Last week we began a series on stewardship. We’re using a different word to describe the concept though, so that everyone can relate to it. We’re calling this a series on Management. A steward is a person that manages another’s property or financial affairs.
In our introduction last week, called Meet The Owner, we discussed some principles that will be the basis for every message in the series. These important principles are:
1) There is a God, and I am not Him
2) God is the owner of all things
3) God lets me manage His things
4) This understanding is reflected in my priorities (I commit the first and best to God)
5) God wants me to manage more than I am managing now.
When most of us think about stewardship, we think about managing finances. But there is so much more to it than money. In this series we’re talking about lifestyle stewardship – understanding and demonstrating that everything in my life is God’s, and I must manage it well.
Today, we are going to focus on the people God has given us. An important key to success in life is realizing that every relationship we have is God’s gift to us. How are we managing our relationships?
Today is Father’s Day. [some comments about Fathers - drawing]
What makes a man? What makes a father? It is not in how many toys he owns. It is not necessarily in his career… What is the purpose of a career? Is it not to provide for the needs of someone else? I believe a man is best known by the quality and extent of his relationships.
"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:1-3 (NIV)
John 17 records Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, and all who would believe on Him through the disciples’ word. I want to examine this prayer closely with you today…
Relationships in our life are God’s gift.
Jesus reinforces this in verses 6 and 7:
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. John 17:6-7 (NIV)
Jesus understood that he had a responsibility to the people in his life – because he recognized them as being God’s people. And God had given those people to him.
If we recognize that people belong to God, then the principles of stewardship apply to our relationships also. Why does God give people to us?
· God wants me to manage them well
· I commit those relationships to him
· He wants to increase my influence
How do we effectively manage these relationships? Let’s look at some key concepts found in Jesus’ prayer for those God had given him:
We are here to serve people
For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. John 17:2 (NIV)
Authority is one of the most misunderstood words in the English language. It is also one of the most abused concepts in our culture.
Jesus had all authority… All power on heaven and earth was given to him… But why had that authority been given to him? So everything was at his disposal while he served us.
Every one of us will fill leadership roles at some point in our lives. A father, or mother… teacher… manager… business owner… pastor… But when you find yourself in this role – when you may have some authority – remember why it has been given to you. It is to enable you to better serve people.
Peter gives instruction to those in leadership in his first epistle:
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NKJV)
So many pastors feel like they need to control people. But instead they are to be leaders. That means out front – leading by example. Doing what they are asking others to do…
Jesus demonstrated this at the last supper, when he washed the feet of his disciples.
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, Mark 10:43 (NIV)
This is Father’s day… I want to talk to the men for a little while, here. It has been said that this is a man’s world. Indeed men have more authority in nearly all aspects of life. In recent years, there has been an uprising amongst women. There was the suffrage movement (women should vote) and then there was the women’s liberation movement.
Is this right or wrong? Should women be fighting for leadership roles in our culture?
Without getting into the rights and wrongs of the movement – let me bring it back to you, men… I’m convinced that we would not have these discussions if we as men understood our authority and did our jobs. If men understood that our authority was given to us so that we could serve, and not lord over – women would not need to fight for their rights.
All of us men like Eph 5:22 – “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…”. But read on, brother – this only works if you read on to verse 25 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”
It goes on to say this:
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Eph 5:28 (NIV)
This leads us to the next point…
Serving people serves us
Why does it say that he who loves his wife loves himself? Because when we serve others, we ourselves are served. Jesus begins his prayer with this statement…
"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. John 17:1 (NIV)
God invested everything into Jesus… But by doing so he received even more back. Jesus was a good steward of God’s resources. And He brought what God had given him back to God, with interest. That’s what this whole prayer is about… Jesus committing his disciples to God, along with those that would be saved because of them.
He did this by investing all that God had given him into them. You see – Jesus realized that he would be honored by investing everything into his disciples, just like God was being honored by investing everything into Him.
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. John 17:10 (NIV)
Jesus described the first and greatest commands as “Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself…” There is no commandment to love yourself. But I’m convinced that if we love God and our neighbor, God and our neighbor will take care of us.
All too often we try to bargain with our relationships. I’ll give this if you give that. But in the very barter system, we put a value on what we are giving… And to put a value on our friendship is to cheapen it. I’m saying, “my friendship is worth x”.
Don’t barter in your most important relationships… What you have, and what you are is devalued when you demand something in return. Inversely – my value is increased when I simply give myself to others.
Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, gave some great relationship advice. He said, “If a man asks you to go with him one mile, go with him two”. He said, “If a man asks for your shirt, give him your coat also”.
This may help to illustrate what I am saying… The idea is that a Roman soldier had the authority to ask a man to carry his things, but he was limited to 1 mile. The Jew would be offended by thus becoming a slave to the Roman soldier – it was humiliating.
But think about what happens when you volunteer to simply go with the Roman soldier two miles. Your obligation is over. In the first mile, he exercised authority over you. Your life was cheap. In the second mile – you gave him something that he could not take. Suddenly you become worth more than his authority could gain him. Now his authority is cheap. And his perspective of you has changed completely.
Our life is measured by our relationships
The truth of it is – we are the sum total of our relationships. Our relationships define us. How big is a man? Look at his relationships… Our life is measured by our relationships.
Literally, when we stand before God – our relationships will become the measure of our life:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matt 25:34-40 (NIV)
May I ask you today – how are your relationships? A good steward, or manager, must realize that his relationships are really with God’s people. So let’s talk about a few keys to effective relationships.
Keys to effective relationships:
- Relationships must be prioritized (by the order they were given to us)
o God first
So God created man in his own image... Gen 1:27 (NIV)
o Family next
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Gen 2:18 (NIV)
o Church, co-workers, friends
- We must give into our relationships
Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. John 17:7-8 (NIV)
- Great relationships cost us everything
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:17-19 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 (NIV)
Jesus set himself apart for the sake of relationships. That means he sacrificed everything for them. And he committed every relationship to God – because he realized that people are Gods.
In closing – I want to show you this touching video about the change in two lives that were made by a compelling relationship. |
