Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Stewardship is: Using God-given abilities To manage God-owned assets To accomplish God-ordained results

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Biblical Stewardship Teaches: God owns everything God has given us responsibility to manage His resources As stewards we are accountable Earth, fullness thereof is the Lord’s Silver and gold are mine Believe we belong to God if we still own lands, etc Gave man dominion, trustees, managers, stewards

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. I Cor 4:2 What does it mean to be faithful? Do what the owner wants. Not difficult to give away what belongs to someone else-if that’s their wishes. $100 - smile as he went Not compared to others - one gained 5 talent, one gained 2-same blessing What’s entrusted to us-

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate God Owns It All Three revolutionary implications 1. God, as owner, has rights I, as a steward, have only responsibilities. 2. Every spending decision is a spiritual decision. (Your checkbook is a theological document) 3. You can’t fake stewardship. God has right to whatever He wants whenever He wants it. To be Biblical, the church should teach stewardship as a discipleship issue necessary for every believer, not as a fundraising issue for the church. To teach stewardship primarily as giving reveals a thwarted understanding of stewardship. Stewardship does not exactly equate with giving. A good steward will also be a good giver, but a good giver is not necessarily a good steward.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Money is a test. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16:11,12 Our faithfulness in handling what God entrust to us - determines true riches - eternally - and spiritual gifts here Is it any wonder that God does not trust us with a gift of healing, miracles, prophecy - if we have not been faithful in money? Faithful stewards, people who won’t stop the flow. We would merchandise the gifts? Sell healing, prophecies - We’d do a 7 million book deal. 95% fail test of wealth 95% endure poverty, persecution “There must be the conversion of the heart, the mind, and also the purse.” Martin Luther

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate The Tithe is: The starting point The minimum The spring board The historic benchmark A benchmark is a surveyor’s mark made on a permanent landmark for use as a reference point. The tithe is the reference point. The point of beginning for faithful stewards. Until I’ve paid my tithe I can’t give an offering. If I haven’t tithed I’m just making payments on a bad debt.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate …Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…. …That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. Gal 3:13,14,17 Law did not establish tithing- Given to a man of faith, Abraham, not a man of law, Moses - law embraced tithing in OT just as grace embraces it in NT. Law can’t, or didn’t terminate it. God revealed the meaning and the significance of tithing through Abram. How did Abram know to tithe - know 10%? God put it in his heart. (v 14 That the blessings of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ. Grace enlarges tithing, but tithe as minimum stands, much like grace enlarges - “but I say unto you - turn other cheek love neighbor and hate enemy, love your enemy. Grace and NT tithing is 100%!

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23 Judgement or justice. Mercy and faith could not be substituted for tithing. Jesus brought tithing up into the company of the weightier matters, mercy, justice, faithfulness. Stewardship Report in Assembly: “In the words of Jesus, the highest most noble of all ethical standards cannot be pursued at the neglect of tithing, then we must also accept that our judgement as to what is more important, and our excuses based on needs or circumstances would certainly be rejected be our Lord.”

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate The tithe is the Lord’s And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 Joyfully releasing the tithe hinges on an understanding of 2 biblical truths. 1. The tithe is the Lord’s v.32 says, “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. Seed of land, Fruit of tree, The herd, The flock One tenth belongs to God…period - mandate God reserves some things for Himself the tithe, glory, vengeance Robber- building house

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate 1. The tithe is the Lord’s 2. The tithe is holy Holy - set apart for a sacred purpose - opposite to holy is profane - profanity or cursed. Brings into focus, clearly the power of the tithe

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate For if the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy. Romans 11:16 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15:20 Firstfruit one names of tithe also one of names of Jesus. Feast of firstfruit was a Sunday feast (on the morrow after the Sabbath) Lev. 23:11 Very early in the morning the first day of week to an empty tomb. Mark 16 “The firstfruits are sanctified holy unto the Lord. Now the whole harvest is sanctified holy unto the Lord. You may go and harvest your fields. You have God’s blessings on whole harvest.” There is only one way to sanctify the increase that comes to us from this sinful world-that is apply firstfruits principle-Give first tenth. Tithing is a Christian grace obedience that sanctifies our finances-without, we will be in bondage and warfare, much as the spirit and flesh war in our bodies.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate I have given into thine hand Jericho. Joshua 6:2 All the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. Joshua 6:19 …keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. Joshua 6:18 I’m the victor- victor receives spoils. This is the first city. Don’t fire a shot-march, give a shout. All silver, gold, etc are designated, consecrated for treasury of Lord. Gives warning- God says when not if ye take the accursed thing- What is holy becomes accursed when properly used.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate …for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Joshua 7:11 We NEVER benefit from use of withheld tithe! We can always afford to tithe. Withheld tithes, offerings, gifts, callings, talents are holy or accursed depending on our obedience - how we use or misuse.. Dissemble - hide under a false appearance conceal facts. Because we never benefit from tithe-We can give a money back guarantee. New converts can afford. Maxed out budgets-people in credit counseling. $500 Blanton offering.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate …prove me..if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10 (God’s Guarantee) Withheld tithe closes the windows of heaven and opens the door to Satan.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliott The tithe stands in the midst of our stuff much like the tree of forbidden fruit stood in the midst of garden… We make the choice. Jim Elliott-missionary killed over 40 years ago.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Scriptural Pattern for the Tithe: Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Proverbs 3:9,10 Substance - 5 months or Eternity (Schindler’s List) Firstfruits of all thine increase. Increase may not be income-increase may be more than income for tax advantages. Not only does our gift of the firstfruits honor God, it obligates God by His word to pour out His blessings. Proverbs 20:21 “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.” Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labor shall increase.”

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate The Tithe is 10% of our increase, FIRST. The question is what is the increase? Because the tax is based on income, is the increase after the tax? Because the tax purchases quality of life, is the tax part of normal living expenses? Merely because our government has legislated itself into first place is not a legitimate reason to place God second.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Is income tax a penalty on increase? OR Do taxes buy quality of life? FDA Safe medicine & drugs, inspected food WS Weather Service FAA Safe air travel FTD drug enforcement EPA safe water Interstate highways, National Defense, 911

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate First means First $3,000 gross monthly increase -300 first 10% $2,430 net monthly increase - 243 net tithe $300 gross tithe -243 net tithe 57 difference for a gross blessing vs. net blessing Less than 2% of gross increase.

Stewardship: A Biblical Mandate Increases not included in income: housing, utilities car health insurance scholarships gifts

Blessings of Biblical Stewardship And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: II Cor 9:8 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. II Cor. 9:7 NIV: And God in able to make all grace abound to you, as that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. All translated a Greek word that all. Verse 8 is result of verse 7. Does the amount we give indicate God’s grace in us? Yes. Lots of grace leads to lots of giving. Grace is God’s free gift to us. With access to unlimited amounts of God’s grace. Christians have more than enough. The excess grace overflows to others in a variety of ways, including the giving of gifts. When you don’t want to give, don’t feel like giving, giving doesn’t make sense to you, God, through a work of grace, can turn you around. When his grace floods our lives, we will feel like giving. Suddenly, it will be the sensible thing to do. God gives us the resources and the will to give, abounding in every good work.

Blessings of Biblical Stewardship But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 …no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only. Philippians 4:16 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. Philippians 4:17 Verse 19 is a result of verse 16 and 17.

Blessings of Biblical Stewardship I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13 I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:11,12 Verse 13 is a result of learning stewardship expressed in verse 11 and 12. Unplugged from materialistic berserk world.