It Is Faithfulness That Counts :: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
A man should reckon us this way: As servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is sought among stewards that one be found faithful (vv 1-2).
2. When the Israelites wavered in their faithfulness to God, YHWH sent them prophets.
The prophets of God called the Israelites to return to the purpose he gave them. They who had been no people had been made the people of God by His grace ... and only by His grace ... they were to live as the people of God, receive the comfort of God through the means of God that feed and nourish them. By staying faithful to the call of God, God’s people would live in peace.
As we heard in today’s Gospel, among the prophets, no one was greater than John the Baptizer (Mt 11:11). John was a fearless proclaimer of the Gospel. He fearlessly pointed people to Jesus (Mt 11:2-3). As the angel told John’s father Zechariah, this was John’s purpose: to go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to wisdom (Lk 1:16-17). He [prepared] the way of the Lord, [making] straight his paths (Mt 3:3).
Doing this work ... being a servant and steward of Christ ... is not an easy job. Some people are just eager to get rid of you. That’s why John was in prison in our Gospel reading. ... Who is he to call us adulterers and idolaters? ... the people ask. Who is he to tell us how to live? Who is he to tell us that our gossip is murdering people over and over? Who is he to tell us that we need to repent ... that our definition of fruit isn’t good enough? Who is he? ... So they punished John. Even the most faithful servants of Christ ... the most faithful stewards of the mysteries of God ... suffer because they proclaim the Gospel. People like King Herod and his wicked wife Herodias would rather chop off the head of their servant and present it on a platter than to listen to one more word that reminds them that it is Jesus who serves us (Mt 14:8-11).
1. Division over what to do with the mysteries is a problem that plagues congregations.
In the city of Corinth, Saint Paul was confronted with petty rivalries, jealousies, and strife. Some of the Corinthians preferred following the pastor called Paul. Others preferred Peter. Still others leaned on Apollos. Each faction exalted the man they followed, and they spoke against the others. So Paul ... in our epistle ... reminded the congregation of the proper God-pleasing attitude they should have toward their leaders.
In verse 1 of our epistle reading today, Paul exhorts them to regard him AND his co-workers, Peter and Apollos, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
The Greek word we translate as servant in this text is not like other words we translate as servant. Servant here refers to a lowly obedient slave ... those who slave away in the belly of a ship. You can think of the ship today as the church. But these servants are also stewards. A steward is a slave who has been given the dignified position of responsibility over his master’s valuable possessions (Lk 12:42-48). These possessions are the “mysteries of God” ... the gifts of salvation offered to everyone who hears the Gospel. As Paul says in Ephesians 5[:32], the mysteries of God are profound, and I am saying it refers to Christ and the church.
No matter how faithful the stewards of the mysteries may be ... there are always some within a congregation who will judge these men according to human standards. Don’t do that. Paul teaches us not to concern ourselves with that. In 2 Corinthians 5[:10] he reminds us, we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. God will judge us. So stop judging each other (v 5).
Faithful stewards won’t deny that they are sinners. Faithful stewards won’t say they have stopped sinning. Faithful stewards know their shortcomings. But they also affirm a clear conscience with regard to their faithfulness as stewards of God’s mysteries. As Paul says, to me it is quite insignificant that I am investigated ... (examined, scrutinized) ... by you. ... The one judging me is the Lord. He alone investigates, examines, scrutinizes the hearts of men. On Judgment Day, he will reveal everything. The hidden motives of all men will be brought to light, and any praise that is due will come as a gift of God’s grace. Christ alone has the final word on examining the faithfulness of his stewards as they deliver the saving mysteries of God in Christ.
IT IS FAITHFULNESS THAT COUNTS!
1. Your pastors do well to stay faithful in proclaiming the mysteries of God.
What God requires of his stewards ... and what people want from their stewards ... are not necessarily the same thing. God wants his stewards to administer faithfully that which belongs to God. The mysteries of God belong to God. The mysteries of God come from Christ. The mysteries of God give us Jesus. These holy mysteries are Christ’s gifts to the church. They belong to the church. The church ... as the bride of Christ ... owns everything that belongs to Christ. Christ gives himself and all that he has to the church. And he does this precisely to deliver the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation to the Church. This means that the stewards of Christ are duty bound to preach the Gospel faithfully and administer the treasures of Christ faithfully ... or as Paul says in our text, the mysteries of God.
