The Work of Stewardship

I. THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE STEWARD

A. The Oversight of the Steward (1 Chronicles 28:1)

1. In a basic sense, a steward is one who oversees the possessions of another.
2. In scripture, they oversee
a. The substance and possession of the king (1 Chronicles 28:1)
b. Labourers in a vineyard (Matthew 20:8)

B. The Responsibilities of the Steward

1. The life of a steward was consumed with the needs and the wants of the master.
2. The job description was all-inclusive. Eliezer, Abraham’s steward (Genesis 15:2), ruled over all that Abraham had (Genesis 24:2), but also went forth to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 24:9).
3. The master’s needs became the steward’s responsibility, all the while he was responsible for what the master had placed under his care and supervision.

C. The Possessions of the Steward

1. Though he treats his oversight as though it were his own
2. The steward actually has no possessions
a. The steward is not known for his own possessions, but rather for caring for the possessions of another.
b. So it is in the life of the believer. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ and has nothing he can claim as his own possession.
1.) If he has a family, it is from God and belongs to God.
2.) If he has a ministry, it is God’s ministry.
3.) Even his own spirit, soul, and body are not his own, but belong unto the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:20).

II. THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE STEWARD

A. Trustworthy or Faithfulness

1. The steward has things committed to his trust (1 Timothy 1:11).
a. The relationship between the master and the steward is one that is built upon trust.
b. The master puts all his possessions in the hands of a man, and will not do so unless that man can be trusted.
c. This truth effects everything the steward does.
2. The steward must be faithful
a. Stewardship requires predominantly one trait – faithfulness.
b. People all over the world are limited in life because of the absence of various skill sets, but stewardship demands only that a man be faithful.
c. The master of the house can teach his steward how to think ahead or how to deal with problems or problem people, but he cannot teach faithfulness.
d. When the time comes to look for a steward, a wise master knows that his greatest need in a steward is faithfulness (Luke 12:42).

B. A Desire to Please (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

1. A good steward is known for a strong desire to please his master.
2. He does not worry about how he can please other stewards, because at the end of the day, he is accountable only to his master.
3. As long as his master is pleased, all other things will fall in line.

III. THE COMPENSATION OF THE STEWARD

A. The Accounting of the Steward (Romans 14:12)

1. Each believer will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ
2. To give an account for his stewardship while on this earth

B. The Reward of the Steward (1 Corinthians 9:17)

1. Stewardship is a difficult task, but it is not without reward.
2. The faithful steward receives reward at the time of accounting.