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Love His Things: The Heart Of A Steward - Luke 19:11-27 · Mount Eaton Church

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We're going to finish up on our series of stewardship.
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And since I don't have to do the doctrinal reading,
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I'm going to pray. We're going to dig right in
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immediately. And then this is not going to, this
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is, it's not a hard message, but it's a very
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straightforward message. I mean, the scripture
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is really clear. and God says some things that
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are really hard, and that's okay. So let's just
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pray, and we'll dig in. Father, I want to thank
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you so much for your goodness. Thank you for
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your faithfulness. Thank you, Lord, for your
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word. Thank you that we can love you, love your
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word, love your ways, love your things. I ask,
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Lord, that you would speak to your people at
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the full council of your word as spoken and taught
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today, that you are honored and glorified, and
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you would draw all men unto you as you have promised.
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We praise you and thank you. In Jesus' name,
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amen. Fundamentally, So this is love his things,
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the heart of the steward, the heart of the steward.
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Fundamentally, stewardship is about exercising
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our God -given dominion over his creation, reflecting
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the image of our creator, creator God in his
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care, responsibility, maintenance, protection,
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and beautification of his creation, R .C. Sproul.
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In Genesis 126, Then God said, let us make man
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in our image and in our likeness and let them
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have dominion over the fish of the sea and over
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the birds of the heavens and over the livestock
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and over all the earth and over every creeping
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thing that creeps on the earth. I want you to
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hear that. God created man and he made him a
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steward. He gave him a trust, the trust of all
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of his things. Everything is God's. Our responsibility
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is to steward it. Genesis 2 .15, for God took
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them, the man, took the man and put them, put
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him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep
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it. You are to work and steward his stuff. The
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true steward is put in trust with his master's
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property for us to protect it. Oh, with what
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earnestness ought we to guard the gospel of Christ?
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with what holy valor ought we to contend earnestly
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for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
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Hold fast the form of sound words, wrote Paul
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and Timothy, not only the words, but particular
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form of them, which the apostles had delivered,
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not merely sound doctrine, but the very words
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in which these doctrines have been made to take
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shape. The true steward is to defend his master's
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treasure with his very life. And the Lord has
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put us in trust with the gospel. And all the
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people of God, in their measure, have also become
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trustees of those inestimably precious doctrines
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wherein will be found the glory of God and the
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salvation of the sons of men. So we are to defend
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our master's property, Charles Spurgeon. That's
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a hard word. Who would have thought that? 1 Corinthians
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4, 1 through 2. This is how... one should regard
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us as servants of Christ and stewards of the
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mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required as
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stewards that they be found faithful. So stewardship
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is the next to salvation is the, in my opinion,
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most important biblical practice. If you cannot
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steward, you cannot love God. You've got to steward
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your relationship with him. He has given that
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as a trust to you. You have to steward his word.
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You have to steward his ways. And you have to
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steward his things. Stewardship. As you guys
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know, when we first got here, the first thing
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I did was walk through the buildings. And I found
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these secret places where we would hide stuff.
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And so I go downstairs. This building is one
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of them. As you guys know, Beacon was another.
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So I went downstairs, and I find in the kids'
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room, there's this double closet space area.
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And I walk in, and there's all kinds of stuff.
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And I said to Jody, I believe it was Jody. It
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was one of you guys. I think it was you, Jody.
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I really do. I said, how long has this been here?
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Oh, 25 years. I said, we've never used it in
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25 years. She goes, no. I said, why do we have
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it? Because we might need it one day. I said,
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you haven't needed it for 25 years. So in God's
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providence, up comes the dumpsters. And two dumpsters,
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full later, we cleaned it out. Why is this important?
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Because we have to steward the very things he's
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given us, the property. It's the easiest way
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to show that you love God by stewarding the very
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simplest things. The simplest things. His stuff.
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My responsibility immediately was to start stewarding
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his people. To love them. To walk with them.
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To go through struggles with them. And so stewardship
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was the first thing that I established when I
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got here. We cleaned house. We cleaned house.
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A steward is to do the will of the master and
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freely share what the master has given. 1 Corinthians
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4 .1. This is how one should regard us as servants
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of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
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The one thing that God has given us that's of
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greatest value is the gospel. And are we stewarding
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it and giving it away? Because that's what the
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master said we should do. 1 Peter 4 .1 -11. Since
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therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves
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with the same way of thinking. How should you
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think? If Christ came to suffer, then you should
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also want to suffer. For whoever has suffered
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in the flesh has ceased, has refrained, has desist
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from sin. That's what this word ceased means.
