Stewards of the Mysteries of God

It is God the Holy Spirit who calls men into the Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament. He does this through the congregation. But no less than the call that went out from Jesus to the apostles—it is the call of God. The man who is thus called by God, is placed into that office by his fellow pastors through the rite of ordination—a practice going back to the apostles that you can read about in the Bible.

When a man is ordained into the pastoral office, his brother pastors gather around him and lay their hands on him and set him apart for service in the Lord’s vineyard with prayer and the Word of God—each pastor choosing a verse or two from the Bible with which to bless the new pastor. The verse that I always use is the second verse of our reading today. It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

Speaking those words, I go on to remind that pastor of the sacred trust that is being given into his hands—preaching and teaching of the Word of God—the administration of the sacraments according to Christ’s institution—and the eternal souls of his flock, each of which he will be called upon to give an account of on the Last Day.

I speak these words with sobriety, fear, and trembling-- for to be entrusted with the holy things of God- and the souls that Jesus has ransomed with his blood shed on the cross- is a sacred calling and serious responsibility. In writing to the young pastor Timothy—Paul called the work of a pastor a “noble task.”

The congregation at Corinth needed that reminder. The first four chapters of this letter Paul wrote to them deal with the pastoral office and their mistaken thinking regarding it. They saw the pastor the same way that so many people in our nation view TV preachers—as a kind of personality or celebrity—and if they liked one man’s particular style they listened to what he had to say—and if they didn’t like his style they rejected his ministry. Paul writes chapter after chapter correcting this misconception and he concludes with the words we have before us today: the pastor is a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God. Paul writes:

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 trustworthy.

It seems as if the Christian Church is always trying to avoid one of two ditches when it comes to the office of the ministry. Our friends in the Baptist churches hire their pastors just like they hire youth directors and worship leaders and church musicians. And if Brother Bob does something they don’t like- or if he ruffles a few feathers- or steps on the wrong toes—the pulpit committee gets together and fires him.

Our friends in the Catholic church regard their priests as an indispensable part of getting to heaven—men gifted by God with special powers the laity don’t have—forgiveness of sins dependent upon their ministrations. And because of this mistaken view, their priests are exalted to a degree that places them above reproach—a position that does not serve the people of God well--as we have all seen over these last few years.

The Bible teaches something different than either of these views. The Bible says that pastors are servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. And so yes, theirs is a humble position—they are servants, duty bound to obey Christ’s Word—following his lead as they serve the people of God.

But they are also stewards of the mysteries of God—entrusted with the most precious things that God has to give: his Word and Sacraments and through them the salvation that Jesus has won on the cross at the cost of his life’s blood.

Justifying faith in Jesus comes to us only when we believe the Word of God that is preached to us and receive in faith the sacraments that are administered to us by pastors. This is the standard that we are to measure pastors by—whether or not they have exercised their stewardship of the mysteries of God faithfully. Paul writes:

It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

We need to understand what Paul is—and is not—saying when it comes to evaluating the ministry of pastors. The Christians in Corinth were judging their pastors based upon things that did not matter—on matters of personality and style—since all of their pastors shared a common, apostolic preaching and practice. This standard of “personality and style” is the measure that Paul says is irrelevant and he refused to be judged by it.

But he was NOT saying that he refused to have his ministry judged at all! In the next few verses he admonished them not to go beyond what is written in the Holy Scriptures and says that he has applied this standard to himself and other pastors.

Christians and congregations are commanded to search the scriptures to make sure that what is being preached and taught and practiced in their church conforms to the Bible. That was the standard in Corinth and that is the standard today—not the pastor’s individual style—not his particular personality—but does his preaching and teaching and administration of the sacraments conform to the Word of God?

Not even the conscience is a reliable guide apart from the Bible. Paul didn’t think he had failed as pastor, but he knew that there was coming a day when his ministry would be judged by the God who knows even what is in our heart. The same is true for every pastor --who will be called to give an account of his ministry. But that same judgment to come is also true for the people that pastors serve. Paul writes:

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Paul and Apollos and every pastor who would ever follow them have a responsibility to let God’s Word be the perfect guide for the conduct of their ministry. But that is no less true for everyone who sits in a pew! God’s Word is the standard for the faith and life of the Christian. Pastors ought to exemplify that standard in the conduct of their ministry so that each Christian can learn that lesson and apply it to themselves.

The Corinthians Christians were outside the standard of God’s Word when it came to how they regarded their pastors-- and they were outside the standard of God’s Word in how they regarded themselves. They found their identity and importance on the man they followed as pastor -when they should have found their purpose and value in who they were in Christ- and the gifts they had received from him.

A return to the cross was needed. It is there at the foot of the cross that we see the truth about ourselves—pastor and people. Pride. Boasting. Divisions and distinctions are revealed for the sins that they are at the cross. All us stand there at the cross perfectly united in our need for Jesus’ love and forgiveness—each of us beggars of his grace.

Where is there any place for pride in our hearts when we see our sin for what it truly is? What distinction that divides the human family is greater than the broken-ness that unites as sinners? What one good thing is there in our life that we did not receive as a free gift of God’s grace from the victorious man of the cross?

All of us have to learn that lesson again and again just like they did in Corinth. Paul writes:

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!

Paul IS NOT saying that these things are true—he is repeating back to them what they are claiming for themselves so that they can hear what they sound like to others. In effect he says: “Are you listening to yourself”? “Do you hear what you’re saying”? “Do you know what you sound like right now?” “You’re rich!?” “You’re kings!” “Oh, if only that were true I would be sharing in your blessings instead of having to write you this letter!”

Paul is ridiculing their exalted view of themselves to get their attention—popping their ego balloon because they are full of hot air. The Corinthians were an exceptionally gifted congregation—but rather than letting their blessings bring them closer to God—their flesh misused those same blessings to exalt themselves. None of us are immune.

Prosperity can lead us to trust in money rather than God and look down on those in need rather than help them. A great intellect can lead us to stand in judgment over God’s Word rather than let it rule over us. Happy homes and loving congregations can blind us to the lost and lonely in the world rather than expand the love and openness that we are to have for others.

But God intends that the blessings he bestows upon us—beginning with salvation—would more and more shape us into the image of his Son Jesus. That’s the way it was for Paul and the pastors who followed him. Paul writes:

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

Through Paul’s work and the work of the other pastors who followed him, the Christians at Corinth had become wise unto salvation and strong in the Spirit. The weakness and foolishness of the cross had done its saving work as it was preached and administered in Baptism and given in Holy Communion.

That is a wonderful promise to each of us—that God the Holy Spirit is still doing his saving work through the means of grace. And so when we return to our baptism in Holy Absolution--when we hear God’s Word preached--and when we receive Christ’s forgiving presence in Holy Communion—we can be certain that we too are being made wise unto salvation and strong in the Spirit.

But the word of the cross had also done its work in Paul and the other apostles and pastors. In hunger and thirst and homelessness—as they were reviled and persecuted and slandered—they were formed more and more into the image of Christ who suffered all these things first. The content of their holy office was Christ and he was at work through them: in their lives-- and in the lives of the people they served.

That is the entire purpose of being a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God—that the saving life of Jesus Christ would be brought to bear on the lives of sinners to the glory of God and their own salvation—beginning with the pastor himself. May God continue to bless the work of his servants and stewards throughout the Church! Amen.