The church’s first stewards were sent personally by Jesus. They were called apostles. The word apostle literally means “sent one.” Subsequent stewards also were sent, but not personally by Jesus ... including Barnabus and Titus and Timothy ... Chrysostom, Luther, and Walther ... Meyer, and Spehr, and yes, even your pastor today. God continues to inspire, prepare, and call men to be servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
The mysteries of God are those wonderful truths of our Christian religion that go beyond anyone’s comprehension. Scripture calls them mysteries because we cannot understand how they can be true. Among the great mysteries are the Holy Trinity, the incarnation of God, the vicarious atonement of God, the resurrection of God, the Gospel of God, and the Sacraments of God. There are many more mysteries I am sure we can talk about. But these mysteries ... the Trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, the resurrection, the Gospel, and the Sacraments ... are perhaps the most important. They deliver our salvation. They are enveloped in the Divine Service. They are primary points of doctrine that simply are not negotiable. God reveals these mysteries through the means of his Word to enlighten us and lead us into eternal life.
It is a mystery to all of us why God would love us in this way: Sending Jesus from heaven above to earth below in his first Advent to be born without sin and to live without sin so that he could die for your sin ... as if you could figure out what any of that sin really is. It is a mystery why Jesus would shed his blood for you, die for each one of you ... you of all people.
Your sin is detestable before God (Ez 18:24). We are idolaters. We don’t love God with all of our heart, let alone with all of our soul, strength, and mind. We don’t put God first in our lives ... try as we might. Instead, we inevitably think of ourselves first ... our feelings ... our traditions ... knowing full well that God has a better way ... one he conveys through the means of his Word. More than that, we misuse the name of the Lord, we don’t remember the Sabbath day, we don’t honor our father and mother ... we spurn the faith they gave us. And then we hate, and lust, and steal, and gossip, and covet. We self-justify.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, repent every one of you in the name of Jesus. And do not be ashamed of the great mystery of the Gospel, as Paul will remind you later in 1 Corinthians: Christ died for our sins in accord with the Scriptures, he was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accord with the Scriptures, and he was seen (15:3-4). ... Yes, He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah! ... And He who ascended to the right hand of God, is coming again.
2. Congregations will do well to remember how this mystery of the Gospel is unveiled.
The Gospel is the unique proclamation of all that God in Christ has done for you ... living, dying, rising, ascending, and coming to you ... when you couldn’t go to him. The Gospel reminds you of what is done for you so that you can receive Jesus.
This is one reason why the sacraments are such great mysteries to the people. They don’t see Jesus in his means of grace. They don’t see how all of heaven rejoices with us as we return to baptism and receive the Supper.
There are people all around you who say that baptism doesn’t do anything ... that people need to make a decision for Jesus first. There are people all around you who say that once you “were” baptized that you are good to go ... that nothing more needs to be done.
Brothers and sisters in Christ: the mystery of the Gospel is that Baptism now saves you (1 Pt 3:20). Peter isn’t the only one who says that. Paul too proclaims it in Romans, Galatians, Ephesians that it unites you in the death and resurrection of Jesus. As he says in Galatians, I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God (2:19b-20a). Talk about a mystery!
Your sin died with Jesus so that you can walk in the newness of life and be fed by the bread of life and drink the cup of his salvation. Talk about a mystery! This Lord’s Supper that awaits us proclaims the Gospel every time we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus. Talk about a mystery! As Jesus explains in John 6[:54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. So come and let God reveal a mystery to you: all the company of heaven ... all of your sainted relatives ... join you in proclaiming that your sins are forgiven every time we celebrate the Feast of Victory of our God!
These last days are the days in which our service and stewardship are to be faithfully discharged. Faithfulness will be graciously rewarded, according to God’s grace in Christ. And the Lord will praise those who have served him faithfully ... in Jesus’ name.