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I don't know if in the English they did it justice
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in the ESV in translation of ceased. It's more
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of refraining and desisting of sin. Because as
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long as we live in this body, we are seriously
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going to struggle with the battle of it. Now,
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immediately after that, and you'll see why I
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think the word refrain and desist would have
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been a better translation. Only because it clarifies
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verse 2. So as to live for the rest of the time
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in the flesh, no longer for human passion, but
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for the will of God. Now, that doesn't sound
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like good English to me. So I'm going to... I'm
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going to say it in my English, I think. It's
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more like this. So as to live the remainder of
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our life in the body, no longer for our sensual
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and human passions, but solely for the will of
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God. In other words, if I have refrained and
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desist from sin, then I will live my life, the
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rest of my life, in this broken, sinful body.
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For God's will, not mine. That's what this means.
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Makes a lot more sense though, doesn't it? See,
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if we have ceased from sin, then there's no need
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for me to be here. So, for the time that is past
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suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to
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do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness,
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orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
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What he's saying here is, if this is the way
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a believer should live, And this is the way non
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-believers live. There's a clear contrast between
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the two. And as a steward, we should live this
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way. And we're going to see that in a minute.
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With respect to this, they are surprised when
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you don't join them in the same flood of debauchery
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and they malign you for it. So in other words,
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because you're not willing to partake in their
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junk, they actually get angry at you and start
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talking bad about you. Now, For this is why the
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gospel was preached even to those who are dead,
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that though judged in the flesh the way people
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are, they might live in the spirit the way God
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does. And this is what it means. That the very
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way of life that they were living, which was
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a dead life, God preached the gospel to them.
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And as a result, some of them have become alive
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in which now they can live the way God intended
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for them to live. That's good stewardship. Now,
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the end of all things is at hand. Therefore,
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be self -controlled, sober -minded for the sake
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of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another
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earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins.
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Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
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Why? As each has received a gift, use it to serve
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one another as good stewards of God's very grace.
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Now, here's what this means. I don't know why,
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again, in the English, they have a tendency to
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put, you know, our English language doesn't do
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well sometimes. And I've talked about that quite
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a bit. And here's why. This term gift here in
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verse 10 means the gift one receives without
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merit. What gift have we received without merit?
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Salvation. Salvation is the gift we received
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without merit. Now, this makes a lot more sense,
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especially when you go to Hebrews and you read
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that all the spiritual gifts were given for one
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purpose, to preach the gospel. As each has received
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the gift one receives without merit, meaning
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salvation, use it to serve one another as good
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stewards of God's varied grace, of God's manifold
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and diverse grace. What do we use? See, when
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you're born again and you're saved, you're driven
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to serve. Salvation is not just your way to heaven.
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Salvation is the means to love one another. That's
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what it says here. As each has received the gift
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one receives without merit, salvation, that's
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what that means, use it to serve one another
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as good stewards of God's varied, manifold, diverse
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grace. We should use the gift of salvation we
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have to speak as one who speaks oracles of God.
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It says we are to serve as one who serves by
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the strength that God supplies. In order that
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in everything God may be glorified through Jesus
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Christ. Salvation is our motivation to be good
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stewards. Being good stewards of salvation is
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the responsibility of the steward. stewards don't
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need a thank you to care for and manage God's
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things. So in our society today, we have a tendency
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to always want that, that a boy. Thank you. You
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know, like God, God, I really don't think you're
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being nice to me. You should thank me for obeying
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you. You know, I mean, after all, it's the least
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you can do. And Jesus handles this pretty clearly.
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In Luke 17. But look what it says in 1 Corinthians
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4. Moreover, it is required of stewards to be
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found faithful. It's not an option. Stewardship
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is not an option. It's required that a steward
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is found faithful with God's stuff. Found faithful
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with God's salvation. Found faithful being good
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stewards of our lives as we live amongst each
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other. Being good stewards of his things. It's
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not an option. And so what we see here is that
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there comes this moment where, you know, God
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should thank me for doing good stuff. I mean,
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everybody deserves a thank you. Look what Jesus
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says. It's quite interesting how he brings them
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to this point. So I'm going to share the whole
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thing with you. It's Luke 17, 1 through 10. And
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so there's this stuff happening among the disciples.
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And then Jesus kind of calls them out on their
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stuff. And what you're going to see is quite
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shocking. And he said to his disciples, temptations
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to sin are sure to come. In other words, you
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are going to screw up. It's going to come. But
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woe to the one whom they come. It would be better
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for him if a millstone were hung around his neck
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and he was cast into the sea than that he should
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cause one of these little ones to stumble or
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one of these little ones to sin. So what he's
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saying, hey, you're going to mess up. But when
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you mess up, don't mess up and cause them to
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mess up. That's what he's saying. It's not going
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to be good for you. Not a good idea. Immediately
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after that in verse 3, he says, pay attention
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to yourselves. Manage yourselves. If your brother
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sins, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive
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him. You can see, you're going to mess up. Here's
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the way a steward should live. Pay attention
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to yourself. Don't cause little ones to sin.
