Stewards of the Mysteries

December 11, 1988 - ADVENT II

I Corinthians 4:1-5 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

Introduction:

Christmas is a magic time. A time when so many hopes and expectations and little family traditions come together. But sometimes the very most profound mysteries lie hidden just beneath the surface of the things we think are quite insignificant.

When you think of long-ago Christmases, do you think of your little brother coming down the church aisle with your old bathrobe and a tinfoil crown? — the lights are turned down and the choir is singing: "We three kings of Ori-and-tar.." And at my church Chuckie Whitney's big sister that bossed all us little kids around always got to be Mary and wear a BLUE shawl— she looked so holy and we all knew she was a real biddy! ... And I was terrified that I'd forget my lines ... and yet through it all the idea came through of the wonder of A STAR, and of A LONG, LONG JOURNEY, and of AN ASSURANCE THAT THIS REALLY WAS THE CHRIST- CHILD IN THIS MOST UNLIKELY PLACE.

It is good and healthy and proper to have these mixed memories. But we do remember that the central wonder of Christmas is not the beauty of lights reflecting on new-fallen snow, or a brand new train puffing around the tree- as genuinely splendid as those memories are. We haven't gotten mixed up! We know that the real heart of Christmas lies much, much deeper than that.

For the wonder of Christmas is the gift of Life. It is Christmas that makes Calvary and the Resurrection and the Ascension and Pentecost and the Parousia all possible.

Our text speaks of really deep truths. Advent deals with mystery— and when we have to do with God, or more properly, when God begins to have to do with us, where is always mystery.

I. THE JOY AND WONDER OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD

Somehow we love mystery. We are fascinated by what we cannot fully comprehend. That is, we love mystery until we begin to talk about the Bible and to wrestle with the "how to's" of salvation. Then we say foolish things like, "How can I be expected to believe what I cannot understand?" But we need to see that there are some things that we can KNOW that we will NEVER understand!

  1. By His very nature, God is beyond our comprehension. Finite creatures can never encompass God's infinity. So Infinity must stoop to speak to us where we are. What is exactly what God has done! And as God reveals Himself, we behold many mysteries:
  2. The mystery of Creation. This is a GENERAL REVELATION. It does not of itself reveal God's love or salvation. But the in Psalm 19 we read: "The heavens declare the glory of God..."

    Creation is full of wonder; and we may say with conviction: "This my Father's world!" And yet in the battle between so-called "creationists" and "evolutionists" we might do well to acknowledge THE MYSTERY WHICH IS OUR GOD'S HANDIWORK. But that is not what I am concerned about this morning.

  3. The mystery of REVELATION. [God speaking to you and me.] God has always had a way of communication to human beings. And it is through this MYSTERY, of God speaking to man- first by prophets, and by visions, and, as the writer of Hebrews says, in sundry manners and diverse ways, finally gave us the complete Word in His Son, the living Word, and in the written word, which reveals the Son.

    REVELATION, The Bible, speaks of the (1) MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION. In Ephesians 3:4 Paul speaks of THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST. Kenosis- Philippians 2:5-11. John 3:16. These passages roll off our tongues so easily; they declare wonders which we can not grasp either now or throughout eternity!

The mystery of Christ, of God coming down to be one with us, identifying with us (John 3:16) is no narrow love, confined to the Jews, or to the christians. It is a universal, world-wide love of God. Look carefully: this is part of the mystery; as Paul says (Ephesians 3:4) "...through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."

REVELATION, the Bible, reveals THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION. God's perfect, impeccable, unblemished holiness meets with His sympathy, and forgiveness and mercy and kindness and love precisely at the Cross of Calvary.

But all these mysteries combine in the mystery that can never be explained: GOD LOVES ME!

II. OUR RELATION TO THE MYSTERIES OF GOD

"Let a man regard us as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

  1. The wonder of Christmas, the mysteries of God and salvation DO exist for our benefit and enjoyment. BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT ALONE. In fact, the text tell us that we exist to see that these mysteries become available to all people. We are to be: "Servants of God, and stewards of the mysteries."
  2. It is easy to "get used to the idea" that GOD LOVES ME! And pretty soon we get to thinking that He OUGHT to love me, I'm sooo nice! We have heard it all so many times before. We have gotten used to it. And we have come in our heart of hearts to think that God SHOULD love us! After all, aren't WE the "good guys?" WE are SO wonderful!

