TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 26:31-75
May this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will. - Matthew 26:39
TODAY IN THE WORD
John Calvin said this about our passage: “Peter's fall . . . brilliantly mirrors our own infirmity. His repentance in turn is a memorable demonstration for us of God's goodness and mercy. The story of one man contains teaching of general, and indeed prime, benefit for the whole Church; it teaches those who stand to take care and caution; it encourages the fallen to trust in pardon.”

Peter's bold declaration and then dismal denials provide bookends for our passage today. This is not the finest hour for the disciples. Even when Jesus predicted that they would all fall away, they protested vigorously, with Peter announcing that he would never disown Jesus (v. 35). In the very next scene we see failure: charged with watching and praying with Jesus in Gethsemane, Peter (and the other disciples) promptly fell asleep.

As Judas betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders, the disciples leapt into action, thinking no doubt that now they could demonstrate their devotion to Jesus. They did not understand that this was not Jesus' time of struggle—they had slept through that. They also mistakenly thought that violence was necessary, not realizing that their God had the power of the universe at His disposal (vv. 52-53).

The trial before the religious leaders is packed with irony. They searched for false witnesses to obtain the verdict they wanted; they finally found two witnesses who actually told the truth about Jesus, though they had not grasped His meaning (v. 61). Jesus declared that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who will reign with the Father (v. 64; cf. Dan. 7:13). The religious leaders understood the full weight of Jesus' assertion, and charged Him with blasphemy for claiming to be God. They seemed not to consider the other option: that Jesus was telling the truth.

Peter had followed Jesus, remaining in the safety of the crowd, but that was as far as his bravery went. When asked if he was with Jesus, he vehemently denied even knowing Him. As the rooster crowed and he remembered Jesus' words, Peter wept.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The mystery of the Incarnation is on display in Gethsemane: in His deity, Jesus knew the torment that lay ahead; in His humanity, He had no desire to go through it. His soul-wrenching prayers to the Father here give us an example of how to struggle without sin. Jesus was honest—no false piety or martyrdom here. He was also submissive to the will of His Father, trusting that God would see Him through even the darkest hours in all of created time.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 27:1-44
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. - Isaiah 53:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the end of yesterday's passage Peter was weeping bitterly after his denial of Jesus. This is the last time in Matthew's Gospel that he appears by name, though his presence is implied in Matthew 28:16. Thankfully we have John's Gospel that records the restoration of Peter by Jesus (see John 21).

Our passage today opens with the contrast between Peter and Judas. Judas also felt remorse over his actions once he saw that Jesus was condemned (v. 3). He even took action in response to his guilt, attempting to return the money. But Judas confessed to the wrong people—the religious leaders didn't have the power of forgiveness that Judas needed. Sadly, even his regret didn't open his eyes to who Jesus really was.

The religious leaders demonstrated their spiritual blindness again in their encounter with Judas. They had no compunction about conspiring to murder someone, yet they were perplexed about what to do with the returned money. They continued to use God's law to keep up an appearance of righteousness, not to actually change their lives. They still refused to pursue mercy, humility, and justice out of love for God.

As the governor appointed by Rome, Pilate's greatest concern was keeping order, not enforcing justice. He understood that the religious leaders were jealous and felt threatened (v. 18). He didn't understand that a political solution could never work, and his political methods could not release him from responsibility (vv. 17, 24). Jesus refused to grovel before him because Pilate had nothing—no power, no authority—that Jesus wanted. Unlike the wise men, Pilate refused to heed the truth about Jesus sent in a dream (v. 19).

The description of the torture of Jesus should still chill us in its brutality. The mocking insults are particularly tragic because they reveal such blindness: for Jesus to trust God and save others, He had to stay on the cross, not come down (vv. 42-43). He was the King of the Jews, the Son of God, bringing salvation—just not in the way that anyone expected.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Read or sing through the hymn, “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”: “What thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners' gain: / mine, mine was the transgression, but thine, the deadly pain. / Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ”˜Tis I deserve thy place; / look on me with thy favor, vouchsafe to me thy grace. / What language shall I borrow to thank thee, dearest Friend, / for this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end? / O make me thine forever! And should I fainting be, / Lord, let me never never outlive my love to thee!”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 27:45-66
He too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death. - Hebrews 2:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Many consider the attempt to cover up a scandal to be worse than the original problem. Whether it is a child's lie to avoid responsibility for breaking a prized vase, or bribes paid to victims to keep them quiet in clergy-abuse cases, or breaking the law to keep a political scandal under wraps, the cover up reveals how far people will go to avoid facing the truth.

