Stewardship - What Is Involved in Being a True Steward of God

Speaker Norbert Bohnert discusses the concept of stewardship and its relevance in our spiritual lives. Mr. Bohnert then explains that stewardship involves conducting and managing something entrusted to one's care. He also emphasizes the importance of evaluating effectiveness in achieving goals and not comparing oneself to other organizations. Norbert continues by encouraging individuals to focus on what God has called them to do and to become and not to judge others. He also reminds the audience to live according to God's will and to be loving, hospitable, and good stewards of God's gifts. A Greek lesson on the word "steward" is included and explains that it is synonymous with the family of God. Well, good morning, everyone, after those down under, I guess it's a late evening, good late evening to you, glad to be here again, it's been a while since I've been on a GTM2. So, Brendan, today I'm going to talk about something that is mentioned quite often over the years, I'm sure you've heard it, and that is stewardship. What is involved to be a true steward of God? That's what I'm going to be concentrating on. What is stewardship, and what relevance does it have to each one of us in our spiritual lives and our conversion process, building on that personal relationship which is ongoing with God the Father and Jesus Christ. That's what I'm going to be concentrating on this message today, is it is a term used, but not fully understood as to what it actually means and the significance it has to each one of us, on a personal note, in our continuing walk with God, all striving, of course, for that awesome ultimate goal we are all seeking to be in the kingdom of God. So maybe to begin, I'm going to give you a definition of what stewardship is, as it's found in the dictionary. Stewardship is the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. I will elaborate on this more as we move forward. Brethren, our work, our spiritual work, distinguishes us by what we do. It defines us, and this defining of each one of us on a personal basis distinguishes the work that we do is not confined merely to us, but also applies to organizations. In our case, we could say the CBCG. The organization, yes, is a designation only, because of the requirements usually by local governments to become a corporate entity, which you have to register, and certainly certain documents have to be fulfilled and bylaws and so forth to operate. And they're usually required by the constitutional requirements as per the government requirements. There are goals that every organization, doesn't matter what kind of organization is, it focuses on to conduct particular work that is defined in their overall founding documents, and it becomes an organization. There are usually policies and fruits of the labor that an organization wishes to attain and accomplish, and a purpose for what they do, and that is certainly also applicable to CBCG. With the material and the resources it puts out for the purpose of expounding and teaching the Word of God through scripture. So let's take an example of the organization we belong to, CBCG, and evaluate its effectiveness by comparing one's effectiveness against one's goal. And that focus is a healthy and beneficial one, the effectiveness against one's goals. It unites the brethren, and it strengthens everyone within that organization, and all are aiming at the same end goal. That set aside for us, of course, by our Almighty God, Jesus Christ at His right hand. With that said, we must be careful to not move away from our overall purpose. The overall goals that we are trying to achieve as an organization, begin to measure the effectiveness by comparing ourselves with other organizations related to the same line of work. And only causes division and competition, only working against the principles that we are trying to enforce in our own personal life. It's an interesting concept, brethren, to realize and note as it parallels scriptural instruction about individuals themselves, and evaluating between ourselves. Let's turn to 2 Corinthians 10 verse 12, 2 Corinthians 10 verse 12. But we dare not join ranks with or compare ourselves with those who are commending themselves, for those who measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, have no understanding. So brethren, what is unwise for individual members to do within an organization, is also true of all organizations. So when individuals begin to compare themselves among themselves, unity is never the result, and only competition and division occurs. And this can't be emphasized enough, because we have exceeded curve in our past church history. So brethren, I strongly encourage each one of you, not to strive to compare ourselves to other organizations, but constantly evaluate what we believe God has called us to do, and be convinced that we have been instructed to follow God's way, and none other. We are not to compare among ourselves, but constantly evaluate each one of us individually, if we are true to what God has defined for us to do. God has called us, God has given us a task, as was well expounded on yesterday by Albert Messiah. And we have to place our focus there, not outside at others, in what they do. Remember God is our judge. He does not need to judge us, if we are constantly judging ourselves. Let's turn to Matthew, Matthew 7 verses 1 to 3, beginning verse 1. Do not condemn others, so that you yourself will not be condemned. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged, and with what measure you meet out, it shall be measured again to you. Now why do you look at the silver that is in your brother's eye, but you do not perceive the beam in your own eye? Very very important brethren, that we understand this concept. The Greek word for judge is krino, meaning to determine or to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong. It means, I need to determine whether I am doing what God has instructed me to do, and to become. We must ask that of each one of us. We need to determine whether we are doing what God actually instructed us to do, and what God wants us to become, in our walk with him. This is worth repeating many times brethren, because we cannot get off this as the focal point of our calling and our mission statement. I'm going to try and define and address what God has called each one of us to do and to become, because if we focus on that, it will be deemed good and we can consider ourselves as faithful servants. And that is what we want to accomplish brethren, all of us, to be good and faithful servants of God. Let's turn to 1 Peter 4, 1 Peter 4 verses 1 to 6, 1 Peter 4 verses 1 to 6. Consequently, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished living in sin. To this end, that he no longer lived his remaining time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the past time of our lives is sufficient to have worked out the will of the Gentiles, when we ourselves walk in licentiousness and lusts, and were debauched with wine and carousing and drinking and wanton idolatries. In seeing this difference in your behavior, they are astonished that you do not rush with them into the same overflowing debauchery that they revile you, but they shall render an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Verse 6 And for this purpose the gospel was preached to those who have died, so that although in the flesh they may in fact have been judged according to man's standards, on the other hand they might live according to God's will in the Spirit. These verses remind us of the festival, the spring holy days that we have just observed brother. We have been told out of this world to live according to what God instructs us through the working of his Spirit in us. It is by this that we will be judged brethren, that we come out of the world and do as God defines we should do. Going down on to verse 7 Now the end of all things is drawn near, therefore be serious minded and be watchful in prayers. But above all have firmest love among yourselves, because love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining, let each one according as he has received the gift of God be using it to serve the others as good stewards of the grace of God which manifests itself in various ways. Brethren God calls us to be serious, to be watchful, evaluating ourselves that we are not returning into the world which was also brought up very well yesterday by Oliver Message. This must be a constant thing that we realize and that we strive for. We are to be loving one another and we can't emphasize this enough because the depth of love that we have does cover many of our unintended sins. We are to be hospitable and welcoming to one another without complaining about and to one another. And lastly brethren we are to take the gifts of service that we have been given and serve one another as good stewards. We must be a good steward of the many graces, the many gifts and the many mercies shown to us by our Almighty God. And let us be aware of what God has given us as good stewards and of what God expects us to do. That is what the purpose of this message is today, to expound on that most important principle of being a good steward. Steward is an interesting word and I did a little research on this and I'm going to give you a little bit of a Greek lesson here. I found that the Greek is created by combining two Greek words together. It forms a compound word as we call it in the English language. The first word is oikos meaning house, dwelling, quotation. By extension it is also used for a household or a family. Let's move to verse 17 here in 1 Peter, verse 17. For this time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it first begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? When we look at the house of God, the oikos of God, it is synonymous with the saying, the family of God. In Hellenistic culture, a household, an oikos was not a family group or dwelling, but it was a basic operational and economical unit of the community. And it included everyone who was or worked at that house or estate. An oikos included immediate and extended family members, slaves and laborers, and it also included hired servants, skilled workers of various sorts, teachers and tutors. Anyone that interacted with that family was included on a business or family level. The influence of oikos extended into the community to those who did business with that particular household. And if a congregation happened to meet in a house, like many of us do today, the influence of the oikos extended to the members of the house, church, and each other of the families was their oikos. Now the second half of the word used here for steward is nomos. Nomos, which means law, custom, command. It means first what is proper and broadly applies to any norm or rule, custom, usage or tradition of the family. So when you put the two words together, it becomes oikonomos, meaning manager of household affairs. A steward is a manager of household affairs. In ancient culture, the words used together meant the administration or management of that household. This is how we get our English word economy from this compound word. Instead of using the word steward, you could use the term manager, management, administrator, those entrusted with and those being given a trust. By none of these English words mentioned capture the rich picture of leadership, authority and accountability that the original Greek portrayed. So we see that an oikonomos or steward was indeed a ruler and leader of the house. But he was not the master. He was never the master. He was not the head of the family. In fact, New Testament times, the steward was almost always a slave and he answered to the headmaster of the house. Although he was a slave, he was second in command, entrusted to manage the family and the affairs. He was an authority as well as under authority. So what was the purpose of this Greek blessing? Well, what we saw is that the steward owned nothing, but he managed everything. Everything he managed belonged to the head of the house. The authority granted to him over everything was never to be used for his own interest. He was to use it to advance the interests of the master and the household to whom he was accountable. This role is expressed extremely well by Paul in Hebrews 3, where he references both Christ and Moses' roles. Let's turn to Hebrews 3. Hebrews 3, verses 1 to 6. Because this holy brethren are takers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and