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If your brother sins, rebuke him for it. If he
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repents, forgive him for it. And if he sins against
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you seven times in a day and turns to you seven
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times saying, I repent, you must forgive him.
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These are options. These are commandments. You
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have an obligation as a steward of God and his
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ways to live in this way. And this is how. And
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what's interesting is in verse 5. And the apostles
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said to the Lord, increase our faith. Now, this
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is what they're saying. I kind of find it weird
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in the statement, but this is what they're saying.
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Lord, we can't avoid this if we don't have more
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faith to do it. Like, give me more faith and
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I'll sin less. You know what? I want more of
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your grace because if I get more grace, I'll
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sin less. So if I sin, it's okay because I just
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need more of your grace. So please. Increase
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my faith so I don't sin as much. And the Lord
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said, if you had faith like a grain of the mustard
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seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, be
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uprooted and planted in the sea and it would
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obey you. It's like, if you were obedient, if
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you really had faith, you could do these things.
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Will any of you who has a servant plowing and
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keeping sheep say to him, when he has come in
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from the field, come at once and recline at the
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table. So here's the point. If you're outside,
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you're farming, hot day, 112, that's Arizona.
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And you come in and the master goes, hey, come
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on in. You worked hard. Come and sit at my table
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and I'll feed you. Don't worry, I'll cook the
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dinner. What Jesus is doing here, he's being
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facetious. He's saying, you're not going to tell
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your slave to come in and recline at the table
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after he was doing what you had required him
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to do. Will the master, will he not rather say
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to him, prepare supper for me, dress properly,
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serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward,
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you will eat and drink. So this is what he's
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saying. I'm not going to invite my slave to come
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in and recline at my table. I'm going to tell
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him when he gets done working outside, now go
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in, get a shower, put on some clean clothes,
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cook my dinner. When I'm done eating, you can
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have the leftovers. That's exactly what this
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means. You're like, well, that's kind of harsh.
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No, he feeds his slave. He gives him roof over
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his head, takes good care of him. He doesn't
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have to worry for anything. And now you're supposed
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to be like hanging out. Like, that's not how
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this works. That's what Jesus is saying. Now,
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how many of you ever really read Luke 17, one
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through 11? Really saw what Jesus was teaching
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here. So verse 9, does he thank the servant because
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he did what he was commanded? Does the master
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go, hey, thank you for doing what I told you
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to do? No. Look at the response. So you also,
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this is what he's saying. So you also, when you
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have done all that you were commanded, say, we
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are unworthy servants. We have only done what
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was our duty. Do you get the attitude of the
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steward here? The attitude of the slave? No,
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master. It was our duty to do that. That's what
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you required of us. That's what he's saying here.
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So a steward is one who doesn't need a thank
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you, but does what his master has commanded him
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to do. Lastly, we don't go around doing service
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in God's house. Or serving God because we expect
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God to say thank you. So that whole well done
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my good and faithful servant. He actually talks
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about this in chapter 19. And what you're going
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to see is. He says well done my good and faithful
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servant. Because the servant obeyed the master.
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That's the important thing here. So a steward
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is busy caring and growing and managing the master's
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things. This is a very important principle. That
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doesn't mean as a father that our heavenly father
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doesn't come to us and thank us for what we do.
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But as a master, he doesn't need to thank me.
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It's my duty. And it's my aim to please my master.
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Matthew 7, 21 says it this way. Not everyone
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who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom
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of heaven, but the one who does the will of my
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father who is in heaven. Luke 19, 11 through
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27. And as they heard these things, he proceeded
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to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
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and because they supposed that the kingdom of
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God was to appear immediately. In other words,
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Lord, you are to do what we expect you to do.
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We want the kingdom now. We want it now. You
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are our servant. Though he did come to serve,
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not to be served. Look what it says here. And
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he said, therefore, a nobleman went into a far
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country to receive for himself a kingdom and
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then return. Doesn't that sound familiar? Where
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did Jesus leave to come and receive a kingdom
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and then to return back? His throne. That's the
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nobleman. Jesus is the nobleman. Calling 10 of
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his servants, he gave them 10 minas and said
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to them, engage in business until I come. In
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other words, here, a mina is a very valuable.
