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Learning to be a Good Steward – A Topical Bible Study

What Is a Steward?

Titus 1:7 – For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach.

An overseer is a person who supervises. The thing that he supervises does not belong to him. His calling is to watch over, protect, and build up what belongs to God.

A steward is charged with protecting and caring for that which belongs to another. He is serving someone else.

In Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series, a line of stewards ruled over the realm of Gondor. They were supposed to be protecting the kingdom for when the true king returned. However, their thinking changed, and they wanted to remain in control. Denethor was the last steward and did not want to make way for the return of the king.

Some pastors are like this. Instead of serving the King, they start to serve themselves. Things begin to revolve around them instead of Christ.

Reflect — What are some attitudes or behaviors that may show a leader considers those he ministers to as belonging to him?

If a leader gets upset when someone leaves his church or his fellowship and joins another, that could be an indication of possessiveness. Other signs could be if a pastor demands personal loyalty or thinks that the people he serves owe him something.

Application — What has God put under your care? What is your role as a steward in this area? Every believer is a steward in some way. Parents are entrusted with raising up their children to serve the Lord. A teacher is entrusted with providing a good education for her students. A homeowner (or renter) should use their home to serve the Lord by being hospitable. Maybe you own little, but the money you have should be used in a wise manner that pleases God.

— From our Bible study on Titus 1:7-16

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

1 Corinthians 4:1 – This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Paul continues his discussion of why the Corinthians shouldn’t be divided over human leaders. They are only servants, stewards for God. A steward is a faithful servant given some responsibility for a time to look out for or watch over part of his master’s possessions. In this case, the church belongs to God. God puts leaders in place for a period of time to help build the flock, but they are not the owners.

For the apostles, they were not only stewards of the church, but they were the stewards of God’s revelation. It was by them that God taught the early church, both through their own sermons and through the inspiration of Scripture.

Although Paul was the subject of lots of scrutiny and criticism, he didn’t let it bother him. Frankly, he didn’t really care what other people thought because he didn’t answer to people, he answered to God. In the end, Paul, and every other person on the planet is answerable directly to God for their actions.

Reflect — Whose examination should we be concerned about?

All of us will have to go through a final exam. This is truly the final exam and there are no retakes. How long did you guys prepare for the college entrance exam? Which is more important? Obviously the final exam of our lives when the ultimate examiner is scrutinizing our lives is the most important. Students spend day after day after month after month preparing for “finals” and other exams that frankly have a very temporary impact.

It’s a bit different than the ones we have now. Some of our “answers” are already marked down. Every minute we are filling in more and more of the circles of the final exam. By the time exam day comes, all of our answers will already be marked down. You can not change anything. You can not add and you can not subtract. So we had better redeem the time because the days are evil.

Application — Make use of the time you have to serve the Lord. One day it will be too late.

— From our Bible study on 1 Corinthians 4

Stewardship from God

Colossians 1:25 – Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

We should each consider ourselves to be stewards. We are stewards of everything in our control including money, materials, house, possessions, and children. In addition, we are stewards of the gospel, of the Word of God, of our time, our body, and our energy. God has also put certain leaders over the body as stewards of it. This means that the church does not belong to us. We are to watch over it for the sake of the Lord and for the benefit of those in it. We are not to selfishly pursue our own interests, pleasures, or career.

Application — We are to hold everything we have to God with an open hand, asking Him to use us in whatever way He will.

— From our Bible study on Colossians 1:24-29

The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The talents represent resources that God has placed in our care as His stewards. Just as the master expects his servants to use the resources for serving their master and increasing his estate or “kingdom” so God wants us to use the resources He has given to us for building His kingdom. Some of these resources include our spiritual gifts, our natural talents, our time, our money, our knowledge of the Word, etc.

He gives different amounts to different servants. While every believer has equal value in God’s sight (he does not favor the rich or the poor), this does not mean that He gives to every person the same. He gives different spiritual gifts, different natural abilities, different energy levels, different financial resources, different levels of knowledge about the Bible, different backgrounds, different opportunities to serve, and different responsibilities. God certainly has the ability to create a bunch of clones, but He didn’t do things that way. Should the last servant complain because he only has $1,328,000 million of gold? The very idea is absurd. Should the first servant with five talents brag and boast? No. It is a big responsibility for him and he should always remember that this is not his. He is steward.

Application — We should understand what our gifts and calling are and focus on those areas. It is not right to try to do everything ourselves in the church or family because we think we can do it best or because we don’t want to burden others. As part of a larger body, we should work together and encourage others to participate. Neither should we shirk back and become a pew sitter because we think we are not as gifted as others.

The servants give what they made back to the master because it was from him and it was his.

Application — Everything we have is from God. We must not try to keep it for ourselves.

The lazy servant is supposed to use the resources to trade (to buy and sell and exchange) and increase profit for his master. But instead of working he buries the money. He is lazy and does zero work for the master while he is gone.

Rather than be apologetic and confess his laziness, the servant blames the master for his own laziness. He accuses the master of being unfair and harsh and thus excuses his own behavior by rationalizing that he was afraid of the master.

