Week 1
Week 1: The Wise Steward
Read: Matthew 25:14-30
Main Idea: God is calling you to be a good steward of what He has entrusted to you. Everything we have belongs to Him, and He calls us to faithfully use it for His purposes.
Icebreaker
If you unexpectedly received $100,000 today and had to spend it within 24 hours, what would you do with it? You can’t save it, so spend wisely...or not!
Transition
There is a big difference between being given money to spend however you want and being entrusted with something that belongs to someone else.
In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that everything we have ultimately belongs to God. Our money, possessions, and resources have been placed in our hands to manage for Him. The question is not simply, “What do I want to do with what I have?” but, “What does God want me to do with what He has entrusted to me?”
Summary
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a master who entrusts different amounts of money to three servants. Each received a different amount, but all were responsible for faithfully managing what belonged to the master.
The same is true for us. Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God. What we have may look different from what someone else has, but comparison is not the point. God calls us to faithfully manage what He has placed in our hands.
What God has entrusted to us is also temporary and meant to be used for His purposes. When the master returned, he did not reward the servants based on how much they had been given. He rewarded their faithfulness. The question for us is simple: Am I being faithful with what God has entrusted to me?
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you most from Sunday’s teaching? What challenged, convicted, or encouraged you personally?
Pastor Omar said that everything we have has been entrusted to us by God, not simply given to us as our own. How does that truth challenge the way you currently view your money and possessions?
Read 1 Corinthians 4:7 and Deuteronomy 8:18. Everything we have, including our ability to earn and provide, ultimately comes from God. How can comparing what you have with others lead to either pride or discontentment? How do these verses challenge you to view what God has entrusted to you differently?
What God has entrusted to us is temporary. If you truly lived with that understanding, what would change about the way you spend, save, and give?
The third servant said, “I was afraid,” and his fear led him to bury what had been entrusted to him. Where does fear influence your financial decisions or keep you from being generous and obedient to God?
The servants with five and two talents received the exact same commendation because both were faithful with what God had entrusted to them. God measures our generosity by faithfulness and sacrifice, not simply by the amount we give. As you look at your own life, would you say you are faithfully and sacrificially using what God has entrusted to you? Why or why not?
The last servant reminds us that while we are saved through genuine faith in Christ, the way we live, including how we handle what God has entrusted to us, reveals the genuineness of our faith. How does this challenge you as you look at your own life?
If God were to ask you today to give an account for how you have managed what He has entrusted to you financially, what would you be confident about? What would need to change?
Application
Take an honest look at your finances this week and ask yourself:
Does the way I manage my money reflect that I believe it belongs to God?
Identify one specific area where you have been using what God entrusted to you primarily for your own purposes rather than His. Then take one concrete step toward greater faithfulness.
Remember, God is not asking you to compete with someone else’s generosity. He is asking you to be faithful with what He has placed in your hands.
Pray
Father, thank You for everything You have entrusted to us. Forgive us for the times we have lived as owners instead of stewards. Help us recognize that everything we have comes from You and give us the wisdom and courage to use it for Your purposes. Make us faithful with whatever You have placed in our hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.