Christ's Community on Christ's Mission (Part 3)

“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)

Why do we try to serve Christ on our own? There are, no doubt, more reasons, but let me suggest a few (which I’ve found in myself). 

1. Perhaps I am seeking some personal recognition, whether from God or man, rather than the profit of the body; I want to be the hero others look up to, rather than the unseen servant of others. 
2. Perhaps the Lord has given me a burden to do some good work which I see being neglected by others; and rather than doing the slower & harder task of getting others to serve with me, I take the quicker & easier road of serving alone. 
3. Perhaps I don’t think others could or would do as good a job as myself, so I fail to trust God to teach, grow, fill with the Spirit, empower & use them, and I neglect to pray for, encourage, train & make use of them. 
4. Perhaps I find it hard working with others because I think I have all the best ideas, and am unwilling to listen to others or submit to their ideas & aid in their work. 

The end result is a whole lot of different body parts running around separately, trying to be whole bodies individually. There goes an eye. Here comes a nose. 

Serving Christ is not limited to preachers, teachers & “missionaries.” Rather, we are all slaves of Christ, freed by his love from our old bondage, so that we might serve him (2Co 5.14,15). Each child of God is necessary & each gift of the Spirit useful for Christ’s mission. Men AND women (Rom 16.1,2). Children (Jn 6.9). Business- & tradesmen & women able to travel & ply their trade (Rom 16.3; cf. Acts 18.2,3). Laborers (Eph 4.28). People who can write (Rom 16.22). Wealthy landowners (Acts 4.34-37). Dignitaries & other influencial people (17.4,12; 16.14,15). Poor widows & other people who can’t afford to help (Luke 21.1-4; 2Co 8.1-5). Seamstresses (Acts 9.36-42). Slaves (Col 4.9; cf. Phm). Masters (Phm 1.1,2). Servants of governments (Php 4.22). Homeowners (Acts 18.7-11) and renters (28.30,31). The list could go on. In short, ordinary people empowered by the Spirit doing ordinary things for the advance of the name of Christ, that is, any—no, every—one of us. Ordinary people taking dominion over & bringing ordinary life under submission to the lordship of Christ, whom God has set over all things. All who do so are “co-laborers in the truth” (3Jn 8). 

Thus, there is the need for every effort on the measure of every part of the body of Christ toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission, bringing God’s salvation to every people group. And in that work, there is the need of every believer lending every gift of the Spirit, who was given to empower us to this same end (Acts 1.8), in order that God may be glorified. Not ME doing what God has called ME personally to do, and maybe convince some others to help ME do it. Rather, US working TOGETHER to accomplish what God has called US to do. That is Christ’s community on Christ’s mission. Let’s go!