1

Red Script = Main Point / Blue Script= Directive / Double underline= Important to remember / Boxed= Biblical Text & SDA Commentary Reference / GREEN SCRIPT: A Possible Answer

Lesson 6The Marks of a StewardFebruary 3-9/10

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).

Stewards are known by their brand, or their distinctive mark, just as retailers are known by their logos or brand name. In fact, many people have become famous by turning themselves into a marketable brand.

A Christian steward’s brand, or mark, is a reflection of Christ’s love through the relationship that he or she has with Him. When we live and practice the traits of Christ, our lives will reveal our brand. Our brand is His brand; our identity is blended with His (1 Cor. 6:17).

This week we look at identifying character traits of God’s stewards that make up their brand name. These traits inspire us to look for Jesus’ return and to do the work entrusted to us as faithful stewards of His truth. Each characteristic describes a deepening relationship we can have with the One who came to seek and save the lost. The more these qualities are studied, the deeper they will be ingrained in our lives. God’s character of love, in all its dynamics, will become our brand and have an influence on every aspect of our lives, today and eternally.

SundayFaithfulnessFebruary 4

“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2, NKJV). To fight and win “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12, NKJV) is crucial for a faithful steward. “Faithful” is what God is and what we are to become through Him working in us.Being faithful means staying true to what we know is right, especially in the heat of spiritual battles.

Spiritual conflicts between right and wrong, good and evil, will surely come. They are part of the fight of faith. The decision that marks stewards in every situation is the choice to be faithful. If you love wealth, be sure to remain faithful to God and what He says about the dangers of the love of money. If you crave fame, remain faithful to what the Word of God says about humility. If you struggle with lustful thoughts, remain faithful to the promises of holiness. If you want power, remain faithful to what God says about being a servant of all. The choice to be faithful or unfaithful is often made in a split second, even if the consequences can be eternal.

ReadHebrews 11:8-12, 17-19, and Romans 4:13, 18-21. What do these verses teach us about being faithful?

Hebrews 11:8-12 (Faithful Abraham) 8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.9By faith he dwelt in the land of promise asina foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;10for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and makerisGod. 11By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a childwhen she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were bornas manyas the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 1 Faith. The word pistis may denote either an attitude of mind or a pattern of conduct, faithful conduct being the product of an attitude of faith. The two shades of meaning are closely interwoven throughout the chapter, for in each instance of faith cited an attitude of faith led to faithful deeds. Emphasis is on faithful deeds.Substance. By faith the Christian considers himself already in possession of what has been promised him. His utter confidence in the One who has made the promises leaves no uncertainty as to their fulfillment in due time. Faith thus enables a Christian not only to lay claim to promised blessings but to receive and to enjoy them now. Thus, the promised inheritance becomes a present possession. The good things to come are no longer only dreams to be fulfilled in the future, but living realities in the present. To the eye of faith what is otherwise invisible becomes visible. [1]

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: These verses teach us that being faithful involves... first an attitude where one has implicit confidence in a person (God) and that attitude motivated him/her to be, do and act in harmony with the nature of faith. Hence faith moves us to act. Faith enables us to experience that which would be outside our grasp to possess. Faith qualifies us to receive that which is of divine origin.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (The Faith of the Patriarchs)17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begottenson,18of whom it was said,“In Isaac your seed shall be called,”19concluding that Godwasable to raisehimup, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 17. Only begotten. Gr. monogenēs, literally, “unique,” “only” (see on John 1:14). Numerically speaking, Isaac was not Abraham’s “only begotten,” or even his first begotten. Isaac was Abraham’s “only” son in the unique sense that he was the only one of Abraham’s children eligible to be the covenant heir (see on v. 18). 18. In Isaac. In view of God’s repeated and emphatic declarations that Isaac was to be the one through whom the covenant promises were to be fulfilled, it was a most extraordinary demonstration of faith on the part of Abraham to be willing to comply with God’s instructions to offer up Isaac as a sacrificial victim. 19. Accounting. Or, “considering.” It was faith in the power of God to resurrect Isaac that gave Abraham the courage to set out to offer up his son... To have faith in the integrity of a person who makes a promise and a demand that seem to be so mutually exclusive is the ultimate in the perfection of faith. Abraham must have realized that God was testing him, and concluded that God would, if need be, raise Isaac from the dead. In view of the fact that, as yet, no human being had been raised from the dead, this was faith of the highest order.

