Bible Study: Stewardship

Background art credit: Ingrid Blixt | OpenJourney

Stewardship - English definition, Merriam-Webster Dictionary

1

: the office, duties, and obligations of a steward

2

: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something

especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care

stewardship of natural resources

Highlights from GotQuestions.org

•  "God makes man His co-worker in administering all aspects of our life. The apostle Paul explains it best by saying, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). "
• "stewardship defines our purpose in this world as assigned to us by God Himself. It is our divinely given opportunity to join with God in His worldwide and eternal redemptive movement (Matthew 28:19-20). Stewardship is not God taking something from us; it is His method of bestowing His richest gifts upon His people."
• "Also significant in what Paul is saying is that once we’re called and placed into the body of Jesus Christ, the stewardship that is required of us is not a result of our own power or abilities. The strength, inspiration and growth in the management of our lives must come from God through the Holy Spirit in us; otherwise, our labor is in vain and the growth in stewardship is self-righteous, human growth. Accordingly, we must always remember the sole source of our strength in pleasing God"
• "it’s more than just the management of our time, our possessions, our environment, or our health. Stewardship is our obedient witness to God’s sovereignty. It’s what motivates the follower of Christ to move into action, doing deeds that manifest his belief in Him. Paul’s stewardship involved proclaiming that which was entrusted to him—the gospel truth.
  
  Stewardship defines our practical obedience in the administration of everything under our control, everything entrusted to us. It is the consecration of one’s self and possessions to God’s service. Stewardship acknowledges in practice that we do not have the right of control over ourselves or our property—God has that control. It means as stewards of God we are managers of that which belongs to God, and we are under His constant authority as we administer His affairs. Faithful stewardship means that we fully acknowledge we are not our own but belong to Christ, the Lord, who gave Himself for us.
  
  The ultimate question, then, is this: Am I the lord of my life, or is Christ the Lord of my life? In essence, stewardship expresses our total obedience to God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Stewardship:

: Hebrew H5532 sakan - acquaint, treasurer, advantage: to be of use, service, profit or benefit; servitor, steward; to be used, to show harmony with, to be familiar with, to know intimately; to care for

:Greek G3623 oikonomos - metaphorically the apostles and other Christian teachers, bishops and overseers

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 {NASB}

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own [a]reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s [b]field, God’s building.

• planted G5432 - phyteuo: to instill, to plant]
• watered G4222 - potizo: water, give drink, imbue, saturate the mind
• Matthew 25:35 - For I was hungry and you gave me asomething to eat, thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. 
• growth G837 - auxano: increase {become greater}, inward growth
• grew up G305 - anabaino: arise, rise up, ascend, spring up

• David Guzik Commentary {link to complete 1 Corinthians 3}
• "Real fruitfulness in ministry happens when we are peacefully content with what God has called us to do...when you consider all the ways God could have done His work, it is even more amazing that He wants our participation!"
• Matthew Henry Commentary
• "We are employed by one Master."

NOTE: CULTIVATION!!!! The Lord calls us, helps us root, cultivates us through feeding and nourishment and that causes growth. Good IN, Healthy IN = GROWTH!!! FRUIT! 

"roots before shoots". 

And we, too, are called to be good stewards, good cultivators to nourish all of that which we have been entrusted with - "worthy of the call". 

1 Peter 4:10 {NASB}

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 

Titus 1:7 {NASB}

For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, not greedy for the money. 

I encourage you to dig in and see what the Lord has to say to you!