Living Within God’s Provisions Lk 22:9-13 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

When you consider the earthly ministry of Jesus you see that he was living within Gods provisions his entire life.  We need to learn from his example and live our lives within Gods provisions, as well.  When you consider your own life, if you are like most Christians, you’re either praising God for giving you so much to spend or else you are begging God to give you more to spend.  In either case, you’re not living within Gods provisions.  According to Prov 22:2 some of us are rich and some are poor, but the richest of all is the person who has learned to live within Gods provisions. Just notice how God the Father took care of Jesus:

When Jesus came to this earth he needed a body so that God could be manifest in the flesh [Jn 1:14; 1 Tim 3:16].  God prepared a body for him [Heb 10:5].  And he used a virgin in whom to make that body.  That was just the right provision for the undefiled Son of God [Heb 7:26].

When Jesus was born he needed a place to lay – so God provided a manger for him [Lk 2:7].  That was just the right provision for the Lamb of God.

When Jesus was reared he need godly parents to whom he could be subject [Lk 2:51].  So, God gave him Joseph and Mary; a just man [Matt 1:19] and a blessed woman who had found favor with God [Lk 1:26-30].

When Jesus was growing up he needed an occupation – so, he was a carpenter.  That was just the right provision for the builder of New Jerusalem [Jn 14:1-3; Heb 11:10].

When Jesus was manifest to Israel he needed a forerunner [Jn 1:29-31] – so God gave him John the Baptist [Jn 1:23].  John was just the right provision for the Messiah [Matt 11:11].

When Jesus began his ministry he needed men to train to carry on his work after his ascension.  So, God gave him his disciples [Matt 10:1-6; Lk 10:1-2].  They were just the right provision to glorify God in their work [Acts 4:13]; they were ignorant and unlearned men.

When Jesus preached he didn’t need to be tied down to a house [Lk 4:43] – so God gave him places to stay that were not his own but which were sufficient [Jn 1:39; Lk 9:58; Jn 12:1-2].

When Jesus was hungry he needed food to eat – God gave him provision in other peoples’ homes [Lk 19:5-6; Lk 24:29-30], through miraculous abundance [Matt 16:6-12], and even by the angels [Matt 4:11].  The bread of life wasn’t cumbered with cooking meals [Lk 10:38-42].

When Jesus made his triumphal entry he needed a colt to ride into Jerusalem [Zech 9:9].  So, God provided him with a colt to ride [Mk 11:1-7].

When Jesus served his last Passover he needed a place to meet with his disciples.  So, God furnished a guest chamber and a table for him [Lk 22:7-14] and with these he gave us one of our ordinances [1 Cor 11:23-34].

When Jesus died he needed a cross upon which to die [Ps 22:16; Zech 12:10].  So, God provided him with the cross of a thief [Jn 18:40; Is 53:12] – the perfect provision for one who will return as a thief in the night [1 Thes 5:2].

When Jesus was buried he needed a sepulcher [Is 53:9] from which to rise.  So, God gave him the tomb of a rich man in which no one before had been buried [Lk 23:50-53].

When Jesus ascended he needed a place to sit – so God gave him the principle seat on his own right hand [Heb 10:12].

Conclusion: Do you not see that in living by faith [Rom 1:17], God knows your needs [Mat 6:32] and gives you provisions to meet your every need [Phil 4:19]?  If you will truly seek first the kingdom of God [Matt 6:33], like Jesus did, and do the work God has called you to do [1 Thes 4:11-12], you do not have to think about your provisions [Mat 6:34].  You just need to learn to live within Gods provisions for your life [Phil 4:11-13; 1 Tim 6:6-8].