Multiply

Stewards must give an account.  
• The shrewdness of the steward and the commendation from his master
• The criticality of faithfulness in both small things and in our stewardship of resources
An important principle that Jesus is trying to is convey that it is much better to be a just, or trustworthy, steward rather than an unjust one

A principle that we can take from these comments is that Jesus encourages us to be generous with our possessions in this life so that we can further the gospel and gain friends for eternity. This is similar to his teaching on wealth in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus exhorted His followers to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21).
If we understand the principle that everything we own is a gift from God, then we realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s goals.  

In this podcast and the two that will follow, we will explore three themes that I see in this story.
* Stewards must give an account.  
* The shrewdness of the steward and the commendation from his master
* The criticality of faithfulness in both small things and in our stewardship of finances

Here are the key lessons from this parable.
 God expects fruit in due season; He has provided all that is needed for fruit to be produced
 His patience and grace grant more time to produce, and He treats us in a similar way
 Ultimately there is accountability for the absence of fruit
I close with this reminder from 2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

If we are to multiply disciples and leaders, we must do far more than simply

teach them new ideas. We must empower them to act. To empower means to

give strength, ability, and authority.

 

I shared 5 common themes from Jesus’
parables on this topic. Here are those first two again.
1. Character matters
2. Stewards have an obligation to account for their stewardship

For a man or woman to decide to plant a church is a big decision. To be a

church planter is a great honor. But before we enter into that task, we must

count the cost. The Train and Multiply Pledge helps church planters do just

that.

The battle was not about experiences or what I had learned from the teaching that I had received. There is nothing wrong with living out what was taught to us or even what we have experienced before. The problem came when I would depend on these parts of me and not on a fresh revelation from God. 

A great day is coming. A wonderful day is before us. It’s a day that was

foreseen more than 1,900 years ago. It’s a day of great rejoicing, that day

when there will be a great multitude form every nation, tribe, people and

language worshipping the Lamb of God!

Faithful servants, or stewards, have been placed in charge of others. Leadership, or the oversight of people and/or ministry activities, is a privilege and a calling of our Master. The steward did not appoint himself to the role; the master did.