1278. Stewards–Charge-of-Affairs

Stewards–Charge-of-Affairs

"And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?" (Luk_12:42).

The chief servant of Abraham was named Eliezer. Unto him Abraham committed the care of all his goods, and he proved faithful.

We read in the Word: "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

The Lord God has committed unto us His Word of reconciliation, and the work of reconciliation. What a responsibility is ours!

The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a nobleman who took his journey into a far country, he called his ten servants and delivered unto them ten pounds, and said, "Occupy till I come." This is the work of a steward.

Paul said unto Timothy: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust." How we ought to bow our heads and seek strength and guidance! Our Lord Jesus Christ has gone into the Heavens and has left us in charge of His work. He has said unto us: "As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." May we keep our trust.

Our Lord has laid great responsibilities upon His stewards, and there is one supreme thing He requires of them. Hear Him! "It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." He is not required to be brilliant, or even successful, but he must be faithful.

When the Lord Jesus Christ was ready to leave the world He said: "I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do."

When the Apostle Paul looked out upon eternity he said: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

"There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods." What a solemn charge. God wants us to buy up the privileges of our stewardship, and not to waste His goods.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward." Unto Paul there had been committed the stewardship of God's grace. For the word "dispensation," is our word, "stewardship." The Apostle Peter says that we should "minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Oh, beloved, we must keep and use that which God hath committed to our trust: Our Lord Jesus Christ has gone into the Glory, and He is entirely dependent upon the fidelity of His stewards to carry His message of grace and of salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Suppose Peter, Paul, and John, and the rest, had forgotten the commission of their Lord: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," what would have happened?

Suppose that the missionaries of the past had not carried the Gospel to Europe, where would our progenitors be?

Suppose the Gospel had not been brought from Europe to the United States, what would we have done?

God depends on His stewards to carry His Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth, and if we are faithless and souls are left to die, what will we do!

"Oh, Church of God what wilt thou say,

If in the coming judgment day,

They charge thee with their doom?"

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR