Love His Things: The Heart Of A Steward  - Luke 19:11-27

We're going to finish up on our series of stewardship.

And since I don't have to do the doctrinal reading,

I'm going to pray. We're going to dig right in

immediately. And then this is not going to, this

is, it's not a hard message, but it's a very

straightforward message. I mean, the scripture

is really clear. and God says some things that

are really hard, and that's okay. So let's just

pray, and we'll dig in. Father, I want to thank

you so much for your goodness. Thank you for

your faithfulness. Thank you, Lord, for your

word. Thank you that we can love you, love your

word, love your ways, love your things. I ask,

Lord, that you would speak to your people at

the full council of your word as spoken and taught

today, that you are honored and glorified, and

you would draw all men unto you as you have promised.

We praise you and thank you. In Jesus' name,

amen. Fundamentally, So this is love his things,

the heart of the steward, the heart of the steward.

Fundamentally, stewardship is about exercising

our God -given dominion over his creation, reflecting

the image of our creator, creator God in his

care, responsibility, maintenance, protection,

and beautification of his creation, R .C. Sproul.

In Genesis 126, Then God said, let us make man

in our image and in our likeness and let them

have dominion over the fish of the sea and over

the birds of the heavens and over the livestock

and over all the earth and over every creeping

thing that creeps on the earth. I want you to

hear that. God created man and he made him a

steward. He gave him a trust, the trust of all

of his things. Everything is God's. Our responsibility

is to steward it. Genesis 2 .15, for God took

them, the man, took the man and put them, put

him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep

it. You are to work and steward his stuff. The

true steward is put in trust with his master's

property for us to protect it. Oh, with what

earnestness ought we to guard the gospel of Christ?

with what holy valor ought we to contend earnestly

for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

Hold fast the form of sound words, wrote Paul

and Timothy, not only the words, but particular

form of them, which the apostles had delivered,

not merely sound doctrine, but the very words

in which these doctrines have been made to take

shape. The true steward is to defend his master's

treasure with his very life. And the Lord has

put us in trust with the gospel. And all the

people of God, in their measure, have also become

trustees of those inestimably precious doctrines

wherein will be found the glory of God and the

salvation of the sons of men. So we are to defend

our master's property, Charles Spurgeon. That's

a hard word. Who would have thought that? 1 Corinthians

4, 1 through 2. This is how... one should regard

us as servants of Christ and stewards of the

mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required as

stewards that they be found faithful. So stewardship

is the next to salvation is the, in my opinion,

most important biblical practice. If you cannot

steward, you cannot love God. You've got to steward

your relationship with him. He has given that

as a trust to you. You have to steward his word.

You have to steward his ways. And you have to

steward his things. Stewardship. As you guys

know, when we first got here, the first thing

I did was walk through the buildings. And I found

these secret places where we would hide stuff.

And so I go downstairs. This building is one

of them. As you guys know, Beacon was another.

So I went downstairs, and I find in the kids'

room, there's this double closet space area.

And I walk in, and there's all kinds of stuff.

And I said to Jody, I believe it was Jody. It

was one of you guys. I think it was you, Jody.

I really do. I said, how long has this been here?

Oh, 25 years. I said, we've never used it in

25 years. She goes, no. I said, why do we have

it? Because we might need it one day. I said,

you haven't needed it for 25 years. So in God's

providence, up comes the dumpsters. And two dumpsters,

full later, we cleaned it out. Why is this important?

Because we have to steward the very things he's

given us, the property. It's the easiest way

to show that you love God by stewarding the very

simplest things. The simplest things. His stuff.

My responsibility immediately was to start stewarding

his people. To love them. To walk with them.

To go through struggles with them. And so stewardship

was the first thing that I established when I

got here. We cleaned house. We cleaned house.

A steward is to do the will of the master and

freely share what the master has given. 1 Corinthians

4 .1. This is how one should regard us as servants

of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

The one thing that God has given us that's of

greatest value is the gospel. And are we stewarding

it and giving it away? Because that's what the

master said we should do. 1 Peter 4 .1 -11. Since

therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves

with the same way of thinking. How should you

think? If Christ came to suffer, then you should

also want to suffer. For whoever has suffered

in the flesh has ceased, has refrained, has desist

from sin. That's what this word ceased means.

I don't know if in the English they did it justice

in the ESV in translation of ceased. It's more

of refraining and desisting of sin. Because as

long as we live in this body, we are seriously

going to struggle with the battle of it. Now,

immediately after that, and you'll see why I

think the word refrain and desist would have

been a better translation. Only because it clarifies

verse 2. So as to live for the rest of the time

in the flesh, no longer for human passion, but

for the will of God. Now, that doesn't sound

like good English to me. So I'm going to... I'm

going to say it in my English, I think. It's

more like this. So as to live the remainder of

our life in the body, no longer for our sensual

and human passions, but solely for the will of

God. In other words, if I have refrained and

desist from sin, then I will live my life, the

rest of my life, in this broken, sinful body.

For God's will, not mine. That's what this means.

Makes a lot more sense though, doesn't it? See,

if we have ceased from sin, then there's no need

for me to be here. So, for the time that is past

suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to

do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness,

orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.

What he's saying here is, if this is the way

a believer should live, And this is the way non

-believers live. There's a clear contrast between

the two. And as a steward, we should live this

way. And we're going to see that in a minute.

With respect to this, they are surprised when

you don't join them in the same flood of debauchery

and they malign you for it. So in other words,

because you're not willing to partake in their

junk, they actually get angry at you and start

talking bad about you. Now, For this is why the

gospel was preached even to those who are dead,

that though judged in the flesh the way people

are, they might live in the spirit the way God

does. And this is what it means. That the very

way of life that they were living, which was

a dead life, God preached the gospel to them.

And as a result, some of them have become alive

in which now they can live the way God intended

for them to live. That's good stewardship. Now,

the end of all things is at hand. Therefore,

be self -controlled, sober -minded for the sake

of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another

earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Why? As each has received a gift, use it to serve

one another as good stewards of God's very grace.

Now, here's what this means. I don't know why,

again, in the English, they have a tendency to

put, you know, our English language doesn't do

well sometimes. And I've talked about that quite

a bit. And here's why. This term gift here in

verse 10 means the gift one receives without

merit. What gift have we received without merit?

Salvation. Salvation is the gift we received

without merit. Now, this makes a lot more sense,

especially when you go to Hebrews and you read

that all the spiritual gifts were given for one

purpose, to preach the gospel. As each has received

the gift one receives without merit, meaning

salvation, use it to serve one another as good

stewards of God's varied grace, of God's manifold

and diverse grace. What do we use? See, when

you're born again and you're saved, you're driven

to serve. Salvation is not just your way to heaven.

Salvation is the means to love one another. That's

what it says here. As each has received the gift

one receives without merit, salvation, that's

what that means, use it to serve one another

as good stewards of God's varied, manifold, diverse

grace. We should use the gift of salvation we

have to speak as one who speaks oracles of God.

It says we are to serve as one who serves by

the strength that God supplies. In order that

in everything God may be glorified through Jesus

Christ. Salvation is our motivation to be good

stewards. Being good stewards of salvation is

the responsibility of the steward. stewards don't

need a thank you to care for and manage God's

things. So in our society today, we have a tendency

to always want that, that a boy. Thank you. You

know, like God, God, I really don't think you're

being nice to me. You should thank me for obeying

you. You know, I mean, after all, it's the least

you can do. And Jesus handles this pretty clearly.

In Luke 17. But look what it says in 1 Corinthians

4. Moreover, it is required of stewards to be

found faithful. It's not an option. Stewardship

is not an option. It's required that a steward

is found faithful with God's stuff. Found faithful

with God's salvation. Found faithful being good

stewards of our lives as we live amongst each

other. Being good stewards of his things. It's

not an option. And so what we see here is that

there comes this moment where, you know, God

should thank me for doing good stuff. I mean,

everybody deserves a thank you. Look what Jesus

says. It's quite interesting how he brings them

to this point. So I'm going to share the whole

thing with you. It's Luke 17, 1 through 10. And

so there's this stuff happening among the disciples.

And then Jesus kind of calls them out on their

stuff. And what you're going to see is quite

shocking. And he said to his disciples, temptations

to sin are sure to come. In other words, you

are going to screw up. It's going to come. But

woe to the one whom they come. It would be better

for him if a millstone were hung around his neck

and he was cast into the sea than that he should

cause one of these little ones to stumble or

one of these little ones to sin. So what he's

saying, hey, you're going to mess up. But when

you mess up, don't mess up and cause them to

mess up. That's what he's saying. It's not going

to be good for you. Not a good idea. Immediately

after that in verse 3, he says, pay attention

to yourselves. Manage yourselves. If your brother

sins, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive

him. You can see, you're going to mess up. Here's

the way a steward should live. Pay attention

to yourself. Don't cause little ones to sin.

If your brother sins, rebuke him for it. If he

repents, forgive him for it. And if he sins against

you seven times in a day and turns to you seven

times saying, I repent, you must forgive him.

These are options. These are commandments. You

have an obligation as a steward of God and his

ways to live in this way. And this is how. And

what's interesting is in verse 5. And the apostles

said to the Lord, increase our faith. Now, this

is what they're saying. I kind of find it weird

in the statement, but this is what they're saying.

Lord, we can't avoid this if we don't have more

faith to do it. Like, give me more faith and

I'll sin less. You know what? I want more of

your grace because if I get more grace, I'll

sin less. So if I sin, it's okay because I just

need more of your grace. So please. Increase

my faith so I don't sin as much. And the Lord

said, if you had faith like a grain of the mustard

seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, be

uprooted and planted in the sea and it would

obey you. It's like, if you were obedient, if

you really had faith, you could do these things.

Will any of you who has a servant plowing and

keeping sheep say to him, when he has come in

from the field, come at once and recline at the

table. So here's the point. If you're outside,

you're farming, hot day, 112, that's Arizona.

And you come in and the master goes, hey, come

on in. You worked hard. Come and sit at my table

and I'll feed you. Don't worry, I'll cook the

dinner. What Jesus is doing here, he's being

facetious. He's saying, you're not going to tell

your slave to come in and recline at the table

after he was doing what you had required him

to do. Will the master, will he not rather say

to him, prepare supper for me, dress properly,

serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward,

you will eat and drink. So this is what he's

saying. I'm not going to invite my slave to come

in and recline at my table. I'm going to tell

him when he gets done working outside, now go

in, get a shower, put on some clean clothes,

cook my dinner. When I'm done eating, you can

have the leftovers. That's exactly what this

means. You're like, well, that's kind of harsh.

No, he feeds his slave. He gives him roof over

his head, takes good care of him. He doesn't

have to worry for anything. And now you're supposed

to be like hanging out. Like, that's not how

this works. That's what Jesus is saying. Now,

how many of you ever really read Luke 17, one

through 11? Really saw what Jesus was teaching

here. So verse 9, does he thank the servant because

he did what he was commanded? Does the master

go, hey, thank you for doing what I told you

to do? No. Look at the response. So you also,

this is what he's saying. So you also, when you

have done all that you were commanded, say, we

are unworthy servants. We have only done what

was our duty. Do you get the attitude of the

steward here? The attitude of the slave? No,

master. It was our duty to do that. That's what

you required of us. That's what he's saying here.

So a steward is one who doesn't need a thank

you, but does what his master has commanded him

to do. Lastly, we don't go around doing service

in God's house. Or serving God because we expect

God to say thank you. So that whole well done

my good and faithful servant. He actually talks

about this in chapter 19. And what you're going

to see is. He says well done my good and faithful

servant. Because the servant obeyed the master.

That's the important thing here. So a steward

is busy caring and growing and managing the master's

things. This is a very important principle. That

doesn't mean as a father that our heavenly father

doesn't come to us and thank us for what we do.

But as a master, he doesn't need to thank me.

It's my duty. And it's my aim to please my master.

Matthew 7, 21 says it this way. Not everyone

who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom

of heaven, but the one who does the will of my

father who is in heaven. Luke 19, 11 through

27. And as they heard these things, he proceeded

to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem

and because they supposed that the kingdom of

God was to appear immediately. In other words,

Lord, you are to do what we expect you to do.

We want the kingdom now. We want it now. You

are our servant. Though he did come to serve,

not to be served. Look what it says here. And

he said, therefore, a nobleman went into a far

country to receive for himself a kingdom and

then return. Doesn't that sound familiar? Where

did Jesus leave to come and receive a kingdom

and then to return back? His throne. That's the

nobleman. Jesus is the nobleman. Calling 10 of

his servants, he gave them 10 minas and said

to them, engage in business until I come. In

other words, here, a mina is a very valuable.