the high priest of the faith we profess, Jesus Christ, who was faithful to him who appointed him, even as Moses was in all his house. For he has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, even as he who built the house has so much more honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but he who built all things is God. Now, on the one hand, Moses was faithful in all his house as a ministry and service servant, but for a testimony of those things which were going to be spoken afterwards. But on the other hand, Christ was faithful as the son over his own house, whose house we are, if we are truly holding fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope, firm to the end. Christ was the oikonomos. Moses was an oikonomos, a steward. And while Christ was here physically on this earth, he spoke often that everything was his father's. Understanding the true role of a steward, which Peter tells us we are, with authority over people and accountability for God. And that is the key to understanding having a better relationship with God. So when we apply that definition of what we have just reviewed, brethren, oikonomos, steward, we can better understand our relationship and why God actually put us on this earth. So brethren, the role of stewardship is a two-party proposition. By definition, a steward is accountable to his master for resources are invested. Since God is the master, he distributes gifts and resources at his discretion. And we as stewards, brethren, are accountable to him for all that we do in what he gives us. Arrogance and pride have no place in this role. Humility is an absolute necessity. If a steward is to make all decisions based on his master's expressed desires and for the master's interests, he must never forget where the source of the wealth, as well as the ability and authority to manage it, comes from. That steward cannot do anything in which the master does not put his full strength and his authority high. So in scripture, stewardship is the inherent standard to which God calls each one of us. Every man, whether we are leading an entire organization, whether we are speaking or organizing an activity, head of a household, or just in charge of ourselves. Oipu Nomus defines how we do that before God. Stewards must be leaders, brethren. Contrary to popular understanding, the opposite of a leader is not a follower. A follower is a passive spectator, someone who waits for others to take the responsibility. Stewards do not wait for someone to tell them what to do. They know what to do because of the relationship they have with their master. If anyone is doing it differently than he is doing it, the master corrects it and says this what the master has to. The master clarifies what has to be done. The master tells us what he wants done. The master is in charge. But a true steward usually does not have to be told. He knows. Stewards take responsibility to be a faithful steward dead seriously because they are a slave. And they realize that. Just as Potiphar threw Joseph in prison because Joseph was an Oipu Nomus steward. When he felt that Joseph was not true to his family, he threw him in prison. They take it seriously and we who have been called into God's church, Potentially in God's kingdom, must think about our private and our public lives and live the same way. So brother, to be a good steward, it is imperative that we understand four important principles. And I will review these now. Those principles are ownership, responsibility, accountability, and reward. Principle number one, ownership. Let's turn to Psalms 24 verse 1. Psalms 24 verse 1. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness of it, the world and those who dwell in it. Fairly straightforward. The one who created the earth and everything in it is he owns and possesses it. It is his property, not only the earth, but everything that draws life from it. And I think, brethren, we all understand that. Brethren, we are God's property. We are owned by God, as was brought up in an excellent message a couple of weeks ago by Tom Fanning. The early spring festival we just observed reminds us of that fact. Christ's death redeemed us back to our rightful owner. We have been bought twice. We were already his property. And to rightfully claim us, Jesus Christ died for each one of us. God is the owner of all creation. Tom Fanning brought this out very clearly in his message. God owns us. He owns you. He owns me. We must see that all the gifts that we have been given by God, at this time, we are merely borrowing them. And we need more than ever to manage them, to accomplish the purpose for which God has given us. That is being a steward. When we apply this understanding to God as our owner, he created not only our physical bodies, but he also owns any of the produce from our world aid. He also created and owns our human spirit. Does it not return to him upon our death? When he joins his Holy Spirit with ours, the righteousness produced is not ours. It is his. If we are producing it, that is what the definition of self-righteousness is. A steward who makes profit off the master's stuff, and keeps it for himself, or deters it himself, will not be in a job very long. There is no room for self in the kingdom of God. There is only room as a steward for humility. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 19. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 19 to 20. Verse 19. What? Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, which you have within you from God, and you are not your own? Verse 20. For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God. We are old, Brooke, and we have to realize that. When we understand our existence in terms of being owned by God, in every sense of the word, we begin to understand how vain it is to define our existence by what we do with our lives, and think any ounce of it is done by us, by ourselves. Everything is accomplished by God. That he has created us, given us a spirit, and gives us certain gifts. He said he gave them the Holy Spirit. Wasn't them creating it? No, it was the spirit of God, or the spirit that God gave the person to be able to be creative. Did God not, as owner, proclaim both physical and spiritual Israel as his possession, his treasure, and people? We are part of that, brethren. He claimed us as his special treasure. God sanctified both for a special purpose and use. And God gave access to his possessions to both. To Israel, he gave access to his land. Not ownership. We will cover that in a moment. To the church, he has given access and use to his Holy Spirit. The Father has transferred all rights of his possessions of that property, if we want to refer to it as property. We know it's everything seen and unseen. Even then, what happens in the end, brethren? What happens in the end? 1 Corinthians 15, verse 23. