This week we are considering something that is important and I want you to be passionate and excited about it because it has something to do with your future. It has something to do with your destiny and it has something to do with your reward that you will receive from God for this ministry that you are in. I am sure you are in that city, you are in that country, you are in that village; not because you love the village so to say or that it is the only place you would love to be. I am sure you love to be in many place or different places. However you have been sent to those people, you have been sent to that land. So because of that, you have remained thus far. And so, know fully well that you are where you are because God has sent you to where you are, and to the people that you are with, it is important that you understand that it is not enough for you to just be there, it is not enough for you to be in that town, that village as a missionary, as a pastor, as a minister of the gospel, as a revivalist or whatever name that your ministry carries.
Listen To Podcast: WORKING QUIETLY AND EATING YOUR OWN BREAD IN MINISTRY
It is important that you remain in that village, fulfilling your ministry and being rewarded by God. It is not enough to work, it is important to work fully rewarded by God. And that is why we want to see how you and I can benefit from the reward that only God can give to any man in the cause of ministry. So our focus today is titled: Working Quietly and Eating Your Own Bread In Ministry. Let us go to the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
"But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good."
I am sure you understand the background of this conversation that apostle Paul had with the Thessalonians in the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Now, he commanded them that they should withdraw from anyone, whether a brother or a sister or anybody, whether the person has a title or he does not have a title; who works disorderly and does not follow the tradition that they have received from them. The question is: what was the tradition? It was an orderly tradition, it was a tradition of eating one's own bread, it was a tradition of laboring and working day and night, it was a tradition of not been a burden to anyone. That was the tradition. And apostle Paul said they laid that foundation to them, not because they did not have the authority to perhaps enjoy the goodies of the ministry or to become a source of concern or a burden to the people. They have the authority, they have the power, they have the backing, they had the enablement to do it.
However, they refused themselves of such experience, not because of lack of authority, but see what they said in verse 9: "but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us." You remember there was a time apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 that "Imitate me just as I imitate Christ." The goal of Apostle Paul was that he remains a follower of Christ and everyone who follows him becomes a follower of Christ Jesus. And so, haven't learned from our Lord Jesus Christ when Jesus said "I am one among you as one who serves. Even though you call me your Lord and your Master, I am one among you as one who serve." I don't lord it over you, I don't lord my authority over you, I don't prey on you or on your resources. I would rather work with my hands, labor with my hands and I eat what I produce. And then, Apostle Paul was so emphatic when he said "if anyone would not work, neither should he eat."
So, our focus today is: Working Quietly and Eating Your Own Bread In Ministry. Of course you remember when the Bible says it is the Lord that gives bread to the eater and seed to the sower. Everything comes from God. But yet, there is something you are to eat, there is something you are to sow; that which you are to eat apostle Paul said make sure it is something that you have produced. It is what God has enabled you to produce. Don't sit down, becoming a busybody, just observing and watching time from morning till evening; and wait throughout the week hoping that somebody in your church, somebody in your fellowship will come to you and bring you something that will keep your family going. Don't prey on your people’s resources or their efforts. It was their efforts that God enabled, that God blessed, that has produced the resources that they run their families with or on. Why should you become a burden to them? That was what apostle Paul was saying. doing that means you are being disorderly, you are breaking the right order.
Your people should be getting examples from you of how to work, how to produce, how to be fruitful. But instead of you being fruitful, instead of you working, you are rather telling them your responsibility is just to pray for them, preach to them while they bring you resources, they bring you bread, they bring you rice, they bring you food, they bring you money and perhaps they even buy you a brand new car. But what do you do? You do nothing other than being busybodies. Apostle Paul said that is disorderliness. He now says in verse twelve; "Now those who are such we command (it is not an advise) and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread." And this is instructive. You must become somebody that has enough bread to eat and even share with others. Being in ministry does not exempt you from having responsibility for your own personal provision.
It is important that you understand how to work quietly. There is a difference between working and working quietly. And now, I noted the example of working quietly. Working quietly means among other things, that you are working without been burdensome on the people around your lives, around your family, and around your ministry. It is being contented with what you have, not begging others for more convenience, more comfort or fulfillment for yourself. You see, the reason why you should learn this and follow this pattern is because of what apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 which says: "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you." You see, many of us have wondered that why is it that there are so many churches in our cities and our countries, but little or no impact on the lives of the people.
