Distributors of the Bread of Life
We’re living in a generation where there is so much disctaction and division around us. The church at Laodicea was reproved for being lukewarm. The church in America can learn from this reproof… to gird up the loins of our minds and to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding.
Paul wrote to Timothy his “son in the faith” in a time of history similar to ours. The scriptures speak of the high ground, an “advantage vantage point” where we can view the spiritual battlefield from our position seated in the heavenlies from God’s perspective. A godly man is a man whose heart’s desire is to spend time with the Lord. In Psalm 27, God set David upon the high rock so that he could survey the lay of the land from the Lord’s vantage point.
God warned David about the divisions between families and between those whose relationships we value. It grieves our hearts when people we love turn their hearts away from the Lord.
True religion according to James is to minister to the widows and the fatherless… God will give a man of God a heart to serve those in need. As Mother Theresa said, “God works best with nothing.” Jesus said, in that thou hast done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2: “I CHARGE thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
The preaching of the word implies that Timothy knew the word of God. Always be ready in season and out of season for an opportunity to speak the word of God. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof and correction which is instruction in righteousness.
Jared remembers that he learned from Chuck Smith how to minister in all categories of church ministries. He moved to Northern California to minister at Cornerstone church in Livermore. Then the Lord called him to plant a church in San Ramon serving as the senior pastor. His next call was to move to New Mexico. His oldest son wanted to get out of the house so they sent him away to a bible college. That’s where his oldest son met his wife and they now have two young boys. God works in mysterious ways. He works in us and through us to will and to do of his good pleasure as we delight ourselves in the Lord.
Through experience God tests our character through the crucible of life. The pressure of this world tempers us and refines us to prove what’s really important… living this life in the hope of the return of Christ with the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. (Romans 5:3)
The devil will attack “out of season.” His tactic is to attack us at our weakest point. In the wilderness, Jesus was tempted for forty days in all things like as we are yet without sin. He was continuously under satan’s attack, not just the three temptations that we read about in the gospel records.
As men of God we’re to reprove, rebuke, convince and exhort with patience the right teaching of the word of God. This is our charge to teach those whom God has called us to minster. The sound doctrine is the foundation of our faith: the word of God and Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”
When the storms of life come, the foundation upon which our lives are built will be revealed. Jesus said, the wise man built his house upon the rock. Jesus Christ is the rock, the firm foundation. Then when the rains and storms came that house stood fast.
Like the people at Mars Hill, men of this world have “itching ears” looking for some new thing to believe. To those whom God has called, the seed of the world of God will take root in the lives of men who “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” In the parable of the sower, the four types of soil represent the four kinds of hearts of men. Only the “good soil” will take root and produce fruit, “some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold and some a hundred-fold.” As the Apostle Paul said, some are called to plant the seed of the word of God, some to water and cultivate the field, but God gives the increase.
Continuing in 2 Timothy 4, “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
Paul reminds Timothy that he was called as an evangelist, one who delivers the truth of the gospel… the good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
We’re called as men of God to distribute the word of God. According to John 6: “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples (distributed) to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”
We are called to be “distributors” not manufacturers of the Word. We’re to distribute the bread of life. Jesus Christ is the bread which was broken for us. He was broken like a flask of perfume to permeate the church, the body of Christ, like a sweet smelling fragrance unto God.
According to John 6:22-28, “The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.”
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”
They sincerely wanted to know how to further God’s kingdom. The answer is in verse 29: “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
The freedom is in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing in Jesus the Christ the son of the living God is the work of God.
God is a God of reconciliation and restoration. Continuing in verse 30: They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 43 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”
What can we do to distribute the true bread from heaven, the bread of life? According to Verses 6-8 of 2 Timothy 4, Paul said by revelation, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
Therefore watch and pray. In the Old Testament, Ezekiel 33 says that the watchman was responsible to warn the people when the enemy approached. If the watchman blew the trumpet and the people did not heed the warning, then the blood of the people would be on their own hands. However if the watchman failed to sound the alarm, the blood of the people would be on the watchman’s hands.
As men of God we’re called to sound the alarm. The battle is a spiritual battle. As watchmen on the wall, in the hedge of God’s protection, we need to watch and pray… To sound the alarm and warn God’s people of the enemy’s approach.
Like the disciples distributed the loaves and the fishes to the multitude, our call is to distribute the bread of life…. the gospel of Jesus Christ. How do we distribute the word of God? Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine…
…. that despite the enemy’s onslaught, we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