The cover up attempted by the religious leaders begins at the end of our passage and continues into chapter 28. Before we examine the cover up, we must first see the scandal from the beginning: the Son of God is hanging on a Roman cross, being executed. The most dreadful part of this scene is the silence of God. Twice before He has affirmed Jesus as His Son (3:17; 17:5). Now as Jesus cries out a question that shakes us in its torment, no answer comes back (v. 46; cf. Psalm 22). Far worse than being abandoned by the disciples is the separation from God. Jesus endured this ultimate agony so that we would never have to experience it.

Matthew includes examples of faithfulness in this account. The mother of Zebedee's sons once asked for power for her sons and was told that she had no idea what she asked; now she saw what was happening to Jesus and still remained with a group of women followers. Joseph of Arimathea risked his reputation and gave up his symbol of status in order to care for the body of Jesus.

The religious leaders thought the crucifixion would repudiate Jesus' claims; they didn't know that in fact this would validate them. They remembered (seemingly unlike the disciples) that Jesus had predicted His resurrection. They even took the prophecy seriously. But they thought that they could overcome the resurrection in the same way that they thought they had destroyed Jesus' life—through military might. They requested the most powerful force available, a Roman guard, ignorant of the far greater power of God (vv. 65-66).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have some additional time for Bible study and prayer, here are some passages to help enlarge your understanding of what Jesus did on the cross: Isaiah 53; Hebrews 2; and Philippians 2:1-8. You might choose some of these verses to memorize, or to keep on notecards to review throughout the coming week. Ask the Lord for the faith to follow like the women at the cross and the courage to serve and sacrifice like Joseph of Arimathea.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 28:1-20
Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1792, at the age of 31, William Carey published his book, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens. Carey argued that Matthew 28:18-20 still obligates Christians to spread the gospel. This view wasn't popular at the time; Carey was reportedly told, “Young man, when God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine!” Carey remained steadfast in his commitment, and sailed for India the following year. His impact was so great that he is now known as the “father of modern missions.”

An angel appeared at the beginning of the story in Matthew, and now an angel appears again with the most magnificent news ever delivered: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (v. 6). God has raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus' words are true. He can be trusted, followed, and worshiped. Even two thousand years later, this announcement should inspire us to joy and obedience and worship.

Some have tried to argue that Jesus' resurrection is a nice idea—He lives on in our hearts, or He's alive because we remember Him. Scripture denounces such a notion— Jesus' resurrection was a physical event that occurred at a particular place and time. He was touched by the women. He walked and ate. If His resurrection is simply a trick of our imagination, then we have no hope that anything He said was true, and no hope for our own future (see 1 Cor. 15:12-58).

The religious leaders took their cover up a step further, bribing the guards and concocting a story that people believed even though it made no sense—how could the guards know the disciples stole the body if they were asleep? When confronted with the most dramatic evidence for the truth, some still preferred to embrace a lie.

Matthew's Gospel closes with a beautiful summary of the entire book: Jesus has all authority; therefore we should make disciples as He has taught us, and because of His resurrection He will be with us always.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Every reader is invited into the story at the end of Matthew 28. One commentator has called these concluding verses, “the table of contents placed at the end.” Jesus has demonstrated His authority over every element, including death. He has taught us what it means to be a disciple. And He has promised to be with us. Now how will we respond? Will we make ever more ridiculous excuses to avoid the truth? Or will we follow and obey with hearts full of love and gratitude?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:19-24
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus told a pair of short parables that speak to the heart of this month's study on stewardship. In the first, a man found a treasure in a field, then went and sold all he had in order to buy the field and obtain the treasure. In the second, a merchant found a perfect pearl, and he also went and sold all he had to buy it. The main lesson of both stories is the surpassing value of the kingdom of heaven. Good stewardship begins with knowing how to value what is truly valuable. Good stewardship begins by understanding that the things of this world are worthless compared to the things of God.

