Who is Steward? - Sermon Series - Sermon Four: Emotional Things
by Chris Cumming
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In part one of this five-part sermon series; I opened with the parable
of the Unjust Steward. The key verse I quoted was Luke 16 and verse
two:
Luke 16:2
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of
thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer
steward.
The lord here is asking for an accounting… “Give an account.” Give a
statement of your expenses and of your conduct while you have been
steward.
The purpose of Part One was threefold:
1. Define what a steward is.
2. To encourage you to give an account before your Lord.
3. To instruct you in being a good steward.
In Parts 2-5 we are going to continue in our instructions in being a
good steward. We will, in turn, discuss Physical, Mental, Emotional and
Spiritual stewardship. Today is Part 4 of the series and discusses our
Emotional Stewardship.
Let us begin with a few more scriptures on general stewardship.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad.
1 Peter 4:5
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the
dead.
This verse is confirmed and clarified in 2 Timothy 4:1
2 Timothy 4:1
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Emotional Stewardship
There are many subject areas we could discuss under the heading of
Emotional Stewardship. We will address three:
1. Anger 2. Sorrow 3 Trials & Tribulations
1. ANGER
Anger is a very interesting subject for our stewardship as the Bible
speaks to and demonstrates both righteous and unrighteous anger. We
must manage both the righteous and the unrighteous. We must understand
and invoke righteous anger when appropriate. At the same time we must
avoid all wrong uses and manifestations of anger.
Let us begin by showing a couple of examples of acceptable anger:
Is God angry at sin? If so, how often is he thus angry?
Psalm 7:11
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Notice the commentary for some clarity.
And God is angry with the wicked every day
- wicked men are daily sinning, and God is always the same in his
nature, and has the same aversion to sin continually; and though he is
not always making men examples of his wrath, yet his wrath is revealed
from heaven against all unrighteousness of men; and there are frequent
stances of it; and when he is silent he is still angry, and in his own
time will stir up all his wrath, and rebuke in his hot displeasure.
~John Gill
Does Moses show anger?
Exodus 11:4-8
4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into
the midst of Egypt:
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the
firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the
firstborn of beasts.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such
as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth
put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down
themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow
thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a
great anger.
And, of course we have Moses getting just a little angry when he comes
down from Mount Sinai
Exodus 32:19
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw
the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the
tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Does Jesus ever show anger during His ministry? If so, for what?
Mark 3:1-5
1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there
which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day;
that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days,
or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved
for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth
thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as
the other.
I want to look at some of the dangers of anger now. Notice, as we do,
the admonitions to stewardship of this element.
Does the wrong kind of anger work against our righteousness?
James 1:19-20
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow
to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Does the wrong kind of anger make us into fools?
Proverbs 14:17
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is
hated.
Does an angry person cause strife?
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in
transgression.
Notice the commentary on this:
An angry man stirreth up strife - In
families, neighborhoods, communities, churches, and commonwealths; that
is, one that is given to anger, and gives way to it, in whom it prevails
and rules;
And a furious man aboundeth in transgression
- or, "a master of wrath or fury"; one much addicted to it: or, "the
husband of wrath": wedded to it, as a man to his wife: or, as the
Vulgate Latin version renders it, "who is easy to be angry"; is easily
provoked, wrath rises up in him at once; this leads him on to many sins,
as cursing, swearing, murder. ~John Gill
Are we to be managers of both our mouth [words,
communication] and our heart [mind]?
Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the
heart; and they defile the man.
What negative elements are we to put out of our life?
Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Does this mean that we are to put out all anger? Clearly not.
Go back a few verses to verse 26.
Ephesians 4:26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
So what is the justified anger? Notice the John Gill commentary.
Be ye angry, and sin not - There is anger
which is not sinful; for anger is found in God himself, in Jesus Christ,
in the holy angels, and in God's people; and a man may be said to be
angry and not sin, when his anger arises from a true zeal for God and
religion; when it is kindled not against persons, but sins; when a man
is displeased with his own sins, and with the sins of others: with vice
and immorality of every kind; with idolatry and idolatrous worship, and
with all false doctrine; and also when it is carried on to answer good
ends, as the good of those with whom we are angry, the glory of God, and
the promoting of the interest of Christ: and there is an anger which is
sinful; as when it is without a cause; when it exceeds due bounds; when
it is not directed to a good end; when it is productive of bad effects.
~John Gill
So according to the commentaries, what anger is sinful?
Anger is sinful in the following circumstances:
(1) When it is excited without any sufficient cause - when we are in no
danger, and do not need it for a protection. We should be safe without
it.
(2) when it transcends the cause, if any cause really exists. All that
is beyond the necessity of immediate self-protection, is apart from its
design, and is wrong.
(3) when it is against “the person” rather than the “offence.” The
object is not to injure another; it is to protect ourselves.
(4) when it is attended with the desire of “revenge.” That is always
wrong. See Romans 12:17 and Romans 12:19.
