Stewardship
a short look at stewards and ministers
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." - 1 Corinthians 4.1-2
I have been thinking of stewardship for the past couple of weeks now, and I have been processing some of my ideas and observations into a more cohesive, hopefully, thought. I most recently came across the word “steward” in 1 Corinthians 4. Here, Paul is talking about being stewards of a thing he called the “mysteries of God.” (v1) Within the same verse Paul also says that he is a servant of God. This got me thinking, what is a steward? I turned to the Greek using the website BlueLetterBible and sought a definition. Here is what I found:1
Through this definition, I was also reminded of parables that Jesus taught about being found faithful. Particularly in Matthew 24, the servant in this parable is said to be “found” faithful. A steward is found faithful and entrusted with a given thing. Not only did we receive the gifts in an unmerited way, God’s grace, but we also received, by default, the position of stewards. Joseph and David, both being “found faithful” before God, were blessed to be stewards of earthly possessions and positions. Paul was entrusted with God’s gospel to the Gentiles. And we are stewards of the mysteries of God. It is a requirement that stewards be found faithful or else they are not stewards, but rather squanderers.2
It is the Lord who judges his stewards. God will bring to light the things that are hidden and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Stewards are judged by their actions as well as their heart motivations, as to whether they be found faithful. Apollos and Paul are called good stewards and therefore are good examples that we should follow. They are also good because they do not go beyond what is written in God’s Word. They are faithful to the text and to what they have received. Let us become like them, faithful and unashamed of what we have been given to do.
We have been given this position, as Christians, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. No matter what I may be doing, eating, drinking, or writing on Substack, God may be glorified in it. We are to evaluate ourselves as to whether we may be found faithful, like the servants who invested their master’s money or the wicked servant who buried his talent in the ground. Jesus makes it clear who was found faithful in that parable. Though the servants do not know when their Master will return the responsibility is never negated. We do not know when Christ will return but we know that we must be performing the works that He has given us to do.3
Upon looking around the Bible for more connections of stewardship I came across 1 Peter 4. This added a new term for me to wrestle with, the one of "minister." Here is the verse
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace."
The term “minister” though similar to “steward” has a different meaning. A minister is a person who gives to others. We are ministers of God’s grace and with that gift, we are to serve one another with it. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves as we have loved God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We have been given such a wonderful responsibility with the blessing of grace. This was an extremely expensive gift that God has given to us so freely. This is no mere “cheap grace” as Bonhoeffer coined, but rather it should compel us to be the best stewards and ministers that we can possibly be. 4
What I really like about 1 Peter 4 is that it gives me a magnificent purpose statement. "use it to serve one another" This is what I should be doing with my position. But there is more, verse 11 goes even further, "in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." I now have my two main focuses. First, what I am to do on earth? Serve others! And secondly, why I am supposed to serve others? So that in all things Christ may be glorified! A minister serves others with gifts and blessings and a steward serves the one who has given him something to manage. We are both according to God's gracious design and that is no small thing.
As stewards and ministers, we are to serve one another as a steward of God’s grace. That means we are to minister to one another something that has been ministered to us, namely God’s grace. Since then we have a gift we did not earn, “the mysteries of God” or also the “gift of grace” We must use these things to serve others. Combining the two terms together we are ministering stewards of the gifts that God has given to us. Just in the way that trees that bear fruit are meant for the life-giving benefit of the eater, we bear life-giving fruit through our salvation to others.
Ultimately, as ministering stewards of God's grace let us go forth into the world equipped with every good and perfect gift that God has given us. We must strive to be found faithful in the eyes of the Lord working to do the good work that He has prepared for us. Also, as heralds of the Gospel, we should proclaim and display that which is worthy, namely the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord. Declaring to the world around us by our contented faithful living how great is our God. We have been given the position of being stewards for God, let us manage and administer His gifts until He returns in glory and in power.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3623/esv/mgnt/0-1/
Squanderers like the prodigal son, rather than growing up and becoming the next steward of the inheritance for his son, he took it and spent it in a far country partying.
In Ephesians 2.10 God, through Christ has given us works to do that He has planned before time began.
Highly recommend The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.