Feed My Lambs, Tend My Sheep, Feed My Sheep

“The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Ps. 145:15-16.

The all-consuming desire in the world of both man and beast is to have enough to live on, and preferably more than that. God looks after them, but not everyone realizes that what they have comes from the Lord. They most likely think that it is they and they alone who are responsible for it. Therefore not many people thank God for what they receive; moreover, the vast majority are very dissatisfied. This refers to natural food, concerning which Jesus says, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matt. 6:25. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” V. 33.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He cared for the disciples’ well-being by assigning Peter the task of feeding the lambs, tending the sheep, and feeding the sheep. Concerning their natural food, Jesus assumed that responsibility Himself, but in this instance it concerned spiritual food that the disciples had to have in order to grow up into Him who is the head. Peter was charged with giving this food to the disciples, to care for them and to have the mind of a servant, so that they received what they needed to grow spiritually.

Where was Peter supposed to get this food for the lambs and the sheep? He could give them God’s word, which He also did, so that three thousand souls were added to the church in one day!

Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” He says further, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51.

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” John 6:54-56.

This is our spiritual food. We are born of God, born of the Spirit, and shall grow a natural growth; we must therefore eat and drink, and what we shall eat and drink is Jesus’ body and blood.

We know this, for it is written, and we can speak about what is written, but it has not become food until it is done!

When the Word is being spoken and we believe that it is true but do not believe that it shall be true in us, we have not eaten Jesus’ flesh. If, on the other hand, we come to faith that it shall be true in us, then we have eaten of Jesus’ flesh.

When we hasten to do what we have come to believe shall be done, then we drink Jesus’ blood.

If we do not receive natural food, we will eventually die, for our perishable body must have food to live. If we neither eat nor drink spiritual food, we will die spiritually, drifting away from God and His promises.

When we celebrate Communion, breaking the one bread and eating it, we testify that we believe that the Word shall be lived and that we shall be obedient. And when we drink of the cup, we testify that we are doing His will and are pleasing to Him; then we are drinking His blood.

When this is true in us, we have eternal life in us. He is in us, and we are in Him, and then we can feed the lambs, tend the sheep, and feed the sheep. This is Jesus’ promise to all saved sinners who cease to sin. What glory! He has held nothing back; He has given us all! And when this becomes true in our life, it will be found, as Peter says, “to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet. 1:7.