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 23. But he, in his own order, Christ of first fruit, then those who are Christ's at his coming. Afterwards, the end comes, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to him, who is God and Father. When he shall have put an end to all rule and all authority and power. Please know, to whom does it go back to? We all share it, but we all give it back to Oikonomos. Back is Oikonomos as being a steward to the Father. When he comes down and joins us. We become good and faithful servants, brethren, in the image of Jesus Christ. This concept of God owning everything is a foreign concept to this world. They work under the concept that they ultimately own their possessions. They forget they die, then lose our lives. We can go back to the book of Proverbs and start reading of those who are enthusiastic. Don't have time to do that, but you can do that. They gain wealth by selling and trading what was not theirs. That's how they gained their wealth. That does not mean it is wrong to buy and sell. But they are under the perception it is theirs, it is their land, and it is their bodies. They have little or no concept or perception of asking their Father, who abundantly gives to those who properly respect and use what he gives them. Knowing they are purely the recipients and beneficiaries is abundance. Everything comes from God. Everything in this world is God's by right of creation and preservation as well. All that we have added to the creation, the skills, the abilities we have used, and the things we have developed are all from God. And we have to come to that realization, brethren, and understand that. We do not even own the fruit of our own work. He reminded Israel of this before they entered into the Promised Land. Leviticus 25, verse 3. Leviticus 25, verse 3. Leviticus 25, verse 3. You shall sow your field six years, and you shall prime your vineyard six years, and gather in the fruits of it. God always wanted Israel to remember that he owned everything. He warned them not to forget that principle. Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 8, verse 17. Deuteronomy 8, verse 17. Beware, lest you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant, which he has sworn to your fathers, as it is this very day. If a steward gains anything, it is only at the expense and willingness or the resources the master gives him to create them. I'll repeat that. If a steward gains anything, it is only at the expense and the willingness or the resources that the master gives him to create them. The importance of the full knowledge, understanding of the principle of his ownership is so crucial because it defines not only who we should view our creator as, but also the nature of the relationship and interaction we should have as stewards. It is crucial for us because the path that leads to salvation involves being good stewards. There is no other place other than being and seeing ourselves as stewards, brother, and that God owes everything. We own nothing. Job learned that lesson very well. Okay, I think I've spent enough time on ownership. Now let us move on to the next principle of responsibility. Although God shares with us all things richly to enjoy, we are responsible for how we treat it and what we do with it. While we complain about our rights here on earth, that is mankind does, the Bible constantly asks, what is your responsibility here? What is our responsibility here? While owners have rights, stewards only have responsibility. This means we must be aware and very aware of how we use all that we have been given. Genesis 1. Genesis 1 verse 26 to 28. Genesis 1 verse 26 to 28. And God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the heavens, and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that crawls upon the earth. And God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. He created them male and female. Verse 28. And God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of heaven, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. The Hebrew word for dominion, as we read, means to rule. And this only applies in the sense of human rule and not God's rule. Genesis 2 verse 15. Genesis 2 verse 15. And the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. The word tend is used in many other translations. The Hebrew word tend means to cultivate. It means to produce. You work the land and you produce off it. One cultivates to produce from the land. The Hebrew for keep means to care and protect. These are all, both, both of these things are responsibilities of an ogenomos, steward. Humanity was created to exercise stewardship over the planet. We were given the ability and are held responsible, brethren, as God's stewards for what happens here to this physical world, to the creatures and to the people who dwell on it. We have that responsibility. We tend and we care for. Paul clearly understood this principle. That is why he preached the gospel, whether he expected payment or not for his work. He understood the responsibility, not the labor prompt. His labor was for the prophet God. That is the sign good steward. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 16. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 16. For though I preach the gospel, there is no reason for me to vote because an obligation has been laid upon me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. Verse 17. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward. But if I do it against my will, I have been entrusted with a ministry. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without expense, so that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. Paul did not see his job from a point of view that he was going to profit from it. He looked at it from the point of view that it was 100% responsibility to God and his creation. And he knew he was not only asked by God to do it. In his mind, it was such a part and it defined him that responsibility that he carried through on with it. And the joy he received from it was knowing that God worked through him and fulfilled those responsibilities for the others. One of the greatest responsibilities, brethren, we have is to care for God's word. He owes that as well. God gave ancient Israel his laws, his commands, his statutes and the ordinances. However, Israel trampled all over them. And we have been entrusted with that same thing and have been given the Holy Spirit, his Holy Spirit, so that we are available and better able to administer in the same way God does and for the same purpose. So, brother, we have that responsibility of administering this world and God's people, each other in the same way that Christ was a steward. Even those that he called are his prized possessions and he entrusted them with much. God entrusts each one of us with each other. The ministry he has entrusted with what he calls his block. Jesus Christ said, I tend my father's block. He knew it belonged to his father. And we are to be shepherds in the same way. Jesus Christ was the shepherd, that same responsibility. Each member shares in that same shepherding. We are to care, brethren, and love one another. We can't emphasize that enough. God has graciously entrusted each one of us with the care, the development, and the enjoyment of one another. We have a responsibility to each other with the responsibility you have with God. Those who look to God and have his spirit can clearly see their responsibility. To whom much is given, much is expected. Instead of being defined by what we desire to do, we should be defined by what our Creator created us to be, good, responsible stewards. 1 Corinthians 4, verse 1. 1 Corinthians 4, verse 1. So then let every man regard us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Beyond that, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful. So here we see clearly that faithfulness is recognizing our responsibilities and doing them without question. When I say without questions, I will clarify that by saying that you may have to seek understanding to make sure you know how to do it, but you do not sit around not looking and not recognizing the needs. Brethren, as true stewards of God, we should constantly pray to God, show me what needs to be done. That is so critical in our Christian lives. We have to go to God. We have to pray to him and ask him to show us what needs to be done. Questions like what I need to do in my life, what I need to do with my wife, what I need to do for my wife, what I need to do for my children, what I need to do for my brother in Christ. All questions that we can go to God and ask us, especially if we are struggling and we are having difficulties. What do I need to do for my neighbor? Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, brethren, we are. We are given that responsibility as stewards. So let us move on to the third principle, that being accountability. Another very critical principle. Christ told several parables in which he used stewardship as a metaphor to know his kingdom, how his kingdom operated or operates. Each parable ends with a steward or something they use, the word slave, giving account of what he has done with his master's property. And I know you all recognize this. The most familiar parable concerning this, of course, is found in Matthew 25. That being, of course, the parable of the talents. Let's just turn to Matthew 25, verse 14. We used to go though through this. Matthew 25, verse 14. Verse 15. Notice here Christ does not use the Greek word for steward, but he uses the word slave. Remember, in ancient culture, most of the time, an oikonomos was often referred to as a slave. Verse 15. Notice of note here, brethren. The talents were given out to the person's ability. So God didn't hand something to him that he knew he could not handle. It was to that person's ability. We have talked about the fact that the gifts and abilities we have are all given to us by God. He knows what they are. You notice he only gave them what he felt they had the ability for, and that's so critical. And the gifts which were sufficient as far as the master was concerned. He gave them a different amount, each one of them to take care of. Verse 16. The one who had received five talents went and traded with them and made an additional five talents. In the same way also the one who received the two talents also gave to others. But the one who had received the single talent went and dug in the earth and hid his lord's money. So we see that two of the slaves used their abilities that God had given them to produce and fulfill that responsibility that was given to them. While the third used neither his abilities nor what was given to him. Now verse 19. Now after a long time the lord of those servants came to take account with them. So accountability. What does it mean? Account is something kept in measure. You could say, is it working? Is it not working? For those given responsibility there always has to come a day of accountability. The first two slaves pleased their master and thus were given more responsibility. But now let us skip down to what he says to the third one in verse 24 and 25. Verse 24 and 25. Then the one who had received the single talent also came to him and said, Lord, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter. And because I was afraid, I went and hid your talent in the earth. Now look, you have your own. It is interesting to know that the slaves attitude was towards his master. He did not look at his master as the one who gave him the resources to be able to gain. You have to work for what you already own. No, you don't. You don't have to work for what you already own. The slaves attitude was one that you are my master. I am afraid of you and I am going to bury it. Why? He was afraid of that responsibility and being accountable at the end. Brethren, we do not have to be afraid of that accountability. He did not use any of the ability that was given to him. If