STEWARDSHIP
IS A MATTER
OF FAITH
Erika F Puni, PhD
Stewardship Ministries Director
General Conference
THE BIBILICAL TEXT
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to
him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then
God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac,
whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah.
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about.” Genesis 22:1,2 (NIV)
1
THE LITERARY CONTEXT
God, the I AM, called Abraham out of his home
and people, and told him to go to another place.
By FAITH, Abraham went. God promised to bless
Abraham, and to create out of his body a people –
God’s nation, and He did. By FAITH, Abraham
believed the promise. Now Abraham was tested
again, and this time God called for Abraham’s best
– his only son Isaac. By FAITH, Abraham gave his
all.
STEWARDSHIP is ALL of me in response
to ALL of God. It’s total commitment.
 FAITH “is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.”
Abraham had both, he lived stewardship
through faith: (1) Faith to Go; (2) Faith to
Receive; and (3) Faith to Give his best.

I. THE FAITH TO GO
By FAITH Abraham, when called to go to a place
he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed
and went, even though he did not know where he
was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the
promised land like a stranger in a foreign country;
he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were
heirs with him of the same promise.
8
Hebrews 11:8,9 (NIV)
I. THE FAITH TO GO
1. WHERE?: A Place
While the specifics of this new place
were not clear to Abraham at the time,
God knew every detail of the land; and
he said to Abraham – go! There’s a
better place.
So Abram left [he was 75], as the Lord had told him;
… The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To
your offspring I will give this land.” Genesis 12:4,7
(NIV)
I. THE FAITH TO GO
2. WHY?: To be a Blessing to Others
While the specifics of this blessing was
not clear to Abraham at that time, God
knew what he was doing; and he said
to Abraham – go! There are better
blessings (not necessarily money).
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless
you; I will make your name great, and you will be
a blessing . . . and all peoples on earth will be
blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2,3 (NIV)
II. THE FAITH TO RECEIVE
By FAITH Abraham, even though he was past
age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled
to become a father because he considered him
faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from
this one man, and he as good as dead, came
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
11
Hebrews 11:11,12 (NIV)
II. THE FAITH TO RECEIVE
1. WHAT?: The Covenant
God initiated a special covenant with
Abraham; it was about His presence
and reign over Abraham’s life. God
wanted to be the sovereign ruler, the
Lord of all for Abraham.
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a
vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your
shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1 (NIV)
II. THE FAITH TO RECEIVE
2. WHAT?: The Promise
The realization of the promise was not
dependent on Abraham’s abilities, but
on God’s creative power and unlimited
grace. Abraham received what he was
promised – God is faithful.
1
The Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2
Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to
Abraham in his old age [he was 100], at the very
time God had promised him. Genesis 21:1,2 (NIV)
III. THE FAITH TO GIVE
By FAITH Abraham, when God tested him,
offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received
the promises was about to sacrifice his one and
only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is
through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the
dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive
Isaac back from death.” Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV)
17
III. THE FAITH TO GIVE
1. WHAT?: The best – Isaac his son
The ultimate faith test for Abraham,
was his willingness to release Isaac to
his Creator and Owner. With this test,
Abraham knew that God expects
nothing less but his best.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son,
Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of
Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt
offering….”
Genesis 2:2 (NIV)
III. THE FAITH TO GIVE
2. WHAT?: What God provides
It was not about Isaac; in fact, it was
not about Abraham either. It was about
God who always provides. God wanted
Abraham to trust Him in all things.
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a
ram caught by its horns. He went over and took
the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering
instead of his son. Genesis 22:13 (NIV)
STEWARDSHIP GEMS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
God is in control - all the time
God wants us to have a relationship
with Him
God wants us to be a blessing to
others; this is true stewardship
God wants us to be His presence in
community; it’s about mission
God is gracious and faithful
In giving our OFFERINGS, God
expects the best from us
God will always provide
FAITH & STEWARDSHIP
1. When God says go, we go; because
faith is believing that God is leading.
2. When God promises, we claim and
accept; because faith is receiving from
God.
3. When God invites us to give, we give
Him our best; because faith is giving
all that we are and all that we have to
the Owner. It’s all of me for God.