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Here, being faithful involves... seeing in life’s situations opportunities to give evidence of the very faith that helps one when being tested to succeed.

Romans 4:13(The Promise Granted Through Faith)13For the promise that he would be the heir of the worldwasnot to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: This verse teaches us that being faithful involves... Paul is asserting that the promise is to be realized and appropriated “not through law” (cf. vs. 14, 15) but “through righteousness of faith” (cf. vs. 16, 17). Hence, the inherent righteous quality of faith is the medium through which promises are fulfilled.

Romans 4:18-21 18who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken,“So shall your descendants be.”19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.Giving glory to God. This does not necessarily imply a verbal expression of praise, but may refer to anything that tends to God’s glory, whether in thought, word, or deed (see Joshua 7:19; Jer. 13:16; Luke 17:18; John 9:24; Acts 12:23). Abraham gave glory to God by his firm confidence in God’s promises. Thus he acknowledged God’s omnipotence. In this way all who believe in the divine promises do honor to God. They bear testimony that God is worthy of confidence. Abraham also gave glory to God in action as well as in thought by his prompt obedience (Gen. 17:22, 23).

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: They teach us that being faithful involves...being strengthened in one’s belief. Faith grows as it is exercised. Further, like Abraham, we receive power through faith. Unbelief did not cause Abraham to waver, but on the contrary his faith made him strong. Lastly, being faithful involves bringing glory to God by admirable righteous deeds, uplifting words or commendable attitudes.

In Hebrew “faithful” means to trust. The same Hebrew root gives us the word “amen,” and it really means to be “solid” or “firm.” Faithfulness means we have been tested and tried, and have remained firmly committed to God’s plan.

Preparing to speak before the emperor, the Reformer Martin Luther “read the word of God, looked over his writings, and sought to draw up his reply in a suitable form. . . . He drew near the holy Scriptures . . . and with emotion placed his left hand on the sacred volume, and raising his right toward heaven, swore to remain faithful to the gospel, and freely to confess his faith, even should he seal his testimony with his blood.” - J. H. Merle d’Aubigné, History of the Reformation (New York: The American Tract Society, 1846), vol. 2, book 7, p. 260.

Read Revelation 2:10. What should the words about being “faithful unto death” mean to us in our everyday walk with the Lord?

Revelation 2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throwsomeof you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Unto death. The Greek implies, “up to and including death.”

A POSSIBLE ANSWER: It means that we should live by faith moment by moment... demonstrating the utmost confidence and trust in God in everything we face.

MondayLoyaltyFebruary 5

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24, NKJV).

Serve two masters. That is, two whose characters and interests are different (see next page under “The other”). It is no more possible to “serve two masters” than it is to focus the sight intently upon two things at one time or to concentrate the thought upon more than one idea at a given moment. To attempt to serve God with a divided heart is to be unstable in all one’s ways (see James 1:8). The Christian religion cannot accept the role of being one influence among many. Its influence, if present at all in the life, must necessarily be supreme and must control all other influences, bringing the life into harmony with its principles. The other. Gr. ho heteros, that is, another of different kind or quality. When another of the same kind is intended the Greek word allos is used (see ch. 5:39). Although it might conceivably be possible to “serve two masters” whose character and interests are the same, it is certainly not possible to do so when their character and interests are in conflict. Hold to the one. That is, be devoted to one of the two masters. Ye cannot.There is no neutral position.He who is not wholly on God’s side is effectively, and for all practical purposes, on the devil’s side. Darkness and light cannot occupy the same space at the same moment of time.It is impossible to serve both God and mammon because their demands are irreconcilable. Those who serve mammon are its slaves, and do its bidding in spite of themselves (Rom. 6:16). Mammon. Transliterated from the Aramaic mamon or mamona’, meaning “wealth” of every kind. It is not a proper name unless wealth be personified.

What does this text teach us about the supreme importance of loyalty to God?A POSSIBLE ANSWER: It tells us that there can be no neutral position to assume or divided allegiance to maintain. One has to be totally loyal to God because... A) It is impossible to meet the expectations or demands of opposing sides that are in conflict with each other. B) It’s the only way to maintain balance, unity and consistency. C) It’s the very nature of a ‘master’ to be supreme and to intrinsically control all other influences, bringing the life into harmony with its principles.