This is the mindset with which we approach our month's topic: We conduct our stewardship beneath the wings of the One who is worth immeasurably more than everything we are stewarding. Jesus also reminded us of this truth in the Sermon on the Mount. Our real treasure is not of this world. Earthly goods are temporary and always at risk; heavenly treasures last forever and cannot be stolen. Simple logic tells us which one is more worth pursuing and storing up. The principle is to prize what is greatest and to invest our energy and effort to acquire what really matters (vv. 19-21).

A second metaphor repeats this central idea. The “eye” is what we use to see and evaluate and choose the treasures on which we set our hearts. If we discern and strive for right priorities, we see clearly and walk in the light (vv. 22-23). Put God first, and everything else follows (v. 24).

Stewardship concerns not only money, which is often how we think of it, but also other resources such as time and energy, and other matters for which we bear responsibility, including relationships and the created world. This month we will study how to handle the people, things, and resources placed in our care or within our circle of influence as followers of Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
To begin this month's study, let's pray for godly change. Whether you feel mature or hopeless about various areas of stewardship, ask Him to use His Word to stimulate fresh growth and development in this area of your spiritual life over the next thirty days. God delights to have His Holy Spirit produce godly fruit in our lives, and He honors our prayers that we grow in ways that glorify Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. - 1 Corinthians 4:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
An estimated 26 percent of Americans now choose to be cremated rather than buried in a coffin—and, according to ABC News columnist Buck Wolf, there are a growing number of offbeat options for what to do with the ashes. They can be mixed with fireworks and shot off as part of the funeral service. They can be scattered from a high-altitude balloon. They can be compressed into synthetic diamonds, mixed into an artificial coral reef, shot into orbit, or, of course, kept in a traditional urn.

People are apparently desperate to give meaning to their lives in the face of death. For believers, however, death holds no sting (1 Cor. 15:51-57). Our goal at the end of the day is not to make a “dramatic exit,” but to be found faithful (v. 2). In today's reading, Paul referred especially to apostles and church leaders as stewards of the gospel (v. 1), but this foundational principle of stewardship is the same for all of us.

In the end, human judgment of our life's endeavors has no value; only God's opinion matters (vv. 3-4). Paul didn't worry about human verdicts on his leadership skills or ministry success, and he didn't make his own opinion primary either. His conscience was clean—but conscience is fallible. Only God is wise and perfect, so only His evaluation matters. Paul was no individualist, marching to his own drumbeat, but rather a man called of God. He knew the proper authority who deserved our submission and who would not be distracted by lesser tribunals.

From this perspective, our assessments of value and success are tentative (v. 5). God alone can render final judgment. Only He sees all and knows all (Heb. 4:13). A day of accountability is coming when all words, thoughts, actions, motives, and consequences will be revealed. This is a positive truth—faithful believers can look forward to God's “praise” or “commendation” (esv) for a life well lived in Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today take some time to make a list of all that you steward. For what items or resources has God given you responsibility? These should be things that can be spent or used in one way or another. Things over which you hold a significant decision-making authority on when, how, and why to use them. Money and time are two large examples, of course, but examine your life for other resources as well. Make your list as specific as possible. It will help you apply the themes and principles of our month's study.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 2:4-13
They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. - Jeremiah 2:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Commenting on today's reading, pastor and theologian John Piper wrote: “God pictures himself as a mountain spring of clean, cool, life-giving water. The way to glorify a fountain like this is to enjoy the water, and praise the water, and keep coming back to the water, and point other people to the water, and get strength for love from the water, and never, never, never prefer any drink in the world over this water. That makes the spring look valuable. That is how we glorify God, the fountain of living water. But in Jeremiah's day people tasted the fountain of God's grace and did not like it. So they gave their energies to finding better water, more satisfying water. Not only did God call this effort futile . . . he called it evil.”

In Jeremiah 2, God faulted the Israelites for foolishly exchanging “their Glory [that is, Him] for worthless idols” (v. 11). They had “forgotten” the power the Lord displayed in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, and the love He showed them during their wilderness wanderings. They had no reason to turn away from their faithful covenant God. The priests and other leaders especially should have known better and were most to blame (v. 8 ).

