Sermons
August 18th, 2022 by Pastor Solley073122AM Faithful Stewards #4
Sub. Stewardship
Theme: Faithful in children.
Text: 1 Cor 4:1-5 / Ps 127
“Faithful Stewards” #4 1 Cor 4:1-4 / Ps 127
Introduction
We continue this morning with the subject of stewardship. A steward is one who is given charge of something or someone that belongs to another. Stewardship is how well they preform those duties. Joseph and Daniel were made stewards by Pharaoh and King Darius. Both were faithful stewards. The pastor is made a steward by God. His faithfulness as a steward will be revealed at the judgment seat of Christ. Stewardship is a serious thing to God and should be a very serious thing to us. – 1 Cor 4:1-5 – One day we will give an account to God for our stewardship and as we have noted we have all been made stewards by God. – 1 Cor 4:1-2
I. We have looked thus far at three areas of stewardship: Three areas we will give account of before God one day.
A. All three of these areas have to do with life: All life comes from God. Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. All life comes from God.
1. We will give account one day for our physical life before God: God will hold us accountable first of all for what we have done with Jesus Christ in our life in relation to forgiveness of sin and salvation. Have you been born again. John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. When the books of judgment are opened in heaven the first thing one will give an account of is what they have done with Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for their sin. “Ye must be born again.”
2. If you are born again then you will be called to give an account of your spiritual life after receiving Christ as savior: You have spiritual life because of Jesus Christ just as you have physical life because of God and you will give an account of what you have done with Christ after you were born again.
a. We are not to be part time Christians, saved and satisfied with heaven alone.
b. We are to make Jesus Christ the Lord of our life as well as our savior. We are to live different from the world because of Christ.
c. One day we will give account of what we have done with Christ after we were born again.
3. We also will give account of our service life as born again believers: What have we done for Jesus. We are called, each born again believer, to serve. Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
B. We will look if the Holy Spirit allows at being accountable for the spiritual gifts we have been given:
II. But this morning I want to look at another area of stewardship: It is as well an area in which we will all be called to give account of one day. We all have physical life so all have been made a steward of that life and will give account one day. We who are born again all have spiritual life and have been made a steward of that life and will give account one day. If we have spiritual life then we are commanded to have a service life and will give an account one day. We all will give account of that stewardship one day.
A. I want to focus on family today: Not at husbands because we did that on Father’s Day. Not on wives because we did that on Mothers’s Day. But on children this morning. This fits with our week of camp beginning tomorrow. The focus of camp is Christ.
1. The purpose of camp is children, young people: All is aimed at giving them one who can change their lives. One who can save them from hell and one who can save them from a life of misery and heartache. One who can give them hope in this dark world.
2. God has given us property, buildings, time, and opportunity to do something for young people: We have as a church been made stewards and we need do something for the young people and will give an account one day before God of our stewardsehip.
B. But before us as a church parents have been made stewards of God over their children: It goes beyond children I believe and extends to grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and even to those not related but may look to us as examples. I want to look at stewardship this morning as it relates to children and young people.
PROP: Parents, grandparents, are they your children and grandchildren? Or have you been made stewards of those who belong to another? TS. The Bible has the answer to those questions.
Body
I. Our your children yours or God’s? Are your grandchildren yours or God’s? Whose possession are they? We have earthly parents. Biological parents as many say. We have or had a mother, a father. Those of us who have children or grandchild say they are ours. On our church website under pastor it states that Dena and I have two children, three grandchildren, that they are ours. But are they really? Whose children are they?
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A. The Bible tells us that children are an heritage: Ps 127:1-5 This is a Psalm about the home, about the family and about children. Notice what the Bible says in verse three. – Ps 127:3 – The Bible says children are “An heritage of the Lord.” – Ps 127:3 – That children are a reward from the Lord. – Ps 127:3
1. That Hebrew word translated heritage points to something handed down from another: It means something inherited, an heirloom, a possession that has been passed down and received. It is found 223 times in the Old Testament. It is used of the Promised Land that God gave to Israel, a land that was not theirs. It is something that belongs to another that is then passed on. – Ps 127:3
2. The Bible says children are a reward: Ps 127:3 That also is something given by another.
3. And special attention is drawn to this as God uses the word “Lo”: Ps 127:3 That word means “Behold”. It is used when special attention is to be bought to something stated. Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. We find the word behold used as the angels announced His birth to the shepherds.
