Being a Responsible Custodian

Jesus revealed that the values of God and His kingdom are the complete opposite to the values of this world damaged by evil. Jesus often spoke on being a responsible custodian of all God has given. For God has given all of Himself and desires for us to be truly free.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

In this world damaged by evil, there is a continual striving for wealth and power. All for self gain, self gratification and self glorification. As a result there are imbalances of wealth and power. There is conflict and confusion, abuse and oppression. Even how this world defines success is based upon the accumulation of wealth and/or the position of power that is held. 

All of this is totally contrary to God and His kingdom. For He is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all things good. He is the ultimate power and has no need of anything. God never uses His power or position for self gain. Instead He gives all of Himself to others. He gives all of Himself to His creation. For that is His character.

God gave all His power and perfect world to humanity. Both male and female were given equal power to care for His once perfect world. In the character of God, humanity was to care for it and each other. That is each individual and people group being a responsible custodian of all that God has given. Where each one is equal and living in perfect harmony with God, His creation and each other. 

Yet humanity chose to use their God given power for self gain. As a result humanity gave power to evil and death. Corrupting both self, each other and God’s entire creation. 

However God in His great love continued to reveal Himself and His Kingdom values to humanity. Culminating in the ultimate visible expression of Himself in the Son of God becoming human. Jesus, the Son of God taught mostly about the kingdom of God, the Father, allegiance in accepting God’s right to rule and reign, money and the lies of the evil one. Jesus revealed that the values of God and His kingdom are the complete opposite to the values of this world damaged by evil. Jesus often spoke on being a responsible custodian of all God has given. For God has given all of Himself and desires for us to be truly free of the bondage we chose to put ourselves in. 

Luke 16:14-15 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

This term that Jesus uses that has been translated as lovers of money is an insatiable covetous greed for riches of this world. Whether it is a desire for possessions, power or position, this desire is a destructive, negative force of self. It is a bondage and an abuse of self, others and God’s creation. All this is an abomination in the sight of God. 

Jesus reveals the condition of the heart of those who were lovers of money. They justify themselves in all that they do in their desire for wealth, power and position. Jesus has much to say against such things. For it is God’s desire that humanity be truly free and be responsible custodians of all He has given.

Being a responsible custodian of all God has given is a dominant theme throughout the entire Bible. It was the mandate in the beginning and is still the mandate now. Following on from Jesus’ time on earth as a man, the Apostles continued to preach and teach on being a responsible custodian. As it is a core value of God’s kingdom. So let us journey through some of the scriptures in the New Testament that are about being a responsible custodian.

Let us begin with a letter by the Apostles Paul to His beloved Timothy. Paul had already imparted the fullness of the truth of the gospel. Together with Timothy they ministered to others. 

It had been entrusted to Timothy the fullness of the truth. He received it from Paul and was to tell others. Timothy was to be the pastor of a group of people who had come from vastly different backgrounds. He was to care for and serve these people. They were from different faiths, people groups and socio economic status. They had received Jesus, received God and gathered together in an ancient trade hub known as Ephesus. 

So Paul writes a personal letter to Timothy. Urging him to stand in the fullness of the truth. To teach no other doctrine than the pure seed of the gospel. Reflecting God’s kingdom culture. To reveal how God’s values and systems are the complete opposite to that of this world. 

So like Paul, Timothy was to pass onto others all that had been entrusted into his care. For all to know they can choose to live in the victory and freedom of continual surrender to God. That to have a heart and mind condition of surrender to God. Every moment of every day. That is the surrender of thoughts, emotions and desires. Removing from God and being transformed by God. Therefore out of a pure heart, being a responsible custodian of all God has given. 

1 Timothy 6:3-10 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Just as Jesus taught, the condition of the heart is the heart of the matter. For the reason behind any desire or thought reveals the character of a person. It is the character of a person that reflects their value system by which they live.

