Recognizing and Utilizing God's Abundant Resources
Summary
In my sermon, I began by sharing a personal story about my son Jackson and the excitement of discovering the treasure left by the tooth fairy, which was actually something he already possessed but was unaware of. This story set the stage for the main theme of the sermon: recognizing and utilizing the resources God has already provided us.
I then transitioned into discussing the biblical account from Luke chapter 9, where Jesus calls, empowers, and sends out His disciples. I emphasized that Jesus not only called the disciples but also equipped them with power and authority, underscoring the principle that God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. This divine empowerment is crucial for fulfilling the tasks God assigns us, as our natural abilities are insufficient for God’s supernatural assignments.
The narrative continued with the feeding of the 5,000, illustrating how Jesus can take our meager offerings and multiply them beyond our expectations. I highlighted that what we often perceive as insufficient—symbolized by the five loaves and two fish—is made sufficient through God’s blessing. This miracle teaches us about the abundance that follows when we give what little we have back to God.
I also addressed the common feelings of inadequacy and exhaustion that can accompany ministry and life challenges. I reassured everyone that the remedy for our weariness is found in deeper intimacy with God, not in withdrawing from Him but in drawing closer to Him.
Finally, I concluded with a call to action, encouraging everyone to trust in the sufficiency of God’s provision in their lives. I urged the congregation to resist the urge to dismiss or overlook the small gifts and talents they possess, as these are the very tools God intends to use for His glory.
### Key Takeaways
1. Recognizing God’s Provision: Often, we overlook the resources that God has already placed within our reach because they seem too ordinary or insufficient. Just as the tooth fairy left Jackson a treasure he already owned, God has placed gifts within us that we need to recognize and utilize. This realization empowers us to stop waiting for what we think we lack and start working with what we have. [05:50]
2. The Power of Divine Empowerment: When God calls us to a task, He also provides the necessary power and authority to accomplish it. This empowerment is crucial because our natural abilities are not enough to fulfill divine purposes. Understanding this can liberate us from the pressure of feeling unqualified and lead us to rely more fully on God’s strength rather than our own. [17:38]
3. The Principle of Multiplication: The story of the five loaves and two fish is a powerful reminder that God can multiply our meager offerings to meet the needs around us. When we give our all, no matter how small, God blesses and increases it to create abundance. This teaches us to always bring what we have to God, trusting in His ability to multiply it. [30:40]
4. Intimacy as the Cure for Exhaustion: In ministry and life, exhaustion can diminish our effectiveness and joy. The repeated assurance that intimacy with God is the cure for our exhaustion serves as a vital reminder to continually seek close communion with Him. This intimacy replenishes our strength and renews our spirit. [23:03]
5. Embracing Our Current Resources: The encouragement to recognize that what we have is already enough challenges the common belief that we are perpetually lacking. This perspective shift can lead to significant breakthroughs in personal and communal ministry, as we begin to operate out of a position of sufficiency rather than scarcity. [36:44]
### Youtube Chapters
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [00:43] - Introduction: Feeding the Giants
- [03:46] - Jackson's Treasure: A Lesson on Recognizing What We Already Have
- [07:31] - The Call and Empowerment of the Disciples
- [09:56] - The Feeding of the 5,000: A Miracle of Multiplication
- [17:38] - Divine Empowerment for God’s Tasks
- [21:04] - The Return of the Disciples: A Reflection on Ministry Efforts
- [23:03] - Intimacy with God: The Remedy for Exhaustion
- [30:40] - Trusting God with Our Little
- [36:44] - Recognizing and Utilizing Our Given Resources
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Luke 9:1-2, 10-17 (NIV)
> "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick... When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, 'Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.' He replied, 'You give them something to eat.' They answered, 'We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.' (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, 'Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.' The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."
#### Observation Questions
1. What did Jesus give to the Twelve when He called them together? (Luke 9:1-2)
2. How did the disciples initially respond to the crowd's need for food? (Luke 9:12-13)
3. What was the result after Jesus blessed the five loaves and two fish? (Luke 9:16-17)
4. In the sermon, what did the pastor say about the significance of the five loaves and two fish? [09:56]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Jesus gave the disciples power and authority before sending them out? How does this relate to the idea that God equips those He calls? (Luke 9:1-2) [07:31]
2. How does the story of the feeding of the 5,000 illustrate the principle of divine multiplication? What does this teach us about God's ability to use our seemingly insufficient resources? (Luke 9:16-17) [09:56]
3. The pastor mentioned that intimacy with God is the cure for exhaustion. How does this concept apply to the disciples' experience in Luke 9? [23:03]
4. Reflect on the pastor's story about Jackson's treasure. How does this story help us understand the importance of recognizing and utilizing the resources God has already given us? [05:50]
#### Application Questions
1. Think about a time when you felt inadequate for a task God called you to. How can the principle that "God equips the called" change your perspective on your current challenges? [17:38]
2. The disciples initially wanted to send the crowd away because they felt they didn't have enough resources. Have you ever felt like sending away a challenge because you thought you weren't enough? How can you trust God to multiply your "five loaves and two fish"? [09:56]
3. The pastor emphasized that intimacy with God is the remedy for exhaustion. What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your intimacy with God, especially if you are feeling weary? [23:03]
4. Reflect on the small gifts and talents you possess. How can you start using these "small" resources for God's glory in your daily life? [36:44]
5. The pastor shared a personal story about recognizing hidden treasures. What "hidden treasures" in your life have you overlooked, and how can you start utilizing them? [05:50]
6. How can you shift your mindset from one of scarcity to one of sufficiency, trusting that God has already provided what you need? [36:44]
7. In what ways can you encourage others in your small group or community to recognize and use their God-given resources and talents? [05:50]
Devotional
Day 1: Discovering Hidden Treasures Within
Often, the most significant resources are already within our grasp, yet we overlook them because they appear ordinary or inadequate. This realization is crucial as it shifts our perspective from a posture of lack to one of abundance. By acknowledging and utilizing what we already have, we can begin to see how our seemingly small and insignificant abilities or resources can play a crucial role in God's plan. This shift in perspective is not just about self-improvement but about aligning more closely with God's vision and purpose for our lives. Recognizing our inherent gifts requires a conscious effort to not dismiss them due to their perceived insignificance. [05:50]
James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
Reflection: What are some talents or resources you possess that you might have undervalued? How can you begin to use them for God's purposes today?