The two basic sins were two sides of the same coin (v. 13). First, the people had forsaken God, “the spring of living water,” and second, they had dug their own “broken cisterns.” That is, they'd been trying to find meaning and truth based on their own resources rather than God's. It's not simply that one way is better than the other, it's that comparisons are impossible. One way is real, the other is utterly useless!

To be found faithful, we as stewards must “draw our water” from the Source—this is another foundational principle of stewardship. The ability and wisdom to steward well come from Him, and if we try to do it in our own strength we will fail.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jeremiah condemned the Israelites for chasing “worthless idols.” What about you—what are you chasing? Are you seeking purpose and meaning in life from “broken cisterns”? If so, Jesus invites you to trade them in for “living water” (John 4:10). Believing in Him for salvation is the only road to eternal life. He has redeemed us from sin and offers us life, truth, and meaning in place of death, deceit, and emptiness. Accept His invitation without delay!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 14:25-33
Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:33
TODAY IN THE WORD
The classic hymn, “I Surrender All,” captures the meaning of discipleship: “All to Jesus I surrender; all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. All to Jesus I surrender; humbly at His feet I bow, worldly pleasures all forsaken; take me, Jesus, take me now . . . All to Jesus I surrender; Lord, I give myself to thee; fill me with thy love and power; let thy blessing fall on me.”

Counting the cost of discipleship is a form of stewardship, one that goes beyond making wise decisions about resources to making wise decisions about life. This is our third foundational principle for our study of biblical stewardship.

In today's reading, large crowds had followed Christ, looking for a triumphant Messiah or a popular new miracle-working rabbi. Jesus would have none of it. They needed to understand what it really meant to follow Him. He got their attention with a shocking statement (v. 26). Being His disciple is so important that by compari- son one “hates” or is unattached even to close family members. While His hearers were still reeling, Jesus hit them with another jaw-dropper (v. 27; cf. 9:23). Being His disciple means carrying a cross. This doesn't sound remarkable to us, since we know Jesus was to die on a cross, but the original audience knew the cross only as a form of criminal execution. The modern equivalent might be, “Take a seat in the electric chair and follow me.” It means that discipleship requires a willingness to sacrifice or give one's all, to obey even unto death, just as Christ Himself did (Phil. 2:8 ).

As they digested these sobering statements, Jesus helped them understand with the analogies of a building project and a military operation (vv. 28-32). Before undertaking either of these, a person should count the cost. In the same way, we must understand that choosing to be a disciple of Christ will cost us everything (v. 33).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Three good books that can help you count the cost of discipleship are True Discipleship: The Art of Following Jesus, by John Koessler (Moody Publishers); A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, by Eugene H. Peterson (InterVarsity Press); and Spiritual Discipleship, by J. Oswald Sanders (Moody Publishers). Each book is challenging, practical, and firmly grounded in Scripture. You can read them alone or with your small group or Sunday school class.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 4:1-11
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. - 1 Peter 4:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
Imagine a courtroom. A judge in formal black robes presides over all. Before him on one side are the prosecuting attorneys, on the other, lawyers defending the accused individual. A jury might be seated off to the side, and probably a court recorder is stationed directly in front of the judge. Armed guards, audience members, and a witness box complete the scene. It all conveys the reality of judgment, the fact that a serious day of reckoning has come.

That's the tone Peter took in today's passage. A day of accountability before God is coming for all persons (v. 7; cf. Eccl. 12:14). In light of this, we should be good stewards of our time, energy, and choices. Our stewardship and overall lifestyle should honor the Lord and set us apart from “pagans,” or unbelievers. The contrast is one of both motivation and behavior. They live for “evil human desires” and follow a way of sexual immorality and self-indulgence, a sinful and destructive “flood of dissipation.” We, on the other hand, are “done with sin” and are to live “for the will of God.” Too much time has already been wasted in that former way of life (v. 3). Our new life in Christ should be characterized by love, hospitality, service, and other Spirit-filled virtues (vv. 8-10).

The coming reality of judgment has at least three implications. First, it encourages suffering Christians (v. 5). Those who don't understand faith in Christ and persecute those who live differently will one day face divine justice.

