Christian Stewardship

Every year in the fall months, churches offer presentations about stewardship. We hear about tithing. We hear about sacrificial giving. We even hear about budget sharing. All these share a common element. All focus on ‘how’ we give our stewardship. They miss the foundation of Christian Stewardship.

At that time Jesus went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for him out of their means.

Luke 8.1-3

Today’s Gospel lesson is about Christian Stewardship. It isn’t about percentages. It is about love for God. It is about gratitude to God. It is about providing for God’s ministry because we first were ministered to. As Christ was traveling throughout the region “preaching and brining the good news of the kingdom of God,” the women who had been healed by Him made sure His needs were met.

The women “and many others” (we can presume men also were present) in today’s example provided for Christ’s needs “out of their means.” They used their own resources to cook and clean and make sure the ministry could be His focus. The same is needed in the Church today. The Church needs to focus on preaching the Good News of the kingdom. To do this, those who had been healed and heard the Good News provide for the needs of the Church.

This makes Christian Stewardship more about love and gratitude than about budgets. Have you been healed by Christ? You can show your appreciation through your Christian Stewardship. Has your life been changed by the Gospel? You can show your appreciation through your Christian Stewardship. Do you want others’ lives to be changed and healed by Christ and His Gospel? Support the work of the Church “our of your means”.

Christian Stewardship isn’t bout comparing what I give to what others give. It isn’t about averages and minimums. You can’t calculate love as an average. You love as you love. The more you love God, the more you will provide for others to experience His love.

The other topics we hear every year about stewardship is about all about method. Yes, the Church teaches tithing as a method to express our love and gratitude to God and His Church. Of course, tithing is also a spiritual discipline, but that is for another blog. Focus on love and gratitude today. Support the ministry of Christ ‘from your means’ today. We can talk about tithing later.