What Sort of Steward?

1 Corinthians 4:1 KJV

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

It can hardly be argued that the "us" the Apostle references is himself and the other Apostles and ministers of the Lord. The context implies it. Reason connects it.

But it is also possible to attribute the "us" to the whole of his audience:

·         Himself

·         His hearers and in fact,

·         Us-the present day student of this passage

It would be wise to see

·         Not just the Apostle Paul

·         Not just the Twelve Apostles

·         Not just the ministers of that era

·         Not just the preachers of our day

But ourselves, each of us, all of us, as both ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

All of us manage a valuable treasure entrusted to us. It is the Word recorded in the pages of our Bible.

·         We have accepted them as from God

·         We have obeyed them in calling upon the Lord for salvation

·         We have embraced them as the code of our lives

We have this treasure but it is not yet clear what we will so with that treasure.

·         Will we hide it as the unjust steward? Or

·         Will we let it out to see what it might gain as the others did?

·         Will we come to know it well?

·         Will we come to live out all of what it says?

·         Will we tell others what we have discovered within?

We are stewards. We possess this treasure of inestimable worth. How will we perform our stewardship?