on evangelism, stewardship, and being "dispensers" :)

Next Sabbath we will engage the whole congregation in a conversation about place and meaning of evangelism in our lives.  We invite everyone of you to come Friday evening at 7 pm for time of prayer to understand God’s Master Plan which we call “evangelism.”

This past Wednesday evening I had an opportunity to share with those who attend the Prayer Meeting about Biblical principles of Stewardship.  Please take your time and read following passages in your Bibles in the full context, as I list here just short details:

1 Peter 4:10 “stewards of the manifold grace of God”

Ephesians 1:10 “ stewardship/view/plan/dispensation of time”

Ephesians 3:2 “stewardship/dispensation of God’s Grace”

Ephesians 3:9 “stewardship/fellowship of the mystery”

1^st Corinthians 4:1-2 “stewards of the mysteries of God”

These are just few samples of many texts where the Greek word oikonomia (from which our English economy comes from) is used.  The word is rendered differently as translators struggled to convey the meaning.  Dispensation is a good word, as it alludes to an act of dispensing. 

The idea of Apostle Paul here is simple – God’s Mystery, God’s Plan of Salvation, God’s Gospel, the Good News/evangelion – that’s the resource and wealth that must be dispensed!  God’s servants, followers of Christ, everyone who calls the name of Jesus are entrusted with the duty of dispensing God’s blessings, the Holy Spirit which has been deposited in our lives!  Just think on the magnitude of this simple image – the only way God’s grace gets into the world is through God’s people dispensing it to others.  Are you being a “dispenser”?  Are you dispensing God’s Love and Grace to people around you?  That’s what Evangelism is all about – being a dispenser of God’s Grace.

Stewardship is all about advancing the Kingdom of God but administering, fellowshipping, planning, and distributing the Gospel everywhere.  Money, time, possessions, talents, and everything else are secondary, and serve as vehicles and means for the Gospel!   Gospel Stewardship is the Great Commission “Go and make disciples.”

Once you get this point, about being a dispenser J – now read 1^st Corinthians 9:16-18, where Paul explains the stewardship as an obligation.  We serve not out of our own fullness, or because of our own greatness – but out of overflow of God’s blessings in our lives.  Anything else is fraud.  And because of this – we cannot brag, boast or seek credit. It’s the least we can do – dispense what God is pouring through us.  In words of Paul “woe unto us” if we do not dispense and administer out!

Prayerfully, please consider how faithful a steward you are.