Sunday after Ascension
May 28, 2006
Scripture Readings: Psalm 110; Acts 1:1-11
Hymns: 212; 216; 772; 757

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The word of God taken for our instruction in righteousness this morning comes from 1 Peter 4:7-11:

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Theme: Good Stewards of God’s Grace

In the name of the one and only True God, who is worthy to receive praise and honor; Dear Fellow Redeemed,

In the early hours of yesterday morning, an earthquake measuring 6.2 in magnitude hit the large and densely populated island of Java in Indonesia. Over 3,700 people have been confirmed dead, thousands more injured and many are still unaccounted for. To make matters worse, Mount Merapi which is a nearby active volcano is also threatening to erupt. But do you know what the saddest part of the whole story is? The saddest part, is something you won’t hear on the news - and that is that the majority of the people who have died in this tragedy are now in hell. The population of Indonesia is 87% Muslim, making it the largest Islamic country in the world. I read about an interview with a 70 year old man, who lost his wife in the earthquake because he was trying to save a son who had a broken leg. The man said, “I have to accept this as our destiny, as God’s will.” At first that might sound like a wonderful confession of faith, until we realize that this man was probably not referring to the Triune God, but Allah, a false God, and a man-made religion of works.

Hearing about this disaster reminded me of a verse of one of our hymns based on the words of Isaiah the prophet: “Let none hear you idly saying, ‘There is nothing I can do,’ While the souls of men are dying and the Master calls for you. Take the task He gives you gladly, let His work your pleasure be; answer quickly when He calleth, ‘Here am I, send me, send me!’” (TLH 496:4).

Such a tragedy should cause us to re-evaluate our own lives, and meditate on the Grace of a loving God, and His Son Jesus Christ, who has delivered us and all people from sin and eternal death. The words of Jesus which we have been considering during this Easter season are also especially applicable as we consider such a great spiritual tragedy. Time and time again during th past few weeks we have heard the various words of Jesus, saying in essence: “Go, and take this message of salvation through my death and resurrection out into all the world.” Jesus spoke those words to His disciples on Easter Sunday evening (John 20:19-23), a week later while they were still in Jerusalem (Mark 16:14-16), again on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20), and one final time just before He ascended into heaven Jesus again repeated His commission to them in those words Luke recorded in the opening verses of Acts: “and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

We are His witnesses and as witnesses, Peter reminds us that we have become stewards of the manifold grace of God. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us that so we may be good stewards of the Grace of God which has been entrusted to us! Amen.

Stewardship. Most people, when they hear that word, immediately think of money or finances. While the use of our money is a part of stewardship, the apostle Peter speaks of our stewardship in a much broader way. In this entire chapter of his first epistle Peter addresses the topic of stewardship. Here he writes, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” In his letters, Peter often refers to specific words or sayings which he had heard Jesus speak during His three year ministry. As he was writing these words, Peter may have been thinking about one of the parables Jesus told during His ministry - the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:15-30).

You may recall that parable – Jesus told of a man who was going away on a journey, and called his servants in and entrusted them with various amounts of his wealth. Amounts were given to them according to their ability, and then the master went away. Jesus told about how two of the servants took what they were entrusted and gained more, while one took the amount he had been given and buried it in the ground. Finally the master returned and called his servants back to him wanting to know how wisely they had used the amounts entrusted to them. The two servants who had gained more with what they had been given by their master were told, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21). But the servant who had buried the amount that had been entrusted to him was called a wicked and lazy slave, that which had been entrusted to him was taken away, and he was cast into “outer darkness.”

Jesus spoke these words only a week before His death on the cross. He was preparing His disciples for the fact that He was soon going to be leaving them and ascending back to heaven to the Father. But when He left, He promised to entrust them with a differing amount of gifts for them to use for His kingdom. And on the day when He returns, on the last day, He will call each one to give an accounting of how those gifts were used (cf. 1 Peter 1:5).

The apostle Paul also wrote of this stewardship which has been entrusted to all believers in Christ, writing, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift... (He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:10-14).

