Ownership Is Everything

We are in the middle of a series at Trinity Church titled Money Matters.   The premise of this series is that money should matter to followers of Jesus because money matters to God.  What the Bible says about money and possessions is often challenging, seeming even radical to how we approach money in our world.

The stereotype of some people who reject the church is that the church is only after their money.  This stereotype can make us fearful of talking about money as followers of Jesus for fear that people will be turned off.  Jesus, however, never shied away from talking about money and possessions.  How we handle our money is critical as followers of Jesus, so we should make sure we have conversations about it.

The word “stewardship” communicates an important biblical concept.  Being a “steward” is simply being a manager.  The concept of people being managers of what God owns is found throughout Scripture beginning with the first man God created and placed in a garden to “work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15).  The key to being a steward or a manager is to fully comprehend that you are not the owner.  A steward is someone who is placed in charge of the resources owned by someone else.

As followers of Jesus that is exactly what we are.  We are owners of nothing.  Instead we are managers of the many resources that God has entrusted to us.  This includes how we spend our time, how we utilize our talents, and how we invest our money.  When it comes to money, ownership is everything.  Settling the ownership issue is the single most important key to finding joy and freedom in managing money.

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, ” (Psalm 24:1, ESV)

Declaring God’s ownership of everything, including our money allows us to experience joy in areas we never knew was possible.  When we recognize God’s ownership of everything, including our very lives we are free to finally invest in his kingdom in a way that demonstrates our love for him.  Maybe, that is why money matters so much.