There had been divisions in the church of Corinth over various church leaders (Paul, Apollos, and Peter specifically-see chapter 1 and 3).\u00a0 Paul corrects their thinking in verse 1 when he tells them to think of them as \u201cministers of Christ.\u201d\u00a0 Literally translated Paul says, \u201cthink of us as servants of Christ.\u201d\u00a0 They weren\u2019t trying to jockey for positions of power in the church or in a hierarchy of super religiousness.\u00a0 Paul wanted them to know that their calling was to be servants of God.\u00a0 Jesus Himself said \u201cthe greatest among you will be your servant\u201d in Matthew 20.\u00a0 For Paul, life wasn\u2019t about him and becoming popular.\u00a0 Life for him was about making much out of Christ and being obedient to Christ in all circumstances.\u00a0 It reminds us of what John the Baptist told his disciples in John 3:30, \u201che must increase, but I must decrease.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul also says in verse 1 that they are \u201cstewards of the mysteries of God.\u201d\u00a0 A steward is someone hired by the owner to manage something for them.\u00a0 Paul was considered himself a slave to Christ (see Romans 6).\u00a0 He was to do what his Master desired of him to do.\u00a0 In this case, Paul was to share the Gospel (mysteries of God in this case).\u00a0 Paul\u2019s life was about sharing the Gospel with anyone and everyone who would listen.<\/p>\n
Then in verse 2, Paul says that to be a steward you must be faithful.\u00a0 This reminds us of what Jesus said in 12, \u201cto whom much is given, much is required.\u201d\u00a0 God\u2019s assignments for His children will always match their character.\u00a0 God knows what we are able to handle, and therefore He only gives us what we can handle.\u00a0 Paul was charged with not only spreading the Gospel, but also with caring for the churches he started.\u00a0 This required a lot of time, patience, and hard work. But God had given Paul the strength to do it, just as He will give us the strength to do what He has called us to do (see 1 Timothy 1:12).<\/p>\n
God never asks us to do it all by ourselves.\u00a0 In fact, we are told in John 15 that we can\u2019t do it by ourselves.\u00a0 The requirement God has placed on us is faithfulness.\u00a0 We are to be faithful in what He has given us to do.\u00a0 This is possible as we pray and ask God for His help, and then depend on Him to work in us and through us.<\/p>\n
By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There had been divisions in the church of Corinth over various church leaders (Paul, Apollos, and Peter specifically-see chapter 1 and 3).\u00a0 Paul corrects their thinking in verse 1 when he tells them to think of them as \u201cministers of … Read More