this morning is entitled, Being Christ's Faithful Servants and Stewards. Being Christ's Faithful Servants and Stewards. I will read just the first paragraph from that chapter. So if you are there, 1 Corinthians chapter four, beginning with verse one. This is how one should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found faithful. But with me, it is a very small thing. that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against me, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes. who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God." Well, brethren, as has already been said, this is a rather unusual, extraordinary day in the life of Kabwatha Baptist Church. First of all, we are setting aside three missionaries at once. The highest we've done before is two missionaries being sent out. But secondly, as has been said a few times, one of them is the pastor's son, which has been a very sort of emotional roller coaster ride for me. up to this particular moment. I've promised myself not to cry. I hope I will manage. Yeah. It's worth mentioning that, yeah, on this occasion we've reached also the mark of 30 missionaries. sent out over the 33 years of the life of this church. One of these three is number 30, who were in the lock sheet. Again, the Lord's been good to us. There've been a few failures, painful, abortive situations, but we can say that by and large it's been a positive ride, that we can speak today about independent churches, sister churches now, a number of them with their own pastors leading the work. And it is with that same hope that we set aside our three brethren here. The reason why I am calling your attention to the passage that is before us, and especially the topic of being Christ's faithful servants and stewards, is primarily because of this same reality, that our hope and prayer is one of success as these men go out to do the work. That we will see them achieve the goal that as we heard from the prayer of our brother George Sitali, our elder here, that we may in fact see churches thriving at the end of this. And when we think in terms of the 30 plus churches, I think it's worth acknowledging at this point, especially because we have the presence of HeartCry here, that it's been largely because of their support, their financial support. When they came alongside us in the year 2000, we entered an agreement that we would be giving twenty-five percent of the support for every missionary and they will be giving seventy-five percent well as the number of missionaries increased we went back and said can we reduce our part to twenty percent per missionary and then you handle eighty percent which they agreed to and even now as we're speaking we have about uh... fourteen to fifteen church plans still active and half of them are supported by them. So it's just God's providence that they are here with us today. It was not in the script when we agreed that we would be setting apart our three brethren here today. And when it became apparent that we would be together on this particular occasion, that's how we moved our ordination. It's normally in the evenings. We moved it to the morning, especially when we became aware that they were also planning to at least have a few video clips from this service. The team that they have brought out to screen this actually is a professional team, although from the U.S. and we are not paying for it at all. They have come primarily because, at any one time, we are training approximately 150 men for pastoral ministry across Zambia. And so they've traveled to Mungu, I think, are you doing, have you been there already? Okay, so they'll be going there today, and Petauke? Okay, so they'll be proceeding to Pedagogy as well. And of course, they've already done Lusaka. Again, we ought to be grateful for this. And at the same time, pray for them as they travel. They are going right across the country to see these training sessions taking place. So please, Brother Sean, take our thanks back to Brother Paul and the team to thank them for their partnership over the years. What we have in this passage of scripture is the Apostle Paul dealing with a very heartbreaking situation for him. Not as heartbreaking as the situation was in Galatia that caused him to write the letter to the Galatians, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless because the church in Corinth was experiencing serious divisions among them. And the divisions were totally unnecessary, but nonetheless, they were real. The church was divided around personalities, personalities of preachers that had labored among them. Paul himself had established the church, Peter had preached there, Apollos had preached there, and of course the Lord Jesus Christ himself is the one who had sent these people through. And because of the culture that was there in the Greek world, of having these great orators that were drawing crowds after them, that same cultural context had invariably set its foot in the context of the church. And so the tendency of the believers then was to say, who among these preachers is the greatest? That's the one we are followers of. And so some were saying they were followers of Paul, others followers of Peter, others followers of Apollos, and then hopefully, although I think it's with tongue in cheek, that others were saying they were followers of Christ. And in the passage that we are reading from chapter one, all the way to chapter four, the Apostle Paul seeks to answer this issue of the divisions. in the rest of chapter one he basically is saying that god works through preaching and it is god who works through preaching it is his power and consequently it is foolish to be dividing among those who are preachers in chapter two he brings out who within the Three persons of the Godhead is actively involved in this work, and it's really the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God uses His servants in order to bring people to salvation. So how do you start debating about the tubes or the pipes through whom the Holy Spirit is working. You ought, in fact, to be thinking about the Holy Spirit Himself working through them. And then in the third chapter, he basically appeals, therefore, that they are being worldly, and they ought to stop being worldly. Instead, they ought to be godly, spiritual, and responsible, so that each person is careful about how he is working. It is with that that he enters into the fourth chapter. And as he begins that chapter, clearly he is seeking to