Title: OWNERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP
Focus: God owns and rules the world by entrusting it to us to manage on his behalf.
Function: To help the people realize and exercise their office as stewards of God’s estate.
Text: Psalm 24:1-10
Ownership and stewardship—what do these two words have in common? They both end with the suffix “-ship.” The dictionary tells us that words ending with –ship may point to
a quality, state or condition such as “scholarship.” A good student, for example, displays excellent scholarship.
Words ending with –ship may also point to a collective body. For
example, “The readership of the Star Tribune is shrinking.” Words ending with –ship can also point to
an art, skill or craft such as the word “penmanship.”
Words ending with –ship can also stand for rank, status, or office. For example, “That man’s professorship is known throughout the university.” Or, “His ownership and his manager’s stewardship of the housing project have improved the entire neighborhood.”
For the sake of clarity, I wish to point out that the words ownership and stewardship point to our office or duty in relationship to God, who is the owner of a huge piece of real estate, called the earth, the world, the universe and all that’s in it.
God is the owner of that piece of real estate, and we, who live on it and are part of it, are stewards who must manage this world on God’s behalf.
Sometimes we are confused about our office or duty. We think that we own this planet. But that’s not the case. For instance, Rosanne and I own our house and property. At least, our name is on the title of the property. But as we have taken possession of our property, we are realizing more and more that stewardship is a huge part of our task as property owners.
In fact, sometimes, when I work in the garden, I realize that good stewardship of the backyard will probably benefit the next owners of our property more than it benefits us today. For example, when you plant a spruce tree, you know that it will take 12 years at least before the tree will be 12 feet high. I will be 75 years old before the spruce tree sapling I planted last year will be full-grown. So why bother planting trees? Well, I’m a steward who must manage the property that we have received, as Rosanne and I see it, from the Lord.
So it is with all of us who live on this earth.
God owns and rules the world by entrusting it to us to manage on his behalf.
Ownership and stewardship—God the owner; we the stewards—these are some
fundamental concepts we must realize and exercise as managers of God’s grand
piece of real estate.
LEVEL WITH THE PEOPLE
I want to level with you as we begin a series of reflections on “Windows of Stewardship.” Stewardship sermons belong to the category of the least appreciated sermons. Why? Because many members and listeners are inclined to “tune themselves out” the moment they hear the word “stewardship.” Red flags come to mind, such as: “Oh, oh, the budget must be in trouble.” Or, “Oh, there we go again. He wants more money from us.”
There’s some truth in these observations. Sometimes, various members fail to give regularly to the ministry fund of their church.
And sometimes the needs of the church are such that the pastor may have to make an appeal. But today, I want to go beyond such motives for preaching on stewardship. I want you to relax, to be open to God’s Word, and simply reflect upon what it means that God is owner, and you and I are stewards. In fact, this truth is something to sing about!
THE PASSAGE
Listen: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
David, the Israelites, and the Levites sang this song on that special day when the Ark of God was brought into Jerusalem, located on top of Mount Zion. It was a day of rejoicing, because the presence of the Ark in Jerusalem signified the presence of Israel’s God in their midst.
This was David’s desire—that the creator and ruler of the universe would seat himself and establish his power in the midst of the nation of Israel. Let God be exalted as King. And let the Israelites—and all the earth—acknowledge the glory of God the King, here in Jerusalem, in the midst of God’s people.
Ever since the Ark came to Jerusalem, the Israelites would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. And they would sing Psalm 24 while approaching and climbing mount Zion and entering Jerusalem. On their way to the temple in Jerusalem they would sing: “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?” And others would respond with the antiphon: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” In response, voices of faith would resound with the words “He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob”
Then, when the pilgrims have reached the gates of Jerusalem, at the time when they are ready to enter the holy city, they would shout and sing: “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come…The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.”
Clearly, this is a psalm that celebrates God’s rule and ownership of the earth. And it’s a song that acknowledges the need for God’s rule in our midst. And it’s a song that acknowledges our need to welcome this King into our own hearts and lives, for this King of glory has called us to manage his prime real estate, his kingdom, the earth. And we can only do that properly when we yield to his Kingship and exalt him as our Lord and King.
Later on in history, when the eternal Son of God finished his earthly mission and ascended into heaven—there to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings, the early Christian church took Psalm 24 as an ascension song.
Now we take Psalm 24 on our lips, because we recognize that God is restoring this prime real estate called the earth by exalting Jesus as King. And through Jesus, God is reconciling all things to himself in such a way that in the end all knees will bow before him and all lips confess that Jesus Christ is King. That will happen on the day when Christ will restore this earth. On that day, he will fully establish his reign, and all those who belong to Jesus will be his stewards, his managers, reigning with him on the renewed creation.
THE LARGER STORY
Perhaps this sounds strange to you. But it should not, for the Bible gives us the larger picture and makes clear that God, as sovereign King, has given people the mandate to rule. Upon creating Adam and Eve, God said: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” That was (and remains) God’s intent for his people: that they should rule or manage the earth under God’s umbrella of ownership.
But we blew it. Adam fell into sin, and so did we; and thus we have been managing under the curse of sin. And ever since that fall into sin, we have made a mess of things. But God has come to the rescue. He sent his Son, the Lord Jesus, to deliver us from the curse of sin. And God’s intent is to restore us, and all of creation—to make us new and do it right this time. God’s intent is that all his people shall rule with Christ on the renewed creation.
Today, we live in anticipation of that glorious, eternal rule with God on the restored creation. Today, however, Christ calls us to act in faith and live the new life as stewards. All we have, all we do, all we say—should reflect our awareness that God owns and rules this world, and that we are his stewards, who manage on his behalf. Why? Well, this world belongs to God. And because of God’s work in Christ, through faith, you and I also belong to God. And as such we are in his service. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
STEPS TO TAKE
As we explore this month the relationship between God’s ownership of this world and our stewardship under the Kingship of Christ, our Lord, I want to emphasize two things:
1. Live with a deep sense of security: Our world is a dangerous place. Islamic terrorists are bent on destroying the secular West, Christians and Jews included. Iran likes to threaten with missiles; North Korea with nuclear bombs; and our nation is trying to maintain some balance of power and peace.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Scientist blow all kids of whistles: over-population, global warming, climate changes, potential impacts of meteorites, tsunami’s and earthquakes—to name a few—these all threaten our existence. I am not suggesting that we ignore these warnings; rather, I suggest that we live with the realities we face in the context of this truth: this is our Father’s world! And he will not abandon it. In fact, out of the world’s labor pains and groaning, God will bring about or resurrect a new creation.
Therefore, we shall not panic; rather, we shall live with a deep sense of trust that the King of the universe will continue to uphold and ultimately redeem this creation. For he has established it. And God does not forsake the works of his hands.
2. Therefore, we shall live as faithful stewards, fully aware that what we have and own all belongs to the Lord and is given to us as stewards to manage.
As such, we must develop practices and attitudes that reflect the Lordship of Christ and the will of our heavenly Father, to live in love toward him and toward our neighbors. Generosity, hospitality, and reaching out to others in need must be a hallmark of Christians.
Greed (which is a form of idolatry) cannot be part of our lifestyle; reckless disregard for the earth’s scarce resources, the squandering of finances, including gambling, do not testify to responsible stewardship under God. Virtues such as contentment and sharing need to be part of daily Christian disciplines. And doing our share in supporting the work of the church is part of our management.
God’s ownership and our stewardship—these are biblical concepts worth pondering and practicing. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.