Kingdom Economics - Stewardship | Andy Elmes | 10th July 2022

Pastor Andy starts a 3 week series on Kingdom Economics. Part 1, this week is titled Kingdom Stewardship. Understanding God’s Kingdom economy starts with having Kingdom-mindedness & understanding our Kingdom citizenship.

• Acknowledging our citizenship to an alternate kingdom and its rule and reign that is present here and now.
• Choosing to live like citizens of God’s Kingdom
• A standard definition for the Kingdom is “rule & reign,” and so to be a Kingdom person is to recognise the rule and reign (ways) of the realm we now identify with
• We are a people restored to His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13), with every aspect of our lives aligned with his reign, including our resources

An example of having two different kingdom experiences is given in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

• Two different financial kingdoms present at once with two different experiences
• A good parallel between a world financial system and a Kingdom one
• This world’s kingdom’s that takes everything from us or God’s Kingdom which restores and resources us

Ps Andy asks three honest questions in relation to good stewardship

• Do we see ourselves as owners or stewards of our earthly wealth?
• Who does our earthly substance (our stuff) actually belong to?
• What would we have without God and His ability?

Deuteronomy 8:10-18 (NIV) answers these questions….

• We are stewards of what God has given and entrusted to us, therefore we are to live like stewards
• 1 Peter 4:10 
• 1 Corinthians 4:2 Original design. Humankind was made and positioned to manage – Genesis 1:2
• Jesus taught parables on good and bad stewardship. – Luke 16:1-13 & Matthew 25: 14-30  

As Stewards:

• We see ourselves being given responsibility to handle and manage what He entrusts us with in our lives and in His Church
• We should have open hands of stewardship rather than clenched fists of ownership 

A key thought is that ‘If He can get it through us; He will get it to us’! Money and resource are not meant to be abused or wasted, stored or hoarded or worshipped or served.

• Jesus warned about this in His statement on mammon in Matthew 6:24
• Mammon – Spirit of serving & loving money
• Money isn’t evil, but the love of it is – 1 Timothy 6:10

 Understanding its purpose

• It is to be used to meet our needs and also the needs of others
• To build God’s kingdom and make His covenant known on the earth

Good stewardship has both a natural and a spiritual dimension. Naturally:

• Check there is no waste in our lives and budgets
• Cut back where we need to so we have what we really need
• Go through our budgets, and manage our income and outgoings
• Seek council & wisdom from people who handle money well

Spiritually:

• Recognise that we are managing & caring what He has entrusted us with 
• We acknowledging Him in all our ways, including our resources
• Look to Him daily concerning the finances He brings to us and finances He wants to get through us to others