Feeding the Flock: The Heart of Ministry
Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
It is important for those of us who are ministers of the Gospel to be ready at all times to give meat to the household of faith. When Christ asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”, Peter answered, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”, then Jesus said in response, “Feed my lambs.” (see John 21:15). Jesus wasn’t referencing literal food here, but was referring to the meat of the Word of God.
In Matt. 4:4, Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” He also said in John 4:34, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” And what was the work of Christ? He was to become the broken bread of life which was to be passed around for all who would partake of Him.
He even taught us in John 6:55, “For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” This, of course, was in reference to the spiritual significance of the cross and what it would provide for fallen man. Therefore, since it is Christ who is in fact the very bread of life, and since Christ was the Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us, it goes without saying that the meat which we are to offer to the household of faith is the pure, undefiled Word of God.
When we make much of Jesus through His Word, then we are truly giving God’s little lambs something that will surely nourish them and strengthen them for the journey. It is when we get away from Christ and His Word that we begin to starve out the sheep. I want to point out that although a shepherd is involved in protecting, guiding, comforting, and even rescuing the sheep, the one thing he does for the sheep above all else is feed them. Every aspect of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is essential, but if we do not feed the sheep enough, nothing else we do for them will matter, as they will not live very long under such neglect. We can love, protect, guide, comfort, rescue, and even sheer the sheep, but if we do not feed them, they will die.
Jesus says then in Matt. 24:46, “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Let’s be caught feeding the flock of God when He returns!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
It is important for those of us who are ministers of the Gospel to be ready at all times to give meat to the household of faith. When Christ asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”, Peter answered, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”, then Jesus said in response, “Feed my lambs.” (see John 21:15). Jesus wasn’t referencing literal food here, but was referring to the meat of the Word of God.
In Matt. 4:4, Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” He also said in John 4:34, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” And what was the work of Christ? He was to become the broken bread of life which was to be passed around for all who would partake of Him.
He even taught us in John 6:55, “For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” This, of course, was in reference to the spiritual significance of the cross and what it would provide for fallen man. Therefore, since it is Christ who is in fact the very bread of life, and since Christ was the Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us, it goes without saying that the meat which we are to offer to the household of faith is the pure, undefiled Word of God.
When we make much of Jesus through His Word, then we are truly giving God’s little lambs something that will surely nourish them and strengthen them for the journey. It is when we get away from Christ and His Word that we begin to starve out the sheep. I want to point out that although a shepherd is involved in protecting, guiding, comforting, and even rescuing the sheep, the one thing he does for the sheep above all else is feed them. Every aspect of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is essential, but if we do not feed the sheep enough, nothing else we do for them will matter, as they will not live very long under such neglect. We can love, protect, guide, comfort, rescue, and even sheer the sheep, but if we do not feed them, they will die.
Jesus says then in Matt. 24:46, “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Let’s be caught feeding the flock of God when He returns!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill