An Overseer’s Stewardship

“But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Tim. 3:15.

As ministers in the church, we ought to take careful heed to ourselves and to all the flock among whom the Holy Spirit has made us overseers. Acts 20:28. The church has been pur­chased by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore, no one should live for himself. Christ is the Head of the church. All direction comes from Him. The spirit of sacrifice must perme­ate all of our work. No one has the right to use their knowl­edge to chasten others because they are fed up with their faults. Such servants do not help others come to the Spirit, the water and the blood.

We must walk worthy of our calling with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. We must make sure that we have taken the servant’s mantle of Christ upon us in all our serving and doing. All frivolous talk must be banned from our meetings. The younger ones are to submit to the elders and respect those who minister in the church, so that the Spirit of the fear of God is evident and people do not go outside their measure of faith. We must serve one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Our speech and ministry must be ac­cording to the power that God gives, so that He may be hon­ored in all things.

The overseer is a steward of the manifold grace of God, and he has a huge storehouse to draw from. The faithful and wise steward understands what the church needs and gives food at the right time. Then the lame will be healed, and each person will receive strength to serve the others as members of the body of Christ. “And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faith­ful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due sea­son? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so do­ing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbeliev­ers.’” Luke 12:42-46.

Some people misunderstand what it means to shepherd the flock. There can be many things that are not perfect, but they tire of all these imperfections and start beating the male and female servants. Luke 12:45. If a person who ministers in the church displays a tendency to dominate others and to lord it over them, then Satan is present in the midst of the church as an angel of light. We must have a fear over us so we con­duct ourselves in purity and goodness in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. It is always easier to tear down than to build up, and the evil that is still within us tempts us to do what is easiest.

If, on the other hand, everything goes according to the laws of the Spirit, and each one has fear over him, then the mani­fold wisdom of God will be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. They will see that the church, by speaking the truth in love, grows the growth of the body up to Him who is the Head—Christ. For them this will be a tremendous testimony of God’s majesty and greatness and His far-reaching grace and goodness, so that in all things He receives the honor.

This also gives us power over the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, because they see that we are being more and more knit together to the Head, Christ, and He triumphed over them all.