    It is easy to take what amounts to a patronizing attitude toward Christmas— WE GIVE A PERFUNCTORY 'BAH HUMBUG' ABOUT HOW 'THE WORLD' DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS. WE DO, OF COURSE! [We all but invented it!]

    This presumption— this self-centered attitude was one of the principal mistakes which the Jews of Jesus' time had made. Called to be God's servants and stewards of His love, they instead began to think of themselves as simply the prime recipients. They thought they deserved God's best for themselves. All others were "the adversaries!"

  3. It is hard to sort this out, especially when we have been brought up, as it were, 'on the inside of great truth.' God's people ARE highly favored. We are a privileged people. God intends that we should enjoy Him, and that we should revel in our worship, in His Presence.

    But we are also to remember that we do not have the monopoly on God's love. We are to remember that God loves everyone as much as He loves us; that Jesus died for ALL people.

  4. And we are debtors to the extent that we enjoy God. We are called on as best we can to SHARE this wonder of the mysteries of God. This is our relation to the mysteries of God and salvation. We are to experience the life that comes from KNOWING God; and then we are to be stewards of that LIFE: and 'let our light so shine before men and women that they may see our changed lives, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.'

[The final thought here today comes even closer home: Not only do we have a steward relationship to the MYSTERIES of grace— ]

III. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE MYSTERIES OF GOD

"It this case, moreover, it is REQUIRED of stewards that one be found trustworthy."

  1. One great mystery of the faith has to do with Christ's coming again. ADVENT means that in wonder we proclaim that he came, and he comes. But a central truth of ADVENT IS THIS: Jesus, the LORD, is coming again.

    And this verse tells us what the Lord Jesus Christ will do when He comes again. He will call us to account for our stewardship. For the word in our text is "REQUIRED!" "It is required of stewards that one be found faithful." Not, "It is suggested..." or "It is hoped that stewards will be ..." no, the word is REQUIRED!

    Stewardship of "talents," yes; but more profoundly, stewards of these mysteries of LIFE.

  2. The wonder of Christmas for which we are accountable is NOT the sparkling memories of a lights on the new fallen snow— precious as those memories may be. But we must share (EPHESIANS 6:19) the mystery of the gospel. We need to experience how it penetrates, and transforms and brings light and life. We are stewards of (I TIMOTHY 3:9) the mystery of the faith. Paul wrote to Timothy— and to you and me— that we are to handle, experience, transmit the "deep truths" of the faith with a clear conscience.
  3. All these mysteries are not simply so that we can have some kind of esoteric knowledge, and conduct our secret society meetings, and somehow feel smug about how brilliant we are. But all these mysteries of the faith, of the revealed knowledge of the transcendent God combine in the one mystery that can never be explained: GOD LOVES ME! GOD LOVES YOU!

Conclusion:

I know this isn't the usual way of handling Christmas truth. Our Advents deal with the safe and comfortable concepts of a Babe lying in a manger, where He is sweet and harmless and invokes warm and tender feelings.

But the mystery of Bethlehem unfolds and grows.

Our text makes it plain that we are to be stewards of these mysteries; we are not to be judges or policemen, saying who is, and who is not admissible to grace.

  1. Faithfulness in stewardship of the mysteries begins with an attitude! ASK GOD FOR A NEW SENSE OF AWE!
  2. Remember, WE ARE STEWARDS! We do not either fully understand nor "own" these mysteries. But, O, how we BELIEVE THEM!" These truths brings God's very LIFE down where we are! And God intends that we share them the very best we can!
  3. So, let us begin! Tell someone you love this week the most wonderful mystery there is! Tell him, tell her that God loves them!

It ought to be encouraging to remember that we are not called to explain the mysteries. Rather, we PROCLAIM them in humility. And remember, especially during advent- the central mystery is IMMANUEL.

Prayer:

Thank You for Your LOVE! Help us to share it as best we know how. Amen.

EH #22 Verses 1,2,5 O, the Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus