1. Honor God with your wealth! Acts 9: 1-19 Proverbs 3:1-10 Sermon by Rev: M.H Maluleka 01 June 2014

2. Proverbs 3:1-10 (Text: NIV) 1My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

3. 8This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops; 10then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

4. Introduction! • What is stewardship? - “Being in charge of someone’s resources as if they are yours, -distributing and caring for those resources as per the instructions of the owners, - knowing that you will fully account when the owner returns - and the results will come in a form of reward or punishment, with eternal implications.”

5. Being Rich? • It is deceiving to think of being rich as meaning to own many resources, but a healthy understanding of riches should be… - Being made in charge of many resources. - then the greatest question should be Why? - The Answer to that important question determines whether one will be a good or a bad steward!

6. To honor the lord! • “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops.” v.9WHY? • Because he created everything (Gen. 1 and John 1) • Because he owns everything. (Psalm 24.) • Because is the source of your wealth. (Deut.8:18) • Because it our purpose of existence (Gen. 1:26)

7. HOW? • Making sacrifices to the Lord. (Gen. 4.) • Declaring our tithes to the Lord. (Gen.14:19-20) • Declaring the first-fruits to the Lord. (Exodus 34:26) • “Bring the best of the first-fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.” (Exo. 34:26) (23:19).

8. By helping the needy! • Matthew 25:13-46 • I was hungry… • I was thirsty… • I was a stranger… • I needed clothes… • I was sick… • I was in prison….

9. Final Remarks! • “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness”. (Matt. 25:21) • “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matt. 25:34