Matthew 15:36
“And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.”
It is against the law to give away what you do not own. If it does not belong to you, it is not yours to give. That is one of the most basic principles that governs when serving Jesus. If we want to help others walk with the Lord, we must first receive from the Lord. The story of the loaves and fish illustrate that principle quite well. The disciples took what they had, brought that to Jesus; He multiplied it, and they distributed it to others.
If we want to be involved in serving the Lord, it starts with taking what we have and making it available to the Lord. Perhaps the most important commodity that we possess is time. When we make time to serve the Lord, He will always give us something to pass on. Over the years, we have seen this principle in action time and time again. Someone will venture out in faith and step into an area of service, they have an overwhelming sense of being unqualified, but as they spend time seeking the Lord and moving forward, God always provides more than what they needed to serve effectively.
We cannot neglect to take what we have and give it to the Lord, nor can we neglect to spend time with Him, if we want our service to be successful.
Pastor Jim
Questions for Chapter 15
1. Are there any traditions you are holding on to that transgress God’s commands?
2. Explain the contrast between what goes in a man and what comes out?
3. What does Jesus commend the woman of Canaan for?
4. Why do you think the disciples had a hard time believing the multitude could be fed with so little?
5. According to verse 32, how does Jesus feel about the unsaved multitudes?
6. How does that affect the way you view the lost?
Old Testament:
Genesis 29- Dysfunctional
Genesis 30- Plotting And Scheming
Jim Gallagher 