Christ's Community on Christ's Mission (Part 2)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecc 4.9-12)

Nevertheless, my tendency is still to try to serve alone (i.e., without other people, though I wouldn’t think of trying to without the Spirit). This is where a couple of dear brothers have been very helpful in showing me. It is easy for some of us to run ahead alone, rather than slowing down to make sure others are coming with us & laboring with us. I’m sure there’s sin in it for me sometimes, romanticizing my situation as if I’m standing alone like a prophet of old with no support, not even from God’s people. However, we are not called to labor as individuals, but as a body.

This truth should be so clear to us, which shows how insidious a blindness it is. Here are a few examples which make it so plain.

1. The Great Commission was not given to individual disciples, but to them all as a group: “When you [plural, i.e., together] go, you [pl. again] make disciples..., you [pl.] baptizing them..., you [yep, pl. again] teaching them.” (Mt 28.18-20) Nor did Christ intend this merely for those Apostles, but that believers thenceforth would labor together with them to accomplish this great end.
2. Jesus taught us to pray together for his kingdom to come (Mt 6.9-13). “Our Father..., your kingdom come...” In the Lord’s Prayer, all of the pronouns regarding the petitioners are “our” & “us”.
3. “WE” are made ambassadors on behalf of Christ (2Co 5.18-21). Again, notice all the we’s & us’s.
4. When Jesus sent out his disciples to broadcast the Gospel throughout the villages in the region, he sent them in pairs (Mk 6.7).
5. On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was abundantly given, all who were gathered began proclaiming together the Gospel in languages they hadn’t previously known (Acts 2.4).
6. Peter didn’t go alone to Cornelius’ home, but with 6 others, though apparently only Peter preached (Acts 11.12).
7. When the Spirit calls missionaries from the Church in (Syrian) Antioch, he calls two, Barnabas & Paul. And then it is not they who go by themselves, but the church (or at least all of the elders) together sent them. “The Holy Spirit said, ‘You [pl.] set apart for me Barn. & Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting & praying THEY [i.e., together] laid their hands on them and sent THEM [together].” (13.1-3) Both they who sent & those who were sent did so as a team.
8. Paul was rarely alone, preferring companions & co-laborers for mutual encouragement and that he might train them to advance the mission beyond his own capacity. (Acts 11.25-30; 16.16-34; 19.29; 20.33-35; Rom 16.1-9, 21-23; Php 2.25-30; 4.3; Col 4.7-14; 1Th 2.1-13; Phm 1,24) It is clear that the Apostle Paul was not a lone worker simply led by the Spirit, but part of a team together led by the Spirit, working together, praying together, and making decisions together (1Th 3.1-11), both as a group (Acts 16.9,10) & with others (15.2,3,22; 21.18-26). Sometimes they even disagreed (15.32-41); and, though splitting with Barnabas, still Paul did not go alone.
9. We enter the labors of those who precede us, and join with them in the work (Jn 4.34-38). God works through many to accomplish his work: sometimes working together (1Co 16.15-18), and sometimes consecutively (1Co 3.3-11).

to be continued...