11.21 || One Day to Feed the World || Stewardship

Luke 12:13-21 ESV

CONSIDER
At Centerway, one of our “Because & Therefore” statements says:

Because God gave us everything we value GENEROSITY therefore we are open-handed and happily go above and beyond with our time, our talent, and our treasure. We steward our spiritual gifts and serve. We are contributors not consumers.

Contributor. Steward. These words go against the world’s consumer mentality that finds identity in possessions and ownership. Sadly, that mentality leaks into the church world as well, whether it’s wondering what we can get from God, from a church, or what we’ll get in return for our sacrifices. But when we acknowledge that we are stewards – not owners, contributors – not consumers, we are compelled to look to the Owner for how to steward what’s been given to us (time, talent, treasure). Stewardship is not just about money; it’s about a heart posture toward God and how open-handed we are with our whole life.
Take time right now to express your gratitude to God, to consider what true generosity looks like, and ask God how you can better steward your life.

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What will I begin stewarding better?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15 ESV

GREEK
περισσεύειν/perisseuein: superabundance, exceeding the ordinary in every aspect

CONSIDER
The season is upon us when we spend time focusing on how thankful we are for what we have. But when was the last time we expressed our gratitude for the things we don’t have? This is one aspect of Jesus’ teaching in Luke 12 that is highlighted by the Greek word perisseuein (superabundance, excess of what is ordinary). Jesus encourages his followers by reminding them that one’s life does not consist in the perisseuein of his possessions. In other words, having more than you need does not enhance the thing that life is actually about.
The region surrounding Jerusalem in Jesus’ day consisted primarily of poor families who grew just enough crops to survive on. Because of this, we may assume that these people didn’t wrestle with the desire for the extravagant, but Galilee and the coastline of the Mediterranian had enough pockets of wealth for the average Israelite to see “how the other 1% lived.” They would have shared the road to Jerusalem with wealthy merchants and landowners and must have seen the opulence that money can provide. They would have been just as tempted with jealousy and discontentment as we can be today. So when Jesus tells us that life is not found in an abundance of things, he is reminding us that perisseuein is not the way to joy, contentment, or even significance. In fact, those things can serve to distract us from what really matters, as The Parable of The Rich Fool suggests. By focusing on what he could accumulate, this man lost the perspective that life is short and our time on earth is fleeting. He fell into the trap of thinking that “more” equals “better” and that amassing stuff is the way to truly feel alive. So when we count our blessings and share what we’re thankful for, let’s remember to celebrate when we don’t have as well!

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What will I begin stewarding better?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

“And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” – Luke 12:19 ESV

GREEK
ἀναπαύου/anapauou: revive; abide; rest

CONSIDER
There’s something about holidays that make us believe we will be able to rest. It’s an expectation that rarely delivers. We find ourselves traveling, cleaning up for friends and family, cooking endless hours, entertaining people, or even being envious of those that have those struggles. The fact is, holidays like Thanksgiving are wonderful but likely don’t come through in the rest category! Even if we are one of the lucky ones who are able to experience a sense of being able to anapauou (revive; abide; rest), if we’re honest, that feeling is fleeting. There’s work and school soon enough, and, in this season, Christmas right around the corner! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to relax, but if we look to anapauou in temporal things, they will always leave us wanting. It’s only as we abide in Christ that we’ll be able to quiet the expectations and busyness. We find rest in knowing that we don’t need to perform to be loved and that we are never alone! No matter how your Thanksgiving holiday unfolded, remember that time with Jesus is the only way to truly anapauou.

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What will I begin stewarding better?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!