Living Life for the Highest Purpose

A Study in Christian StewardshipAuthor: Robert Simms

Living Life for the Highest Purpose

• It is about living for the ultimate reason: knowing and serving God.

• It is about how life itself is a resource to be used in doing God’s will and experiencing maximum fulfillment.

• It is about the responsibility that unites Christians of all denominational families through the high challenge of making the most of everything in their lives or within their reach, to serve the purpose of the God who placed us here.

Contents of the Study• Introduction: The Concept of Management• 1. Partners in Subduing Creation• 2. Christ, the Perfect Steward• 3. The Church, the Steward of Mission• 4. The Christian’s Thinking

• 5. The Christian’s Practice (Part One)• 6. The Christian’s Practice (Part Two)• 7. The Christian’s Practice (Part Three)• 8. Stewardship and the Church Leader

The Concept of Management (Introduction)

• Every person is accountable to God for what he does with his life and its immeasurable opportunities and resources.

• Man’s stewardship of creation• Christ as the Greatest Example of Stewardship• Church corporate responsibility • Individual accountability as stewards• Church leaders as stewards

1. Partners in Subduing Creation

• Human life may be seen, through the lens of stewardship.

• Man’s partnership with God implies even more than trusteeship and responsibility. (Gen. 1:1 and 1:28)

God’s Ownership and His Purpose

• God created (Gen. 1:1)• Man is a manager (Gen. 1:28)• Man’s Management Under God’s Purpose

– Christian Environmentalist– Responsible Involvement– Biblical Positions– Philosophical and Theological Differences– To Glorify God

2. Christ: The Perfect Steward• The Stewardship of the Eternal Word

– The Eternal Word as Steward• The Father Sent the Son to be the Savior (John 3:17)• The Son Emptied Himself (John 1:1,14;3:16; Gal. 2:20)

• The Stewardship of the Incarnate Son– Steward of the Kingdom

• Kingdom Power (John 8:28-29)• Kingdom Time (Luke 2:49;4:42-43; 13:33)• Kingdom Purview (Isa. 9:2)• Kingdom Exigencies • Kingdom Opportunities (Heb. 5:8)• Kingdom Sacrifice

3. The Church, The Steward of Mission

• The Mission of Christ– The Mission Belongs to Christ– Paul Understood His Stewardship Under Christ– Peter Recognized His Stewardship Under Christ

• The Mission of the Church– The Church Exists to Abandon Itself to Christ.– The Church Exists to Glorify God.– The Church Exists to Know Christ & Make Him Known.

• Heirs of God• Servants of God• The Church’s Management of Evangelization

4. The Christian’s Thinking• The Importance of Stewardship-thinking

– Thinking about the Purpose of Stewardship• To Glorify God• To Advance God’s Kingdom• Complicating Factors

– Thinking about the Human Scope of Stewardship• God’s Ideal• Broad Ignorance of Stewardship• Recovery of Stewardship

• The Believer’s Acceptance of Stewardship– Redemption Established God’s Double Ownership– Salvation implies stewardship– Love demands stewardship– Live & Die to God’s glory– Answer to God for life

5. The Christian’s Practice (Part 1)• The Range and Reach of Godly Management

– Life Span• Youth• Middle Age• Senior Adult

– Opportunity– Relationships

• Relationships with Non Christians• Relationships with Christians

– Possessions– Time– Talent

6. The Christian’s Practice (Part 2)• Making Money

– Be Honest– Be Honorable– Do your best

• Managing Money– To Provide for the needs of self and family

• How much is enough?• What should I risk?• What should I never risk?• Where is my money going?

– To Enrich Life within God’s leading• Materially• Spiritually

– To underwrite Kingdom Ministry and Mission: Giving• Regular Giving

– Giving in Biblical History: Old Testament– Giving in Biblical History: New Testament

• Giving Worthily– First Fruits– Disciplined– Proportionate– Kingdom channeled

• Inspirational Giving• Legacy Giving

• The Importance of a Will

7. The Christian’s Practice (Part 3)

• Trials• Failures

– Not “My Bad”– Steps to success– Genuine Failure

• Purpose• The Gospel• Death

8. Stewardship and the Church Leader

• The Leader’s Own Stewardship– Stewards like anyone else

• Material things• Money• Family

– Stewards in special ways• Authority • Influence• Learning

• The Leader’s Promotion of Stewardship– Preach the Word

• A Crucial Doctrine• The Proper Focus• The Heart of Life

Concluding Thoughts• Stewardship indeed is management, but

the spirit of godly stewardship is surely giving.

• The pastor’s aim, the church leader’s aim, and every Christian’s aim, should be not to give until it hurts, and perhaps not even to give until it doesn’t hurt, but to give until it doesn’t matter; and even more, to give until it brings joy.

A Song by Howard B. Grose puts the thrust of the study into music:

• “Give of your best to the Master;• Give Him first place in your heart.• Give Him first place in your service;• Consecrate every part.• Give, and to you will be given;• God His beloved Son gave.• Gratefully seeking to serve Him,• Give Him the best that you have.”