only he had recognized such, and done, he too would have been given more. Instead, he was removed from that position. Verse 28. Therefore take the talent from him and take it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundant. On the other hand, as for the one who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken from him. So this is a very familiar parable we are all very familiar with. But it is such an important concept that we understand. That of being a true steward of God. In the same way brethren, we as stewards of everything we have been given. Including our time. Because our time is not even our own. We have a certain amount of time. But it is given to us by God. We have been given our money, our resources, our abilities, our information, our wisdom. We have been given our relationships and we have been given our authority. And we will all have to give account of how we have used it to the rightful owner. That being God the Almighty. We must not be like the one who failed in fulfilling their responsibility. So like it or not brethren, like it or not, we have responsibilities each one of us. And we can accept them and do them or we can refuse them. And bury them, put them out of sight and out of mind. But there is going to come a day of accountability. And we cannot continue to put off what we know God expects each one of us to do. Either way we will be held accountable. If we bury it and forget about it. Or if we choose to accept and be grateful and happily move forward. Knowing that the fourth principle is involved. And that brings us to the fourth principle of reward. So brethren, as a steward, our faithfulness in fulfilling our responsibility is directly related to the reward that we receive. Some of the reward may be given as we fulfill this physical life. But we know it all becomes complete when its true owner, Jesus Christ, returns to this earth. Let us refer back to the parable we just read. Verses 19 to 23. Now after a long time the Lord of those servants came to take the account with them. Then the one who had received five talents came to him and brought an additional five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered five talents to me. See, I have gained five other talents besides them. And his Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Because you are faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. Verse 22. And the one who had received two talents came to him and said, Lord, you delivered me two talents. See, I have gained another two talents besides them. And the Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Because you are faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. Enter into the pleasure of your Lord. Because you have become or you have been faithful. You have been a true oikonomos, a true steward. Our reward will be eternity spent together, brothers. With God sharing all that he has. Let us now turn to Luke 15 regarding the prodigal son. As we know, the prodigal son spends his inheritance, his gifts, his abilities only serving himself. When he repented and returned, he was accepted by his father. However, the older son had a few issues with that. Let's turn quickly to Luke 15, verse 25 to 31. But his elder son was in a field, and when he was coming back and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And after calling one of the servants nearby, he inquired what these things might be. And he said to him, Your brother has come home and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him safe and well. Then he was angry and would not go in. As a result, his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered and said to his father, Behold, I have served you so many years and never did I transgress your commandment. Yet you never gave me a kid so that I may make merry with my friends. But when the son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him. And then he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. Brethren, that is a message to us. Our reward is that we will forever be with the Lord. And everything he possesses, everything he holds, we will own also, because we are part of that oikos, that household of God. Brethren, it is true that the work from which we gain pleasure and feeling of worth does define us. However, it is not the physical work we must do to sustain ourselves. It is the work that has been defined by our Creator. So as I come to the end of this message, let us remember that we have been called to be good stewards of our Creator's creation which he owns. He has given us the responsibility of tending and keeping. One day we will be held accountable to report how well we have done. How well that report is will determine not only our reward but our eternal lives. We can do this, brethren. We can do this. We can all do this. We have God's Holy Spirit. He has given us the gifts. Or if he hasn't done it yet, he promises that he will give us the gifts and the abilities to achieve it. We just need to recognize that fact that we have this job and that we have this responsibility and we can be the children of God. That we can dwell with him forever and have some of that same ownership of his total creation. In closing, let us turn to Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 verses 13 to 16. In verse 13. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar, and having been persuaded of them, and having embraced them, and having confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. For those who say such things make it manifest that they seek their own country as promised by God. And if on the one hand they had let their minds dwell fondly on the place where they came from, they might have had opportunity to return. Verse 16. But now, on the other hand, they are aspiring to a more excellent country that is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God because he has prepared a city for them. In that city, brethren, are many mansions. Many rooms for the oikonomists, the household gods. O stewards, you and I that have proven ourselves to be responsible, we were accountable, and we will be rewarded with that city and with those offices. May God bless you all, and let us take this to heart, each one of us, and fulfill the role that God has given us to be a steward.