Paul urges Timothy to withdraw from being one with those who suppose godliness is a means for self gain. As godliness is a gift from God and is a work of God for the benefit of others. 

Godliness in this context is to have a reverence and respect for God. As a result a respect for each other. It is integral to the values of God and His kingdom. For God so loves each one equally. 

Paul goes on to say that godliness with contentment is great gain. Being content with the basic needs of food and clothing being met, is living in freedom. Freedom from the bondage of the endless quest for self-glorification and self-gratification. 

For these two values of self, self-glorification and self-gratification are the complete opposite to God and His kingdom. They are values of self and the evil one. Resulting in bondage, envy and strife. 

Paul continues to impart wisdom and reveal the snares of this world and its value system. As those who desire to be rich and have the wealth of this world fall into temptation.

Desire in this context is a conscious will to align ones purpose with the destructive desire for riches. That is become one with that destructive value by which they live. As a result live in bondage to it. 

Riches in this context is to hold onto an abundance. That is not give away for the benefit of others any abundance. As a result they are living in bondage to the destructive desire for riches or wealth of this world. For such desires are harmful to self and others.

As God’s desire is for us to be truly free, Paul exhorts Timothy to never compromise the truth. For everyone has a right to hear the fullness of the truth. 

In the hearing of the fullness of the truth, we come to know that we can continually surrender such desires of self to God and let Him transform, renew and bring true freedom. 

Where we no longer have the desires and values of this world that is totally opposite to God and His kingdom. Instead God creates His desires and values in us. God’s values are pure and edifying. 

Paul continues. He emphasises, ‘For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…’

The term that has been translated as ‘love of money’ means an insatiable greed for wealth or possessions. It is fulled by greed and is destructive of self, causing great grief and pain. A grief that is all consuming. As this desire can never be satisfied, it creates a void that can never be filled. 

Let us continue. 

Timothy 6:17-21 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

God the creator of heaven and earth and all things good gives richly all things to enjoy. For God so loves that He gave all of Himself to humanity. Empowering humanity to be responsible custodians of all that He has given. 

In the beginning, before humanity chose to be one with both good and evil, all of creation was there to sustain and enjoy. There were trees there that were not just for the purpose of food. There were those that were pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the eye in a good way that is just,  pure delight and joy. However once humanity chose to give power to their selfish desires and evil, their perceptions changed. God’s once perfect creation became damaged by evil. Humanity now adopted a value system that was not of God. But out of their selfish desires and evil. A system of inequality, where power was used for self-gain and self-glorification. As their value system flows from human selfish desires and evil. Such desires are destructive of both self and others. This is the complete opposite to the value system of God and His kingdom. 

However the good news is that God’s kingdom and His value system is not of this world. For God’s value system flows out of who He is. He is good, pure, selfless and eternal. He uses His authority and riches only for the benefit of others. Raising each one up to be equal-equal. For He is the eternal, self-existing just one who loves with a pure selfless heart. 

Paul exhorts Timothy to be a responsible custodian of all that has been entrusted into His care. He urges Timothy to pass on the fullness of the truth. Tell those who are wealthy in this life, do not be arrogant or proud. But to surrender their arrogance and pride to God. Surrender to God the desire to gain more. For in surrender to God, He will transform their heart and mind. So that they can be truly free and their wealth will flow through to others. 

This is what Paul refers to as, be rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share. 

In this context rich in good works is a not a religious doctrine or practice. Instead it is a reflection of God and His character. For those who live in continual surrender to God, are constantly being transformed by God. For out of a transformed heart there is a willing to share, a ready to give and we are rich in God’s kingdom. For we are truly free. 

Therefore, it is the character of Jesus within a surrendered heart that is a good foundation for the time to come. Living in continual surrender to God and His will, we are being responsible custodian of all He has given. 

Another Apostle who continued Jesus’ teaching on being a responsible custodian of all God has given was Peter. 

Let us conclude with his letter to those dispersed into the world. 

1 Peter 4:10-11. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!