The Steward
(Ephesians 3:2)
Paul, who was writing a letter to the Ephesian Church, was aware of those who doubted his apostolic authority. Therefore, he briefly paused what he was about to say originally and directly mentioned that Christ had forcefully called him and was using him. Paul said, “You have heard of my stewardship of God’s grace for you.”
1. Sacrifice and Compensation
The purpose of the steward is to ensure the stable maintenance and prosperity for the Master’s dwelling place. To achieve this, the steward does what the Master desires in the manner that the Master wants. The steward cannot do what he desires, therefore, as he works, he must endure many discomforts. Nevertheless, the reason why he can endure the work with hope is the future compensation from the Master for sacrifice and suffering that he has endured.
2. The Stewardship of God’s Grace
Paul referred to his duty as ‘the stewardship of God’s grace’ because receiving this stewardship itself was a grace, and the work he carried out as a steward was all about conveying grace. His desire was for people to recognize him as the one entrusted with God’s mystery and for God to forcefully assign him this work. By doing so, they would overcome their distorted perspectives, and only then could the grace of God upon Paul flow into them.
3. The Path to Blessing
Today, this principle remains unchanged. A Pastor is the one whom God has forcefully established. A pastor does not work for their own glory but for the saints entrusted to them by God. A pastor cannot avoid suffering or try to resolve their own unfairness. Instead, a pastor consistently mediates grace and blessing. Therefore, saints should understand the relationship between a pastor and themselves and allow grace and blessing to flow into them. In this way, each saint can also fulfill the role of a steward, and the entire church can abundantly receive God’s compensation in heaven.
November 12, 2023
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