Coin. It's very expensive. It's not cheap. He

gives them minas and their job is to engage in

business until he comes back. So he doesn't give

them money to go dig and hide it. Doesn't give

them money for them to go enjoy. He gives them

money so that he can get a return. Watch. Now,

as he's done this with his slaves, here, go do

business for me. The citizens, of his country,

hated him and sent a delegation after him saying,

we do not want this man to reign over us. Jesus

came to his own, but his own did not receive

him. See, Jesus was of the kingdom of Israel

and he left the kingdom to go find a kingdom,

to go get a kingdom or receive a kingdom. And

then to return in the kingdom he's talking about

is the kingdom of heaven. A kingdom that's not

of this world. And look what he says here. And

when he returned, having received the kingdom,

he ordered his servants to whom he had given

the money to be called to him. So he told the

servants to come here. That he might know what

they had gained by doing business. In other words,

what did you get from me? Look what he says.

The first came before him and saying, Lord, you're

Mina. has made 10 minas more. And he said to

him, well done, good servant, because you have

been faithful in the very little, you shall have

authority over 10 cities. And the second time,

the second came, sorry, saying, Lord, your mina

has made five minas. And he said to him, you

are to be over five cities. But another came

saying, Lord, here's your mina. I have kept,

I have kept. I've kept it laid away in a handkerchief.

This is what he did. Took the coin, rolled it

up in a handkerchief, stuck it in his pocket.

It was like, my master, if I lose this thing,

I'm going to die. And it's exactly what this

guy says. Look what he says in verse 21. For

I was afraid of you because you are a severe

man. You take what you did not deposit and you

reap what you did not sow. And he said to him,

I will condemn you with your own words. This

is what the master says to the servant, you wicked

servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking

what I did not deposit and reaping what I did

not sow. This is what he means. He knew, if you

were to look at this from the picture of Jesus

being the nobleman, that Jesus is severe. So

I'm going to make this real clear for you. Jesus

is a severe God. He is not playing. The little

sissified Jesus that all these preachers talk

about is not the Jesus who rules and reigns as

king. He is severe when he needs to be, and he

is loving when he has to be, and he's both at

the same time all the time. That's the God we

serve. He loves deeply his people, and he punishes

wickedness by wrath. That's severity. Yes, he

will see as severe. Why then did you not put

my money in the bank? And am I coming? I might

have collected it with interest. Why, when I

gave you some of the most valuable things that

I own, why did you not get a return? So I'm going

to make it clear with you. This is what Jesus

is saying. I've given you the gospel. Why haven't

you brought me a return in the gospel? Why haven't

you gone out and preached the gospel? And then

there be a return back to me because of that.

Or do you just keep it wrapped up in a handkerchief

in the back of your throat? Do you not tell anybody

about Jesus because you're afraid they might

be offended or are you afraid that they may look

at you as being too churchy? And then he says,

and he said to those who stood by, take the mina

from him, give it to the one who has 10 minas.

Notice, he doesn't give it to the one who's five

minas. He gives it to the one who gets the most

interest. And then this is what he says. And

they said to him, Lord, he has 10 minas. That's

not fair. Why should he get the mina if he has

10 minas? And he says, I tell you that everyone

who has, more will be given. And from the one

who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Do you get that? The steward that stewards and

does what I commanded him to do will be given

much because I can trust he will do much. But

the one who does nothing, he loses everything.

Now, as for these enemies of mine, who did not

want me to reign over them, bring them here and

slaughter them before me. Do you hear that? God

is a severe God. Because God will slaughter every

single person that has rejected him as king.

You don't want me, you die. Period. There is

no simple way to say it. He's made it very clear

here. So what is the steward's responsibility?

It is the steward's duty to do the will of the

master. to freely share what the master has given

and be found busy caring, growing, and managing

the master's things. That's the point of these

three scriptures. What kind of steward are you?

Are we loving God? Are we loving his word? Are

we loving his ways? And are we loving his things?

And there are two very valuable things that God

has given. He's given his gospel and he's given

his people. How are you stewarding the gospel

and how are you stewarding each other? That's

what he's talking about. Okay? So God is serious

when it comes to stewardship. Many principles

to learn. Learn this one. When you can do this

one, you can do many other things. Okay? Father,

I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness

and your goodness. We praise you. You are God.

We are not. We thank you that you loved us first.

and that you have called us and command us to

steward all that you've given us for your glory.

In Jesus' name, amen.