Servants & Stewards
I Cor. 4: 1-5 "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God…"
There is no cultural context for being a servant in our modern culture. Let alone being a dedicated steward. Consequently the church is full of pastor's who wear the title of servant, but whose lives are incongruous with the concept. As a full-time christian worker, I include myself in the group of "those who struggle" to understand and live it out.
Moreover, as a disciple maker, your impact in the sphere in which the Lord has placed you is greatly impacted by your convictions about being a servant and steward. It takes a heart level pursuit and understanding of the role of a servant and steward to engineer a good disciple maker.
Servant: As much as we are commanded to serve one another, we are not one another's servant's. We are servants of Christ. I have not submitted myself to a capricious human brother or sister. But rather to an all powerful, perfect Lord.
In a victorian household, the head servant is the butler. The other servants work under him, and for him. But they are not his servants. They serve the Lord of the household. Trouble comes when either the butler, or the other servants misconstrue this authority. There is a legitimate issue of worthiness. Is the butler worthy of the servants service? No, but the master is…
Steward: Stewards are keepers and managers. They give daily or more often attention to the objects and households in their care. They things that they are stewards of must remain in their place (available), and in good working order (understood and functional).
When a passenger arrives on the quay of a ship, the steward is right there at the top of the ramp. No one has to tell him his job, or how to do it. No one has to remind him, so people don't forget the usefulness of his work. He is a good steward.
As disciple makers…
1. Are we acting with a guiding hand, or as if we are masters.
2. Is my conviction that I am a servant of Christ? Guided by his purposes and plans? Or do I balk at serving others, because I believe that I am their servant.
3. As a steward, can I make the mysteries of Christ available in a moments notice to those who need them?
4. Can I explain the "good working order" of the gospel? The impact of His divinity? The reality of His undeserved goodness and power applied to my life?
There is no cultural context for being a servant in our modern culture. Let alone being a dedicated steward. Consequently the church is full of pastor's who wear the title of servant, but whose lives are incongruous with the concept. As a full-time christian worker, I include myself in the group of "those who struggle" to understand and live it out.
Moreover, as a disciple maker, your impact in the sphere in which the Lord has placed you is greatly impacted by your convictions about being a servant and steward. It takes a heart level pursuit and understanding of the role of a servant and steward to engineer a good disciple maker.
Servant: As much as we are commanded to serve one another, we are not one another's servant's. We are servants of Christ. I have not submitted myself to a capricious human brother or sister. But rather to an all powerful, perfect Lord.
In a victorian household, the head servant is the butler. The other servants work under him, and for him. But they are not his servants. They serve the Lord of the household. Trouble comes when either the butler, or the other servants misconstrue this authority. There is a legitimate issue of worthiness. Is the butler worthy of the servants service? No, but the master is…
Steward: Stewards are keepers and managers. They give daily or more often attention to the objects and households in their care. They things that they are stewards of must remain in their place (available), and in good working order (understood and functional).
When a passenger arrives on the quay of a ship, the steward is right there at the top of the ramp. No one has to tell him his job, or how to do it. No one has to remind him, so people don't forget the usefulness of his work. He is a good steward.
As disciple makers…
1. Are we acting with a guiding hand, or as if we are masters.
2. Is my conviction that I am a servant of Christ? Guided by his purposes and plans? Or do I balk at serving others, because I believe that I am their servant.
3. As a steward, can I make the mysteries of Christ available in a moments notice to those who need them?
4. Can I explain the "good working order" of the gospel? The impact of His divinity? The reality of His undeserved goodness and power applied to my life?
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