(5) when it is cherished and heightened by reflection. And,
(6) When there is an unforgiving spirit; a determination to exact the
utmost satisfaction for the injury which has been done. If people were
perfectly holy, that sudden “arousing of the mind” in danger, or on the
reception of an injury; which would serve to prompt us to save ourselves
from danger, would exist, and would be an important principle of our
nature. As it is now, it is violent; excessive; incontrollable;
persevered in - and is almost always wrong. If people were holy, this
excitement of the mind would obey the first injunctions of “reasons,”
and be wholly under its control; as it is now, it seldom obeys reason at
all - and is wholly wrong. Moreover, if all people were holy; if there
were none “disposed” to do an injury, it would exist only in the form of
a sudden arousing of the mind against immediate danger - which would all
be right. Now, it is excited not only in view of “physical” dangers, but
in view of the “wrongs” done by others - and hence it terminates on the
“person” and not the “thing,” and becomes often wholly evil.
~Barnes Notes
Let us now continue in the stewardship of anger scriptures.
Are we to cease from unrighteous anger?
Psalm 37:8
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do
evil.
If we manage our anger, will we gain understanding?
Proverbs 14:29
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty
of spirit exalteth folly.
Do harsh words from us result in anger in others?
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
If we control our anger, can it lead to good works in us?
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion [being circumspect-in
control] of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory
to pass over [look over] a
transgression.
We know that God desires that we pray, but how?
1 Timothy 2:8
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting.
What are we to do about angry people in our lives?
Proverbs 22:24
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt
not go:
We are to put on Christ. Does He control His anger?
Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in
mercy.
Your stewardship list on anger:
1] understand there is righteous and unrighteous anger.
2] study the examples of righteous anger in scripture.
3] Heed all admonitions against unrighteous anger.
4] Conquer all unrighteous anger in your life. Cease from unrighteous
anger.
5] Understand that righteous anger is never directed at the individual
but to all things evil or counter to God's way.
6] Understand anger is unrighteous when it is against the person rather
than the offense.
7] Avoid the unrighteously angry.
Here are some quotes on anger:
“Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you
from love.”
“Anger is a thief who steals away even the nicest moments.”
“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred
days of sorrow.”
2. SORROW
I found a quote on sorrow that shows the effect of sorrows.
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of
its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”
Both the Bible and human literature show that sorrows are a part of
life. Our call to the stewardship of sorrow entails the sorrows
themselves, what we do about them and how we deal with all the promises
of God regarding deliverance from sorrow. Part of our stewardship is
management and belief in promises of God.
First of all, do firstfruits experience sorrows? David clearly did.
Psalm 18:4-5
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made
me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented
me.
Psalm 31:9-10
9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed
with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my
strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
Psalm 13:2
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart
daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Do sorrows come to individuals who turn their backs on God?
Psalm 16:4
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their
drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into
my lips.
For some time now I have been encouraging firstfruits to prepare for the
shock of the end time. Jesus does this in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:5-8
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive
many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not
yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
But then Jesus says in the same
discourse:
Verse 6 see that you be not troubled.
Verse 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
So there are sorrows yet before us but our stewardship of sorrow will
keep us from those sorrows.
What promise regarding sorrow do we find in Psalm 32?
Psalm 32:10-11
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the
LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy,
all ye that are upright in heart.
Are we to pray about our sorrows?
Psalm 142:1-7
...a prayer of David when he was hold up in
a cave
1 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I
make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would
know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion
in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my
persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison,
that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for
thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
What other promises does God give us regarding our many sorrows?
Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such
as be of a contrite spirit.
Matthew 5:1-4
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was
set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Are we to give our sorrows to God?
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Are we to trust in God?
Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.
Are we to believe in God?
John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Does Christ carry our sorrows?
Isaiah 53:4-6
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Your stewardship list for sorrow:
1] understand sorrow is part of life.
2] understand sorrow is part of the end time.
3] pray.
4] give your sorrows to God.
5] meditate upon God's promises and boldly claim them.
6] trust and believe in God.
What is the ultimate promise to mankind about sorrow?
Revelation 12:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
Quotes on Sorrow
“Sorrow comes to all...Perfect relief is not possible, except with time.
You cannot now realize that you will ever feel better and yet you are
sure to be happy again.” ~Abraham Lincoln
“If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow
near at hand.”
“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small
ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to
sleep in peace. God is awake.”
“Sorrow is the mere rust of the soul. Activity will cleanse and brighten
it.”
3. TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
Following are just two of many quotes I found on trials and
tribulations. What we will find both in these quotes and in the Bible
is that there is a reason for them.
Seneca said, "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man
perfected without trials."
Charles de Gaulle said, "“A man of character finds a special
attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with
difficulty that he can realize his potentialities.”
Should we think it weird that a firstfruit is in a trial?
1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try
you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.
