Sermon Stewardship Series: February 23-24, 2019

Title: God’s Stewards: Living in the Present, Looking to the Future!
Text: 1 Timothy 6:17–19; 2 Peter 3:8–13, 17–18; Matthew 6:19–21

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Mt 6:19–21

I. We Christians are dual citizens—of here and hereafter.
II. We too easily get focused on here—on stuff.
III. Let us instead live not for the here and now only, but also for hereafter.
IV. God gives us ways to do that, which keep on blessing.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Stewardship Series: February 16-17, 2019

Title: God’s Stewards: Served and Serving!
Text: Isaiah 58:1–12; Philippians 2:1–8; John 13:3–5, 12–17

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” Phil 2:5–8

I. God in Christ expresses himself as the perfect, humble Suffering Servant.
II. Our expression of God-given faith, then, is also being a humble, loving servant.
III. That means using all with which the Lord has blessed us in service to others.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Stewardship Series: February 9-10, 2019

Title: God’s Stewards: Loved and Loving!
Text: Deuteronomy 7:7–11; 1 John 3:16–18; John 15:5–6, 9–16a

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” Deut 7:7–9

I. We are here because of God’s love.
II. His kind of love is always action toward the neighbor.
III. So the only motivation for our loving actions is his love to us.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Stewardship Series: February 2-3, 2019

Title: God’s Stewards: In the World but Not of the World!
Text: Genesis 12:1–3; Romans 12:2; John 17:15–18

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” Rom 12:2

I. God has called you out of this world.
II. Yet God has left you in this world to be a steward, a witness, to others.
III. For his right reasons, therefore, you live differently from world.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Series Stewardship: January 26-27, 2019

Title: God’s Steward’s: Singular yet Plural!
Text: Romans 12:1–8; 1 Peter 4:8–11; John 17:14–24

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

God’s Stewards Are Uniquely Singular, yet Profoundly Plural.

I. We are each unique members of the one Body of Christ.
II. Therefore good stewardship means using our unique gifts for the good of the whole Body.
III. In this way, every member of Christ’s Body is blessed.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Series Stewardship: January 19-20, 2017

Stewardship: Living as God's Redeemed People
Title: God’s Stewards: Saints and Sinners!
Text: Ephesians 4:17–24; Romans 7:21–25; Luke 18:9–14

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Eph. 4:22-24

I. The fallen nature has been spiritually reborn in Christ.
II. But the fallen nature, the sinner, remains with the reborn, the saint.
III. Fortunately, the struggle of saint against sinner we don’t fight by our own power.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California

Sermon Series, Stewardship: January 12-13, 2019

Stewardship: Living as God's Redeemed People
Title: God’s Stewards: Managers, Not Owners!
Text: 1 Chronicles 29:1–3, 6, 9–18; 2 Corinthians 8:1–7; 9:7–8; Luke 12:41–48

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48).

I. God has trusted us with life and life’s resources
II. That’s a privilege, not and entitlement.
III. All this we’re privileged to manage for our needs (and even luxuries), for the truly needy, and for our Lord’s ministry and mission.
IV. So God’s people are generous.

Rev. Rexford E. Umbenhaur III, pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California