1. Knowing Your Purpose in Life
Lesson #4 – Be a Good Steward
Luke 16:1­12
Part 1 – The foundation of Stewardship
The concept of stewardship grows out of the very nature/character of God – it’s about WHO God is and
WHAT He has done!
God is in charge because he’s the Creator
Isaiah 29:16
Isaiah 64:8
Romans 9:21
Jesus is making the point that the ‘rich man’ is one in charge – the ‘rich man’ OWNS the very things to
which he had entrusted the ‘manager’ or steward!
Jesus is making the point that the ‘rich man’ is one in charge – the ‘rich man’ OWNS the very things to
which he had entrusted the ‘manager’ or steward!
If these things are both true, what are the implications?
Part 2 – The Definitions
Stewardship = God­given responsibility with accountability
Passage Responsibility
Gen 1:28
Gen 2:16
Steward = an administrator, a person who manages the domestic affairs of a family, business,
or minor, a treasurer, a chamberlain of a city, a house manger, overseer
Specifically, one who has authority over the servants or slaves of a family to assign their
tasks and portions. Along with this was the general management of affairs and
accounts.
1
Summarized from Stewardship Teaching Notes from Faith Baptist Church

2. Stewards could be slaves [cf. Eliezer (Gen. 15:2) and Joseph(Gen. 39:4)], or a free
person who simply was employed (as is the case here in Luke 16)
Broader sense, a steward was one who administers a public charge or office, a minister,
agent, generally (1 Cor. 4:2); of the fiscal officer of a city or state, treasurer (Rom.
16:23).1
“In Bible times, because of limited means of travel, householders (men who owned
large farms or livestock) would often be gone from their land for long periods of time.
In their absence, they would appoint one of their servants to manage the business.
This person was responsible for his master’s household and was to consistently
manage it just as the householder would if he were there. This important position was
described as a steward. As Christians, God has called us stewards. We do not choose
to become stewards, we are stewards! The question is, ‘What kind of steward are
you?’”
Matthew 25:14-29 – the context was Matthew 24:3
Matthew 24:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him
privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of
Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
Part 3 – The Four Factors–
#1: God Owns Everything, and I Own Nothing.
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that
you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not
received it?
Point: All that we have comes from God – He is the creator, so He has a right to say
how everything we have gets used – it comes from Him in the first place!
James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting
shadow.
Application: Think about all the things God has given you! [List a few: spouse,
children, home, job, church, health – eyes, ears, you can walk]
1
Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.
2
Summarized from Stewardship Teaching Notes from Faith Baptist Church

3. -God has given you everything!
Point:
• Whatever you have – God owns it and we need to think/act like it’s His!
• Whatever He gives us, it should be used to bring glory to Him!
#2: God Entrusts Me with Everything I Have.
The master mentioned in Luke 16 entrusted his possessions to the steward.
• The text doesn’t say that the master gave his possessions to the steward for the
steward to keep for himself.
• The master expected the steward to guard and keep them secure for a specified
time.
• Just like the master in this parable, God entrusts His possessions to us to use.
Application: Think about this in the context of Vision of Hope
#3: I Am Responsible to Increase What God Has Given to Me. I May Increase It or
Diminish It.
• Like the steward in Luke 16, you can chose to diminish what God has entrusted
to you . . . but there will be a day of accountability
• the owner is going to return – what are doing with what He’s given you –
Growth Attitude
(Increase)
“Maintenance Mode”
(Diminish)
[various answers]
Friendly to others
Prayer
Faithful attendance and careful
attention
Studying hard to learn all that
God has for you
Obeying with joyful and
respectful attitudes and loving
actions
[various answers]
basically the opposite of a “Growth
Attitude”
content // self-focused (its about
ME)
no changes/growth
3
Summarized from Stewardship Teaching Notes from Faith Baptist Church

4. 4
Summarized from Stewardship Teaching Notes from Faith Baptist Church
Apply this to the following areas:
Body – God wants me to be making my body better every day, not worse
Time – God wants me to be using my time and money to increase my
opportunities to serve him, not decrease them.
Opportunities – God wants me to be using every opportunity to honor him, not
to dishonor him through using what he’s given me to hurt myself, cause harm to myself,
etc
Family – God wants me to be building up the people he’s given to me in my
family not being divisive with your speech, attitude
#4: God Can Call Me into Account at Any Time.
While we don’t know exactly when it’s coming, we are promised that our day of
accountability is coming (not for our sins – those were paid for at the cross; but for our
works, for the stewardship of what God has entrusted to us!)
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he
has done, whether good or bad.
Remember, we serving the Living God – and He is sovereign, and works all things after
the counsel of His own will
Ephesians 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined
according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.