Let us look at the phrase, "which is to try you."
which is to try you - afflictions try the
graces of the saints; as their faith in Christ, which becomes thereby
much more precious than of gold that perisheth; and their love to him,
by which it appears that no tribulation can separate them from it, nor
many waters and floods of afflictions drown it; and their hope of
eternal life, which grows more lively and strong, and is as an anchor,
sure and steadfast, amidst the greatest storms. These try a man's
profession of religion, whether it is took up on good principles, and
without sinister views; since, if it is not, when persecution, because
of the word, comes, he is offended and gone; and likewise what a man's
principles are, whether worth suffering for or not; and whether they
will bear him up, and he abide by them, when called to suffer for them;
and therefore, since such ends are answered by fiery trials, they should
not be looked upon as strange and unusual things: as though some strange
thing happened unto you; which was never known and heard of before; and
as if useless, and of no service, and as foreign to the characters,
cases, and circumstances of the saints in this world. The apostle in
this verse returns to his former argument, to animate and encourage the
saints in suffering afflictions patiently for righteousness sake.
~John Gill
Does God help us in our tribulations? If so, what are we then to do?
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.
Should we glory in tribulations? If so, why?
Roman 5:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
I want to look at the commentary on the phrase, "we glory in
tribulations also."
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations
also - The tribulations of the saints are many and various,
through the hatred of the world, the temptations of Satan, their own
corruptions; and are the will of their heavenly Father; what Christ has
foretold, and they expect; and here particularly design such as are for
Christ's sake, which being supported under, and carried through, they
glory in: not that these are desirable in themselves, and to the flesh;
but they glory in them as they are for Christ's sake, and in a good
cause; as they are trials of grace, and of use for the exercise of it:
and as they are in the exercise of grace, amidst these tribulations, and
are comforted under them, and are helped to have regard to the heavenly
glory. The ground of which glorying is, that these afflictions are the
means of promoting patience, experience, and hope:
~John Gill
We glory in tribulations not because they are desirable but because they
are for Christ's sake. Our attitude should be, "This is not all about
me but Christ." Therein is the glory and the praise ...and the
comfort. Because they are all about Christ, we glory and celebrate the
tribulation knowing that God is working in and through and for us and
that He will give us comfort during and after the trial.
Are there other verses speaking to our
being patient in tribulation?
Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
2 Thessalonians 1:4
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your
patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye
endure:
Are we to faint at tribulations we see in our lives or in other
firstfruits?
Ephesians 3:13
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which
is your glory.
Here I want to look at the phrase, "that ye faint not." Notice the
commentary.
I desire that ye faint not - In those
primitive times, when there was much persecution, people were in
continual danger of falling away from the faith who were not well
grounded in it. This the apostle deprecates, and advances a strong
reason why they should be firm: “I suffer my present imprisonment on
account of demonstrating your privileges, of which the Jews are envious:
I bear my afflictions patiently, knowing that what I have advanced is of
God, and thus I give ample proof of the sincerity of my own conviction.
The sufferings, therefore, of your apostles are honorable to you and to
your cause; and far from being any cause why you should faint, or draw
back like cowards, in the day of distress, they should be an additional
argument to induce you to persevere.” ~Adam Clarke
Paul is saying that the members then should glory in his tribulations.
The fact he was in tribulation for the sake of the Gospel of Christ
should be something to inspire us to persevere in our tribulations. The
exciting thing about all this is that Paul is speaking to us now. We
are to take glory in the tribulations of Paul. "If Paul can do it, I
can, through the power of the same Holy Spirit that helped him." Let us
see this power in my next question and verse I have for you...
Should we turn to God when caught up in tribulations?
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
29 But if from thence thou shalt
seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all
thy heart and with all thy soul.
30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon
thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and
shalt be obedient unto his voice;
31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee,
neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he
sware unto them.
See how the first part of the text of verse 31 is in parenthesis (pə-rĕn'thĭ-sĭs)?
The commentaries tell us that this is Moses attesting to this fact from
his own knowledge and experience. Attesting to this fact in your life
will get you through your trials and tribulations.
Are trials in our life actually more precious than gold?
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Does God deliver us from our troubles and trials?
Psalm 34:6, 17
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all
his troubles.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of
all their troubles.
Your stewardship list for trials and tribulations
1] Understand trials and tribulations are essential to the Salvation
Process.
2] Do not think that your trials are somehow strange. They have
purpose.
3] Know that trials are more about Christ than us. They are for
Christ's sake.
4] Glory in your tribulations. Rejoice in them.
5] Do not allow trials to cause you to fall away.
6] Remember all the instances of God's intervention in your trials of
the past. This will help you through this trial.
7] Know that God will deliver you out of your trials.
Remember the scriptures in Romans 8:
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Here are more quotes on trials
and tribulations:
C. S. Lewis said, "God, who
foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not
without pain but without stain."
“In tribulation immediately draw
near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength,
enlightenment, and instruction.”
“Behind every trial and sorrow that He makes us shoulder, God has a
reason.”
“We are made to persist. That's
how we find out who we are.”
These have been just three subjects under the heading of Emotional
stewardship.
So just who is Steward? You are!!