Good Stewards of our Time, Talent, and Treasure
Pastor Phil Derstine 9-7-25
Stewardship is not Ownership – Everything we have belongs to God (TIME, TALENTS, TREASURE)
- Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
- I Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
- Good Steward – A manager of someone else’s property (God’s Property)
- Genesis 2:15 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
- Psalm 115:16 “The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to man.”
- Stewardship = Spirit-Empowered Management
- Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit saith the LORD!”
- We must be Good Stewards of God’s Resources
The Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-30
- Matthew 24 – Keep watch! Jesus is coming soon! (Stewardship shows readiness)
- Matthew 25 – Three Parables on how to prepare for His Coming
- Parable of the 10 Virgins – Be Wise! (Keep oil of Holy Spirit in your vessel)
- Parable of the Talents – Be Working! (Use your Time, Talents, & Treasures for the Lord)
- Parable of the Sheep & Goats – Be Witnessing! (Do unto others as you would Christ)
Key Lessons from the Parable of the Talents
- God gives different gifts to different People
- God expects you to Use your Gifts
- Poor Management leads to Loss
- Fear is a Barrier to Growth
- God Rewards Effort and Productivity – “Enter into the joy of your Lord!”
- Matthew 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
- Resources to Manage: Job, Marriage, Health, Family, Children, Friends, House, Clothes, Car, Cash, Investments, Bills, Debts, Ideas & Dreams, Time, Mistakes, Potential.
TIME Management – We all have the same amount!
- 168 hrs. Week: 48 hrs. work, 21 hrs. eat, 56 hrs. sleep, 3 hrs. go to church – 40 hrs. left to Manage
- Key to success is hidden in our Daily Routine
- 24 hrs. Day: 8 hrs. to work, 8 hrs. to sleep, 3 hrs. to eat – 5 hrs. left to Manage
5 hr. Daily Management Plan
- Prayer – Fellowship with God
- Planning – Scheduling, organizing
- People – Family, friends, others
- Paper – Information, bills, letter, files
- Playing – Rest, recreation, vacation
The Planning Priority
- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail
- Procrastination is fueled by lack of a plan
- Fear is fueled by lack of a plan
- Deadlines are missed for lack of a plan
- Budgets are broken for lack of a plan
- Dreams are forgotten for lack of a plan
- If you do nothing – you’ll never succeed
- Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
- Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
