Author: Rick Henderson

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 25:14–30 (day seven)

You wicked, lazy slave. 

The sin was laziness. The Master was not upset because the slave came back with no interest. The Master was not upset because the slave was dishonest. The Master was upset because the slave did not even try. He was not even that afraid of his Master. If he was, he would have put it in the bank instead of burying it in a field. The slave was afraid of failure.

As we gathered around the cross on Wednesday night in a time of confession and repentance, we were given a repentance sheet (one Pastor Chris encourages us to use often). At the top of the deadly sin list stands a word we do not talk about often in Baptist life. Acedia: spiritual or mental sloth; apathy.

The sin is laziness. Especially when it comes to stewardship, we can easily become lazy in our giving, we can become lazy in our serving, and we can become lazy in our learning. We can do it all with excuses and rationalizations, but the truth is, our laziness shows we were never really afraid of the Master, we are afraid of failure. Take a risk. Give it a try. See what happens when you take your talents and put them in a position to be used and multiplied.

Re:Verse passage – Genesis 1:26–31, Romans 8:18–22 (day seven)

Creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:21

This weekend our students participated in our annual Disciple Now event called Freedom Weekend. They spent the last two days in Bible study, worship, and service. There might have been a little bit of fun to be had too! We challenged them this year to be Bold in their faith.

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 2 Cor 3:12

The hope that we find in Jesus is the reason that we can be and should be emboldened. How could we know the hope, love, and freedom found in God and not want to share that to the world? For each of our students (and you too) this boldness is going to look different. For some it will be to place their faith in Jesus as Lord for the first time. For others it will be to share with their friends and family what the Lord is doing in their life. Pray for our students as they go home today. Pray that they will know the same Spirit that they felt at Freedom Weekend will be with them as they go back into their schools and activities. That same Spirit will continue to bring Freedom, Hope, and Boldness.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (day seven)

 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:7

Giving is not a unique belief to Christianity. Most major religions have an aspect of charity that is similar to our tithing. Truth be told, our recommended giving of 10% would be on the upper end of what most religions would ask for. What makes the Christian tithe different from other charity? What makes Christianity unique from other religions as a whole?

God is Love.

Most religions command giving. They make their charity obligatory and compulsive to the point that you might not go to heaven if you don’t give as commanded. Read through the Bible, including the passage today, your tithe is not salvific or redemptive. Tithing is an overflow of a relationship with the One who gave us everything. As we learn that He is Love, we will be eager to give back a portion of what He has given to us. As we experience He is Love, we will be joyful as we trust Him to provide for us in all ways. As we embody that He is love, we will be excited to contribute to the Kingdom’s work so that others might learn that He is Love.

Re:Verse passage – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:4-8 (day seven)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7

If we are honest, we like to talk about ourselves. We are quick to tell people about the things we like and particularly the things we are good at. Much of that is tied to our vocational identity. We are well aware of our talents that attribute to our individual success. Yet, do we even know what our spiritual gifts are? Gifts are so much more important to our identity than even our talents, because it is our gifts that make the biggest impact for the Kingdom. Everyone has talents, but only those who are in the Spirit can receive the manifestation of the Spirit. Because of this, it is entirely possible for a spiritual gift to be the complete opposite of a talent, as the Spirit can manifest in us an ability that was not present before.

Everyone who is in the Spirit will receive a manifestation of the Spirit. Therefore, you have a spiritual gift! What is it/are they? You have already been challenged to take a spiritual  inventory for yourself. Now, I challenge you to tell your Bible Study leader or a pastor at the Church what that gift is. It is not meant to lie dormant. The Spirit manifested a gift in you so that you can be a part of what God is doing and make an impact for the Kingdom now.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day seven)

[…] making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16

The Greek word here for “time” is from the root word kairos which translates best to “the time.” This is a fixed range of time or a season of life. Galatians 6:10 translates this word to “opportunity.” It is not referring to time in a general sense as in every minute of every day. Instead of making the most of every moment in a day, we are to make the most of the opportunity that God has given us. The season of life we are in is a gift from God, so we need to steward and organize it as such.

It is not amiss to me that today was supposed to be a parenting emphasis day for our NextGen departments (now postponed due to winter weather). Did you know that if a child does not make a profession of faith by the age of 18 then their likelihood of doing so after 18 drops off exponentially? Any grandparent or empty nester will tell you that 18 years goes way too fast. That is why it is imperative that we help parents succeed in the discipleship of their children. We need to help parents make the most of the time they have left with their children.

No matter what season of life you find yourself in, God has placed you in that season for a specific purpose and plan. How can you steward this opportunity to most glorify Him and serve those closest to you?

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day seven)

This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah. Psalm 24:6

I love playing hide-and-go-seek with my young sons. They like to hide in places where they think I can’t see them, like a lamp or curtains. They think because they can’t see me that I can’t see them, but almost always, a part, or most of their body is exposed. The only thing that is always covered is their face which is turned into a corner or hidden in their hands. They have hidden their face from me in an attempt to hide their whole self.

There is something intimate about seeking the face of someone. We can be present in the room, but if we don’t get face to face with them, we can still be  disconnected.

Do we seek the face of God? As we begin this series on stewardship, it is important for us to first look at our individual and personal connections with God. When we seek His face, we will enter into a place of deep and intimate connection with Him. It is that connection that will guide us as we navigate His plan and His will for our life, this church, and His Kingdom.