Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered 3/7/05

I want to begin this second message on The Stewardship of Talents by reviewing the definition of a steward. A steward is a person who manages and administrates what has been entrusted to him by another. In this case, a steward is a person who manages what has been entrusted to him/her by God. God has entrusted us with our lives, our talents, our time, and our money. Therefore, a stewardship is the careful and responsible management of the things God has entrusted to your care.

Here is an overall outline of this message series…

• Stewardship of Life
• Stewardship of Talents
• Stewardship of Time
• Stewardship of Money

We began looking at the Stewardship of Talents last week. We saw that…

The Stewardship of Talents Is Built Upon The Fact That God Expects All Christians To Produce Good Works.

This week we move on to…

The Stewardship of Talents is Based On The Fact That God Expects All Christians To Produce Good Works Because He Has Given Them The Capacity To Do So.

• Every Believer Receives A Special Gift From The Lord

Ephesians 4:7-8 "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."

Per verse 7 Robertson’s Word Pictures says "Each gets the gift that Christ has to bestow for his special case." In fact, Christ has generously given out gifts to his children. This most certainly is supported in the New Testament. Turn with me to Romans 12:4-9 "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."

It is not my purpose to explain the differing gifts our Lord gives to believers. I will save that for another message. But, the fact is, God has given each believer a gift and therefore we are to use it to serve Him. Now, I do not want you to be frustrated because you do not know what your gift is…prophecy (preaching), ministering (deaconing; serving), teaching, exhorting (admonishes the unruly and comforts the troubled), giving, ruling (leadership), or showing mercy. For years I had no idea what my gift was. And what did I do? I just served the Lord. Listen my friend, if you keep yourself clean, God will use you. Turn to 2 Timothy 2:21 "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

There are two great problems when it comes to the gifts that believers are given by the Lord. First, they are not prepared to use their gifts because they are living in sin. Second, they do not want "stand in the gap" for the Lord. They are content to sit on the sidelines. We need Christians who will "put off the old man" and "put on the new man." We need Christians who will stand in the gap for the Lord (Ezekiel 22:30).

• God Has Committed To Believers Truths, Principles, Promises, Powers and Talents That We Are To Share With Others

A key part of the stewardship of talents is sharing with others the things that we have learned as believers. 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

We also must remember that we have been entrusted with the Gospel that we are to share with others. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."

We are to confront others with the truths of God’s Word. To be sure we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), however, as with Stephen, the first recorded New Testament martyr, you will encounter people who do not want to hear the truth (see Acts 7:54-57). "Shake off the dust from your feet" and move on to the next person.

We are also to exhort other believers. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more." Often believers take exception to being exhorted. I recently reminded a brother that I was NOT his enemy, I was just telling him the truth. We read in Galatians 4:16 "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

In summary, we have seen that wise stewards realize that God has given them a special gift, therefore you are to use that gift to server the Lord. That is being a good steward of the talents God has given. We have also seen that God has given believers Truths, Principles, Promises, Powers and Talents that we are to share with others. That is being a good steward of the talents God has given.