This document discusses three pictures of the church and three pictures of the minister based on a passage from scripture. It summarizes the key points as: 1) The church is described as a family, field, and temple. 2) Ministers are described as stewards who must faithfully proclaim the mysteries of God without substitution or mixture. They are also spectacles who humbly serve despite suffering. Finally, they are spiritual fathers who found, exemplify, and discipline their congregations. 3) The duties of a minister are not easy, as they must balance faithfulness, humility, and tenderness while submitting to both praise and criticism for the care of their flock.

1. The Ministers
of Christ

2. Introduction
Chapter 3 – Three Pictures of the Church:
1. The Family
2. The Field
3. The Temple
Chapter 4 – Three Pictures of the Minister:
1. A Steward (vs. 1-6)
2. A Spectacle (vs. 7-13)
3. A Spiritual Father (vs. 14-42)

3. 1st Characteristic:
Faithfulness – of the Steward – Vs. 1-6
A. Account Leaders as Minsters of Christ”
servants of God of equal rank.
1. Greek word for Ministers = “under-rowers”
2. Minister is a STEWARD
a. Steward is made up of two Greek words meaning
“house law.” He was an administrator, trustee–an
overseer of an estate.
b. Steward of the “mysteries of God”
1) Mystery is NOT something hard to understand –
rather something hidded and kept sercet
2) What are these mysteries = truths of God’s Word

4. 3. RESPONDSIBILTY of the steward is to be
FAITHFUL to his Master
 He must not hold back or fail to share the mysteries of
God
 He must not substitute some other message for the
mysteries of God.
 He must not mix some other message with the
mysteries of God.
As the minister of God he must be faithful to his call!
He is the minister of Christ & the steward of the mysteries of God.
He must—absolutely must—proclaim those mysteries.

5. B. Three Judgements
1. There is man’s judgement – 4:3a
2. There is the servant’s own self-judgment: 4:3b-4a
3. The most important judgment is God’s judgment: 4:4b
C. Three Rebukes
FIRST, “You are judging God’s servants at the WRONG TIME” – Vs. 5
SECOND, “You are judging by the WRONG STANDARD”
– Vs. 6a
THIRD, “You are judging with the WRONG MOTIVE” – 4:6b

6. 1st Characteristic: Faithfulness – of the Steward – Vs. 1-6
2nd Characteristic: Humbleness – The
Spectacle – Vs. 7-13
A. Contrasted with PRISONERS – Vs. 7-9
B. Contrast is that of WISE MEN with FOOLS – Vs.
10a
C. Then in vs. 10b there is the contrast of STRONG
MEN with WEAK
D. Lastly, in vs. 10c-13 we contrasted the
HONOURABLE with the DESPISED
FAITHFULNESS in service and HUMBLENESS of mind: these are two
important characteristics of a minister of Jesus Christ. He must be
willing to work and willing to suffer. It is one thing to be faithful and
quite another to be popular. But there is a THIRD CHARACTERISTIC
that helps to balance the others.

7. 1st Characteristic: Faithfulness – of the Steward – Vs. 1-6
2nd Characteristic: Humbleness – The Spectacle – Vs. 7-13
3rd CHARACTERISTIC: Tenderness – That
of a Spiritual Father – Vs. 14-21
1st Paul Had Founded The Family – Vs. 14-15
2nd Paul Was An Example To The Family – Vs. 16-
17
“Your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk
talks! “
3rd Paul Was Faithful To Discipline The Family –
Vs. 18-21

8. CONCLUSION:
The office of a Pastor as God’s Overseer of a local church is not easy.
He doesn’t stand above his congregation, but nonetheless is
answerable to His Master for his faithfulness is caring for the flock
God has given him. As such this does not remove the fact the flock is
also answerable for the reception of their care.
As their example they are to mimic their pastor as he humbly follows
the Lord. As such they are to be ministers, steward and spiritual
parents.
It is not an easy thing to be a minister of Jesus Christ. As a steward,
you must be faithful to your Master no matter what men may say to
you or do to you. You will be treated as refuse by the people of the
world. Your own spiritual children may break your heart and have to
be disciplined.
God’s faithful servants deserve our love, respect, obedience, and
prayer support.

9. The Ministers
of Christ