Three point sermons.
Back in the day... when I was preaching in a church every week... I regularly gave three point sermons... just like most pastors do.
So, at the risk of sounding a bit sermonic, here are the three ways people respond to God's call to dominion on their lives.
(If they hear it at
all.)
The first response is what you might call 'escapist.'
This refers to those who don't want to take on the work and responsibility that exercising dominion involves... so they seek to escape it, in whatever way they can...
They even hide behind theologies that claim Jesus is going to come whisk them away at any time... so there
is no need to labor for a better world.
The second response to God's call to dominion is 'abusive.'
Those who respond this way see the Dominion Mandate in selfish terms... and they seek to dominate and use others -- instead of serve them.
Whereas 'the escapist' abandons his calling, 'the abusive' misuses his gifts and opportunities
to push his own agenda.
The third response to the Dominion Mandate is to be 'faithful.'
Here we have those who view life as a stewardship.
And they see that they've been entrusted by God with a certain amount of time, talents, and treasure...
... And they know they've
been called to use what they've been given to advance God's kingdom in this world.
... Of course, on any given day, we can respond to God's call to dominion in any one of these three ways....
But the ongoing challenge is to be consistently faithful... doing what we can to rule and cultivate the domain God puts under your care.
And we
can only do this as we rest in His goodness toward us...
And continually turn to Him in all of life.