To each one of us grace was given! For what purpose? For the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God! In whatever role we may have we are given the opportunity to use the gifts we have been entrusted for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Peter describes some of the ways that “everyday people” can be good stewards of the manifold grace of God:

Number one - “be serious and watchful in your prayers.” We considered the topic of prayer in our service last week, being reminded that this is a gift our Savior has entrusted to us. We have been given the opportunity to go to our Heavenly Father at any time of the day or night, with our praises, confessions, thanksgivings, and requests. No matter what the situation, no matter what the need we are told to come to Him. As we consider the spiritual tragedies which are taking place every day, we should keep those things in our prayers. Prayers for ourselves and our families, for our fellow believers, for our neighbors, and for the many unbelieving people of the world.

Number two - “above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” Most importantly we are to love one another. Our love for others is one of the reasons we should be eager witnesses of our Savior. If we have a love for other, we don’t want bad things to happen to them, we want what’s best for them. Again that love for others comes from our Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us by His own death. John says, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our incentive to be good stewards flows from our love for our Savior, which is shown by our love for others. Being concerned about the spiritual well being of others, both believers and unbelievers, and encouraging and supporting them in their struggles is one more way to show that love for them -- and for Jesus.

Number three - “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” Love for others will not only manifest itself in concern for the souls of others, but also concern for their physical welfare. In the early days of the church many individuals went from congregation to congregation like Paul during his missionary journeys telling those they would meet about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Many were persecuted because of their faith, and were forced to leave their homes and start over somewhere else. Hospitality was especially important in those early days, but no less today. Hospitality toward people around us may also open the door for us to share the Word of Life concerning Jesus.

Finally, Peter summarizes - “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” We don’t all have the same gifts or abilities, but whatever God has entrusted to you, you are to use those gifts to minister to one another. When we hear that word "minister" we may think of the work of a pastor. Literally the word "minister" means "serve", which is how the word minister came to be used for pastors as one who was to serve the flock of God. Likewise good stewards are to use the gifts God has given to them to serve others.

But it’s not just pastors who serve others with the Word. Remember Paul’s words in Ephesians 4: the pastor's role is “the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.” The ability and responsibility of every Christian to preach the Word to others is also brought out in that hymn I referred to earlier. In the second verse of that hymn we sing, “If you cannot speak like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, you can say He died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked with the judgments dread alarms, you can lead the little children to the Savior’s waiting arms!” (TLH 496:2).

Our ministering consists of two parts. As stewards our gifts and blessings may vary, but we have one thing in common. We have all been entrusted with God’s Word. As stewards of God’s grace, and witnesses of our risen and ascended Savior, we are to proclaim that Word to others. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.” And Peter reminds us that we are to proclaim that Word faithfully, as the oracles (the very words) of God. Zion is a small church, and we belong to a small synod, but we have something to offer this world, something that it needs desperately. We have the truth about sin and its consequences; the truth about the one true triune God and His solution to our problem of sin in the person and the work of Jesus our Savior! Let’s loudly share that message with our words and with our actions.

Peter concludes with the reminder that all this comes from God: “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.” The word "steward", which we have been using so often this morning is a "manager". All that we are and all that we have, we have been “loaned” by God. The many uncountable blessings we have are not really ours, but God’s. God has simply entrusted them to us for a time - the short time we are given here on this earth. So what should we do? In the opening verses of this chapter Peter writes, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles——when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.... but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Peter 4:1-3,5,6).

Being a good steward of the manifold grace of God is not something that believers in Christ do to earn their eternal salvation - that we know has already been accomplished through Christ. Rather, our stewardship of God’s grace is a result of our salvation - they’re the natural fruits of our faith in Christ. Our abilities as stewards of God’s grace are supplied by God, and accomplished for His glory. All that we have, all that we are, is because of Him. “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.”

As witnesses of our ascended Savior, God grant that we may also be good stewards of His manifold grace. Let us look to the grace which God supplies to each of us as His stewards, consider the love which He has shown to us in giving up His own Son, Jesus the Christ for us and for our sins, and let us use the many blessings which He has entrusted to us as good, faithful stewards and to the glory of His name. Amen.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Amen.

Pastor Nathanael Mayhew