convince these people to be spiritual in viewing those who preach among them. to have a godly attitude. Hence the beginning of this chapter with the words, this is how one should regard us. I will come back to that phrase when we get to the end. aspect of how each person in the church should regard, treat those that are engaged in a preaching ministry. Now, that's what we're doing today. We are setting aside three men for this work, the task of through preaching, seeing churches established, not only the churches that they will be establishing, but through those churches to see more and more and more churches established across the city, across the nation and indeed across the continent. We hope one day that they will also be speaking about planting churches beyond the continent of Africa. Very well then. What is this view that we should have? First of all, us who are looking at them, but secondly, themselves as those who are going into ministry. Well, the first godly view that the Apostle Paul talks about here concerning gospel preachers is that they are primarily servants of Jesus Christ. primarily servants of Jesus Christ. We see that in our text, 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 1. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ. Now normally the word servants is the word diakonos, or in this particular case it would be plural, but It's the word that we get the word deacon from. Sometimes it is actually the word doulos. Again, it would be its plural form, which is really the word slave. But the Apostle Paul uses a different word here. He uses the word uperits, which refers to a manual house servant or an office orderly. In other words, it's that person who is at the lowest level in any working context. So you can well understand that where you have an office structure, it will be that individual that all of you keep calling in order to do something. Hey, John! Oh, sorry. To the song leader. You know, take these papers over to the general manager. Hey, John, come and make a cup of coffee for me quickly. Hey, John, tell the driver to bring the car because we have... And the officer never argues. In fact, often they qualify because of the way in which they do everything you tell them with a smile at you. Now, that's the phrase that is used here. In the context in which this would have been written, It was referring to the lowest level of slaves in ships. Those ships where the slaves, the galley slaves, would be the ones who would be rowing. So you would have different levels in that ship. At the lowest level, the ones who do the most work the name that they would use would be this. Euparates. Now, with respect to the application here, you can't miss it, therefore. That those who are preachers of the word are servants of Christ. They are individuals who simply accept the tasks that he gives them to do, and they get on with the work. Notice I've said two things. First of all, it is in terms of the fact that Christ has called them. And it doesn't matter what it is they may have been doing, they let go and proceed to do his bidding. Remember the example I used of an officer in Delhi. the way in which every time you call out his name, it doesn't matter what he's doing. He's quickly coming over. What is it? You tell them to do, and they're immediately running to do what you're telling them to do. An officer that soon gets disqualified who's saying, but can't you see I'm busy? He says that three times. When his contract is over, he's gone because there is a call that has come to him that he must fulfill. And that's what we have with those that are called to this work. But secondly, it is in terms of the task itself. They are servants of Christ. Consequently, they must be up and about fulfilling that responsibility. When the elders were interviewing these friends of ours here, there was one question that was uppermost on their minds. And it was the question, has Jesus Christ called these men? From the way they've been answering us, can we honestly say that Jesus has called them? Now, they were not the only ones interviewed. A few others were, from which the elders said, uh-uh, we don't think so. But with these men, they had a different answer. And it was, yes, it looks like, from our judgment, Jesus Christ has called them. Therefore, our responsibility as a church is to facilitate this by ordaining them, setting them apart, and then supporting them. So strictly speaking, although we as a church have called them, we know that it is in a secondary way. The primary is the recognition that Jesus Christ has called them. They are primarily servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now to our missionaries going out today, We will not always be there. We will not be in Hillview, we will not be in Monza, we will not be in Harare. But Christ will be. He'll be seeing everything. The very one you are telling us has called you and even given you work. His eyes will be upon you. Therefore, be about the business of doing what he has sent you to do. rather than saying, well, since the elders of Kawatababwe are not here, I can then be doing whatever I want to do. Jesus is the one who has called you. And make it a business to do what he's calling you to do. But secondly, a godly view of gospel preachers is that they are stewards of God's mysteries, stewards of God's mysteries. Back to our text. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Again, allow me to indulge a little bit into Greek for the last time. The word oikonomos refers to a household manager. That's the word steward there, a household manager, someone who is in charge of running the entire household, and that's not just in terms of a nanny or a servant in the kitchen. But remember that in the days in which the Bible was being written, households were actually the institutions where the entire economic enterprise rested. And so, for instance, when the owner of the household comes home and calls the manager and says, give an account for everything, for us, we think in terms of shop right. But those in the first century, we're thinking in terms of the actual house sold. with the owner who is at the top. But there is a manager into whose hands the responsibility has been put. And this household manager organized the budget. He organized the purchases for the things budgeted for. He ensured that proper accounts were being maintained. If there were those that were owing money, he ensured that debts were collected, which is where one or two of