Knowing that God’s name means “jealous” (Exod. 34:14) should give us a clarion call for loyalty.Loyalty to a “jealous” God is loyalty in love.In the fight of faith, loyalty helps define who we are and encourages us to stay in the battle.

Our loyalty is important to God (1 Kings 8:61). It is not a contract that tries to foresee every contingency; nor is it just a list of rules. It is, rather, the visible expression of our personal beliefs, faith, and commitment.

Read1 Chronicles 28:9. What does this text teach us about the importance of loyalty?

1 Chronicles 28:9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for theLordsearches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 9. Thou, Solomon. Before all the congregation David now addressed himself to Solomon, earnestly admonishing him to be faithful. David knew that the prosperity of his son’s reign was dependent upon whether he would be true to God. If faithful, Solomon would prosper; if unfaithful, he would reap the consequences of transgression and the nation would suffer with him. Know thou. Nothing in the world is of greater importance than a knowledge of God. To know God brings peace and happiness in this world, and the blessings of life eternal. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Perfect heart. Or, “whole heart.” David enjoined upon his son an undivided allegiance, admonishing him to give himself completely to the service of God, and to do so willingly and cheerfully (see 1 Chron. 29:19; cf. 1 Kings 8:61). With a willing mind. True service of God is heart service. No man can be a child of God who does not willingly serve Him. There is no such thing as forced Christianity. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isa. 1:19). This does not imply that performance of duty is always in harmony with one’s inclination. In fact, obedience often does involve crucifixion of self. Paul’s wishes and desires daily conflicted with duty; nevertheless he did the will of God, however unpleasant and crucifying to his nature (see LS 237). Searcheth all hearts. The Lord looks, not upon man’s outward appearance, but on his heart. It was thus that David was chosen (1 Sam. 16:7). The heart of every man is known to God (see 1 Kings 8:39; Ps. 139:1–4; Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:13). Understandeth all.Because the Lord understands the weaknesses of the human heart He has mercy and compassion toward us, even when we have sinned against Him. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:13, 14). Seek him. Compare Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6; Jer. 29:13. For the man who searches for God, the Lord is not far away. He who desires to know God will find Him, and he will also find confidence, peace, and life everlasting. Life’s most rewarding quest is the search after God. Cast thee off. It is man who causes a separation between himself and God. Only when man forsakes the Lord and His ways of righteousness will he find that God has cast him off. The Lord never forsakes those who seek after Him (Ps. 9:10).

A POSSIBLE ANSWER:If faithful, Solomon would prosper; if unfaithful, he would reap the consequences of transgression and the nation would suffer with him. Hence, this text teaches us that loyalty to God is so important because it is ameans of being a faithful steward... of having success over against failure, prosperity over against popery and life over against death.

Where there is loyalty, however, there is the possibility of betrayal.Loyalty, like love, must be freely offered, or it’s not true loyalty. In war, sometimes frontline troops are forced to stay and fight; otherwise, their officers would have them shot. These men might do their duty, but it isn’t necessarily out of loyalty. That’s not the kind of loyalty God asks of us.

Look at Job. He did not foresee the catastrophic events that would destroy his family, possessions, and health. He could have given up trust, love, and commitment, but his loyalty to God was an unwavering choice of morality. Honest and unafraid to praise God publicly, he uttered the famous words “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15, NKJV).His fidelity in the face of disaster is the essence of loyalty, and it illustrates loyal stewards at their finest.

Ask yourself: How loyal am I to the Lord, who died for me? A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Hopefully we can say that we are loyal in small and big things, be the price life or death and in that face of danger or not.

In what ways could I better reveal that loyalty?A POSSIBLE ANSWER: I can better reveal that loyalty... A) Whenthe path is uncertain and the future seems unpromising. B) By remaining true God where sacrifice is called for or when blessed with personal gain. C) By faithfully returning my tithe and offerings irrespective to circumstances. D) By upholding and maintaining high moral standards when enticed by others or Satan to please the carnal nature. E) By making healthful choices in eating when others choices are attractive and seemingly more rewarding or a quick fix.