A word of prayer first.
Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee for gathering us together here this afternoon. Our Father, we do acknowledge that by ourselves we can never take any responsibility in anything that is related to Thee. We are unworthy. We are unable.
But, our Father, we do praise and thank Thee that Thou hast not only redeemed us in Thy Son, but Thou hast also called us into Thy work. So we humbly come to Thee this afternoon, deny ourselves as unfit, and just desire to wait upon Thee and allow Thee to reveal to us what Thy work is, and then put us in the place that Thou wantest us to be, that we may serve Thee according to Thy will; that Thy purpose may be fulfilled and Thy glory may be furthered.
We just commit this time into Thy hands and trust that Thou wilt give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
The topic that we will be considering together this afternoon, and, God willing, tomorrow afternoon, is this matter of responsibility in the work.
I think, first of all, we have to define what is meant by “the work.” You know, there are so many works going on, and many works in the name of the Lord Jesus, that we really need to know what is meant by the work as we find it in the Word of God.
You remember in John 5, our Lord Jesus said:
My Father worketh even until now, and I work.
Our God is a working God. He is most diligent, and He is doing His work. Because of this, our Lord Jesus said, “I work.” The work that the Father is doing and the work that the Son is doing are all one work.
Then you remember in John 6. After our Lord Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, the people followed Him because they thought that this matter of food was solved. When they sought the Lord, He said:
Work not for the food which perisheth,
but for the food which abideth unto eternal life.
So, when these Jews heard these words, immediately they said, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” And the answer of the Lord was most unusual. He said:
This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.
First, you find the Lord mentioning that His Father and Himself are working. Then He said, “Do not work for the food that perisheth, but work for that which remains forever.” When the people said, “All right, if You are talking about work, tell us: what shall we do that we may do the works of God?” the Lord answered, “This is the work of God: believe on Him.” That was it.
Is it not very strange? When these people wanted to work to do the works of God, the Lord said, “Believe.” This is the work of God. Now, how are you going to understand this or reconcile this?
You know, we often think that if we do the works of God, of course we have to work. But the Lord said, “No—believe.” This is the work of God. Why? Because the work of God can only be done by God Himself. Nobody can do the work of God. Only the Father and the Son are able to do this work.
You notice that the people said, “What shall we do, that we may do the works of God?” They used the plural number: many works. Probably these Jews were thinking of the priests in the temple, doing the works of God; the Levites in the temple, doing the works of God.
The priests offered sacrifices. The Levites helped the people bring the sacrifices and slaughter them. Or the Levites brought in water for washing, or the priests taught the people. Now, these are the works of God. But what do we do? We are common people. We are not priests. We are not Levites. We may be fishermen or working in a family. What do we do that we may do the works of God? Just tell us something that will be considered sacred work, as the works of God, and we will do it.
Now, that was their idea. But the Lord Jesus said, “This is the work of God.” In other words, God has only one work. They were thinking in terms of works—many activities, activities connected with religion, activities supposed to be for God. But our Lord Jesus answered and said, “God has only one work.”
The work of God is that you believe on Him whom God has sent. Now, that is the work of God, because God’s work can only be done by God Himself. You cannot do it. I cannot do it. His Son has done it, and because He has done it, all that is required of us is belief.
This is the basic nature of the work of God. If we want to know what God’s work is, the first thing we need to understand is that you cannot do it, I cannot do it, and nobody can do it. Only God can do it. Because God has done it in His Son, if we believe in God’s Son, this is the work of God.
The work of God is based on believing, not on doing. Only after we believe in the Lord Jesus—that is, after we have really accepted what He has done, He whom the Father has sent, and He who has done it—and receive what He has already accomplished, then in us and out of us He will continue to do what needs to be done.
Now, I do not know whether it is clear. In other words, when we think of doing the work of God, our whole concept is, “Now, let us do it.” God says, “No, you cannot do it. You believe.” After you believe, then what has been done in you will be able to come out of you.
He first must work in you, and the result of His working in you will be the working out from you. Only that working out from you is related to doing the work of God.