the parables of our Lord Jesus is based. He ensured that resources were allocated properly in order for every aspect of that economic enterprise to be going forward, galloping forward to achieve the goal of the owner who is the head of the household. That's what it was about. And that's the individual being referred to here. Now, that's what gospel preachers are. They are stewards of God's mysteries. In Ephesians chapter 3, we are given the example of Paul himself. Let's quickly rush there. Ephesians and chapter 3. Ephesians and chapter 3. The Apostle Paul says, for this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you gentiles, assuming that you've heard of the stewardship, there it is, the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery, there is the word that we've been seeing in our text, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. So what is this mystery? It's not something mysterious. but rather, as we shall notice in a moment or two, it is referring to something that was previously not known, but has now been made known by an act of God. Listen to this in verse four. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Let me quickly fill that in. Paul is saying that human beings are under the wrath of God because of sin. God has prepared a hell for them. But God in his infinite mercy has determined to save some. And so there is an election in time past, in eternity past rather, there is the sending of Jesus Christ into the world in order for him to pay the price for our sin. And then there is the sending of the Holy Spirit to come and call out a people in repentance and faith in Christ. Previously, this was, as it were, overseen by the nation of Israel, but with the coming of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit, with the apostles and the first century prophets together, God burst asunder that closed-knit entity in which the gospel was being kept so that the church became international hence the phrase there that gentiles are fellow heirs members of the same body and partakers of the promise together with israel in christ jesus through the gospel through this good news that I've just explained to you. That's what's happening. Paul goes on to say, of this gospel, I was made a minister. And that's the point we're trying to make here. I was made a preacher, one who was to take this message to be heard by people according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. For me, Though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, and here it is, to preach to the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things and so on and so forth. Verse 11, this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord. The point of the Apostle Paul there is that therefore he gifted me He called me, He sent me so that I can declare the unsearchable riches of Christ, the height and depth and length and breadth of the love of God for His people. In the sending of His Son, in crushing His Son on Calvary. And Paul is saying, I have been declaring this, and as a result of this, churches are coming to birth everywhere. Now, to our missionaries. When we speak, therefore, about being stewards of the mysteries of God, Your number one responsibility is to know the gospel, to grow in your knowledge of it, to love the gospel, and to keep preaching this gospel, this unsearchable riches of Christ. That's your number one responsibility. And make sure that for as long as you will be there, that will be your number one business. When anybody tries to summarize your life, they should summarize it in this way. He's a preacher. He's a preacher of the gospel. He's on fire as far as preaching is concerned. And not so much, well, he's an entertainer or he's a good administrator, you know, he's fun to be with and everything else. Let them be able to say, God has sent us a preacher, a preacher of the gospel. But secondly, it is to make sure that through such preaching, churches are being born. Self-governing churches, self-supporting churches, self-propagating churches. Now to begin with, it will be that same church that you're planting, that you should labor through this preaching of the unsearchable riches of Christ. to see this church born, growing, becoming self-governing, self-supporting, and in due season giving birth to other churches. Now on this matter, as Cavado Baptist Church, we are hard. Because too many people who fail to find a way to make a living, end up wanting to have a paid holiday as missionaries, a paid holiday. And so we are hurt by saying to you, we will come alongside you for eight years. We are committing ourselves, we'll find the money. But after that, my money. Rather than you continuing to enjoy a paid holiday for the rest of your life with just stories after stories after stories, we're saying, prove yourself. Preach your way out of a paper bag. And don't fall asleep in it. So that we can say the grace of God. is on this person. It's unmistakable. See how the manifold wisdom of God is now being made manifest through the church, through the church, which is where I should have ended in Ephesians 3. But that's the task. to be responsible as a manager of a household, to be responsible for the gospel and its impact in the world, its impact in the world. The third, and last godly view of gospel preachers is that as stewards, they must be found faithful. Back to our text. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they may be found faithful. They may be found faithful. Thankfully, the word faithful adequately captures the Greek word, so you'll be spared of any Greek here. But faithful to what? Faithful to what? Clearly, it is faithful to the wishes and instructions of the owner. Remember. when the owner of the household would come back, when he found that the manager he left there had been beating up his fellow servants and drinking his head off, we are told he was punished for it because he was unfaithful. Blessed is that servant whose master finds him giving out the food at the appropriate time to those that are under his care, being faithful to the wishes and instructions of the owner. If there's anything that you should be able to say is that the one who called you and gave you the task to be a proclaimer of the gospel. If you were to suddenly hear the sound of trumpets in the air, that he is now coming back, that you will not start scampering for cover. You will know that he will find you in the business for which he called you. Faithfully proclaiming his