Learning to Minister

Luke 9:10-17

While I was in Bible College, a popular saying was “It’s better to burn out for the Lord than to rust out.” I had graduated from another college with the intention of becoming an engineer, and had taken a great many science classes. One of our experiments compared rusting and decay to burning. Amazingly, what we found was that the amount of heat and light given off were exactly the same in both cases, and the end product was identical. The only real difference was the speed of the reaction.

All the exciting explanations as to why we should burn out for the Lord contradicted the facts. Curious, I began to search the scriptures to see what they really said, and found the teaching was unscriptural. While we should be willing to die for the Lord, what he wants is for us to live for him instead. Romans 12:1 pleads, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

We are not to be the fuel, just the container. When the lamp burns up, it hasn’t properly done it’s job. It has leaked out the fuel and caused other things to catch fire. Jesus took the time to stress the need for the disciples to take time away from their ministry to build their own relationship with him.

“And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.” (Luke 9:10)

Mark 6:30-31 gives a little more detail as to what Jesus instructions were. “And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

An oil lamp needs periodic cleaning, adjustment, and refilling. Those in ministry need time for getting close to the Lord and letting him minister to them. If the oil lamp doesn’t get cleaned, the globe becomes dirty and the light is darkened, or it runs out of fuel and goes out. The minister or Christian who doesn’t take time to maintain his own spiritual life becomes less able to minister to others, and may well fall by the wayside. Jesus was teaching the apostles the importance of maintaining their own spiritual life by taking them apart to minister to their own needs. We cannot minister effectively to others if our own spiritual life is neglected.

Unfortunately, at the present time many have gone to the opposite extreme, using the need for rest and recuperation as an excuse for neglecting the work. Going to conferences is often preferred to doing the ministry God has given us. Even in the break period, Jesus took time to minister to the people who came to him. He would not neglect one group to strengthen another.

“And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.” (Luke 9:11-12)

A problem many leaders have is losing sight of the needs of the people. In their positions as leaders, they are often unaware of what their people are experiencing. While taking time to attend a series of meetings every night isn’t hard for a full time pastor, it may be a problem for the man who doesn’t get home from work until 6:00 PM. A youth leader can schedule events that conflict with the family life because he is able to spend time with his family at different times, while the working families don’t have that luxury.

The apostles themselves have not had time to eat, and realized the people were in the same boat. An effective ministry requires being familiar with what the people live with. A leader needs to experience the same situations his people experience so he knows what they need. To go and work alongside some of his people will often change his expectations and attitude toward his people. It gives a different idea of what they need.

The disciples recognized the need for food, but didn’t realize God had the power to supply it. They looked for a physical means to supply the need, rather than looking to God for provision. Jesus took a different approach, commanding them to feed the multitude. How often we do not see the power of God because we devote our energies to fleshly means. How many churches borrow money to build a building, and how many ministries focus on fund raising rather than on doing the work because they don’t trust God to supply.

“But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down.” (Luke 9:13-15)

While they clearly did not have enough to go around, Jesus directed them to use what they had to meet the current need. Several things are to be noted here. The people did not come for the food, but to hear the Word, and had been there for many hours. There was not an unrealistic idea of what was needed, but a recognition of a real need, and a definite sense of responsibility for the people’s well being. When Jesus commanded, the apostles did as he told them, they were obedient, despite the inability to provide normally.

“Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.” (Luke 9:16-17)

By example, Jesus is clearly teaching the apostles to use what he has provided rather than seeking something better. How many have refused to use what he had provided because it wasn’t good enough or big enough and missed the blessing of seeing God supply. I believe it is one of the reasons so many groups have to spend so much time in fund raising efforts.

David said “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread,” in Psalm 37:25. Philippians 4:19 promises, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We shouldn’t have to beg for help if we are obeying God. If we use what he has provided, he will provide more as it is needed.

There was more left over when they finished feeding the multitude than they had to start with. If they’d taken up donations to buy food, think what they’d have missed. How many churches and Christians have missed the blessing of seeing what God would do with what they had by asking others to help them?