The temptation to view God as being harsh and unfair goes all the way back to Satan’s conversation with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Here Satan introduces the idea that God was unjust and keeping them from obtaining something good and useful, which they would enjoy. Today you don’t need to look far to see people questioning God’s goodness and accusing Him of all sorts of terrible things.

— From our Bible study on Matthew 25:14-30

The Wicked Tenants

Mark 12:1 — “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country.”

The owner is God. He is the creator of all. You can see God’s great care for the vineyard in that He planted it Himself, protected it with a wall, and built a tower to watch over it. He took care of it and helped it to become productive.

The wicked tenants are the leaders of Israel, religious or political. They are supposed to be workers for God. God has given them every blessing and advantage. They were tasked with stewarding Israel. Their positions were given by God and they were answerable directly to Him.

Yet instead of faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities as God’s stewards, they greedily sought to use their position for personal benefit in order to get rich. They didn’t give to God what belonged to Him, but instead kept it for themselves. They are characterized by greed, selfishness, rebellion, violence, dishonesty, and hatred.

Application — God has placed us as stewards over certain things, perhaps family, church, business, a home, or a plot of land. Whatever He has given us is to be used for building His kingdom. What are you a steward over? How can you be a good tenant?

— From our Bible study on Mark 11:27-12:12

Stewards of God’s Creation

Genesis 1:26-28 — “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'”

You are a steward of God’s creation. Another way God has shown us He values us is to put us over His creation. Our job is to take care of this world and use it for His glory.

Some environmentalists go to extreme when they value the lives of animals over people, supporting abortion, but doing anything to save a whale. Obviously this is wrong.

But believers should take care of the world God has given to us. As well as we can, we should try to ensure that God’s beautiful nature is around for future generations to enjoy. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Practice recycling.
• Don’t be wasteful of natural resources including: food, electricity, materials, etc.
• Don’t litter.
• When you go hiking or to the beach, you can pick up some trash and leave it nicer than when you arrived.
• Don’t be cruel to animals.
• Don’t hunt for fun. If you hunt, eat what you kill.
• Do not engage in a lifestyle that encourages poaching or trading of endangered animals.

— From our Bible study on Psalm 8

This command was quite clear for the people at that time. They were not to cut down trees providing food because that would be poor stewardship. It would bring about instant gratification in that they would have wood to use in their assault. But it would come at the cost of long-term provision for them and their families. They were to have a long-term perspective and be good stewards of the resources God provided for them.

The universal principle is that we should be good stewards of the resources God has given to us. We should be good stewards of the environment. We should not overfish or hunt to the point of wiping out species. Then these resources will be gone forever. The long-term fertility and sustainability of fields, forests, and waters should be considered in how we use them.

— From our Bible study on Deuteronomy 20

The underlying principle is that natural resources should be used in a wise and sustainable manner. People are created as stewards of God’s creation. We need to steward it both for our own generation and the future. Resources should not be consumed without regard to how it affects the future.

Some examples of foolish and shortsighted wildlife management are below.

• Dynamite fishing. This blows up the corral and destroys many animals’ natural habitat. Once gone, it is very difficult to restore or regrow these lost resources.
• Overhunting or fishing. The American bison was almost totally wiped out through greed. Carcasses were left to rot and the fur was sold. The population was reduced from millions to a low of 541.

This passage does not mean that people should love animals more than humans, that people are a plague, or that trillions should be spent to protect a bug. It does mean that people should be wise stewards and take care of the earth because God created the earth to sustain us.

— From our Bible study on Deuteronomy 22

Your Children Are Not Your Own

The Lord chose the name of Hosea’s children. From this, we are reminded that our children belong to God.

Psalm 127:3-5 — “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”

Children are entrusted to their parents’ care. Their parent’s job is to raise them as good stewards, to train them in the way of the Lord. When they grow up, the parents then shoot them as arrows, launching them to be used for God’s glory how He sees fit.

The example of Hannah is an inspiring one. Before Samuel was born, she dedicated him to the Lord. As soon as he was weaned, she took him to the temple to begin serving the Lord. Though she saw him every year, she recognized that Samuel belonged to God and treated him as such. God is not calling us to send our kids away at a young age like she did, but we must approach our children with the same mentality.

Sometimes God may also ask us to do something uncomfortable with our kids. Hosea had to give his children very weird names. Imagine naming your child “No Mercy” or “Not My People!” But Hosea was obedient. Hosea acted as a good steward of his children by obeying God’s instructions for them, no matter how strange.

Application — You cannot hold on to your children forever. They should not be viewed as an investment to provide for you in your old age. Neither should they be viewed as a proxy so that you can live out your dreams through them. In some aspect, they are a resource, your very greatest resource to use for God’s glory. Name 1-2 specific ways you can dedicate your children to God.

— From our Bible study on Hosea 1

We should not only put God first in our careers, finances, and decisions, but we should also put God first in our families. Consecrating the firstborn was commanded by God to all the Israelites. It was an ever-present reminder of what God had done for them in Exodus. God had saved them from death and slavery. Therefore, each of them (but specifically the firstborn) belonged to God.