word. In other words, faithfulness is about being trustworthy. A person who is honest, who is truthful, who is dependable, who is upright. There is nothing more heartbreaking to us as elders as when we receive news that one of our missionaries has lowered the standards of holiness and brought them crashing down. It breaks our hearts. to realize we have no choice but to recall such a person. And oh brothers, don't cause our hearts to break. We send you out there, be holy, be truthful, Be trustworthy. What's happened here today is an entire church is putting its trust on you. It is. You don't say now that you are out of sight, that you're not going to start doing your own thing out there. No! Remember, it's not just the church It is the head of the church that has given you the inestimable privilege of being his ambassador, his ambassador, his ambassador. So are you going to prove yourselves worthy of this? out of sight of all these people. When temptation comes, when young ladies seem to want to have an affair with you, when fame becomes the order of the day, when finances, church finances, find their way into your hands and nobody knows. Are you going to say, I am here as a servant of God, I'm a manager, I must be faithful. Even if no human being is seeing, I must be faithful. What about when trials come? Because there will be times when there will be lack of money. It will happen. There'll be seasons in your marriages that will be hard, difficult. And then there will be criticisms, brutal criticisms. Will you say, ah, nafideka, giving it up? Or will you say, I must be faithful? My appeal to you, brothers, all remain faithful. Remain faithful to the end. Be, to borrow the title of the sermon, Christ's faithful servants and stewards. Christ's faithful servants and stewards. Now it's easy to do that in six months. Perhaps a year. But it's for life. It's a journey you have begun. Oh, that you may run successfully to the very end of the journey. that when you are now brought into a church building in a casket, everybody will be saying, we had a prophet of God among us, a proclaimer of the gospel. We heard his voice. We have no excuse if we fail to enter into heaven or to leave as Christ wants us to leave. His voice is now silenced. May that be true of you. We're back to the beginning of our text. This is how one should regard us. This is the way people should view us. We are not in a competition so people should be pitting Peter against Paul and Paul against Apollos. No, no, no, no. See us as Christ's servants and as stewards of God's mysteries. That doesn't happen automatically. It doesn't. It's something that the people have to learn as they see you, and you also have to learn as you live out your life from this moment onwards. It's like a couple getting married. They are pronounced in front here. I now declare you husband and wife. And everybody goes, oh! But when you now say, OK, sit, the guy doesn't realize he now has a wife to help sit. He just sits. And then she's struggling with that big dress of hers. So you have to say, help your wife to sit. Oh, I'm now married. And even relatives take a little long to catch up with this. When they need money, they're still calling you and they're saying, you know, we need some money here. Don't tell her. Because she's still to them an outsider. Don't tell her. You have to be the one to remind them that there was a day when the two of you became One. So what do you mean don't tell her? We are one. In other words, it takes time for both the married people themselves and the relatives to realize that they are married. They are one. People should regard them that way. They should regard themselves that way. And that's the same thing here. I mean, imagine now I have to call Mundula at pastime bay. You understand the difficulty. I went through it with Pastor Suvali. Now it's easy. It just comes at Pastor Suvali. But initially, I remember, I would sort of go, yeah, Pastor Suvali. Took a bit of time, but now it's there. It's in the system, my fellow pastor. Men ought to regard us that way. Not to begin with, yes. You know, friends find it difficult. I remember when I got called to Kabata Baptist Church 32 years ago, one of my friends who was, in fact, in due season became best man at my wedding, Dr. Dennis Chuele. When I arrived in town, he looked at me and laughed. He says, I'm in a Conrad. Don't call me that bastard over. Well, he no longer laughs. I mean, it's 30 years later. You can't laugh that long. But it's true. There is the church recognizing that there is a call upon this person. The church mustn't see you as competitors trying to do some worldly activity, but that you are men called by God to be preachers of his word. even if they don't use titles on you, but for them to see you that way, for it to sink in them, that this is who they are. Part of it is your responsibility in the way you carry yourself along. Part of it is your responsibility. Make sure that you fulfill that. How do you feel when a car which is in front of you indicates that it's about to turn left, and then at the corner, it continues going straight? Okay, a few drivers here, I can see you've got my point. You've been there. You go. You feel cheated. If there are people in your car, you even mention, you see what this guy's done. He was saying he was turning. Now look, he's still continuing. These are the ones who cause accidents. Well, it's the same. What has happened is that you've told us you are turning left. you are becoming preachers of the gospel. Let's not discover tomorrow onwards you are going straight. We'll be saying, what happened? What was all that noise about on Sunday morning, March 17th? What was it? 10 left. Do it today. Because there's a call that has come over the restless waves saying, send the light. Send the light. And us as KBC, we are making a golden offering. And by the way, brethren, thank you very much. for committing yourself to raise that 160,000 kwacha for Harare. Those who were near me in the U.S. know that I was having sleepless nights. When I woke up that day, since I was many hours behind you, and I saw the figure, I quickly told them because they could see we talked about my anxiety. that the church has risen to the occasion to give and pledge that amount of money. We are laying a golden offering. are the ones that must do the work. We'll pray for you, we'll support you, but oh please, do not grow weary in this work of love. Keep at it in gathering jewels for the crown above. Amen.