Manager of Mysteries

 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards/managers of the mysteries of God. [I Cor 4:1]

In an everchanging world, the office of pastor is changing also. The title pastor is no longer sufficient. Now we have Senior Pastors, Associate Pastors, Worship Pastors, Student Pastors, and Children Pastors. Some view themselves as CEOs in the church. They treat the church like a corporation with a chain of command and flow charts of authority. 

It is interesting that Paul did not see his calling that way. He used two very different descriptions. Servant and steward. 

Paul wanted people to regard him as a servant. The word servant means a bond slave. It can also mean to voluntarily live in subjection to a higher authority. In Paul's case, that higher authority was Jesus, as it should be for all followers of Jesus. 

Servants concern themselves with two things. Knowing the Master's will and obeying the Master's will so as to please Him. I have met preachers who had just the opposite mentality. They thought they should be served and given special privileges based on their position. That does not follow the example of Jesus who said He did not come to be served but to serve. Paul repeatedly called himself a bond slave or bond servant at the opening of his letters. 

Serving means attending to the needs of others. Serving means putting others before yourself. In my official capacity as a pastor I have; helped a church member fill in pot holes down a long dirt driveway, mowed yards, helped people move, done disaster relief after a hurricane, painted fencing, hauled hay, dug post holes, pulled carpet, done demolition work, and a host of other things that preachers in training do  train for in seminary. I have always thought a special bond forms when the flock sees the pastor serving along beside them. Brother pastors, we are servants. We exist to serve God first and others second. It will not always be easy. Some service is harder than others. May we not shrink back from the difficulty of the service. Jesus did not shrink back from serving us by bearing our sins on the difficult cross. 

Paul also identified himself as a steward or a manager. That is a person who oversees. Oversees what? The mysteries of God. The secret doctrines of God. 

The mysteries are not because they are not accessible to all. They are mysteries because to fully understand God's truth, you have to speak the language of the Holy Spirit. You have to be in tune with Him. You have to be open to his inspiration and revelation. You have to look deep within the verses to find the greater depth than just what you see on the surface. There is a goldmine of truth contained in the Bible. A wealth of truth. 

It is sad more preachers than you know get their sermons off the internet or from other preachers. They do not dig for themselves. They seldom experience the joy of getting so caught up in study you lose track of time. They may not experience God preaching the sermon to them privately before they deliver it to the rest of the congregation. It is thrilling when God unlocks a challenging passage and gives clear understanding. 

There is no end to sermon material because the word of God is inexhaustible as the subject of God is also. There is always more to learn and discover. Unfortunately some refuse to manage God's mysteries. They opt for the path of least resistance. They prefer to be errand boys echoing the sentiments of other preachers. It is much more invigorating to hear fresh words from God born in the prayer closet and study rather than copied from the internet. 

Preachers, is repentance in order? Have we forgotten our calling to serve God and to serve people? Do we do due diligence in study to manage the mysteries of God to share with others? May we be challenged by Paul's examples. Servants and managers of the mysteries of God are sorely needed in churches today.