor in the year 2013 of our Lord I am faced with what appears to be an impossible task. Only one third of believers feel that it is important to share their faith testimony with those who have no faith declaration at all. Another one third feels very strongly that in fact it is not their place to share their faith with others. The remaining one third has only slight feelings – this is the lukewarm group.

• As a child I personally witnessed the power of great revivals. I watched the transformation of hard-hearts that yielded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Lives were changed.
• I grew up in a revivalist era. That meant the preaching was “Heaven or Hell” or “Revival or Perish.”
• A passion for the lost has molded me and shaped my thirty plus years of ministry. Do I doubt it? A thousand times NO! But I am faced as a 21^st century preacher of the gospel with what looks like an impossible task.
• My task is simply this: As a God called preacher I am eat-up with a desire for revival – the lost coming to Christ! But I preach in a time-era in which only 33% of believers in America believe that it is important to share their faith. On any given week in America I face the realty that 66% of church attending believers has no real sense of urgency to share their faith with the lost. I am swimming upstream!

Explanation

• This sermon will focus upon the reality of what this life is all about and what awaits all of humanity at the end of time.
• There is a Paradise and there is a place called Tartaros. The reality of distinctions should be enough motivation to move people into action. Perhaps the more piercing question is one of belief; “Do we believe there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun?”
• We will see the hope of God in His desire for men and women to make it to paradise. God is not in the business of turning people away, but rather receiving people into paradise even under the most difficult of circumstances.
• We will see that Tartaros is equally real for the hard-hearted and unmotivated human. There is a place of punishment for all who do not confess the name of Christ. The seeming delay of this reality does not diminish the certainty of this punishment.
• The real challenge of this sermon is to awaken the believing community to action. Heaven is real! Hell is real! I want my family to make it!

PROP: The believing community of faith must face the challenge of sharing our faith.

T.S: The believing community of faith can face the challenge of sharing our faith by examining the reality of paradise and Tartaros.

1)    The Reality of Tartaros – 2 Peter 2: 4-10

a)     ⁴ For if God did not spare ^uangels when they sinned, but ^vcast them into hell² and committed them to chains³ of gloomy darkness ^wto be kept until the judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world, but ^xpreserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought ^ya flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ if by ^zturning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, ^amaking them an example of ^bwhat is going to happen to the ungodly;^{4 7} and ^cif he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, ^dhe was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); ⁹ then ^ethe Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,⁵ and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially ^fthose who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and ^gdespise authority.^[1] (Emphasis Added)

b)    Peter saw no hope for these apostates; their doom was sealed. His attitude was different from that of “tolerant” religious people today who say, “Well, they may not agree with us, but there are many roads to heaven.” Peter made it clear that these false teachers had “forsaken the right way” (2 Peter 2:15), which simply means they were going the wrong way! Their judgment was sure, even though it had not yet come. The trial was over, but the sentence had not yet been executed. It would not linger or slumber, Peter affirmed; it would come in due time. In this section, Peter proved that judgment finally does come, no matter how secure the sinner might feel. He used three examples to verify this truth (see also Jude 6–8).^[2]

i)      Fallen Angels – Isa 14:12-15; Eze. 28:11-19; Rev.12:4 are scriptural references for the fall of Satan and those he took down with him. The Apostle Peter states they are in a place called Tartaros – the lowest element of place of hell; a place of torment, darkness and profound gloom. The reality of Tartaros is not a place of hope.

ii)    The Old World – Genesis 6:3 indicates that 120 years elapsed before the flood came. The point of the report is that judgment is certain no matter how long it takes to arrive. The moral of this story focuses upon the folly of delay.

iii)   Sodom & Gomorrah – Genesis 18-19 reports God’s perspective of sinful behavior: He sees it and judges it.

c)     With the over-whelming evidence of the reality of a place called hell in which suffering is unending and unyielding; does this not motivate us to reach our family for Christ?

2)    The Reality of Paradise – Luke 23:39-42

a)     ^{39 h}One of the criminals who were hanged ^irailed at him,³ saying, “Are you not ^jthe Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me ^kwhen you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in ^lParadise.”^[3] (Emphasis Added).

b)    It was providential that Jesus was crucified between the two thieves, for this gave both of them equal access to the Savior. Both could read Pilate’s superscription, “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews,” and both could watch Him as He graciously gave His life for the sins of the world. The one thief imitated the mockery of the religious leaders and asked Jesus to rescue him from the cross, but the other thief had different ideas. He may have reasoned, “If this Man is indeed the Christ, and if He has a kingdom, and if He has saved others, then He can meet my greatest need which is salvation from sin. I am not ready to die!” It took courage for this thief to defy the influence of his friend and the mockery of the crowd, and it took faith for him to trust a dying King! When you consider all that he had to overcome, the faith of this thief is astounding. The man was saved wholly by grace; it was the gift of God (Eph. 2:8–9). He did not deserve it and he could not earn it. His salvation was personal and secure, guaranteed by the word of Jesus Christ. The man hoped for some kind of help in the future, but Jesus gave him forgiveness that very day, and he died and went with Jesus to paradise (2 Cor. 12:1–4).^[4]

c)     What was this paradise that Christ offered the dying thief? It is a place of incomprehensible bliss, peace, safety, no threat of harm or suffering. Who would not want this for any family member or anyone that we would meet throughout our life? How could we resist such an opportunity? Go against the tide of popular opinion –embrace paradise.

d)    The Thief in this passage and Noah and Lot in 2 Peter give us hope for eternity. Lord move us with a passion for the lost!