4. Special attention is brought to the fact that children are an heritage, a reward from God: Ps 127:3
B. So are they really yours, or do they belong to another and you have been made a steward? Remember a steward is someone who has been given charge of something, or someone who belongs to another. Are your children, your grandchildren, really yours? Or do they belong to another and you have been made a steward of them? They belong to God and we are but stewards of what is God’s.
C. Doesn’t that answer some questions then of how God feels, how Jesus feels about Children? Matt 10:42 ; Matt 18:3-6 ;
Matt 19:13-14 ; Eph 6:4 The fact that they are God’s answers a lot of questions as to how God feels about children.
1. People marching in our streets demanding the right to murder babies: Don’t think for a moment God is not judging America and that judgment will only increase.
2. Child porn, pedophiles, transgender and homosexuals targeting children: Don’t think for a moment God is not judging America and that judgment will only increase.
3. Children belong to God: Ps 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
D. We need to realize that our children, our grandchildren are not ours: They belong to God.
II. God is observing very closely our stewardship over children: Gen 18:17-19 At this point in the life of Abraham Isaac had yet to be born. What were the qualities God saw in Abraham that moved God to choose him to be the father of Israel? It wasn’t it physical strength, not his wealth, not his wisdom. What did God see in Abraham? – Gen 18:17-19 – That included Ishmael as well. God saw in Abraham a faithful steward over the child God was going to give him. God closely observes our stewardship concerning children.
A. Abraham proved to be that faithful steward: Gen 22:1-12 Many people believe Isaac to be a young boy here, he was not. He is a grown man, probably around twenty years of age. That makes Abraham about one hundred twenty years old. There is no way Abraham could have overpowered Isaac, drug him to the place of sacrifice, bound him and placed him on that altar.
1. It was the spiritual training that Isaac received from his father that took them to this place: Gen 22:9-10 Isaac had such confidence that his father was following the will of God that he was willing to die on that altar.
2. By this time in his life Abraham had taught his son many things: How to tend flocks, where to look for the best pasture and the best water. How to defend the flock. How to set up camps, move when he needed to move. Abraham taught his son many things.
3. But what he taught him most was to know God, obey God, follow after God: And Abraham was that visible example for Isaac. Why else would Isaac allow himself to be bound, to be laid upon that altar, and to die at the hands of his father?
4. This is what Isaac believed: Gen 22:7-8 I don’t believe Isaac believed it because he heard Abraham say it, I believe Isaac believed it because he saw Abraham live it for twenty years.
5. Isaac has a complete confidence in the spiritual guidance of his father:
B. We find the same thing with Hannah and Samuel: 1 Sam 1:9-11 How doe we know Hannah was a faithful steward?
1. 1 Sam 1:21-28 Samuel is about five years of age at this time, no more.
2. Notice what Samuel is doing at five years of age: 1 Sam 1:28 That is Samuel at five years of age, sameul worshiped the Lord.
3. That is the Spiritual training of the one who would be both prophet and judge in Israel:
B. God is observing your stewardship, my stewardship over children today: What God saw in Abraham God is looking for in you and me today. What God saw in Hannah He is looking for in us. God is observing our stewardship as far as children are concerned and God wants to see in us what God saw in Abraham and in Hannah.
1. People seem to be willing to give their children everything today except what they need the most: Very few parents, grandparents, are willing to give the young people what they need the most. Read the book of Proverbs, study it, read it again, study it more, and you will see what our young people and your children and grandchildren need. It is not what most are given.
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a. They don’t need the worldly influence many are permitted to follow.
b. They don’t need smart phones, notebooks, i-pads.
c. They don’t need to fit into the world’s fashions.
d. They need Jesus more than anything else.
2. But Jesus not what they are being given: Forty one young people coming to camp tomorrow. It should be eighty one. But some have family vacation, some have baseball, some have football, some have soccer, some must go to the fair. Some just are permitted to make up their own mind. They are not given what they need the most.
3. They are being denied Jesus:
4. What does Jesus know about you today: Gen 18:19
C. God is observing very closely our stewardship over children: Gen 18:17-19
III. This stewardship does not end when our children are grown: Many think that when their children are grown that stewardship ends, it does not. The Bible speaks of the aged men and women just as much as it does about younger men and women it seems. There is much said about the gray headed one in the Bible. There is much said about leaving a Godly example. – Prov 13:22 ; Prov 16:31 ; Phil 4:9 These verses speak of one being older and leaving a Godly example.
A. I am trying to leave an impression this morning: Trying to leave an impression upon another. I am trying this morning to give someone an example to follow. – Phil 4:9 – I am trying to leave an impression on a little girl, I am trying to leave an impression on a little boy this morning. Not impress them to think I am some great one, but trying to leave an impression for Jesus upon them. But who am I trying to leave an impression on this morning?
