Series: What does it mean to put God first?
First
What does it mean to put God first — not just in what we say, but in the way we live? In this three-week series, we’ll discover that biblical stewardship begins with recognizing that everything we have belongs to God. He needs nothing from us, yet He calls us to surrender everything, trust His faithfulness, and respond with wholehearted obedience.
Understanding Stewardship
Sermon Recap
Psalm 50 confronts one of the most basic
assumptions we make about our possessions: “What I have belongs to me.” The
psalm gives us a radically different picture. God is the Creator, King, and
owner of everything. He does not depend upon His people to provide for Him,
because everything already belongs to Him. The psalm begins with God summoning
His people before Him as Judge. He then exposes the inadequacy of a mere
external understanding of worship. Israel had been bringing sacrifices, but
they had begun treating their sacrifices as though God needed something from
them. God reminds them that He owns every animal, every mountain, and every
resource in creation. The result is a profound theology of stewardship: we do
not give because God lacks; we give because God owns. Our possessions,
resources, time, abilities, relationships, and opportunities are gifts
entrusted to us by God. Stewardship is therefore not primarily about money. It
is about recognizing God's ownership and responding to Him faithfully.
Psalm 50:1-23
“The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and
summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the
perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep
silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4 He
calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather
to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 6 The
heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O
Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8 Not for your
sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9 I
will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. 10 For every
beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the
birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 12 “If I were
hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. 13 Do I
eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and
perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says: “What right
have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you
hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you
are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. 19 “You give your
mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak
against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you
have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But
now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest
I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 23 The one who offers
thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I
will show the salvation of God!”
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Psalm
50:1-23.
Discussion Questions
- Why is recognizing God's ownership foundational to biblical stewardship?
- What is the difference between ownership and stewardship?
- Why does God reject the idea that He needs Israel's sacrifices?
- How can possessions become a source of security, identity, and idolatry rather than depending on God?
- What does thanksgiving have to do with faithful stewardship?
- What would change if you viewed everything you have as something God has entrusted to you?
Closing Thoughts
Psalm 50 reminds us that everything belongs
to God. That means stewardship is not simply about what happens when we give
money to the church, but about how we use everything God has entrusted to us
for His purposes. Our resources become tools for mission when we stop asking,
“What can I keep?” and begin asking, “How can I use what God has given me to
bless others and make Christ known?”
What resources has God given you that you need to use
for a Kingdom impact?
END
Teacher Notes:
Ownership & Stewardship
We need to understand that God owns
everything and that stewardship means using whatever He has entrusted to us for
His glory and the good of others.
What are some things we tend to think of as “ours” that
really belong to God?
Money — We say, “my money,” but God is the ultimate provider.
Homes — We own the deed, but God has entrusted the home to us and can use it
to bless others.
Possessions — Cars, furniture, tools, clothing, and everything else ultimately
belong to God.
Time — We often say, “my time is my own,” but every day we have is a gift
from God.
Abilities — Whatever skills, talents, intelligence, or strength we have are gifts
we've received.
Health and strength — We can take them for granted until they're
diminished, but our bodies and abilities are ultimately God's.
Children and grandchildren — We love them deeply, but they belong to
God before they belong to us.
Marriages and friendships — Relationships are gifts to steward, not
possessions to control.
Careers and accomplishments — We may have worked hard, but God provided
the opportunities, abilities, and circumstances.
Retirement — Even our retirement years aren't simply “our time.” They can be years
God uses for His purposes.
Wisdom and experience — Decades of life experience can become a
resource for encouraging and teaching others.
Influence — Whatever influence we have in our family, church, neighborhood, or
community is something God can use.
Testimony — The story of God's faithfulness in our lives isn't just for us; it
can encourage someone else.
Future — We make plans, but ultimately our future rests in God's hands.
Lives. Perhaps the most fundamental one. We belong to the God who created and
sustains us.
Which of these is hardest for us to surrender
to God?
What is the difference between ownership and
stewardship?
Ownership says, “It belongs to me.”
Stewardship says, “It belongs to God, and He
has entrusted it to me.”
Why is recognizing God's ownership
foundational to stewardship?
Because you can’t be a steward until you
first recognize who the owner is. Stewardship begins with the truth that God
owns everything. Psalm 50:12 says: “For the world and its fullness are Mine.” Once
we understand that, it changes how we view everything entrusted to us.
It changes our attitude from possession to
responsibility. If I believe
something is mine, I can use it however I want. But if I understand that it
belongs to God, I realize I'm responsible for how I use it. Ownership says:
“This is mine.” Stewardship says: “God has entrusted this to me.”
It changes the question we ask. Instead of asking: “What do I want to do
with what I have?” we begin asking: “What does God want me to do with what He
has given me?” That applies to money, but also to our homes, time, abilities,
relationships, influence, and experiences.
It produces gratitude rather than entitlement. If everything ultimately comes from God,
then what we have is not simply something we've earned or deserve. It’s a gift
and an opportunity. “God gave me the ability and opportunity to have this, so
how can I honor Him with it?”
It makes generosity possible. It's difficult to let go of something we
believe belongs completely to us. But when we recognize God's ownership, we can
hold things with an open hand. We can give without feeling that we're losing
something that was exclusively ours.
It reminds us that stewardship includes
everything. Stewardship isn't simply about how much
money we give. God has entrusted us with: Time, Wisdom, Experience, Relationships,
Homes, Finances, Abilities, Influence, our testimony, and the years we have
left. Recognizing God's ownership means asking how all of these can be used for
His purposes.
What does thanksgiving have to do with
stewardship?
