Aug. 09, 2026

What if the resources God cares most about aren't the ones in your bank account? Pastor Dave closed out the stewardship series this week in Matthew 25, using Jesus's parable of the talents to make one central point: everything God has given us comes with accountability, and the resources that matter most are rarely the ones we think of first.

A Clear View of Who God Is - Before digging into the parable, Pastor Dave reminded the church of three things to keep in view whenever we manage what God has entrusted to us. God is sovereign over everything, so the results were never up to us in the first place. God is completely good, in His character and in every one of His actions. And God is forever faithful. He will accomplish everything He has spoken. Keeping those three truths in view, Pastor Dave said, keeps stewardship from turning into anxiety.

The Parable of the Talents - He then read Matthew 25:14–30 in full, the story of a master who entrusts his servants with five, two, and one talent "according to his own ability," then leaves on a journey. Two servants put their resources to work and double them. One buries his talent in the ground out of fear and gives it back exactly as he received it. Pastor Dave pointed out that the resources represent responsibility, not just gift. "Whether you're a believer or an unbeliever, the resources God gives you, you're still responsible for," he said. Salvation is secured by grace alone, but our faithfulness with what we've been given shapes our rewards. As he put it, "The greatest words we will ever hear for all eternity are 'well done, good and faithful servant.'"

Represent the Owner Well - Drawing on a very Wyoming image, Pastor Dave described what it means to "ride for the brand." A cowboy who rides for the brand is loyal, protects the ranch's reputation, and takes care of what's entrusted to him. "If God is the owner of everything, and we are not our own, we should represent Him well," he said. As image bearers of Christ, everywhere we go, we're wearing His colors.

The Real Resources - Here Pastor Dave made his sharpest turn. "Money is actually the least of God's resources," he said, and then listed what actually outranks it: the gospel itself, our relationships (parents, spouses, children, and each other), the grace of God that we're called to distribute, our abilities, our time, and even our own bodies. He quoted 1 Peter 4:9–10: "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling... As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." "You and I are distributors of God's grace into other people's lives," he said. "That's a treasure that goes way beyond money." Only after all of that did he circle back to finances, noting that if we're not faithful with the least of these resources, God won't entrust us with the greater ones.

Closing - Pastor Dave closed with four reflection questions on managing God's gifts with a thankful, honoring, generous heart, then invited Rebecca forward to close the service with special music. It was a fitting end to a series built on one idea: everything we have is on loan, and faithfulness with it is the whole point.