There is a great difference between working for God and working with God. There are lots of works in the name of Christian work—working for God. Very few are working with God. Now, what is the difference?
Working for God is a work that is initiated by man. Working with God is a work that is initiated by God. Working for God is working with our natural energy, talent, and cleverness. Working with God is working in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Working for God does not need any revelation. You can plan it, plot it, and start it. But working with God requires revelation. Working for God does not need the working of the cross in your life. As a matter of fact, if the cross works in your life, you cannot work for God anymore.
But in working with God, you have to know the working of the cross in your life. In working for God, the end result is that you are glorified. You get the glory because you have done something. In working with God, God gets the glory.
I think the best illustration in the New Testament is Paul. Before he met the Lord, Saul the Pharisee worked for God with all honesty. He received the best tradition of Judaism. He sat under the best teacher.
With all honesty, he felt that he had to persecute the people of the Way, the followers of Jesus, because according to the traditional concept, Christ was an impostor to Judaism. So he did everything he could to wipe out Christianity. He thought he was serving God—working for God.
And do not think that only Saul was doing that. Probably we have all done it. As a matter of fact, usually we begin by working for God, and then finally, by the grace of God, we are led into working with God.
Not until he met the Lord on the road to Damascus did he receive revelation. Then you find the Apostle Paul working with God. What a difference it is. So, dear brothers and sisters, we need to remember that you can work for God or you can work with God.
If you are just working for God, people may be benefited, but God is not satisfied.
Now, what is God’s work? We say that God has only one work to do. It is true that God has done many things. You can think of creation, how God created the universe. You can think of redemption, the work of redemption.
But, you know, whether it is creation or redemption, these are acts. Why? Because all the works of God are centered upon one purpose, and that purpose is His Son. Whatever God does, whether He creates or redeems, it is for His Son.
That His Son may have the first place in all things; that His Son may be the all in all; that His Son may be glorified; that His Son may have His heart’s desire: a companion, a mate, a counterpart.
All the works of God, when you think of them individually, may appear to be many works. But actually they are one work, and that one work has only one purpose behind it: that His Son may be glorified and satisfied. That is the work of God.
Because of this, you find that in different ages, dispensations, or seasons, God’s work seems to have special emphasis at different times. For instance, in the beginning, God’s work seemed to be in creating all things. But that was not the purpose of God’s work; that was only the emphasis.
Later, in the patriarchal age—the fathers, such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—you find that God’s work seemed to be centered upon certain individuals, as if He were interested in a person or a family.
Then, in the time of Moses, in the dispensation of the law, God’s work seemed to be centered upon a people, a nation—Israel. In the dispensation of grace, out of every tribe and people, God has gathered together a people for Himself. He is centered upon the church.
In different periods there seems to be a different emphasis in the work of God. But when you put them together, you find that God has only one work. Whether He is creating or emphasizing a person, a family, a nation, or many nations, the end result is one.
Towards the end, everything is together. All the works of God are gathered together into one, and that one is the New Jerusalem, to satisfy and glorify His Son. One work—God has only one work.
Because of this, it is very important for us to understand what is God’s work in our time. In other words, what is the emphasis of God’s work in our days? If we do not understand this, we may be doing good works, but they may have been good works one hundred years ago and not good today.
When God raised up Martin Luther in the sixteenth century, he was doing God’s work. But if we are doing the same thing today and no more, we are not doing God’s work. We need to know what God is doing today, and then work with God.
For this reason, if we think of God’s work, the first thing that has to be before us is revelation. Without revelation, no one can do God’s work. We need to ask the Lord to give us insight and spiritual understanding into the mind of God and the heart of God concerning His desire.
What is behind His work? What is He really concentrating on today, that we may move together with Him in the work that He is doing? That is a necessity.
Of course, the second thing is the cross. After we have been given such a revelation, it does not mean that we can do it right away, because the cross has to be applied to our lives. God’s work cannot be done by ourselves. It has to be done by God Himself in us. We need the cross, and, of course, the power of the Holy Spirit.