Thanksgiving is at the heart of stewardship
because gratitude changes the way we view everything God has entrusted to us.
Psalm 50:14 says: “Offer to God a sacrifice
of thanksgiving.”
And verse 23 connects thanksgiving with
glorifying God.
Thanksgiving reminds us that what we have is
a gift. When we're grateful, we
stop looking at our possessions simply as things we've earned. We may have
worked hard for our home, money, career, or retirement — but ultimately, we
recognize: “God gave me the ability, opportunity, and resources to have these
things.” Gratitude moves us from “I earned this” to “God has blessed me with
this.”
Thanksgiving keeps us from entitlement. It's easy to move from appreciation to
expectation. We start thinking: “I deserve this.”
Thanksgiving says: “I don't deserve anything
apart from God's grace. Everything is ultimately a gift.” A thankful heart is
less likely to cling tightly to possessions because it recognizes their true
source.
Thanksgiving leads naturally to generosity. Think about the progression: God has given
to me → I am thankful → I want to give to others. Generosity becomes a natural
response to gratitude. When we truly appreciate what God has done for us, we
become more willing to share what He has placed in our hands.
Thanksgiving helps us trust God rather than
possessions. If I believe
my security comes from my bank account, possessions, or retirement savings,
I'll naturally want to hold tightly to them. But gratitude reminds me: “God has
provided for me before, and I can trust Him again.” That doesn't mean we
abandon wise financial planning. It means our planning isn't where our ultimate
confidence rests.
Thanksgiving helps us enjoy God's blessings
without worshiping them. This is
an important distinction. God doesn't tell us we can't enjoy what He gives us. We
can enjoy our homes, families, food, hobbies, possessions, and experiences. But
thanksgiving helps us say: “Thank You, Lord, for this blessing.” rather than: “This
blessing is what makes my life meaningful.” Thanksgiving allows us to enjoy the
gift without making the gift our god.
Thanksgiving changes our perspective on what
we have left to give. This is meaningful for where we are now. Instead of focusing on what
we no longer have — the energy, opportunities, income, or abilities we once had
— we can ask: “What has God still entrusted to me?” And then give thanks for
it.
Maybe it's: Time to pray, Wisdom to share, A
home to open, Money to give, A story to tell, A grandchild to encourage, A
friend to call, A church to serve, or A testimony to share.
Thanksgiving changes stewardship from an obligation into an act of worship.
We don't steward faithfully because we're
afraid God will take our blessings away.
We steward faithfully because we're grateful
for the blessings He has already given us.
And Psalm 50 brings it full circle: “The one
who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” A grateful heart
doesn't ask, “How much do I have to give?” It asks, “How can I use what God has
given me to glorify Him?”
Why does God reject the idea that He needs
Israel's sacrifices?
God rejects the idea that He needs Israel's
sacrifices because He already owns everything they could possibly offer Him.
What does this teach us about giving and
worship?
It teaches us that giving and worship are not
primarily about what God receives from us, but about what our giving reveals
about our relationship with Him.
Giving is a response, not a payment. God doesn't need our gifts. Psalm 50
reminds us that He already owns everything. So, when we give, we're not paying
God back or supplying something He lacks. We are responding to what He has
already given us. We don't give because God needs us. We give because we need
to remember that God is our provider.
Giving is an expression of gratitude. God specifically says: “Offer to God a
sacrifice of thanksgiving.” —Psalm 50:14
Biblical giving begins with a thankful heart.
Instead of: “I have to give God something,” the
attitude becomes: “God has given me so much. I want to give back to Him.”
That makes giving an act of worship rather
than merely an obligation.
Worship involves our whole lives. Psalm 50 challenges the idea that worship
is simply something we do at church. If God owns everything, then worship
includes how we use: our money, our homes, our time, our abilities, our
relationships, our influence, and our experiences.
How we use what God has entrusted to us is
itself an act of worship.
Giving reveals what we really trust. Our attitude toward possessions can reveal
where our security lies. If I'm afraid to give because I think, “If I give this
away, I won't have enough,” that may reveal that I'm trusting my resources more
than God.
Giving can become an exercise in saying: “God,
I trust You more than I trust what is in my bank account.”
Giving loosens our grip on possessions. Possessions aren't necessarily the problem.
Our attachment to them can be. Giving reminds us: “I don't own this absolutely.
God has entrusted it to me.” It helps us hold God's blessings with an open hand
rather than a clenched fist.
Giving becomes a way to glorify God. The psalm ends: “The one who offers
thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” —Psalm 50:23
That's ultimately the purpose. Giving isn't
about making ourselves look generous. It's about making God look worthy.
When we use what God has given us to bless
others, support His work, care for people in need, or advance the gospel, we're
saying: “God, what You have given me matters more than simply what I can do
with it for myself.”
At this stage of life, stewardship may mean
learning not only how to accumulate wisely, but also how to release generously.
The question becomes less “How much can I
leave behind?” and more: “How can what God has entrusted to me make a
difference for His Kingdom while I'm still here?”
Close with a Song
It wasn't written as a Christian song. But I
want you to listen to it through the lens of what we've talked about today.
Because it describes someone who has spent his life protecting himself, being
independent, and keeping people at a distance.
He's holding tightly to his own way of
living.
We say we trust God, but are we too, still
holding tightly to our own way of living – our money, possessions, plans, and
future?
Conclusion
Putting God first doesn't mean giving Him
whatever is left over.
It means recognizing that He was first all
along.
Everything belongs to Him.
Our calling is to trust Him with everything
and to place everything we have in His hands.
