What is a steward? “a steward is one who knows the heart and will of the Master” “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?” Luke 12:42

What are we stewards of? Relationships with God with self our neighbor with Creation

The giftThe gift The relationship The relationship The temptationThe temptation The disciplineThe discipline

The “Christ Life” in a nutshell I love you You love me Love one another Care for my creation Our relationship with creation

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Nurture – “to supply with nourishment, to further the development of” Our relationship with creation

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “God blessed them and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (NASB) Our relationship with creation

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (KJV) Our relationship with creation

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Instead of asking, “Why doesn’t God do something” we ought to exercise our God given right and access our God given power to take action. “Why doesn’t God do something” we ought to exercise our God given right and access our God given power to take action. Our relationship with creation Dominionvs.Domination Subduevs.Exploit

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “What are we to nurture? “What are we to nurture? Time – we are not a slave to time, time is a slave to us, we ought not to fear that time “is slipping away” as we were created as eternal beings. Our relationship with creation 2 Peter 3:8 (NASB)

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “What are we to nurture? “What are we to nurture? Talents– we rejoice in the skills God has given us and we have peace about the skills we lack. Our relationship with creation Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 (NASB)

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “What are we to nurture? “What are we to nurture? Possessions – as Christians, Christ frees us from the lure of ownership of things. We are to recognize that all we have is His, if we do not, we become a slave to what we own. Our relationship with creation Matthew 25:14-30

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Three Lessons from the Steward Three Lessons from the Steward 1.We are owners of nothing, stewards of everything. 2.The account God will ask of us is obedience, not performance. 3.We are called to invest our possessions. Our relationship with creation I Corinthians 4:2

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. The “Colt” Test The “Colt” Test The Question – “Why are you untying the (my) colt?” The Answer – “The Lord has need of it” The Response - Surrender Our relationship with creation Luke 19:28-34

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. “What are we to nurture? “What are we to nurture? Creation – As a member of the human race you are charged, by God, to nurture and care for this earth. Care for creation is basic to our position as a child of God. Our relationship with creation Genesis 1:28

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Nurture – other centered Nurture – other centered Control – self centered Man is made to be kingdom oriented, made to build a kingdom, the question is, “Whose kingdom?” Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. If we try to control time we become its slave, evidencing that it is not God’s kingdom we are trying to build but our own. God is never in a hurry. If we try to control time we become its slave, evidencing that it is not God’s kingdom we are trying to build but our own. God is never in a hurry. Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. If we try to control talents we become pretenders. We cannot be builders of God’s kingdom by pretending we have gifts/talents we do not have. If we try to control talents we become pretenders. We cannot be builders of God’s kingdom by pretending we have gifts/talents we do not have. Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. If we try to control possessions we become arrogant. We cannot be builders of God’s kingdom when what we strive to amass has no place in His kingdom. If we try to control possessions we become arrogant. We cannot be builders of God’s kingdom when what we strive to amass has no place in His kingdom. Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Control time, become a slave Control talents, become a pretender Control possessions become arrogant Release all of it to God – become free Submission brings freedom, control brings bondage. Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control

The gift is nurture.The gift is nurture. Submission is a work of God in hearts allowing Him to do whatever He wants to do, in and through us. Our relationship with creation The temptation is controlThe temptation is control The discipline is submissionThe discipline is submission