THE CONCEPT OF STEWARDSHIP PART 2

20  And  so he  that had received  five  talents came  and  brought  other  five  talents,  saying, Lord,  thou deliveredst unto  me  five  talents: behold, I  have gained beside them  five talents  more.  21  His lord said unto him,  Well done,  thou  good and faithful servant:  thou hast  been faithful over  a  few things, I  will make thee ruler  over many  things:  enter  thou into  the joy of thy  lord.  22  He also  that had received  two talents came and  said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me  two talents:  behold, I  have  gained two  other talents beside  them.  23  His lord  said  unto him,  Well  done, good  and faithful  servant;  thou  hast  been faithful  over a few  things,  I will  make  thee ruler  over many things: enter  thou  into  the  joy  of thy lord.  

Now  we see  another  principle of stewardship.  The  principle of reward.  God  is a just Lord.  He  will reward us for all the  work that  we  do for  Him and He will  reward us both  in this world  and in  the next.

Colossians  3
22  Servants,  obey  in all things  your masters  according to  the  flesh;  not with  eyeservice,  as menpleasers; but  in singleness  of heart,  fearing God:  23  And whatsoever ye  do,  do it  heartily,  as  to the  Lord, and not unto  men;  24  Knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive the  reward of the  inheritance: for  ye  serve the Lord Christ.

Furthermore  God will deal  with us  according to  our  own individual  gifts and abilities.  The  servants who doubled  their  master's  money were  praised exactly  the same even though  one  had produced  more than the  other.  God  didn’t  judge them  on  amounts,  He judged them  on percentage.  God  deals  in percentage. How  much  of  what He  has  given  you  are  you increasing?

24  Then he  which had  received  the one  talent  came  and said, Lord,  I  knew  thee that  thou  art  an hard man, reaping  where thou  hast not  sown, and  gathering  where thou hast not  strawed:  25  And I  was afraid, and went and  hid  thy talent in  the earth: lo,  there thou hast  that  is  thine.  26  His lord  answered and said  unto  him, Thou wicked  and slothful servant,  thou knewest  that  I  reap where I sowed  not, and gather where I  have not  strawed:  27  Thou oughtest  therefore  to  have  put  my  money to  the exchangers, and then at  my coming  I should have received  mine  own with usury.  

Like  this servant, most  Christians  think  that  fulfilling  God’s purpose  is too  demanding and  therefore choose  to do  nothing  about  serving  Him.  We  choose to  ignore that  prompting  in  our heart  asking  us  to get  out there  and serve God and  do what God created  us to  do.  We  imagine that  somehow ignoring  it will exonerate us from  accountability. However  this  will actually  increase  our  accountability.  If  you  really  believe  that  God’s purpose is too demanding, the  more  reason you should be  diligent  to do it.  God  will use that  very reason to  hold you accountable.  You  knew  that  it  was  important, you  knew  that  it  was demanding,  why then  did  you ignore it?  Why  weren’t  you faithful?

28  Take therefore the  talent from  him, and give  it  unto him which  hath ten talents.  29  For  unto every one that hath shall be given, and he  shall have abundance:  but  from  him that  hath  not shall be  taken  away even  that  which he hath.

The  rich get richer,  the poor get poorer.  Those  that  have get  even  more and  those that  don’t  have  lose even what  they have. What  did  the  good stewards have that  was  added unto? 
They  had faithfulness, diligence,  understanding, increase.  So  their lord added  to  them even  more riches  so  that  they had  more  abundance.  Faithful stewardship  will lead  to  abundance in  our lives.  God  gives  more  resources to  good stewards  because  He trusts them  to  increase  those  resources  and  accomplish His purpose upon  the earth.

What  did  the  slothful  steward not  have?
He  did not  have understanding, faithfulness,  diligence  or  any increase.  So  even the little  he  had  was  taken  away from  him.  If  you refuse  to  be a  good steward you will end up  poorer and insignificant.  

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