GIVINGIN THE GRACE ZONE
SMCC Stewardship Series:
Overview• How much time do you think you spend every
day thinking about how you’re going to make, spend, or save money?
• Today, we’re going to explore:• God’s role in material possessions.• Man’s role in material possessions.• The best way to ensure the security of our material
possessions.
3 Observations about God
• God Originated Everything
• God Owns Everything
• God is Over Everything
God Originated Everything• Genesis 1:1– In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth.
• Revelation 4:11– "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory
and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
God Originated Everything• John 1:3– All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made.
• Acts 17:24– The God who made the world and everything in it is
the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
God Originated Everything• God not only created every material thing
surrounding us, but He also created every blessing we receive, each and every day!
• James 1:17– Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
God Owns Everything• God created everything, therefore God owns
everything.
• I Chronicles 29:11– Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
God Owns Everything• Haggai 2:8– 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the
LORD Almighty.
• Ezekiel 18:4– For every living soul belongs to me, the father as
well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
God Owns Everything• When we accepted Christ, we once again
became The LORD’s possession. We are twice owned by a loving God!
• Romans 14:8– If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die
to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
God is Over Everything• As supreme Creator and Master of all things,
God also has complete dominion over everything we can observe in His creation. He is in complete control!
• I Chronicles 29:12– Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
3 Observations about Man
• Man Does Not Own Anything
• Man Gets What He Has From God
• Only What We Give Back to God Will Last Forever
Man Owns Nothing• God is not our cosigner. That car or house we’ll
so proudly pay off one day always was and always will be His.
• I Chronicles 29:14– But who am I, and who are my people, that we
should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
Man Owns Nothing• There’s no such thing as a trailer hitch on a
hearse.
• I Timothy 6:7– For we brought nothing into the world, and we can
take nothing out of it.
Man Owns Nothing• The emphasis on your total lack of ownership is
not meant to be depressing.
• I Timothy 6:17– Command those who are rich in this present world
not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Man Gets From God• In surrendering the concept of ownership from
man’s perspective, here are some more appropriate terms:– Responsibility– Administration– Stewardship– Management
Man Gets From God• Our stewardship is but for a brief period of time.
We inherited from those before us and will pass along to those who follow us. We must do our best with the short time we have.
• I Corinthians 4:2– Now it is required that those who have been given a
trust must prove faithful.
Giving Back for Eternity• The more he hoard here on Earth, the more we
will certainly lose in eternity.
• Only what we give back to God will last forever.
• The rate of return on what God can do with our “investments” are off the charts!
Giving Back for Eternity• Only God can take an investment of money or
resources and turn it into joy, hope, or salvation!
• What an honor it is to be entrusted with the opportunity to take part in this miraculous conversion of currency!
Scriptural Application
• Read I Timothy 6:6-19
Scriptural Application• Further proof of God’s dominion over material
things is found in Exodus 36.– Moses had to order the people to stop giving items
for the construction of the tabernacle. They were bringing too much!
– Where did this Israelite wealth come from?– The material wealth of the Egyptians, a race utterly
opposed to honoring God, ultimately became the physical manifestation of worshiping Him!
Discussion?
• Do you have any thoughts or observations about what we covered in today’s session?
• Do you have an experience with stewardship that you would like to encourage the class by sharing?
