#1536. Stewards prioritise the eternally significant (17/6/26)
- Matt Beaney
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (currently posted on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) as we continue our Stewardship series.
This week, the last in this series, we’re reflecting on the promise of reward for faithful stewardship. Today, our theme is:
A good steward weighs the eternal value of daily choices to maximise their investment in God's kingdom.
To watch this devotional, please select the link below:
‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
In the Parable of the Talents, we read, that those who had been faithful stewards were commended with:
“‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”’ (Matthew 25:21, 23)
1. Make the ultimate investment
Do you realise that if you’d invested £100 in Amazon when it first went public in 1997, that investment would be worth roughly £276,000 today! Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Thankfully, God has let us all in on an infinitely better deal. He tells us ahead of time that if we faithfully invest what He has entrusted to us, we will be richly and eternally rewarded.
Sometimes people say, "I don’t serve God for rewards; I serve Him purely out of love." While that might sound like taking the spiritual high road, it actually overlooks a vital truth. God explicitly promises to reward our faithfulness. We shouldn't discount His teaching on rewards, nor should we disregard the healthy motivation that these eternal promises are meant to give us. As John Wesley wrote:‘
I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.’
2. Let’s avoid building sandcastles in a passing world
Unfortunately, too many of us live as though we don't truly believe in eternal rewards. We invest our lives entirely in this world, trying to maximise our returns for the short years we have here. It is a tragic irony that we can be incredibly sharp and wise when it comes to earthly investments, yet staggeringly shortsighted about investing in the world to come.
Think about building a sandcastle on a summer day. You might spend hours sculpting beautiful walls and towers, but you do so knowing full well that the tide will inevitably sweep it all away.
Our lives are far too valuable to be spent building sandcastles. A good steward stops to reflect and honestly asks: "Is this activity God's will? In doing this, am I truly being a good steward of what outlives the tide?"
3. Good stewardship frees us from ‘Dead Works’
Interestingly, a biblical understanding of stewardship doesn't just push us to do more—it also frees us to do less. When you recognise that you are simply a steward of God's resources, you are completely liberated from the pressure of "dead works" and human expectations.
Jesus gave us the perfect pattern when He said, "I only do what I see my Father doing." Like Christ, a good steward seeks to satisfy the Father, rather than being driven by a guilty conscience, a fear of missing out, or the relentless demands of other people.
4. Let’s learn from the ‘Shrewd Manager’
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the fascinating Parable of the Shrewd Manager (See Luke 16:1-4 - it’s worth reading in full for its bearing on our subject).
The manager in that story was dishonest, but Jesus highlighted one specific trait: he was incredibly clever at using his current resources to secure his future comfort. He knew exactly how to navigate the systems of this world to get a great return.
In the same way, we are called to be ‘shrewd managers’ in the Kingdom of God. We need to intentionally deploy the time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to us so that they yield a massive harvest in eternity.
Response
A good steward weighs the eternal value of daily choices to maximise their investment in God's kingdom.
Are we, like the shrewd manager, investing our resources wisely—but for the sake of God’s Kingdom?
Are we wasting the time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to us by scattering them on selfish or temporary things?
Are we walking in the liberating freedom of stewardship by prayerfully saying “no” to merely good things, so we can say a wholehearted “yes” to God’s things?
Let’s wrap up our this brief series on stewardship with this illustration from Randy Alcorn:
‘Two men owned farms side by side. One was a bitter atheist, the other a devout Christian. Constantly annoyed at the Christian for his trust in God, the atheist said to him one winter, “Let’s plant our crops as usual this spring, each the same number of acres. You pray to your God, and I’ll curse him. Then come October, let’s see who has the bigger crop.” When October came the atheist was delighted because his crop was larger. “See, you fool,” he taunted, “what do you have to say for your God now?” “My God,” replied the other farmer, “doesn’t settle all his accounts in October.”’ (Randy Alcorn. Money, Possessions, and Eternity)
This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of CCP; to watch our anniversary video, please select the link below:
Community Group Study
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
4. Study and pray together
Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.
On Sunday, we continued with our Stewardship series, reflecting on the promise of rewards for those who are faithful in their stewardship.
Please read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and discuss:
Personal Reflection – What inspired you, what did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?
What do these verses teach us about the foundation of our salvation?
What do we learn about stewardship and rewards? (See Matthew 25:21-23 also?)
In what ways, and with what, are we to ‘build with care’?
Personally, how has this series helped you in your stewardship?
SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)
Why is stewardship vital if we are to be effective witnesses personally and as a church?
Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.
Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?
Let’s pray together:
Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.
Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.
Pray specifically for the “people of peace” in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.
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