Title: Give Your Hands!
Contents
Who is your co-worker? Is it someone who provides financial support and prayer support for the minister, but it is not. The Bible defines a co-worker as a person who has one heart to accomplish God's will and sees the fulfillment of God's word together. I bless you that it will be a time to examine your life as a co-worker in the Lord's call by examining the biblical basis of cooperation in today's Word. Christians who live the life of Jesus with the power of the perfect gospel, these are people who live by the life of Jesus, whether in the field of ministry or in the field of life. There is no such half-witness in the field of ministry, but not in the field of life, that is possible in the field of life but cannot live with the life of Jesus in the field of ministry. The power of the gospel is impossible for me who lives in the flesh, but it is possible only by trusting in the Lord, who has nothing impossible.
The history of the early church shows that many co-workers with Paul obeyed the Lord's call. I believe that the Lord will do the same today.
If so, how does the Bible define that co-worker? First, an image of a co-worker found in the Old Testament appears in 2 Kings 10 in today's text.
The meeting between Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab provides an aspect of co-working. Jehu is anointed king of Israel by Elisha and proclaimed as a person who will fulfill the word of God (1 Kings 21:21-24, God's judgment to come upon Ahab) prophesied by Elisha's teacher Elijah. After that, Jehu becomes the channel through which God's will, which was spoken through Elijah, is fulfilled, and goes on annihilating Ahab's house. In the process, Jehu meets Jehonadab, the son of Rechab. The call to co-workers heard through Jehu, Jehonadab, learns that God is calling him to be co-workers.
“Jeonadab, my heart toward you is sincere. Is your heart as truthful as mine?”
Jehonadab answered, ‘It is so.’
"Then let's hold hands with me"
Jehonadab did not hesitate in the slightest. You are calling us to be God's co-workers to the field of work where God's will is accomplished.
“He took his hand...” Jehonadab had a heart for the fulfillment of the will of God, which was prophesied through the prophet Elijah. He agrees with Jehu, decides and joins hands. Together with the house of Ahab and the prophets serving Baal, they destroy the idols of Baal and annihilate the enemies of God. In all these things, Jehonadab son of Rechab will be with you, and you will reach the place of blessing to see the fulfillment of God's word. Through the meeting of these two people, the meaning of co-worker can be summarized as follows.
First, a co-worker is a person who has the same heart to accomplish God's will.
Second, a co-worker is a person who sees the fulfillment of the Word together.
We see the image of a co-worker in the image of Jehonadab. I, who seeks my will, is a person who died on the cross and was reborn with the life of Jesus, and the Father's will that Jesus had became my will. The end of these encounters, typical of God's co-workers, teaches us another lesson. That is why we must stand before God with fear and trembling. (2 Kings 10:31) “But Jehu did not keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart, and did not turn from the sin (idol) that Jeroboam caused Israel to commit.”
Jehu was used as the channel through which the word of God promised through Elijah was fulfilled. However, he does not depart from the sin of Jeroboam serving the golden calf on Dan, and is eventually abandoned. On the other hand, Jeremiah 35 records how Jehonadab the son of Rechab and his descendants lived in the service of God. Since those descendants still practiced the Word, there is a scene where Jeremiah blesses the descendants. Therefore, we have a very simple conclusion that the true co-workers of God appear in life.
Now let's look at the more specific meaning of Paul and his co-workers in the New Testament.
(Philippians 2:25) “But I consider it necessary to send Titus to you as an epaph.
is my brother, who labors with you, and a fellow soldier, your messenger and helper for my needs.”
Epaphro Titus was a man who labored and served with Paul. In other words, co-workers in the New Testament are people who work together for the truth. Second, people who work together for the kingdom of God, that is, comrades. A co-worker in Christ is a worker. A worker who works hard for the promise of God to be fulfilled in the midst of this earth. This model of co-workers actually exists in the early church, and although it is not a name you are familiar with, the Bible records that Paul worked with them.
(Phm 1:23-24) “Greetings are Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, and also Mark, Aristarchus, and Demas Luke, my fellow workers.”
A character named Aristarga appears. What kind of co-worker was Aristarchus to Paul? He has been accompanying Paul for some time, and his name appears in numerous places in the Bible. Through this, we try to estimate whether Aristarchus was a true co-worker of Paul. Wherever Paul is, he accompanies him like a shadow. When Paul was preaching the gospel in Ephesus and there was a riot there where he was serving the goddess Artemis, Gaius and Aristarchus, who had been together with him, were arrested and taken to the theater to be beaten. He shared the gospel with Paul and even shared the difficulties of being imprisoned. In the end, co-workers in the Bible mean sharing their lives, even giving their lives. A co-worker means a person who shares both life and death in Christ.
All of us gathered here before the Gospel are co-workers. In other words, for the revival of the kingdom of God and the completion of missions, each of them is called as God's co-workers. They don't have to look the same. Although co-workers in Christ are in different jobs and in different places, they have the same goal for the revival of the kingdom of God and the completion of missions. Therefore, we, who are one in the gospel, should love and exhort one another, and give generous encouragement and prayer. Because we are all co-workers with God. I love you in the name of the Lord...