IMPACTFUL MINISTRY (3)

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” – 1 Peter 4:10

Stewardship of God’s Manifold Grace is a crucial component of IMPACTFUL MINISTRY: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet.4:10). Ministry means receiving an assignment from the Lord, with the associated Gifts of Grace. Our meditation passage covers instructions to Believers, concerning how to live carefully and behave well to one another. It calls for seriousness and watchfulness in prayers, fervent mutual love, habitual hospitality, and maximized use of the Gifts of Grace in the service of God’s Kingdom, and for His Glory!

Believers are saved to live and serve for His Glory! Essentially, Christian Stewardship is: Universal in its obligation; manifold in its manifestation; and God-honouring in its intention.

Spiritual Gifts are Universal: These are special abilities bestowed upon Believers at the new birth, by the Spirit of God. Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 use the word, “charisma” for spiritual gifts, distinct from natural talents and abilities possessed from birth. Everyone who belongs to Christ has received a spiritual gift: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1Cor.12:7); “But to each one of us GRACE was given according to the measure of Christ’s GIFT” (Eph.4:7). Every child of God is a gifted child! The spiritual gifts received are not to be used for self but the benefits of others. Rather than being hoarded up for selfish benefit, they are to be lovingly shared and dispensed to meet the needs of others.

Manifold Manifestation: Every spiritual gift has been specially designed and crafted by the Lord to fulfil a specific role that is needed by the church. And every single one of these gifts is important for the health and development of the church. Two broad categories are distinguished here: speaking and serving gifts.

The speaking gifts comprise those that communicate the Word of God – including preaching, teaching, pastoring, evangelism, and exhortation. These should be used to speak as the oracles of God.

The serving gifts such as the gift of helps, giving, administration, mercy, and hospitality, should be exercised with the strength that God provides. These could be seen in the spectrum of the roles and responsibilities of deacons in the church. Interestingly, the word 'minister' in this verse is diakoneo, which is the verb form of the word for deacon.

God-glorifying Motivation: Good and faithful stewardship should be our response to receiving spiritual gifts from God; using our gifts for the benefit of others, deploying them correctly, with the power of the Holy Spirit, and for God’s Glory! All abilities come from God, and their proper use is meant to point back to Him, to whom all Glory and Dominion belong.