Lessons from Paul: Entrusted

He brought out the beautiful Torah scroll wrapped in a bright red cover and placed it before me. My heart beat faster, and frankly, I became a bit nervous at the thought of being the caretaker of such a treasure!

This Torah scroll was 300 years old, having been created by a Jewish scribe in Poland. My friend, and messianic rabbi Michael, had purchased the scroll years earlier in the upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, and now it resided at his congregation’s building in Knoxville. I would take the scroll to Jonesborough, a two-hour drive away, and would have it in my possession for a week.

It was August 2015, and our children, Elijah and Shoshanna, would become B’nai Mitzvah in a  few days. A B’nai Mitzvah is Hebrew and means “children of the commandment.” It’s a ceremonial rite of passage when Jewish boys and girls become men and women in the Jewish community. 

I would serve as the “rebbe” and master of ceremonies for this wonderful life-cycle event, helping our children celebrate their Jewishness while testifying of the Lord. This occasion was certainly going to be Messianic, in that we would not only honor the traditions of our Jewish people, but we would also glorify our Messiah Jesus!

I thought an authentic Torah scroll would add much to their B’nai Mitzvah. When I asked Mike if I could borrow one for a few days, he, brought the Torah out immediately without hesitation and with much joy.

I was entrusted with stewarding the Torah while it was in my possession. Yes, it was a fantastic addition to our ceremony! I was so cognizant of caring for the Torah that I actually assigned a good friend to watch over it as I congratulated our children and mingled with others following the ceremony.

In contrast to my physical stewardship of the Torah scroll, this lesson centers on our spiritual stewardship of something else, something precious, something God Himself has entrusted to us—the gospel!

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul articulated the core of the gospel message when he wrote: 

“For I delivered to you first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried and that he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures.” 

As the apostle addressed the church in Thessalonica, he wrote these poignant and powerful words regarding the gospel:

“we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Those words originally penned by Paul to believers in Thessalonica would have been, in part, a response to some false teachers who may have come into the church to discredit Paul.

The application of this scripture to you and me today is foundational to our Christian life and witness!

Like Paul, we have also been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. As God’s people are called to steward this “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

When we witness for Jesus, part of our stewardship of the gospel includes demonstration:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Our witness also includes proclamation. When Jesus sent out the disciples for the first time in Luke 10, He commanded them to tell people, “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9). 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul’s emphasis was on gospel proclamation. He noted in 1 Thessalonians 2:2, “we (Paul and Silas) were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.” 

The apostle then shared his motivation for uttering to the Thessalonians the gospel message:

“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:4-8).

His motivation for proclaiming the gospel message was simply love for those to whom he was called to minister. 

As a result of his sharing the gospel, Paul shared his heart’s desire for the church in response to their hearing of the gospel:

“You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Paul earnestly hoped the gospel would so transform their lives that they would walk worthy of God’s call!

As I pen these words I am confronted and convicted by these words of Jesus that flood my mind:

“To whom much is given, much is expected” (Luke 12:48).