Matthew 25:14
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.”

You don’t own anything. God owns it all.

Matthew 25:15
“To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.  Then he went on his journey.”

The owner has rights; the steward has responsibilities. 

Matthew 25:16-17
“The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.”

Stewardship is using God-given resources to accomplish God-given goals.

Matthew 25:18-19
“But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.”

As a steward, you are accountable to the owner.  

Matthew 25:20-21
“The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ ²¹“His master replied, ‘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!’”

You will be blessed according to your faithfulness.

Matthew 25:22-23
“The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ ²³“His master replied, ‘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!’”

What am I doing with what I have?

Matthew 25:24-30
²⁴“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’  ²⁶“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!  So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ²⁸“‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents’.  ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

You fail as a steward when you do nothing with what God has given you. 

You fail as a steward when you decide easier is better.

You fail as a steward when you give in to fear.

Matthew 6:19
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.