Centennial Park Baptist Church – Sunday, April 27th, 2008 – 10:30 a.m.

 

FEAST / FAMINE – STEWARDSHIP EMBRACES ALL OF LIFE

 

Genesis 47

 

We jump ahead in Joseph’s life to a time when he was PRIME MINISTER of Egypt.  The

country was at a critical time of TRANSITION, moving from plenty ( feast ) to 7 years of famine.  What does famine cause?  Insecurity, Fear, and Panic. 

The principles of stewardship modeled by Joseph can be translated to whatever situation we find ourselves in today.

 

Let’s recall……

 

The opposite of ownership is STEWARDSHIP

 

Who owns everything? GOD

 

Stewardship means that we manage for somebody else what doesn’t belong to us.

 

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP

 

1. Establish Biblical PRIORITIES in the dispensing of your income.

 

a. Priority # 1 – GOD

 

·        Don’t put the PEELS on the PLATE!  Mal, 3:10

·        Joseph continually put God first.

 

b. Priority #2 – FAMILY

 

Genesis 47: 11-12

     11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to their little ones.

 

II Corinthians 12:14;  I Timothy 5:8

 

God expects us to CARE for our families and to PROVIDE for them. 

 

c. Priority # 3 – Planning / Saving for the FUTURE

 

Genesis 47: 13-16

             13 Now there was no food in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone." 16 Then Joseph said, "Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money is gone."

 

Proverbs 30: 25

2. Don’t spend money you don’t HAVE

 

            Genesis 47: 17

                        17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food            in exchange for the horses and the flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and       he fed them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year.

 

See also James 4: 13-14; Proverbs 22: 7

 

            Joseph didn’t give them a handout or put them on welfare.  Instead, he told them to       bring with them what they had.

 

3. Avoid destructive temptations centered around MONEY

 

            * I Timothy 6: 9-10

            * Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on the things above, not in the things that are on                                        earth.

            * Genesis 47: 23-25a

                        23 - Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the      land. 24"At the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall           be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones." 25So they said, "You have saved          our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's           slaves."

 

How do we avoid these temptations today?

 

a. RECOGNIZE if needed, get godly help and counsel in the area of investments and finances from financial planners who are Born-again believers.

 

b. REMEMBER  the 2 parts of Biblical giving

 

·        Tithes and Offerings – Malachi 3:10;  I Corinthians 16: 2

·        Alms – Matthew 6:3

 

c. REFOCUS

 

            Matthew 6: 19-21 –  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

 How would you answer the question:  How much money is enough? - See Ecclesiastes 2

 

Heavenly Investments:

            CONTINUE for eternity

 

            CAUSE God to be pleased

 

            CREATE  joy in the body of Christ

 

Examples:

            * Hospitality                 * Missions                    * Random Acts of Kindness

 

            * Evangelism                * Prayer           * Encouragement          * Sacrificial Acts