Faithful Stewards of God’s Manifold Grace (June 13, 2023)

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

As Christians, we have been commissioned to be both humble servants and good stewards of the mysteries of God. A "steward" is a person who manages something he does not own, on behalf of the one who does own it. It is certainly a high calling, but it is still a lowly servant's job. Stewardship begins and ends with the understanding of God’s ownership of all things. Thus, Christian stewardship refers to the faithful and fruitful use of the time, talents, and treasures that God has entrusted to our care and the opportunities that He puts before us to participate in the building of His eternal kingdom by ministering to the needs of others, both physical and spiritual. Recognizing that we are all sinners by nature, the greatest of these human requirements is our need for a Savior.

The “mysteries of God” are the secret things that can only be known by believers through the divine revelation of the indwelling Holy Spirit who guides us to an understanding of God’s Word. These divinely-disclosed mysteries include the gospel of salvation. The gospel is the greatest of biblical truths that all who come to God the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for their sins and His resurrection from the dead will receive by the grace of God forgiveness and eternal life. As Jesus’ earthly servants and stewards, we shoulder the awesome responsibility of showing His love and sharing with lost souls His offer of redemption to all that believe. We must take our Christian stewardship seriously so that when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we will be found faithful in service to our Savior!

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)