Second, it spurs the preaching of the gospel (v. 6). Those facing God's judgment also need to hear about His grace and forgiveness! And third, it promotes clear thinking, self-control, and prayer among believers (v. 8 ). Feeling superior or behaving vengefully toward “pagans” is a wrong response—but for God's grace, all of us would still be equally “dead.” Our lives, including how and why we live, are to be for His glory (v. 11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One day each of us will stand before the Lord to give an account of how we've spent our lives and the resources entrusted to us. On that day, what will you most want to say to Him?

Reflect and pray over this question, then write an entry in your spiritual journal to answer it. A complementary question is, what you do you most want to hear from Him? If you wish, add this element to the question and write about it as well.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hosea 10:9-15
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love. - Hosea 10:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dr. Mark Laaser, a former pornography addict, sees the Internet as a key factor in America's moral decline. It has made pornography more widely, easily, and privately available, pulling many into a “downward spiral” and hooking “a lot of people who might not otherwise have degenerated so rapidly.” Through workshops, books like Faithful and True, and the ministry he leads, the Christian Alliance for Sexual Recovery, Laaser now helps individuals and churches deal in biblical ways with issues of sexual immorality.

In a similar situation, the prophet Hosea warned Israel with the principle of sowing and reaping, that is, you reap what you sow—our fifth foundational principle for stewardship (v. 12; cf. 2 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:8-9). God can sovereignly reverse normal consequences and effects through His grace. But He has designed the world in such a way that there are normal consequences and effects, including in the moral- spiritual realm. Sowing spiritual seed will reap spiritual fruit.

Therefore, Hosea prophesied judgment. He reminded the nation of the horrific Gibeah incident, in which men there raped the concubine of a man who had given hospitality to a stranger, whom they'd also wanted to rape (v. 9; see Judges 19-21).

History proves that God always deals righteously with sin, even if it appears the wrongdoers escaped justice. The picture of Ephraim as a “trained heifer” indicated that Israel, though complacent and oblivious, would experience military conquest as an outcome of their immoral choices (v. 11). They were guilty of faithlessness and idolatry, lying to God (as if He could be deceived!), and relying on their own strength (v. 13).

What the people should have been doing was sowing righteousness by obeying God's commands (v. 12). Then they would be reaping “the fruit of unfailing love” rather than receiving a prophetic warning. Even now, it wasn't too late. If they “plowed the ground” of their hard hearts and sought the Lord, He would forgive.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those who sow sin reap judgment, as today's passage reveals. The only way out of this vicious circle is God's grace and forgiveness. As part of our spiritual pilgrimage, we have the privilege of confessing our sins to Him (1 John 1:9). Another response to today's devotion is to pray over the sins of our nation, including racism, abortion, and pornography. Pray that God will bring a spirit of revival across the land, using the prayers and lives of His people to turn hearts toward Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:13-17
You ought to say, ’If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” - James 4:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer wrote: “We are all children of our age, and the spirit of our age is a spirit of tearing hurry. And it is a pragmatic spirit; it is a spirit that demands quick results. The modern ideal is to achieve more and more by doing less and less. This is the age of the labor-saving device, the efficiency chart, and automation. The attitude which all this breeds is one of impatience towards everything that takes time and demands sustained effort. Ours tends to be a slapdash age; we resent spending time doing things thoroughly. This spirit tends to infect our evangelism (not to speak of other departments of our Christianity), and with disastrous results.”

When it comes to stewardship, we must take care to practice it in submission to God's sovereignty (v. 15). Sometimes we speak of stewardship as if all that is needed are more tools—a new budget worksheet, an upgrade to time management skills, or whatever. The temptation is to fall in love with an ability to maximize resources, instead of remembering that the point of stewardship is not productivity but accountability. God is the sovereign Ruler of the universe, and He disposes resources and results as He pleases. Therefore, our sixth foundational principle is that we as stewards must be in full submission to His will, even—or especially— when His ways are higher than we can understand.

