Yesterday we kicked off our new four-week series, Jesus First: Learning to Live and Give with Joy. Over the next month, we’re going to explore what Scripture teaches us about money, generosity, and the resources God has entrusted to us.
We began with a foundational question: Am I an owner or a steward?
Here’s the truth I want us to carry with us: God doesn’t want something from you; He wants something for you. And true spiritual freedom begins when we stop carrying the exhausting burden of ownership and learn to live with open hands.
Here are four truths from Sunday’s message:
1. God Owns 100% of Everything
Psalm 24:1 reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”
Our culture tells us that if we work for something, earn it, and purchase it, then it belongs entirely to us. But Scripture gives us a different perspective. Everything we have ultimately belongs to God. As David prayed in 1 Chronicles 29:14, “For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.”
Our effort is real, our work matters, and diligence is honorable. But none of us is entirely self-made. Everything we have, including our abilities and opportunities, is ultimately a gift from God.
2. We Are Stewards, Not Owners
In 1 Corinthians 4:1–2, Paul describes believers as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” A steward is a manager entrusted with someone else’s resources.
God retains 100% ownership, while we are given 100% management responsibility. That means our responsibility isn’t simply to preserve what God has given us, but to faithfully put it to work for His purposes.
Stewardship isn’t about how much we have compared to someone else. It’s about being faithful with what God has placed in our hands.
3. Faithfulness Is the Measure of Stewardship
In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. The faithful servants didn’t simply protect what had been entrusted to them. They put it to work.
Notice that the master commended both servants with the same words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
God doesn’t measure our faithfulness by comparing our resources, opportunities, or results with someone else’s. He calls us to faithfully manage what He has entrusted to us.
Stewardship is not a financial program; it is a discipleship posture.
4. Temporary Wealth Can Have Eternal Impact
Our world measures success through bank accounts, property, investments, and net worth. But every earthly financial metric eventually expires.
Daniel 12:2–3 reminds us that eternity is real and that people have an eternal destiny. Our money cannot cross into eternity, but what we do with it can have an eternal impact.
A faithful steward doesn’t simply ask how much wealth can be accumulated, but how temporary resources can be used for eternal purposes.
THIS WEEK:
This week, I want to challenge you to practice one simple discipline. Before you pay a bill, make a purchase, check your retirement account, or plan your schedule, pause for five seconds. Open your hands and pray:
“God, everything I have comes from You. Show me where I am acting like an owner instead of a manager.”
It’s a simple prayer, but it has the potential to reshape how we approach every area of our lives.
Church, imagine what would happen if we stopped living with closed fists and started living with open hands. What if we approached our families, careers, resources, homes, and finances with the daily recognition that they belong to God?
The question isn’t simply, ‘What can I do with what I have?’ It’s ‘How can I faithfully manage what God has entrusted to me?’
Let’s begin this journey together with open hands, learning to put Jesus first in every area of our lives.