READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary | Peter’s first letter was written to Gentile Christians in North Central Asia Minor who were facing persecution. In the midst of suffering, Peter called them to live holy, countercultural lives; abandoning self-centeredness, idolatry, drunkenness, and moral excess. Instead, they were to love one another earnestly, show hospitality, and become faithful stewards of God’s grace. Peter emphasised that “love covers a multitude of sins” (v.8), which has two interpretations:
- Does love atone for our sins? No. Scripture is clear that our justification comes by grace through faith, not through our efforts. As Martin Luther taught, salvation is a gift from God, not earned by good works or acts of love.
- Does love help us overlook one another’s faults? Yes. Love enables us to forgive, show grace, and live in peace. It frees us from shame and bitterness, allowing community life to flourish. Peter encouraged believers to keep loving above all, using their time, talents, and treasures in service. For example, spending time with others, offering skills to the church, or helping someone in need. When we withhold our gifts, we deprive the community of the love and grace God intends to flow through us.
Why Do We Hoard Our Gifts?
- Fear from a scarcity mindset. We fear that giving away our time or resources will leave us with less. Anxiety about productivity or personal space leads us to protect our time rather than share it.
- Greed and disordered desires. Greed convinces us that comfort, possessions, and accumulation are the source of joy. It shifts our focus away from God and toward materialism, clouding our priorities and choking our ability to connect and care for others.
The Antidote: Stewardship which is the faithful and responsible management of everything God has entrusted to us; our time, talents, and treasures. The three dimensions of Stewardship are:
1. Stewardship Under Christ the King (1 Peter 4:10)
We must recognise God’s sovereignty and the scope of His ownership and everything belongs to Him. This includes not just church resources, but also our homes, skills, money, and time. We need to shift our mindset from being owners of our resources to being stewards of God’s resources. When we embrace Christ as King, we shift from using our gifts for personal gain to serving others. This reorientation fuels the transformation of our community.
2. Stewardship Shapes Our Virtues
Stewardship calls us to move from:
- Greed to Christlike virtues. Serving others helps us confront our fears and trust in God’s provision. We learn to release the grip of material things over our lives.
- Slaves to comfort → Stewards of blessings. Even small attachments (like being upset over a scratch on our car) show how tightly we hold onto comfort.
- Excess to sufficiency. Discipleship is not about climbing higher in status or accumulating more but following Jesus downward in humility, contentment, and kindness. It’s knowing when we have enough.
- Competition to compassion. Even in church life, we sometimes compare who serves more or which program draws more people. Jesus never called us to compete, but to bear one another’s burdens. Offer practical encouragement, compliments, or simple acts of kindness.
Stewardship is not a technique, but a way of forming Christlike character. Virtues are caught, not taught and as we serve, we witness and reflect them in one another, helping the church grow as a virtuous community. Like Eleanor in The Good Place, real transformation happens gradually through consistent, grace-filled choices made in the community of Christ.
3. Stewardship as Communion in Action (1 Peter 4:11)
Peter reminds us that every act of service and word we speak can become a channel of God’s love. God works through us to serve others; our actions and words are extensions of His presence.
- Stewardship is prayer in action. Our hands and feet become instruments of grace. This is what it means to suffer with Christ: to serve sacrificially.
- Some people refresh us; others refine us. In ministry, some relationships uplift us; others test our patience and attitudes. All are opportunities to listen to God and be shaped by Him.
- Become grounded in community and identity. When we live as stewards, we become anchored in a deeper sense of belonging and in our identity as God’s beloved. Especially in the daily service of church staff, we can see how God is glorified through faithful stewardship.
Conclusion
Christ our King is calling us to be good stewards of His grace. Stewardship isn’t about giving God leftovers or excess, but surrendering our best time, talents, and treasures in trust and obedience. Let us walk in communion with Christ, allowing His love to transform us and through us, our community.
Ask yourself: What has God given me? How is Christ my King inviting me to steward these gifts for His glory today?
(Sermon notes by Alex Choe)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Study Scripture:
- Read 1 Peter 4:8-11. What stands out to you?
- What is the context of 1 Peter?
- Recall Sermon:
- What are some reasons why we withhold offering our time, our treasures and our talents?
- Recall the 3 dimensions of stewardship. How would you use any one of them to explain the importance of stewardship to a new Christian believer?
- Relate Personally:
- In what ways are you withholding or hoarding your time, treasures and talents?
- How would the discipline of stewardship change you and our church community?
- Commit to Action:
- Share one thing that you would commit to surrender your grip over your time, treasures or talents so that Christ may reign in your life through your stewardship
