The Guts and Glory of Ownership

February 26, 2023 Pastor: Ryan Rice Series: The Guts and Glory of Giving

Topic: Giving

THE GUTS AND GLORY OF OWNERSHIP  

 

1. God’s WORD promotes the ideas of private property and ownership. 

 a) In the Old Testament 

Genesis 1:28-31, Exodus 20:15, Leviticus. 25:10, Exodus 22:1-5, Deuteronomy 22:1-4, Deuteronomy 23:24-25, Joshua 24:15  

 

b) In the New Testament  

Acts 2:44, Acts 2:46, I Corinthians 16:19, Acts 5:4, Luke 10:38-42, John 11:5, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 13:44, Matthew 7:24-27, Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:31-32, Matthew 20:1-16 

 

c) Examples of USA and other Nations  

 

2. GOD ultimately owns everything.  

God owns the earth and all that is in it and more!  

Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 10:14, Job 41:11, Psalm 24:1, 1 Corinthians 6:19,  

1 Corinthians 7:23, 1 Timothy 6:7 

 

3. We are ultimately God’s STEWARDS 

Genesis 1:27-28, I Timothy 6:17-19, Matthew 6:33 

  • Stewardship is managing every resource on earth for the glory of God and the good of others, including oneself. 

 

TOP THREE AREAS EVERYONE MUST STEWARD  

  1. Steward your TIME. (Ephesians 5:16) 
  2. Steward your TALENT. (I Peter 4:10) 
  3. Steward your TREASURE. (Proverbs 3:9-10) 

 

 

TALK IT OVER 

 ICE BREAKER  - What’s the worst car or home you’ve ever owned and why?  

 1. Take a minute to review the message. What stood out to you and why? 

2. The idea of ownership is all throughout the Bible. In your own words, why is ownership an important concept for personal freedom and flourishing for yourself and others? 

3. Consider the difference between materialism and asceticism. Describe those in your own words or look them up on your phones. What’s the Bible say to us about this? 

4. Materialism in the church is wrongly supported by prosperity theology. Prosperity preachers falsely tell their congregants that God will give believers wealth as a sign of their holiness or obedience, or that God wants everyone to be rich and that if you give, God will give you 10-100 times more! They sadly advertise God like a cosmic slot machine and pocket the profits! There is a sliver of truth in their deceitful message. It is true that God does reward faithful giving and oftentimes the rewards are financial. However, to treat God like a slot machine and use God as ROI for financial gain is sinful and selfish. Furthermore, a quick look at the lives of the twelve disciples will show that the prosperity gospel wasn’t true for them! They died a martyr’s death, poor and hungry. Take a minute to share the danger in this message as it fosters materialism. What is the antidote?  

5. The other extreme is asceticism, it’s supported by a poverty theology. It says that “The poorer you are the holier we are!” Hence, this is why you have some who take vows of poverty!  How have you seen this and why is this also so damaging?   

6. Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul has to say to rich people. You may not think of yourself as rich, but by world standards you are! If you have... food in your fridge, or clothes on your back or a roof over your head and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of the world! Read I Timothy 6:17-19. What are some rules for the rich? (Remember you are rich, and also note the word “enjoy.”) 

7. God created and commanded our first parents to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion. (Genesis 1:28) This is where we get the idea that God created us to be stewards… Stewards ought to manage every resource on earth for the glory of God and the good of others, including oneself.  How can you better steward your time, talent and treasure? (Eph. 5:16, I Pet. 4:10, Prov. 3:9-10)  

8. Close in prayer for the group. Pray to grow in a biblical vision for ownership.

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