Stewardship Series #3

    3 ) per John Wesley (PV)

    John Wesley felt strongly about our obligations as stewards and preached often about it. His sermon titled

"The Use of Money " outlined his three part stewardship formula;  Earn all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can. Wesley believed that the presence of religion alone would produce the first two parts of the formula, but then feared the consequences of the absence of the third part. He considered the failure to practice Christian stewardship a major threat to the spiritual health and effectiveness of the Wesleyan revival.  In 1786 he wrote:

     "I fear, wherever riches have increased, . . . the mind that was in Christ, has decreased in the same

     proportion. . . . For religion must necessarily produce both industry and frugality; and those cannot

     but produce riches.  But as riches increase, so will pride, and anger, and love of the world in all its branches."

The only means of avoiding the deadly spiritual consequences of riches, according to Wesley, is to practice Christian stewardship. This is supported by Jesus' lament in Mark 10:25 where he says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  We must not allow our possessions and the pursuit thereof to interfere with our discipleship to Jesus.

    For Wesley, the third part of the formula was also integral in demonstrating Christian love.  No one was exempt from the commandment to love God and neighbor, and he considered giving an expression of that love. Stewardship though did not begin with money, not with humanitarianism, charity nor duty.  Stewardship has its roots in the very nature and mission of God and God's desire that all people share in the blessings of God's good creation.  God's earth is one of abundance rather than scarcity.  Because creation has its origin and destiny in God, we know that there is always enough resources when appropriately shared. When treated as an expression of grace, gifts multiply and are as inexhaustible as the grace of God.  We have all we need, but it is up to us and our love for one another to make it work.

    Christian Stewardship Is:  Earn all you can, so that you can save all you can, so that you will give all you can.

    Other related scripture:  Mark 10:17-31 , Matthew  6:19-21 , Luke 12:48 and 16:9