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Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

᛭ INI ᛭

(4. These words apply to John and all the Prophets.)

St. Paul word’s tie directly to our Gospel reading. They apply to John the Baptist. He was a “servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God.” He was a prophet. Christ says “more than a prophet,” greater than any other prophet, because John was the last of the Prophets.

John was the promised “voice crying out in the wilderness.” (Is 40) John was the “Elijah” promised in Malachi 4 last week. Christ says today, “Of [John] it is written (Mal 3): ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’” “Of [John] the world was not worthy” (Heb 11) being imprisoned and soon executed for his preaching.

All the prophets, including John, we’re Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries because they preached the coming of Christ and His salvation. “[They] prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He [predicted] the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” (1Pet 1)

A steward is someone who takes care of and manages someone else’s property. They were stewards of God’s mysteries, which are things that don’t fit within our human way of thinking. For the prophets, the chief mystery was that “God in Christ [would] reconcile the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them,” (2Cor 5) in and through Christ’s death and resurrection.

(3. These words apply to the Apostles and all ministers of the Gospel.)

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Those words apply to Paul and all ministers of the Gospel—pastors and preachers. The “us” in 1 Corinthians 4 would include the Apostles Paul and Peter, the traveling preacher Apollos (1Cor 3), and also Pastor Timothy (1Cor 16). The mysteries of the New Testament include the preaching of Christ and His Sacraments.

Ministers of the Gospel serve according to the Word of God and not the demands of the people. It’s not his show, nor the people’s, but Christ’s. “[8] [The] minister consecrates and gives the Lord’s body and blood to the rest of the people, just as [the] minister preaches and offers the Gospel to the people. As Paul says, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1), that is, of the Gospel and the Sacraments.” (Apology XXIV)

[4] When we’re baptized, when we eat the Lord’s body, when we’re absolved, our hearts must be firmly assured that God truly forgives us for Christ’s sake. [5] At the same time, by the Word and by the [action], God moves hearts to believe and conceive faith, just as Paul says, “Faith comes from hearing” (Romans 10:17). But just as the Word enters the ear in order to strike our heart, so the [action] strikes the eye, in order to move the heart. (Apology XIII)

So that we may obtain [saving] faith, [Christ instituted] the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments. [2] Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given [John 20:22]. He works faith, when and where it pleases God [John 3:8], in those who hear the [Gospel] [3] that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake. (AugsburgConfession V)

(2. These words apply to all Disciples of Christ.)

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. These words when considered along side our Gospel lesson also apply more generally to all Christians, including you. But for all Christians it’s limited to “your place in life,” your station or calling that the Lord’s given you. A vocation is a position of responsibility or maybe authority the Lord has given you.

We see this play out in Matthew 11. “John … sent two of his disciples,” and Christ tells them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see.’” So, preacher John’s imprisoned and sends two members of his congregation to Christ. Christ in turn sends these disciples back to their teacher with a word to proclaim back to him. Paul also commends many people doing this for him, like Onesimus whom Paul mentions in Philemon. There’s also the example of Priscilla and Aquila who bring a proper understanding of God’s Word to preacher Apollos (Acts 18). The ability of the lay Israelite to know and trust what the priests were doing was even an underlying impetus for the entire book of Leviticus!

Chiefly, it’s the God-given responsibility of fathers to teach their children the faith, as the LORD commands fathers through Paul: “Fathers…bring [your children] up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6) The Small Catechism echoes this divine command when every Chief Part, save Confession, begins with the words “As the head of the household shall teach it in a simple way to his children.” The Lord also praises and commends godly mothers, saying through Paul, “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, [Timothy] which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” (2Tim 1)

To do this fathers as well as mothers must know the Scriptures so that they teach not their own thoughts, opinions, or feelings about God or Christ or Christianity to their children but rather the Lord’s own word. The Lord is quite clear about this in Deuteronomy 6, “These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.” This command is echoed continually in the Book of Proverbs and the rest of the Bible.

(1. This is for the comfort, joy, and peace of Christ’s people!)

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. This was the work of the Prophets of Old, like John. This was the work of Christ’s Apostles, like Paul and Peter. It’s still the work of pastors and preachers through the ages, like Apollos, Timothy, or myself. But it’s also the duty of all believers according to their vocations, like John’s students did for him in our Gospel lesson.

This isn’t just so that you and your house, I don’t know, actually behave like Christians (even unbelievers are “good people”), but rather that you and your household actually believe and then so behave like Christians. Joshua’s words would then be your words, but “not [just] in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth,” (1Jn 3)—“as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Jsh 24) This is actually for the comfort, joy, and peace of Christ’s people! That’s why Christ sends John’s students back to him, that John would be strengthened in his faith and endure in the faith until His execution. Something even Onesimus did for Paul; Luther’s wife Katarina and his friend Philip Melanchthon did this for him.

This is why Christ sends out preachers, so that they’d preach and you’d believe “there’s one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1Tim 2), FOR YOU. That you’d be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, be absolved of your sins, that be given the medicine of eternal life, for the forgiveness of sins, for the renewal your faith, for strength in your daily Christian life, and to prepare you for eternal life.

Christ wants the comfort and joy and peace of His forgiveness and the gift of living like Christians to be a part of your home. It’s the duty of all Christians—especially fathers and husbands, as well as wives and mothers. Teaching the Christian faith and the Scriptures is also Good Shepherd’s mission, something forbidden in worldly schools, and yet Good Shepherd’s only an extension or addition of what goes on at home. Good Shepherd teaches the Bible, prays and recites the Catechism, because God’s clear that His Word and teachings should be in our homes. (Deut 6) We should be able to speak of them, He also says. Congregation at Prayer is an excellent resource for this; Bible Class an excellent opportunity to help you as well.

As servant of Christ and steward of God’s mysteries, I announce to you again you’re forgiven! Christ earned “double [forgiveness] for all [your] sins.” (Is 40) The Lord’s died for your sins, died for dereliction of duty about His Word. He’s absolved you, too. His Supper all the more delivers forgiveness for this and for all the rest of your many sins—known and unknown. Being forgiven you’re now free not to fail, as His Holy Word is delivered to you and through you, to your abundant and to your household’s abundant blessing.

᛭ INI ᛭