Day 2: Empowered to Serve
God does not call the equipped; He equips the called. This divine truth liberates us from the pressure of feeling unqualified for the tasks God assigns us. When called to serve, it is not our natural abilities that sustain us but the power and authority bestowed by God. This empowerment is essential for accomplishing tasks that far exceed our human capacities and serves as a reminder that reliance on God's strength is paramount. Embracing this can dramatically change how we approach God's call, leading us to lean not on our understanding but on His infinite power. [17:38]
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you feeling unqualified or inadequate? How can you shift your reliance more towards God’s empowerment?
Day 3: God Multiplies What We Offer
The miracle of the five loaves and two fish beautifully illustrates how God can take our small offerings and multiply them to meet the needs of many. This principle of multiplication shows that when we give what we have to God, no matter how meager, He blesses it and uses it to create abundance. This teaches us the importance of trusting God with our resources and efforts, knowing that He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. It encourages us to bring our all to God, trusting in His ability to multiply our efforts for His glory. [30:40]
Matthew 14:19-20 "Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied."
Reflection: What are the 'loaves and fish' in your life that you can offer to God? How can you trust Him to multiply these for His purposes?
Day 4: Finding Rest in Divine Intimacy
In the face of ministry and life's challenges, feelings of exhaustion and inadequacy can be overwhelming. However, the remedy lies not in withdrawing from God but in drawing closer to Him. Intimacy with God replenishes our strength and renews our spirit, providing the peace and rest we desperately need. This relationship is foundational for sustaining us through all seasons of life, reminding us that our ultimate source of strength and rejuvenation comes from our closeness with the Creator. [23:03]
Isaiah 40:31 "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper intimacy with God during times of exhaustion? What practical steps can you take to draw closer to Him this week?
Day 5: Embracing Our God-Given Sufficiency
The encouragement to recognize and utilize our current resources challenges the common belief that we are perpetually in need of more. By understanding that what we have is already enough, we can begin to operate from a position of sufficiency rather than scarcity. This perspective not only changes how we view our resources but also how we engage in ministry and personal growth. It invites us to trust more deeply in God's provision and timing, knowing that He has equipped us for every good work. [36:44]
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Reflection: Identify an area where you feel a sense of scarcity. How can you shift to a mindset of sufficiency and trust in God’s provision in this area?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Everything changes when you put your five and two in the hands of Jesus. Everything changes when you stop speaking negatively about it and just trust it into the hands of Jesus. When you just take that little dream that he has entrusted to you and you give it back to him and you say, it don't look like much right now, but I'm putting it in your hands." [30:40]
2. "You don't need more. You just need God's blessing on what you've already got. You don't need more. You just need God's blessing on your five and two, girl. That's all you need. You know what his blessing is? It's his favor. Favor is what makes the scales balance over in your favor. Favor is what makes things a little bit unfair on your behalf." [32:05]
3. "If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you got an assignment. And don't let anybody tell you that your assignment isn't ministry just because it happens to be in a corporate setting. Mother of small children who's chosen to stay home with those kids, don't let anybody tell you that ain't ministry." [12:48]
### Quotes for Members
1. "He called them, and his calling superseded any personal ambition that they had. They laid down whatever they were going to do because they heard the call of God beckoning them to do something else. The beautiful thing about that entire picture is that all of the glory of God the Father, all of the glory of heaven was packaged in human flesh." [17:38]
2. "The good thing and the great thing about our God is that He does not call people who are already equipped. He calls you. And then for the people that say yes, He equips them with what they need for the calling. He entrusted them with power and authority. And can I tell you why this is important? This is important because in order to accomplish supernatural tasks, you have to have supernatural capacity." [19:07]
3. "Listen, the cure for your exhaustion is intimacy with God. Listen, the cure for your exhaustion is intimacy with God. Listen, the cure for your exhaustion is intimacy with God. Listen, the cure for your exhaustion is intimacy with God. Listen, the cure for your exhaustion is intimacy with God." [23:03]
4. "That thing is burdening you down, and you've never considered the fact that you've already got what you need. You've been thinking this is not enough gifting, this is not enough talent, it's not enough money, it's not enough time. I don't have enough, and Jesus is whispering in your ear tonight, you've got what you need." [25:12]
5. "If there is a multitude, that means there is a miracle. So praise the multitude, or they ask for the multitude to go away, and Jesus, He doesn't go for that. So when He doesn't go for that, the disciples have another solution. This is us too. Send the multitude away. Jesus says, mm-mm." [27:14]
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