Everything belongs to God

• Colossians 1:16; Psalms 24:1

What a steward is

• A person who manages another’s property.

Stewardship

• Luke 19:11-27
• Luke 12:16-21
• I Timothy 6:6-10 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. Beware the love of money!

Actions we must take

• I Timothy 6:17-19 – Be generous and ready to share.
• Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay up treasure in heaven.
• Luke 3:11
• Proverbs 11:24-26 – The generous will be blessed.
• II Corinthians 9:6-7
• We must make the effort to understand what people truly need.

Who is rich?

• 2018: Top 1% annual income for the world is $32,400 (datatopics.worldbank.org)

Idle hands

• Proverbs 12:24 – Diligence leads to increase
• Proverbs 10:4-5; 12:11, 24; 14:23; 20:4; 20:13

Honest business

• Proverbs 11:1; 13:11; 16:11; 20:23; 21:6

Generosity

• Proverbs 13:22; 11:24-26; 22:22-23

Building wealth

• Proverbs 13:7

Co-signing

• Proverbs 6:1-5; 17:18; 22:26-27

Debt

• Proverbs 22:7
• The danger of student loans and compounding interest.

• I Corinthians 7

  • At that time, the disciples were in a period of great difficulty.

  • I Corinthians 7:9 – Some try to misuse this verse to defend multiple marriages, but that is taking the verse out of context.

  • I Corinthians 7:12-16 – If a person has an unbelieving spouse, they should stay with them. If the unbelieving spouse decides to leave, the Christian should let them go. In that case, Paul says that God calls them to peace and they are not required to fulfill marital obligations. This does not mean that the Christian spouse can now remarry, however.

  • “Bondage” – Compare other uses of the same Greek word:

    • Acts 7:6

    • Romans 6:18-22

    • I Corinthians 9:19

    • Galatians 4:3

    • Titus 2:3

    • II Peter 2:19

    • I Corinthians 7:15

  • I Corinthians 7:25-26 – See Revelation 14:4. Paul here is referring to male virgins.

  • I Corinthians 7:35-37 – The translation here is somewhat difficult. Paul could be referring to a man protecting his own virginity. The NASB translation supplies added words to interpret this as a man protecting his virgin daughter, but that does not seem to match the context.

  • I Corinthians 7:39-40 – Marriage is for life. Re-marriage is only approved by God after death of a spouse or for the innocent party in adultery. The phrase “only in the Lord” means “according to God’s law.” It is not saying the new mate must be a Christian.

Introduction

• I Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind

• Jesus had to deal with His confused, immature apostles (Matthew 16:8).

Is not jealous (does not envy)

• Jealousy never leads to good (Acts 5:17-19; 7:9)
• Romans 12:15 – Rejoice for those who do well.

Does not take into account a wrong suffered (resentful), bears and endures all things

• Think of the harm you do to yourself by holding a grudge (Proverbs 19:11).
• Matthew 18:15 – You can’t just ignore sin. That’s different from enforcing some personal type of justice.
• Luke 4:28-30 – When people wanted to kill Him, Jesus just left!

Love does not brag (boast), is not arrogant, does not seek its own (insist on its own way)

• If we’re fixated on ourselves, we can’t humbly serve others (Matthew 20:20-28).

Does not act unbecomingly (rude), is not provoked (irritable)

• Don’t go around with a chip on your shoulder (I Samuel 25:3, 10-11).

Introduction

• Deuteronomy 6:1-5 – The greatest command – love God.

He loved us when we weren’t lovable.

• Deuteronomy 7:7-8
• Why does God treat us the way He does? Out of love!
• Romans 5:6-8; 3:10
• I John 4:10
• Ephesians 2:1-7
• God knows all our secrets and faults, but He loves us anyway!
• Hebrews 8:12 – God shows us mercy and forgiveness.

It only makes sense to love Him back.

• I John 4:19
• Hosea 11:1-7 – So many times God’s children have turned from Him.
• I John 2:15
• Deuteronomy 32:6-18

What that means:

• Delight in the Lord – Psalm 84
• Delight in His word – Psalms 119:97-104
• Obey Him – I John 5:3
• Love others – Matthew 22:39; I John 3:11-18; 4:11, 20
  • The second greatest command – love others.

Conclusion

• Loving God is the basis of our character as Christians.

We can be involved in the work for years and still sin.

• Mark 3:13-14; 6:7, 12-13, 30 – Judas was involved with the work of the apostles. There’s a reason Jesus chose him.
• Luke 22:1-6

You must nip sin in the bud.

• John 12:1-6 – Judas would steal from the money box.
• Matthew 25:14-16 – Judas’ thievery got worse!
• John 7:30
• James 1:14-15

I shouldn’t give up on myself!

• Matthew 27:1-5 – Judas hanged himself after betraying Jesus.
• I Corinthians 6:19-20