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Fall Theological Focus:
Kingdom Stewardship
Written by Reverend J. Philip Letizia, Ph.D.
This week in our Fall Theological Focus, we turn the corner to consider stewardship. This word is one not often used in our everyday language but is used often within Christian theology and life in the Church. What is Stewardship? And, how is it uniquely tied to our understanding of the Kingdom of God?
Simply put, stewardship is a biblical concept for the giving of our entire selves to the service of God. All of the elements of our lives- our time, talents, gifts, resources, and money, are called to be used in the service of God. To fully understand this however, we need to think about the Kingdom of God.
When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he gave the Church a framework for how we are to see ourselves as part of God’s people.
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.”
This familiar opening to the Lord’s Prayer points us to God’s kingdom. And, a kingdom of course, needs a king. Early on in the gospel of Luke, we read of a scene where Jesus is participating in worship at his local synagogue. Tasked with the reading for the day, he reads from the scroll of Isaiah 61.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened to him, and he began by saying to them, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
(Luke 4:16-21)
In this incredible statement, Jesus declares He is the Messiah King that has arrived to fulfill the longings of Israel. We cannot lose sight of just how startling this would be to those who heard him that day. Jesus says that God’s kingdom, which Israel looked forward to in the future, has broken into the present. He is God’s kingdom on earth. For Christians then, we participate in the Kingdom of God each and every day as we carry out our duties as citizens of the kingdom of God.
There are two key implications that come from our participation in Christ’s kingdom. First, just as we mentioned in week 1, that God owns all of creation, to participate in Christ’s kingdom means to embrace that our lives are not our own. Second, our participation means that our obedience lies with the concerns of Jesus. In other words, what Jesus is concerned about, we’re concerned about. His agenda, is our agenda.
What does this have to do with Stewardship though? If Jesus’ agenda is to be our agenda, then it means we are called to steward all of our lives- our money, our time, our talents, and our resources, for his agenda. The fullness of our lives is to be stewarded, or shepherded for his kingdom purposes. So, we must ask ourselves the question- What does Jesus care about? What does the kingdom of God care about? No matter our station in life, our calling, or our jobs, we are invited as citizens of the Kingdom to steward well what God has given to us.
“Jesus shared the mission of the Kingdom in community. Friends and co-laborers constantly surrounded him… To be a Christian means to be a part of a community that is working to make God’s agenda our agenda. The understanding that our lives are connected to a greater purpose gives our lives deeper meaning. It means that all of our vocations/gifts/skills are to be mobilized in light of the mission of the Kingdom of Christ. Do we see our roles as attorneys, teachers, bankers, artists, parents as part of the greater mission of the kingdom?… This is what we are called to when we pray thy Kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
– Timothy Keller
Phil Letizia
Associate Pastor
Park Road Presbyterian Church
Categories: Fall Theological Focus | Featured Post