在本期视频中，魏泰德牧师讲了管家，它是基督复临安息日会基本信仰第21条。

我们常听到这节经文：“施比受更为有福。”（使徒行传20:35）。目前，在现今的世界，太多关注在于人得到什么？尽管如此，“施比受更为有福”这句话是对的。它引导我们的注意到比我们自己更大的那位，鼓励我们仰望所有美好事物的给予者。

韦氏词典将管家定义为“对某事的指挥、监督或管理，特别是对托付给某人的某物进行仔细而负责的管理。”

当我们思考管家，我们意识到我们所拥有的一切——时间、金钱、能力、健康和生命——都来自上帝。祂要求我们谨慎地管理这些恩赐。

基督复临安息日会基本信仰21条声称：“我们是上帝的管家。祂托付我们时间与机会，能力与钱财，地上的福分与资源。我们要负责适当地去使用它们。我们藉着忠心地服事祂及服事我们的同胞，藉着将什一归还祂，藉着为了福音的宣讲，支持教会及教会增长所作的奉献而承认上帝的主权。管家的身分是上帝为了培育爱，及胜过自私与贪心所赐给我们的一项特权。管家因他忠心而使他人得福时就欢喜。”

当我们把所有的奉献给上帝时，祂会接受它，并让我们成为管家或看顾者重新掌管它。接受管家的责任打破了自私的倾向，并提醒我们祂留下的榜样。

以下是上帝托付我们作好管家的四个方面:

1. 我们自己

藉著我们的能力和机会，发展我们的身心力量，我们将荣耀归给上帝，并成为他人的祝福。

• 才干

上帝给了我们每个人特殊的能力。无论什么才干都可以用来造福他人和荣耀上帝。

• 时间

作为忠心的管家，我们要明智地利用时间来荣耀上帝。“无论作什么，都要从心里作，象是给主作的，不是给人作的。”(歌罗西书3:23)。

我们被告诫行事“不要像愚昧人，当像智慧人。要爱惜光阴，因为现今的世代邪恶。”（以弗所书5:15-16）

• 财物

我们的物质财富和经济资源都是上帝的礼物。

为了帮助我们记住这一点，上帝设立了十分之一和奉献的制度，在这个制度中，我们要把所有收入的10%归还给祂，并忠心地奉献给祂。

这个体系为以色列圣殿的祭司提供了财政支持，也为今天福音的全球传播提供了资金。

我们永远无法超越上帝。祂让我们做管家，是为了我们的利益。祂让我们把生命奉献给祂。原因是要帮助我们在灵性上成长，并发展我们的品格。

当我们意识到上帝对万物的所有权和祂赐给我们的爱，我们就能培养的爱和感恩。忠心的管家是防止贪婪和自私的保障，能带来经济和效率的发展。

真正的管家会祝福他人，因为他们参与服务他人，并愿意分享上帝赐给他们的恩典。

通过对时间、才能和资源的管理，我们成为教会的祝福，这使教会成为一个强大的团体，大家随时准备响应上帝事业的需要。有了这些，教会将有足够的资金来支持事工和扩展祂的国度。

在结束时，让我们记得：“你们要给人，就必有给你们的，并且用十足的升斗，连摇带按、上尖下流地倒在你们怀里；因为你们用什么量器量给人，也必用什么量器量给你们。”” 欲知更多基本信仰21条－－管家原则的内容，请登录网站：www.adventist.org/stewardship 。

In this episode, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about stewardship, which constitutes the twenty-first fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventists.

We often hear this verse: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Yet, in today’s world, so much is focused on what one gets. Nevertheless, the saying is true. It directs our attention to something bigger than ourselves and encourages us to look to the Giver of all good things.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines stewardship as “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.”

When we think about stewardship, we realize that all that we have—time, money, abilities, health, and life—come from God. And He asks us to be careful stewards of these gifts.

Our twenty-first fundamental belief explains: “We are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God’s ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow human beings, and by returning tithe and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness.”

When we give all that we have to God, He accepts it and puts us back in charge of it as stewards or caretakers. Accepting this stewardship responsibility breaks the tendency of selfishness and reminds us of the example He has given us.

Now, these are four areas in which God has entrusted us to be good stewards:

1. Ourselves

By developing our physical and mental powers to the best of our ability and opportunities, we bring honor to God and become a blessing to others.

2. Abilities

God has given each of us special abilities. Whatever they are, they can be used to benefit other people and glorify God.

3. Time

As faithful stewards, we glorify God by using our time wisely. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23).

We are also admonished to not behave “as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15, 16).

4. Material possessions

Our material possessions and financial resources are gifts from God.

To help us remember this, God instituted a system of tithes and offerings wherein we are to return 10% of all our increase and give faithful offerings to Him.

As this system provided the financial means for supporting the priesthood of the Israelite temple, it finances today’s worldwide outreach of the gospel.

We can never outgive the Lord. He has placed us in the role of stewards for our benefit. One reason He asks us to consecrate our lives to Him is to help us grow spiritually and develop our character.

As we are kept aware of God’s ownership of everything and the love He bestows on us, our love and gratitude are nurtured. Faithful stewardship is a safeguard against covetousness and selfishness. It leads to the development of economy and efficiency.

True stewards bless others as they are involved in serving others and are willing to share what God has graciously given to them.

Through stewardship of time, talents, and resources, we become a blessing to the church, resulting in a strong church body ready to respond to the needs of God’s cause. With this, the church will have adequate funds to support the ministry and expand His kingdom.

In closing, let us be reminded to “give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).

To learn more about our twenty-first fundamental belief, the principle of stewardship, visit http://www.adventist.org/stewardship.