Since making plans is an American cultural trait, verse 13 probably sounds fairly ordinary, but James condemned the inherent pride (v. 16). No person actually knows the future, not even what will happen tomorrow (v. 14; cf. Prov. 27:1). To pretend to have certainty and control is to fail to acknowledge human finiteness and God's infiniteness, to have an inflated sense of one's own knowledge and importance. Our challenge is to understand this truth and put it into practice (v. 17).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As a way of acknowledging God's sovereignty, we encourage you to include phrases such as “if it be the Lord's will” or “God willing” in your daily speech and prayers. Doing so might help remind you that you don't control your own destiny, and it might even lead to witnessing opportunities. If, on the other hand, you already use such expressions so often that you no longer notice them, compose a fresher phrase that means the same thing and make a conscious effort to begin using it.

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Read: Mark 14:3-9
She has done a beautiful thing to me. - Mark 14:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1990, Dr. Robertson McQuilkin resigned as president of Columbia Bible College and Seminary to care full time for his wife, Muriel, who had Alzheimer's disease. Many advised him not to do so. He would have a more fruitful ministry if he kept his position, he was told. It would be better to leave Muriel's care to professionals. But McQuilkin had vowed to stand by his wife in all circumstances, “for better or for worse.” As he said: “Our life is not the way we plot it or plan it. And so I guess all along I've just accepted whatever assignment the Lord gave me. This was his assignment.”

Living by biblical priorities means sometimes making choices that others don't understand. But stewardship that holds back is false stewardship. This is our seventh and last foundational principle: Stewardship must ultimately be defined not by human standards but in terms of honoring and glorifying the Lord.

In today's reading, Mary (we know it's her from John 12:3) set an unforgettable example of this principle. Jesus was spending time with His friends in Bethany. While He reclined at the table enjoying fellowship over a meal, Mary entered and anointed His head with expensive perfume. John's account adds that she also anointed His feet and wiped them with her hair.

These actions showed love and humility, but some complained that it was wasteful. Their suggestion at first appeared concerned with good stewardship—the valuable perfume could have been put to better use, for example, to help the poor.

Jesus, however, disagreed. In stewardship, the higher priority is always to honor Him. Caring for the poor is good, but Mary's action was far better, especially since it anticipated His redemptive sacrifice (vv. 8-9). Stewardship is not merely utilitarian—Mary had “done a beautiful thing,” a true act of worship (v. 6). As in the parables with which we opened the month, her actions bear witness to the wisdom of being extravagant for Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
American culture tends to be pragmatic and utilitarian. Worshiping Christ through stewardship requires that we replace cultural values with biblical ones. Can you imagine yourself doing something similarly extravagant for Jesus, something that not everyone understands? If we are giving glory to Christ, then what others declare “wasteful” will be judged “beautiful” by God! Let us be ready to give for Him with abandon and to guard against false judgments about the generous giving of others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:24-27
Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. - Matthew 7:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
A million visitors per year go to Massachusetts to visit Plymouth Rock, the legendary site where the Mayflower Pilgrims first landed. Or did they? The rock is not mentioned in Pilgrim writings. It was first identified in 1741, more than a century after the fact. Souvenir seekers have taken so many pieces that the rock's current size is estimated at one third of the original. Nonetheless, the story of those early settlers remains a milestone in American history. As the Pilgrim Hall Museum director said: “Plymouth is the settlement that has spoken to the hearts and souls of Americans over centuries.”

Historians may debate the importance of Plymouth Rock, but there can be no debate about the importance of the foundation of rock in today's parable. From our seven foundational principles, we now move to five days of learning about stewardship through selected parables of Christ. The parable of the two builders is an allegorical contrast between wisdom and foolishness. One person built on rock, a foundation able to withstand stress. The other built on sand, which proved unable to hold against the storms. The foundation stands for what we see as true, or what we judge to be meaningful—that is, what we pursue as the focus of our life. The house represents the sum total of our words and actions—that is, what we do with our life. The storms symbolize troubles or hard times. They test the worldview we hold and the life choices we make.