---

u Jude 6

v [Rev. 20:2, 3, 10]

2 Greek Tartarus

3 Some manuscripts pits

w Matt. 25:41

x See 1 Pet. 3:20

y ch. 3:6; Job 22:16

z See Gen. 19:24

a [Num. 26:10]

b Jude 15

4 Some manuscripts an example to those who were to be ungodly

c Gen. 19:16

d Ps. 119:136, 158; [Ezek. 9:4]

e 1 Cor. 10:13; Rev. 3:10

5 Or temptations

f Jude 16, 18

g Jude 8; [Ex. 22:28]

^[1]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Pe 2:4-10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (2 Pe 2:3). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

h [Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32]

i See Matt. 27:39

3 Or blasphemed him

j ver. 35, 37

k [Matt. 16:28]

l 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7

^[3]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Lk 23:39-43). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[4]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Lk 23:32). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

5 T's of Biblical Stewardship

Stewardship Series: TALENT

Preaching Portion: Matthew 25:14-30

Subject: Talents

Theme: Faithful Use of Talents

INTRO: The statement; “…cast the worthless servant into outer darkness…” is not what we would expect to hear as a result of not loosing something you were given charge over.

• Immediately following the parable of the “Wise and Foolish Virgins” (MT. 25:1-13), we find Jesus telling the parable of the “Talents” (MT. 25:14-30).
• While both parables relate to the kingdom of heaven, and especially in anticipation of the Lord’s return, note the key difference:
• The first stresses the need to be “prepared;” the latter, the need to be “productive.”
• The first emphasizes “watching” for the Lord; the latter, “working” for the Lord.
• In both parables we learn what should characterize those who eagerly WAIT for the coming of the Lord. How can we best apply what Jesus is teaching in this parable?

PROP: Every person that confesses Christ as Lord must be productive.

T.S: Every person that confesses Christ as Lord can be productive by gleaning insights from the parable found in Matthew 24:14-30.

1)    The Parable and Its’ Lessons

a)     The Parable Analyzed

i)      A man, about to travel to a far country, distributes his goods (talents) among his servants – vv.14-15.

(1)  A “talent” here is a monetary measure, amounting to 6000 denarii which the average laborer would take twenty years to accumulate. Our modern day comparison would be 1 denarii = $20/day.

(2)  The number of talents was given to each according to his own ability.

ii)    The use made of the talents is described in vv.16-18

(1)  Two servants doubled their talents

(2)  One servant simply hid the money

iii)   The Lord of the servants returns and a reckoning is made – vv.19-30

(1)  His return was after a long time

(2)  The first two servants describe how they doubled their amount…

(a)   They stand before the Lord with excitement (implied in the word “look” (ϊδε – “to enthusiastically behold”)

(b)  The Lord was pleased

(i)    He praised them for their work saying, “Well done”

(ii)  He commends them both as “good and faithful servants”

(iii) He rewards them by promoting them; “you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things”

(3)  The servant who hid his money then faces his lord…

(a)   He begins by making excuses

(i)    “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown…”

(ii)  “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.”

(b)  He seeks to appease the lord by returning what he had been given: “Look, there you have what is yours…” It is interesting to note the same word for “look” is used of the wicked servant. He was equally enthusiastic about not having lost the money.

(4)  The lord’s response…

(a)   He calls him a wicked and lazy servant

(b)  He tells him what the least he should have done; “…you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers…”

(c)   He takes away what he had, and gave it to the servant with ten talents, with this explanation:

(i)    “For everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance”

(ii)  “But from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away”

(d)  He has the unprofitable servant cast in the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

b)    The Parable Applied

i)      Main points of the parable

(1)  Be faithful in using the opportunities for service which the Lord has given us

(2)  Diligence is rewarded; negligence is punished

ii)    Other points of application

(1)  Whatever we have, whether opportunities or abilities, it all belongs to God; we may possess, but God owns; we are simply stewards – v.14

(2)  The Lord grants opportunities of service in keeping with our ability to make use of them – v.15

(a)   In the day of judgment, the number of talents will not matter

(b)  The question will be, “Have you been faithful in your use of talents?”

(3)  Jesus did not expect to return immediately – vv.5 & 19

(4)  Everything we do should be done with a view on the day of reckoning which is coming - ¹⁰ For ^wwe must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^xso that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.^[1] 2 Cor. 5:10 ESV

(5)  To share in the Master’s joy is part of the glory of eternity – v.21

(6)  Those who make excuses are “WICKED and LAZY” – vv.25-26

(7)  A place of punishment is prepared for those who are unproductive – v.30 [The story of the unproductive tree being cut down stands as a vivid reminder of Christ’s seriousness about productivity – Matthew 3:10

(8)  The sin of OMISSION is just as bad as the sin of COMMISSION! – v.30

iii)   The main lesson: “Be productive where the Lord has given you ability and opportunity!

Conclusion

• If we are in the Kingdom, the Lord has given us all some ability in which to serve Him. One day he is coming again and there will be a reckoning. Will he find us prepared and productive?
• Do not become like the lazy servant! Will the Lord say; “Well Done!”
• What pronouncement the Lord declares then depends upon what you do now!

---

w Matt. 25:31, 32; [Rom. 14:10]; See Acts 10:42

x See Ps. 62:12

^[1]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Co 5:10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.