Partners In The Gospel

No man is an island. That's a saying you've probably heard before. We don't operate all alone. We bump into each other and yes, we even need each other. We were created with a need for community. Jesus Christ redeemed us for community into His own body. The body of Christ is to love, serve and give and make the gospel known.  Personally, we are hands and feet of Jesus as well as corporately. Community is the place where we experience transformation and sancification and share the Good News of the Gospel. That's the church's mission. To make Jesus Christ known among the nations as we grow in grace and knowledge of The Lord, together. 

I ran into a friend I haven't seen in awhile this evening. We reminisced about our time together in youth ministry. We both agreed, those were extraordinary days. God was at work in our lives and the lives of our students. We all rushed to get there on Wednesday evenings, excited and ready to see each other and the students. We laughed and cried together, danced together, served together, traveled together, encouraged and supported each other as well as held each other accountable and in love, pointed out when we were getting off track. We saw students come to know Jesus as Lord and grow in grace and knowledge. We saw the glory of The Lord and once you see His glory, you will long for it. It will keep you up at night and all you can think about and it's what you will want to talk about.

It was only by God's grace any of us were saved and were all surprised we were ministering to anyone. None of us had it all together and there was no need to try and pretend.  I can remember thinking, any moment now, a deacon would remove me from the youth room proclaiming me to be unworthy of serving. If they only knew what I have done in my life. But in Christ, I was made new, standing in His righteousness, an heir, adopted into the Kingdom. Life was not my own, it was now His. Together, we were seeking to know God more, experience Him and point students to the life in Christ we had received. Serving is an overflow of the grace and mercy shown to us through our Salvation. Any fruit was the result of who Christ is, not anything we did. We brought our gifts to the table, each serving in a very unique way. We were honest with our student's and each other about our lives and struggles and they loved and accepted us. It was far from perfect, we made many mistakes but we were partners in the Gospel. We were on mission and we mattered to each other.

God is still at work across the earth, drawing people to Him and transforming lives for His glory.
The mission goes on.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

There have been winning athletic teams and work projects that have brought success and created community but there is no comparison in partnering in the gospel. For we are co- workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9  Paul has been credited with writing 13 books of the Bible but he was not alone. Many times his partners in the gospel were transcribing for him. He mentioned many people throughout the Scriptures who were serving beside him or that he was encouraging in their service. Philippians 1:3-6, Paul states, "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. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." 

Every day I talk to many faithful servants who are all in for the Kingdom of Heaven. Partners in The Gospel encourage one another even more as the day approaches as the Spirit continues to purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. To those partners in the Gospel, YOU ARE NOT ALONE and you matter to Christ and you matter to me. Keep running the race and fight the good fight of faith. Jesus is worthy.

 "It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus And this is may prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God."  
Philippians 1:7-11