Now, what happens is that when the people who are supposed to accept the word of God as command have in a way rewarded the man of God with survival kits, they have given the man of God everything the man of God needs to live a luxurious life, and so they believe that the man of God does not have the moral right to tell them how to live, knowing fully well that if they do not live the way they live; where will they get the money or the resources to give to the man of God. The question that you should be meditating or asking is this: What is the most important thing to men of God across the nations? The transformation of the core lives of their people or more money being brought to them by the people? If they are given the opportunity to make a choice that your people become changed, that they become more like Christ and they walk in the newness of life; or that your people bring you tithes and offering every now and then? I am sure many pastors will go for tithes and offerings. Because they have abandoned all the work that they should do and have relied so much on the tithe; and the offerings of the people for their own survival.
While I am not saying they should not collect tithes and offerings; if the Lord has commanded them to do that, they could. But the point is this: You must not become a burden to your people to the point that you cannot even demand their prayers because you cannot ask people for prayers when you have already collected their cash. And this is a warning or us because the Bible begins with "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly." And that is a great warning that comes with a command. Withdraw from every brother, withdraw from every pastor, withdraw from every priest, withdraw from every Bishop, withdraw from any man or woman of God who behaves in a disorderly manner; who refuses to work but becomes a busybody and becomes a burden on his people.
Remember what the admonishment was in verse 12. It says "that they work in quietness and eat their own bread." What will be your decision going forward from today? Will you continue to feed on the bread of others or will you eat your own bread? Let us even bring it further down in ministry. Let us take the bread beyond survival kits that you could get from your fellowship members or church members. Let us take the bread to be the word of God, the revelation, the revealed word of God. The question is: as a preacher, as a teacher; what do you consume? Do you consume what other pastors are preaching or do you consume the things that you have received from the Lord directly? And this will go a long way in how far the word of God will run in your life and in your ministry. Is the word that you speak things that you have annexed, things that you have gleaned, things that you have actually copied and pasted; you got it somewhere and you have pasted it in your ministry; is that what is happening?
The things you are feeding your members with, are they the revelation that you have been able to receive from the Lord or things that you have simply memorized over the night; haven searched all the internet files. Now the word of the Lord is this: Work in quietness. Don't make noise, make impacts. And then make sure you eat the bread that you produce. Eat your own bread. If you lack food, it is because you have not produced anything. If you have no word to preach or teach; it is because you have been sleeping, you have been a busybody, you have not been faithful in the fulfillment of the task of ministry that has been committed into your hands. If you must not be empty in ministry; if you must not be in lack, both in resources for your family needs or survival, and resources in the fulfillment of your ministry, in word, in revelation and in vision, then you must work in quietness. You must cease from being a burden on others. You must cease from preying on your people. What they have is for them. If you even have something, share it with them.
You must not position yourself as somebody who must always draw from the people. You must give to them, you must share with them. And how can that be? By you showing an example of working day and night and having something to show the people for the ministry that God has called you into. There must be a work in your hand. Apostle Paul was a tent maker. What is it that you are doing? In addition to preaching the word of God, teaching the word of God; what is it that you are doing that is bringing some sustenance to your family and to your life? You must sit down; meditate on these things, these things that we have shared. Don't forget; it is double edged. The first edge is that you must sit down, work quietly, don't become a burden, don't go about complaining to your members the need for you to buy this and that.
Sit down and work. Don't become a burden. Get resources available for yourself. And then number two, you must not go about copying and pasting revelations and teachings of men and women across the world. You must sit down with God, allow the Holy Spirit to work on you and work with the Holy Spirit to producing the right word for your people in right seasons. That is the word that the Lord has laid in my heart to share and I believe you have receive something for yourself, working quietly and eating your own bread in ministry. While the bread of others could be sweet, however, you must not build your life on it. Produce your own bread, so that you can have enough for yourself and you can share with others. And another thing, don't work with so much noise; work in quietness.
Don't work and complain they haven't paid your salaries. The people you worked for haven't paid your money. Don't work complaining. Don't go about telling your members how things are not fantastic in your business. Work with quietness. Work with decency, honor and decorum. Allow God to be glorified in your life. Don't forget, the goal of all these is that the word of God runs smoothly and God be glorified in the work that God has committed into your hands. Sit down and meditate on these things? Currently, is the Lord being glorified in your ministry? If the answer is no, then you must retrace your steps. Don't become a burden on your people. Don't allow the word of God to suffer simply because you could not get contented with what you have. Don't bring reproach to the name of God. You are a man of God, and the Bible says a man who is in honor and does not know is like a beat that perish.
Don't forget, you are a man of God. You are a man of honor. Do not go about begging people for money, that is not honorable; and I trust and believe that even as you follow this word, has given by God through apostle Paul in the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, your ministry will continue to go from strength to strength and even your life will continue to be a worthy example for your people to follow. God bless you.
I hope to connect with you again next week Friday, stay leading, stay fulfilling your ministry and stay setting the right example among your people.
Shalom!
