Partners with Christ and with others . . .

 

Today’s devotional thoughts are about being in partnership with other Christians for the advancement of the gospel. Does that work well? Business partnerships are not always successful; one partner wants all the power. Or they disagree on policies and procedures. Or they do not trust each other.

None of this ought to happen in the Body of Christ, particularly with Christ as our Head. We listen to Him and will find ourselves in harmony. We attended a large church with dozens of elders who had a policy: without 100% agreement, they would not go ahead on any decision. Such unity is possible because of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul saw it and was thankful:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3–5)

MacArthur describes a few ways this partnership worked in the NT. One of them is financial support. “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:13) This verse covers the needs of leadership enabling their freedom to lead and preach. It also covers the needs of church members who focus on Christian ministry. Another aspect of this partnership is visitation in which church members don’t expect the pastor to do all the visiting!

Another part of such partnership (also translated ‘fellowship’) is supporting church leaders in their burden for their church. Paul said: “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:28) Most people who sit in the pews have no idea of the problems facing their leaders. This devotional book and another book I’m reading about prayer often overlap. The prayer book lists the various things to pray for pastors and other leaders. It uses Scripture and outlines a couple dozen specific prayer requests, everything from their personal virtue, spiritual protection, wisdom, to asking God to enable the congregation to respect their time.

Praying is a powerful way to share in a sacred partnership with Christ and other Christians, not just pastors,  for the advancement of the gospel. Fellowship, from the Greek word koinonia, is also translated “partnership” and “participation.” We are in this together, sharing in Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Great Commission to take the gospel to others and disciple them in Christian maturity. The NT is clear that our spiritual gifts and resources are given to us for that purpose.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4–7)

The question is, what is my role in this? I cannot do all of it myself, nor can I expect others to pick up the slack when I do nothing. Knowing that I share in a sacred partnership with Christ and with others to advance the gospel is a joy, not a burden yet sometimes the joy is not realized until the task is obeyed.

Jesus, I’m thankful to be in a local church that is strong on this aspect of being a Christian community. We are encouraged in togetherness, in supporting one another in various ways, but also in not being or feeling left out or useless. Show me ways to be an encouragement to my partners in the gospel, not only the spiritual leaders, but the many ordinary folks who struggle with knowing where they fit or hesitate to take part in Your glorious plan. I am aware of Augustine‘s words: “Without God, we cannot, but without us, God will not!” But also realize I must always act according to Your direction and leading, not follow my own ‘grand’ ideas.

ALSO CONSIDER: Read Ephesians 4:11–16 and 1 Peter 4:10-11. What is the goal of Christian ministry? What is my role in achieving that goal? How can I pray for my pastors?

 

 

Not all idols are carved images . . .

 

1 Chronicles 5–6; Psalms 148–150; Amos 4; Hebrews 10

Last Monday our small group focused on idolatry, its definitions and its dangers. These days and in our culture, few people put carvings and statues on their mantles and bow before them, but we do trust and elevate all sorts of other things — such as money, people in power, fame and possessions. 1 Chronicles with its genealogies isn’t the most instructive OT book, but it did say this about idolatry:

The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous . . . (names I cannot pronounce) These were the heads of their fathers’ houses (more names) But they broke faith with the God of their fathers, and whored after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to (more names, this time of places). (1 Chronicles 5:23–26)

The point is that idolatry takes those who do it from their home where they belong and exiles them to a place or situation where they would rather not be.

The three psalms describe the opposite, not idolatry of anything else but total praise for God. It includes all places, all creation, weather, nature, kings and all people of the earth, and all manner of praise such as music and dancing, even singing for joy on our beds! This Word from God says we praise Him as we defeat our enemies, while we are in the sanctuary, and for all that He is and does. This long list stands against having any other god but also reminds me that praising God has a practical application; I cannot sin while I’m doing it!

The prophet Amos starts out by calling the pampered and well-off women of Bashan “cows.” That pinched a little because when I was in high school, the Borden cow was a popular icon. Her name was Elsie and one of my classmates decided to call me “cow” all the times. He meant it in affection, but it still makes me cringe. I wonder how these women felt!

Amos reminded them of all that God had done to bring them back for their idolatrous and sinful ways. He scorned their religious activities, brought hunger and drought to them, filled their gardens and vineyards with pests and disease, sent pestilence and death and still they “did not return to me” declared the Lord. This describes another danger of idolatry; it makes blind and stubborn those who fall into it. These people were running into trouble yet seemingly could not connect the dots or realize that their troubles were sent by God to turn their hearts from their sin. How sad. I’m thinking the “cow” label I got wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the one God gave to them.

Hebrews 10 is a happier read. The OT people of God often did not connect the dots and easily fell into idolatry, at least until the final exile to Babylon. However, the NT people of God live under a new covenant where God changed hearts:

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:16–23)

Jesus came and changed everything. God’s people now have the inner power of the Holy Spirit and Christ has “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God . . . . and perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (verses 12-14).

Does this mean I’ll never worship idols? It must not because the NT is full of warnings to stay away from them. However God has graciously put His people into a family, the Body of Christ, where we can warn, poke, prod, encourage each other from straying away from our first love. Verses 24 and 25 say: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25)

APPLY: I’m thankful for our small group. We can freely discuss our struggles and pray for one another, with reminders that when we worship God together, sin and idolatry cannot get at us. God’s ten commandments put “no other gods” at the top of the list for good reason; it is the only way we can avoid all other sins.