The key difference is that one builder obeyed God and one did not. It comes down to a simple question: Have you put Jesus' words into practice? (vv. 24, 26). Paul, using the same building metaphor, identified Christ as the foundation. We build our lives on Him, and the results show the quality of our obedience (1 Cor. 3:11-15). The building might look good, but if it's on a shaky foundation, it's all for nothing. Stewardship must be built on truth.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today we suggest a visual-artistic response to Jesus' story about building a house. To express the images and lessons of this parable, you might paint a picture, draw and write a comic book version of the story, color pictures with your children, or make a collage using pictures cut out from magazines and newspapers. Let creating such a picture be a way to meditate on Christ's teaching, and hopefully motivate you to make sure your own foundation for stewardship is on the firm foundation of following the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 25:14-30
Well done, good and faithful servant! - Matthew 25:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
Financial advisers take different approaches to investment strategies. Some are willing to take higher risks in hopes of higher rewards. Others prefer lower risks with surer gains, reasoning that slow-and-steady wins the race. Investment plans are put together differently depending on factors such as age and geographical location, the purposes of the investment or account, and short- and long-term trends in various sectors of the economy.

What “investment strategy” did Jesus recommend in the parable of the talents? A strategy of kingdom faithfulness. In the story, the man who went on a journey, to whom the servants were accountable, represents Christ Himself. The servants (stewards) are pictures of us. The “talents” (money) entrusted to the servants represent their talents (the English word comes from this story!), abilities, and resources. The main point is that we need to be ready for our Master's unexpected return. We need at all times to be found doing His will and work, using the resources He's given us for the expansion of His kingdom. When He does return, there will be a day of accountability and judgment, when our work will be evaluated and rewarded appropriately. Interestingly, the servant who failed did so because of fear and laziness (vv. 25-26). That is, he didn't make wrong “investment decisions.” He failed because he did nothing at all.

This parable does not contradict salvation by grace. It is a complementary truth: Good works don't save, but they do signify obedience, and in the context of faith they can earn praise and rewards from God. It should be every Christian's dream to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master's happiness!” (v. 21). That's the only “return on investment” that's worth anything! After all, salvation is not “fire insurance” or just a “ticket to heaven,” but spiritual rebirth, a total transformation that leads to a whole new way of thinking and acting.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The servant who buried his talent claimed that he wanted to play it safe. Often we feel tempted to approach our spiritual life the same way—rather than risk something, we keep our time, talents, and treasure safely tucked away. This attitude forgets the essential truth: these things belong to God in order to be used and shared, not hoarded. He blesses our service for Him. What do you fear about stewardship? Tell the Lord, and ask Him to strengthen you to serve Him. The rewards of His favor surpass everything else!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 16:1-15
You cannot serve both God and Money. - Luke 16:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Commentator K. R. Snodgrass said about today's story: “The parable of the dishonest steward is debated because there is uncertainty whether his reduction of the amounts owed was a reduction of his own commission, the reduction of the illegal usurious portion that would go to his owner, or merely a rash act counting on the master's mercy. The intent of the parable is still clear. Jesus' point in Luke 16:8-9 is that people in this world understand the shrewd use of resources better than his disciples understand the economics of the kingdom. To be a disciple of the kingdom is to have one's priorities reorganized with regard to finances.”

This parable is a challenging one to interpret. That's why Jesus spent time afterwards drawing out its lessons. The lesson in the story is not the bad stewardship (v. 1) or the shady accounting (v. 4), but rather the manager's shrewdness in that he knew how to use resources to reach a goal.

If people can do this in the secular realm to take care of themselves, how much more should we strive to do so in the spiritual realm for the good of the kingdom (v. 8 ). Verse 9 seems to be a play on words, indicating that just as secular people use money to make friends, we should use our material resources to help others and thus make a divine Friend.

Another lesson echoes the parable of the talents: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (v. 10). This instructs us that stewardship on earth is practice for heaven: “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (v. 11).

In case all this was still too subtle, Jesus added one more point—God and Money are contrary masters (v. 13). This is an important lesson for us as stewards. Material resources are only a means to an end—faithfulness and obedience to God's will.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you using your monetary resources with “kingdom shrewdness”? Conduct an in-depth inquiry into your budget and expenditures. What values and priorities are reflected in your spending habits? What are the discrepancies between intentions and actions and what can you do about them? What changes might better reflect your beliefs and ultimate goals? If you find areas for improvement, begin to make changes. If you find that such an inquiry is challenging to conduct, consider obtaining software to help with recordkeeping.