THAT NOTHING BE LOST
TEXT: JOHN 6:1-12
So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.(V.12, NKJV)
In the passage above, Jesus clearly demonstrated that He is the most diligent economist of the universe. We often talk about Jesus’ ability to provide for our physical needs but overlook that fact! That is why He is more interested in providing most of our needs rather than our wants.
If Jesus had been a mere man, He would never have bothered to think about the remaining fragments. Any man who can feed five thousand does not worry about a few leftover crumbs! But Jesus is God, and with God there must be no wasting of His bounties. He does not want us to squander the precious things He has given to us, and so He takes care to instruct that the broken pieces which remained should be gathered up so that nothing might be lost.
Very importantly, God does not allow wastefulness. Nature wastes nothing, not an ounce of matter. It is the waste of man that causes want. Every atom of the material world which was here at the beginning of creation is here today, though it may have changed its form a million times in the progress of events. Let me illustrate this point with the Water Cycle: The water cycle simply means that Earth’s water is continually recycled between the oceans, the atmosphere, and the land. All of the water that exists on Earth today has been used and reused for billions of years. Very little water has been created or lost during this period of time. Water is constantly moving on Earth’s surface and changing back and forth between ice, liquid water, and water vapor.
The water cycle begins when the Sun heats the water in the oceans and causes it to evaporate and enter the atmosphere as water vapor. Some of this water vapor falls as precipitation directly back into the oceans, completing a short cycle. Some of the water vapor, however, reaches land, where it may fall as snow or rain. Melted snow or rain enters rivers or lakes on the land. Due to the force of gravity, the water in the rivers eventually empties back into the oceans. Melted snow or rain also may enter the ground. Groundwater may be stored for hundreds or thousands of years, but it will eventually reach the surface as springs or small pools known as seeps. Even snow that forms glacial ice or becomes part of the polar caps and is kept out of the cycle for thousands of years eventually melts or is warmed by the Sun and turned into water vapor, entering the atmosphere and falling again as precipitation. All water that falls on land eventually returns to the ocean, completing the water cycle.
We should learn from this direction of our Saviour, to avoid all wastefulness of the good things with which God has blessed us, to manage our substance on all occasions to the best advantage, and so to approve ourselves charitable and kind, as God’s stewards.
AREAS TO AVOID LOSSES
1.SOULS WON: We should put good mechanisms in place to ensure that people He convicts and brings into the church are well kept and nourished in order to abide in Him forever. It is the duty of the church leader to re-populate the church but not to de-populate it!
2.CHURCH FUNDS: God will hold us accountable in this area. How do we use the monies He causes people to dish out into the coffers of the church? If we misuse church money, Jesus will never be pleased with us.
3.SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Put all your gifting and talents to good use. Help your members to develop and use their gifts. As leader make sure that you effectively transmit what is in you into others.
4.PRECIOUS GEMS OF THE CHURCH: Take good care of all your Officers. Respect and involve all of them in the running of the church.
5.TIME: this refers to our own personal time and that of church members. At times we waste their time with unnecessary comments and a series of announcements. When introducing people, we tend to talk about almost everything we know or have heard about the person, especially when he is a big man. Again, after-preaching comments also waste time. This occurs when somebody other than the leader preaches some leaders attempt to polish the message up or want to convince the preacher that the message has gone down well with the people. In any of these cases, some church leaders prolong their comments to the extent that the comments may even take more time than the message. In the end more time is spent during the church service than necessary.
HOW TO AVOID WASTAGE
1. Be realistic: avoid over-ambitious projects.
2. Never cheat the members in any way.
3. Avoid relying on hear-say: all hands must be on deck.
4. Lead simple, realistic lifestyles: cut your coat according to your size.
5. Avoid scheming, don’t be a greedy grabber.
6. Keep proper accounts on finance and church property.
7. Proper documentation should be ensured all the time.
8. Use church property prudently.
9. In church service, remembers to keep to time.
CONCLUSION
As leaders, we should always remember that we shall be held accountable one day about how we administer the affairs of the church. There is therefore the need for us to be vigilant and diligent in everything we do in the name of God. May the Lord help us to gather every fragment and put them to good use so that no losses are incurred in His kingdom business.
© Pastor William Boachie-Ansah,
(boachieansah@gmail.com, copnsawkaw@yahoo.com )