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Coin. It's very expensive. It's not cheap. He
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gives them minas and their job is to engage in
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business until he comes back. So he doesn't give
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them money to go dig and hide it. Doesn't give
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them money for them to go enjoy. He gives them
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money so that he can get a return. Watch. Now,
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as he's done this with his slaves, here, go do
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business for me. The citizens, of his country,
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hated him and sent a delegation after him saying,
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we do not want this man to reign over us. Jesus
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came to his own, but his own did not receive
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him. See, Jesus was of the kingdom of Israel
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and he left the kingdom to go find a kingdom,
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to go get a kingdom or receive a kingdom. And
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then to return in the kingdom he's talking about
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is the kingdom of heaven. A kingdom that's not
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of this world. And look what he says here. And
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when he returned, having received the kingdom,
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he ordered his servants to whom he had given
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the money to be called to him. So he told the
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servants to come here. That he might know what
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they had gained by doing business. In other words,
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what did you get from me? Look what he says.
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The first came before him and saying, Lord, you're
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Mina. has made 10 minas more. And he said to
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him, well done, good servant, because you have
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been faithful in the very little, you shall have
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authority over 10 cities. And the second time,
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the second came, sorry, saying, Lord, your mina
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has made five minas. And he said to him, you
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are to be over five cities. But another came
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saying, Lord, here's your mina. I have kept,
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I have kept. I've kept it laid away in a handkerchief.
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This is what he did. Took the coin, rolled it
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up in a handkerchief, stuck it in his pocket.
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It was like, my master, if I lose this thing,
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I'm going to die. And it's exactly what this
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guy says. Look what he says in verse 21. For
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I was afraid of you because you are a severe
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man. You take what you did not deposit and you
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reap what you did not sow. And he said to him,
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I will condemn you with your own words. This
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is what the master says to the servant, you wicked
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servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking
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what I did not deposit and reaping what I did
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not sow. This is what he means. He knew, if you
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were to look at this from the picture of Jesus
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being the nobleman, that Jesus is severe. So
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I'm going to make this real clear for you. Jesus
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is a severe God. He is not playing. The little
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sissified Jesus that all these preachers talk
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about is not the Jesus who rules and reigns as
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king. He is severe when he needs to be, and he
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is loving when he has to be, and he's both at
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the same time all the time. That's the God we
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serve. He loves deeply his people, and he punishes
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wickedness by wrath. That's severity. Yes, he
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will see as severe. Why then did you not put
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my money in the bank? And am I coming? I might
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have collected it with interest. Why, when I
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gave you some of the most valuable things that
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I own, why did you not get a return? So I'm going
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to make it clear with you. This is what Jesus
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is saying. I've given you the gospel. Why haven't
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you brought me a return in the gospel? Why haven't
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you gone out and preached the gospel? And then
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there be a return back to me because of that.
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Or do you just keep it wrapped up in a handkerchief
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in the back of your throat? Do you not tell anybody
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about Jesus because you're afraid they might
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be offended or are you afraid that they may look
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at you as being too churchy? And then he says,
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and he said to those who stood by, take the mina
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from him, give it to the one who has 10 minas.
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Notice, he doesn't give it to the one who's five
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minas. He gives it to the one who gets the most
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interest. And then this is what he says. And
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they said to him, Lord, he has 10 minas. That's
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not fair. Why should he get the mina if he has
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10 minas? And he says, I tell you that everyone
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who has, more will be given. And from the one
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who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
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Do you get that? The steward that stewards and
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does what I commanded him to do will be given
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much because I can trust he will do much. But
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the one who does nothing, he loses everything.
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Now, as for these enemies of mine, who did not
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want me to reign over them, bring them here and
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slaughter them before me. Do you hear that? God
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is a severe God. Because God will slaughter every
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single person that has rejected him as king.
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You don't want me, you die. Period. There is
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no simple way to say it. He's made it very clear
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here. So what is the steward's responsibility?
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It is the steward's duty to do the will of the
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master. to freely share what the master has given
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and be found busy caring, growing, and managing
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the master's things. That's the point of these
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three scriptures. What kind of steward are you?
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Are we loving God? Are we loving his word? Are
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we loving his ways? And are we loving his things?
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And there are two very valuable things that God
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has given. He's given his gospel and he's given
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his people. How are you stewarding the gospel
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and how are you stewarding each other? That's
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what he's talking about. Okay? So God is serious
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when it comes to stewardship. Many principles
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to learn. Learn this one. When you can do this
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one, you can do many other things. Okay? Father,
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I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness
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and your goodness. We praise you. You are God.
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We are not. We thank you that you loved us first.
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and that you have called us and command us to
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steward all that you've given us for your glory.
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In Jesus' name, amen.