Read for This Week’s Study: Heb. 11:8–12; Rom. 4:13, 18–21; Matt. 6:24; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 5:2, 3; Luke 16:10–12.
Memory Text: “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2, NKJV).
This week the focus is going to be on the character traits that good stewards ought to show forth.
Faithfulness – I Corinthians 4:2 – “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” How would you describe faithfulness? How does a human develop faithfulness? Notice also Hebrews 11:8-12 “8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[a] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 1 2 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” (NIV)
Loyalty – Matthew 6:24 – 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Should loyalty be total, or is there reason to moderate loyalty in some cases? (NIV)
Trustworthiness – Luke 16:10-12 – 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (NIV)
Hopefulness – Romans 4:18-21 “18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[a] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. How does being hopeful help in matters of stewardship? Can you list some reasons why this would be important? Consider also Romans 4:13 – 13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” (NIV)
Humility
