2-8-26 Stewards of God’s Grace #2: “Entrusted for the Sake of Others”

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Stewards of God’s Grace #2: “Entrusted for the Sake of Others”

I want to start with something funny I found on the internet.

A man died and went to heaven. At the Pearly Gates, St. Peter led him down the golden streets. They walked past mansion after beautiful mansion until they reached the very end of the road, where they stopped in front of a small shack. The man asked St. Peter, “Why do I get a little hut when there are so many mansions where I would be more comfortable?”

St. Peter replied, “I did the best I could with the money you sent us.”

Funny as it is, this joke teaches a serious lesson: stewardship is not about what we get, but about how faithfully we use what God entrusts to us. Our church leaders—like all of us—are called to be stewards of God’s gifts for the sake of others, not for our own comfort or glory. As we observe Leadership Dedication Sunday today, we are reminded again of who we are.

Today’s scripture says, “Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2)

We don’t often use the words steward or servant in everyday conversation. We talk about leaders, committees, managers, decision-makers, people “in charge.” But the Apostle Paul chooses a very different word here. Not owners. Not bosses. Not controllers. Paul says: stewards. And that one word changes everything.

In Paul’s time, a steward was someone entrusted with a household that did not belong to them. They didn’t create it. They didn’t own it. They didn’t get to use it for personal gain. Their role was simple—but not easy: to care for what belonged to someone else, for the good of the whole household. So, when Paul says, “Think of us this way,” he is resetting expectations—both for leaders and for the church. Leadership in the church is not about possession; it is about entrustment.

Paul says leaders are “stewards of God’s mysteries.” That is a beautiful phrase.

God’s mysteries include the gospel of grace, the good news of Jesus Christ, the sacred stories of faith, and the lives and hopes of God’s people. Beyond that, leaders are entrusted with time—hours given in service; gifts—skills shaped by God; authority—influence that can heal or harm; and relationships—sacred trust with people’s lives. None of this originates with us. All of it comes from God.

Paul does not say, “It is required of stewards that they be successful.” Or impressive. Or popular. He says, “It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”

Trustworthy when no one is watching. Trustworthy when decisions are hard. Trustworthy when the work is unseen and the results are slow. Faithfulness, not flash, is the measure of Christian leadership.

This is where stewardship becomes more than administration—it becomes love.

Like many of you, I often share my concerns and joys with friends when I meet them. Most of the questions they ask me are about how difficult it must be to serve three churches, or how lonely it might feel to live in a rural town without family nearby. But my answers usually surprise them. Serving three churches and communities does not feel like work to me; it feels like living in love.

I tell them, “If you think of it as hard work, it will feel difficult to manage. But if you think of it as a life rooted in love, you will discover abundant blessings.”  So, my motto for life and ministry is this: Do ministry the way you play, and play the way you do ministry.

I once watched a scene in a romantic family movie where a man worked hard for his family, sacrificing his whole life for them. Yet he said to his wife and the family he loved, “Did I work hard for you? No—I loved you.”

In the same way, Jesus loved us so deeply that we may love our communities. The work of Jesus is love. And the role of church leaders is to love God and love others at the front lines of the church, so that the rest of the community may follow.

Leaders are entrusted not for themselves, but for the sake of others: for children and youth who need safety; for elderly members and beloved families who need extra love and care; for youth leaders and Sunday school teachers who give their time to Safe Sanctuaries training and to preparing meaningful Bible studies; for finance and trustee committee members who faithfully steward the church’s resources; for lay servants who continue to grow through renewal and learning; and for all church leaders who gather month after month to cooperate in God’s work. All of this—and so much more—is done for the sake of others, our family within God’s beloved community.

Stewardship always moves outward. Just as Christ poured himself out for the world, leaders are called to pour themselves out—not to be emptied, but to be faithful.

To those we dedicate today: you did not volunteer to own the church; you said yes to care for it. You are not expected to be perfect. You are called to be faithful. Your leadership is a gift—not only in what you do, but in who you are. And God sees your quiet prayers, your late-night worries, your patient listening, and your unseen faithfulness.

And to the rest of us: stewardship is not only for those with titles. It belongs to the whole body of Christ. We steward how we support our leaders, speak with grace, share responsibility, and pray for one another. When leaders are stewards, the congregation is not an audience—it is a community.

Last Sunday at the Communion table, we remembered that stewardship begins with receiving. Today we remember that we lead and serve because we have already been trusted by grace. Everything we offer—our time, our gifts, our leadership—is a response to the God who first entrusted us with love.

So may we be found—not powerful, not perfect—but faithful stewards of God’s grace.

Thanks be to God. Amen.