Application — Your family is not your own. Your children are not your own. God has given you family and children for a reason. He wants you to be a good steward. He wants you to raise your children to serve Him. You need to do your part to pray for and train up your children to be disciples of God. For me, the opportunity to make disciples for God is one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to have children. My wife and I often prayed that God would not give us any children who would not one day trust in Him as their Savior. We don’t have children so that we can be taken care of when we are old. We have children so that we can offer them as a sweet gift to our God. That means we shouldn’t selfishly hold on to them. We shouldn’t discipline them because they hurt our feelings or don’t appreciate us. It is not about us. It’s about God.

— From our Bible study on Nehemiah 10

Faithful in a Very Little

God had greatly blessed Daniel. One of the ways He blessed Daniel was by giving him the gift of interpretation. As Daniel continued to faithfully use his talents and gifts (given by God), he was given more opportunities and a bigger stage. With each new opportunity, Daniel once again proved faithful.

We are reminded that he who is faithful in a little thing (Daniel 1) is faithful also in much (Daniel 2, 4, 5, 6).

Reflect — What is your gifting? If you don’t know, how can you find out? How can you use your gifting to build God’s kingdom this week?

— From our Bible study on Daniel 2:19-49

I often eat four meals a day. Sometimes in the evening I go the kitchen and prepare a late night snack. Before I go I might ask my wife if she is hungry. She answers, “I shouldn’t eat late at night.” So I make some popcorn. I get it just right. Hot. With butter. A dab of salt. A few shakes of parmesan cheese. Add in some nacho cheese flavoring. I settle in with my bowl of popcorn and my wife comes in, “Wow, that smells great” and starts eating it.

Here is a choice for me. Will I sacrifice that popcorn? Or will I defend my right to eat it all, all by myself? Although it is a small thing, it requires real sacrifice.

Luke 16:10 — “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.”

It is also true that He who sacrifices in a little thing will also sacrifice in much. You know the saying “practice makes perfect.” If you practice selflessness in the little things each day, then when God asks you to make a big sacrifice for Him, it will be much easier to say, “yes.”

Reflect — What is difficult for you to sacrifice? What area is hard for you to die to self?

— From our Bible study on Romans 12

Everything Belongs to God

This is a reminder that everything belongs to God.

Psalm 50:10 — “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.”

The owner of the colt did not hold back. He offered what he had with an open hand. This is what God expects of us as His stewards.

If you were the owner, would you have offered the colt? Obviously, this is a hard question to answer. A better one is, do you offer what you have now to God with an open hand or do you hold it back?

Whatever you have has been given to you to manage for God’s glory. We are to be stewards of all the resources He has entrusted to us.

1 Peter 4:10 — “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

Application — What do you have to offer the Lord? Are you willing to give it? Is there anything you are not willing to give up for Him?

God has made each one of us unique with something special we can offer to others. Most people did not have a colt to offer, but this one family did and they were willing to give it up for the sake of Christ. Is there something unique that you have that you can offer to the Lord? Perhaps it is a resource, spiritual gift, testimony, talent, or wisdom. God has prepared you to do exactly what He wants you to accomplish for Him. It would be a shame if you missed the opportunity.

— From our Bible study on Mark 11:1-11

Casting Our Crowns Before the Throne

Revelation 4:10-11 – The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power

When the living creatures give glory to the one on the throne, the elders do the same. They cast their crowns before the throne. Whatever honor, reward, and recognition are given to the saints, it is then returned to God who made all good things possible. God calls and saves believers. In turn, we are to obey Him faithfully. Those who do are rewarded with crowns. Then they give those crowns back to Him.

Everything good that we can accomplish is only made possible through Him. Of ourselves, our good deeds are as filthy rags.

Application — God gives us opportunities, resources, and gifts, which He wants us to use for building His kingdom. We are to be good stewards of these gifts and use them for His glory and not for ourselves. What skills or spiritual gifts has God given you? Are you using these for Him?

God deserves all the glory, honor, and praise. Whatever reward we have will be turned back to praise in heaven. Therefore, we should live the same way on earth now. Whenever we have any successes, we should turn these into testimonies of the Lord’s goodness. Whenever we receive recognition or praise on earth, we should deflect it back to Him who made it possible.

— From our Bible study on Revelation 4

We hope you enjoyed this Bible study on stewardship. May God use His Word to speak into your life and give you strength to follow it. Please take some time to reflect on the questions below and consider leaving a comment with your key takeaway or insight.

Reflection Questions

• What has God put under your care? What is your role as a steward in this area?
• What are you a steward over? How can you be a good tenant?
• Is there something unique that you have that you can offer to the Lord?
• What skills or spiritual gifts has God given you? Are you using these for Him?
• What is your gifting? If you don’t know, how can you find out?
• What is difficult for you to sacrifice? What area is hard for you to die to self?
• Name 1-2 specific ways you can dedicate your children to God.
• What do you have to offer the Lord? Are you willing to give it?
• Is there anything you are not willing to give up for Him?