Welcome to Worship
July 9, 2023
8:30am
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. —(Psalm 30:4)
Welcome to Worship: Rev. Bill Archer
Worship Song: Because of Your Love
Prayer: Rev. Bill Archer
Redland Happenings and Welcome: Rev. Bill Archer
Missionary Testimony: Joni, South Asia
Congregational Greeting
Worship Song: Run to the Father
Ministry and Mission Moment: Tom Garin
Musical Meditation: I Will Worship
Ensemble
Scripture: Luke 16:1-13
God’s Word for us Today: Stewarding Faithfully
Rev. Kevin Freeman
Sermon Notes:
Through the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus reminds us that even worldly people understand how to leverage resources toward relationships. The lesson for us is to faithfully use what God has given us to show His generosity to a world that needs Christ.
Wake up calls push us toward faithfulness to God.
1 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. 10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” —Luke 16:1–13 ESV
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. —Luke 6:24 ESV
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 4nd you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” —Luke 14:12–14 ESV
1.) Hold a
of
over
.
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. —Luke 16:8 ESV
Consider Jesus’ attitude toward resources:
• 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish was enough to feed thousands.
• The widow’s two small coins were deemed a greater offering that the lavish gifts of a rich man.
• Mary’s exorbitant use of expensive perfume to wash His feet was praised over using the proceeds of its sale for the poor.
God is limited not by our means but by our mindset. He acts according to our faith, not our finances.
2.)
God’s
faithfully and generously.
The fundamental truth in the matter of stewardship is that everything we touch belongs to God. —John Blanchard
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? —Luke 16:10–12 ESV
If the resources we receive are a stewardship from God to be used in service to him and to others, then to serve God is to give our resources to meet the needs of those around us. —Darrell L. Bock
God loves to forgive debts. He often does so through us!
Depend on it! God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply. —J. Hudson Taylor
3.) Consider which
you
.
The Christian has to live in the world, but he must draw all his resources from outside of the world. —Donald Barnhouse
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” —Luke 16:13 ESV
Time of Decision and Commitment: Lord, I Need You
Commissioning Prayer for Sports Camp and STEAM Camp
Benediction: Rev. Kevin Freeman