🥖 1 Peter 4:9-10 | Stewards of God's Gifts

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Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Today, we’re diving into the original Greek of 1 Peter to see what else we can learn from our memory verses!

In today’s email…

• 🫙 Taking a look at “hospitality”, “gifts”, and “stewards”

• 🥖 A story about making the most of a giving opportunity

• 📚️ A few resources to go even deeper in study

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MEMORIZE 🧠 

____ __________ __ ___ _______ without grumbling.

As each has received a gift, ___ __ __ _____ ___ ______, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

1 Peter 4:9-10

CONTEXT 📕 

Understanding the original Greek will deepen our insight into Peter’s call to live generously, especially as exiles.

Three words stand out in the two verses we’re memorizing: hospitality, gift, and stewards.

1. Philoxenoi (pronounced fee-LOX-eh-noy) — “hospitable” or “loving strangers”

This word combines philos (love) and xenos (stranger or foreigner), literally meaning “love of strangers.”

Greek culture highly valued this concept of welcoming even strangers into your home, as you can see in Greek myths like The Odyssey.

But the early church took this to a new level as an act of fearless radical generosity, especially toward those outside one's immediate circle.

In a time of persecution and scattered believers, opening one’s home to Christians was a risky but vital ministry.

Peter urges them (and us) to welcome others without grumbling, reminding us that our homes are gifts meant to be shared with the body of Christ.

2. Charisma (pronounced KHAH-riss-mah) — “gift” or “grace”

Charisma might be an English word we use today but in Peter’s day, it didn’t have the same meaning.

This term comes from charis, which literally means “gift” or “favor” but is often translated as grace.

In the Bible, a charisma is not just a special talent — it’s a graciously given empowerment from God that is unique to each person.

Every believer reading this sentence has received some kind of grace-gift.

The reason God gave it to you? To use it serve others.

Whether it’s teaching, encouragement, giving, or hospitality, your gift is not yours to keep — it’s a blessing from God that’s meant to flow through you.

God gives to us, and we are to give to others.

3. Oikonomoi (pronounced oy-KOH-noh-moy) — “stewards” or “household managers”

Oikonomoi refers to a household manager — someone entrusted to care for what belongs to someone else.

Peter says we are oikonomoi of God’s varied grace-gifts.

In other words, everything we have — our time, possessions, abilities, and even our homes — belongs to God, not us.

Our job is to manage it wisely, faithfully, and generously, for the good of others.

APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃‍♂️ 

Your time, your skills, even your table at home — these are all ways to show God’s grace in action. You don’t have to be rich or feel “ready.”

Simply start with what you already have.

Ask yourself two questions:

1. What is one gift has God blessed me with? In verse 11, Peter names gifts into two categories:

   1. Speaking: teaching, exhorting, preaching, evangelism, prophecy

   2. Serving: acts of mercy, generosity, hospitality, administration, practical help

2. How can I use it to bless others this week? Here are some ideas..

What stands out to you?

Commit to taking one step this week to use your gifts to serve others in the body of Christ.

TOGETHER WITH AXIS

If you’re a parent like me, your #1 priority is raising children who follow Jesus.

And now, more than ever, there are countless things competing for our kids’ hearts and attention.

That’s why my wife and I personally love Axis. They’re a ministry that creates (free) resources to help parents disciple their kids in everyday moments.

My favorite resource (by far) is their weekly newsletter called The Culture Translator.

Their team spends hours researching the music, movies, TV shows, and social media trends impacting your kid's world. Then they translate it for parents and give you simple conversation starters to help you grow closer to your kids and guide them to gospel truth.

The best part? It’s completely free. Click here to join us and over 453,000 Christian parents!

RESOURCES 📚️ 

Here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into the verse and its themes:

• 📚 The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield (link)

• 📚️ 1 Peter (NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight (link)

• 📚 The First Epistle of Peter (New International Commentary on the NT) by Peter H. Davids (link)

• 📹️ The Book of 1 Peter video by BibleProject (link)

• 🖥️ What is the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10)? by GotQuestions (link)

• 🎵 1 Peter 4:10 Received Gifts by MelodicScriptures (Spotify | Apple Music | Full Malachi Daily Playlist)

• ☎️ Need prayer? Give us a call at 888-247-0710.

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ANSWER KEY ✅ 

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

1 Peter 4:9-10