1. I am trying leave an impression on a little girl I held in my arms almost forty years ago and thanked Jesus for her: I prayed so hard “Please Jesus don’t ever let me let her down spiritually. Help me be the example she needs to see, help me giver her Jesus. Help me leave an impression that Jesus is to be the most important one in her life.” Help me be what I need to be I still pray.
a. Today I don’t want to let her down. Today I want her to see daddy has not changed. Today I want her to see daddy is still walking with Jesus, daddy is not going to quit. Today I want her to see one who is faithful to Jesus.
b. Today I want her to see the rules of the home still hold true.
2. I am trying leave an impression on a little boy I held in my arms so many years ago and thanked Jesus for him: I prayed so hard “Please Jesus don’t ever let me let him down spiritually. Help me be the example he needs to see, help me giver him Jesus. Help me leave an impression that Jesus is to be the most important one in his life.” Help me be what I need to be I still pray.
a. Today I don’t want to let him down. Today I want him to see daddy has not changed. Today I want him to see daddy is still walking with Jesus. Daddy is not going to quit. Today I want him to see one who is faithful.
b. Today I want him to see the rules of the home still hold true.
3. I know they both are still watching me today and I don’t want to let them down, I don’t want to leave a bad impression:
4. Now this extends to my grandchildren: I don’t want to leave a bad impression.
5. It extends to other young people as well: I don’t want to leave a bad impression.
B. I see older people who were once so faithful, once such good examples, fall away from what they were: What impression does that leave on those who are watching them? We need stay faithful because our stewardship does not end.
1. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ today for the Godly examples I had: Some impressions left on me.
a. By my grandfather Beauford…
b. By grandmother Alta…
c. By my dying Mother…
e. By my dying Father…
2. What type of impression are you making on those watching you today? What and who do they see you put before Jesus?
a. What do they see you skip church for? Is it worth leaving a bad impression?
b. What events do they see you plan when you know there is going to be church.
c. What impression are you making?
C. This stewardship does not end when our children are grown:
IV. Stewardship demands you tend to your children: Ps 127:3-4 The illustration here is of an archer in an army. I am going to apply it as well to a bow hunter today.
A. Your children like arrows need to be tended: Ps 127:3-4 Arrows were wooden at that time, not so today, but the illustration is the same today as it was then.
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1. You don’t throw your arrows in a pile, lean them in a corner: If you don’t care for them they will warp and be no good.
2. We don’t sharpen the points today, but you do change broad heads, make sure they are sharp and work properly: If you don’t care for them they be no good.
3. And you need to do this year after year after year after year: If you don’t care for them the will be no good.
4. And if the bow is no good the arrow will be no good: Hos 7:16
B. Children need to be trained, they need to be brought to Jesus: Prov 22:6 ; Eph 6:4 We blame a lot on the younger generations today. Many of their problems is that they have not be properly tended to.
1. If Jesus Christ is not your number one priority He will never be theirs:
2. If the church is not your priority it will never be theirs:
3. If you quit don’t expect any thing else from them:
4. If you don’t sertve don’t expect them to:
5. Children need to be treained and that training they are not receiving today:
C. Stewardship demands you tend to your children: Ps 127:3-4
Conclusion
I. Our your children yours or God’s? Are your grandchildren yours or God’s? Whose possession are they? We have earthly parents. Biological parents as many say. We have or had a mother, a father. Those of us who have children or grandchild say they are ours. On our church website under pastor it states that Dena and I have two children, three grandchildren, that they are ours. But are they really? Whose children are they?
II. God is observing very closely our stewardship over children: Gen 18:17-19 At this point in the life of Abraham Isaac had yet to be born. What were the qualities God saw in Abraham that moved God to choose him to be the father of Israel? It wasn’t it physical strength, not his wealth, not his wisdom. What did God see in Abraham? – Gen 18:17-19 – That included Ishmael as well. God saw in Abraham a faithful steward over the child God was going to give him. God closely observes our stewardship concerning children.
III. This stewardship does not end when our children are grown: Many think that when their children are grown that stewardship ends, it does not. The Bible speaks of the aged men and women just as much as it does about younger men and women it seems. There is much said about the gray headed one in the Bible. There is much said about leaving a Godly example. – Prov 13:22 ; Prov 16:31 ; Phil 4:9 These verses speak of one being older and leaving a Godly example.
IV. Stewardship demands you tend to your children: Ps 127:3-4 The illustration here is of an archer in an army. I am going to apply it as well to a bow hunter today.