Another thing we need to clarify before we go on is the distinction between the work and the church. You know, the work and the church cannot be separated, but they need to be distinguished.
If we do not distinguish between the work and the church, you will find all the confusion that we have today. I believe that many confusions in Christianity are because people do not see the distinction between the work and the church.
The work is for the church. The work itself is not an end. You know, many of God’s servants make work their end, but the work is not an end. The work is a means to an end.
Whatever work it may be, it is not an end in itself. Never take a work as an end in itself, because if you do, you actually make your work your god or your kingdom. Work is never an end in itself. Even when God is doing work, the work is not His end.
The work is for the church. The Lord Jesus said:
I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Paul took it up and said:
We are God’s fellow-workers: ye are God’s husbandry, God’s building.
Paul said, “I am like a wise master builder.” Really, that word is not “architect,” because God never calls anyone to be an architect. He is the Architect; He designs everything. But Paul was a foreman. Paul said, “I am a wise master builder, and I laid the foundation. Then each of you see how you build upon it.”
We know that the building is the church. So the work is for the church. Why work? That the church may be built. The church is not for the work. If a church exists for a work, that church becomes a platform for a ministry.
But it does not mean that because the church is not for the work, the church does not need to cooperate with the work. The church needs to cooperate with the work. So the church and the work cannot be completely separated, as if they had nothing to do with each other. No. The work is for the church, and the church certainly should support the work.
They work together, and yet they are distinct. There are several ways in which we can see how the work and the church are distinct.
Number one: representation. Who represents the work, and who represents the church? By representation, we can see the distinction.
When you come to the matter of the work, you find that the work of God on earth today is represented by the apostles. In Ephesians 4, we find that God gave to the church some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints.
God gave these four classes of people to the church: some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Shepherds and teachers are one, because in Greek they are bound together. According to Greek grammar, they should be one. These four classes of people are given to the church for the perfecting, for the maturing, of the saints.
They represent the work of God. They are workers, and the apostles lead the list. So we may say that the apostles represent the work. With the apostles are the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and many others involved in the work of God, but represented by the apostles.
But the church, in its practical aspect—the local church—is represented by the elders. The local church is represented by the elders, not by apostles. In Philippians 1, Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, to the saints, the overseers, and the deacons.
The elders of the local assembly represent the church. Of course, they are not the church, but they represent the church. With them are the deacons and the saints.
The apostles do not govern the church. They help to build up the saints, and when the saints are built up, the saints begin to function and produce the body ministry for the building up of the body in love.
In a sense, the apostles or workers are scaffolds. When you are building a ten-story building, you need scaffolds so that you can build that building. But after the building is finished, the scaffolds are taken away. If you leave the scaffolds there forever, that is very ugly.
So the workers, represented by the apostles and others, are like scaffolds. God uses them to help the saints. As the saints are built together and built up, the scaffolds are taken away. In other words, the apostles can go elsewhere.
The success of a worker depends on how soon he works himself out of a job. If he becomes so needed, if the church depends on him so much that he cannot go out of a job, he is a failure.
He does not stay there to govern the church. No. Teachers are used of God to help develop men of spiritual stature, that they can be put in the position or function of elders, to take care of and govern the local church.
Just remember this: the work, as represented by the apostles, is not to stay put in a locality to govern the church that God may use them to raise up, and stay there forever. That is a failure, because they represent the work and not the church.
But the elders are raised up locally, not transported from another locality. You do not transport elders. Elders are raised by God locally, and there they stay with the people all the time. They know the people, and God uses them as a governing body, representing the Head in that local assembly. They do not direct the work of God.
As a matter of fact, in the New Testament you never find a local church sending out missionaries. Well, if you can find some evidence in the New Testament, please correct me. Why? Because a church never governs God’s work. God Himself, the Lord Himself, sends out workers. They are responsible to the Lord, not to the church.
That is the reason why you find such confusion today. The work and the church are mixed up together, and you do not know whether this is work or church. The work seems to dominate the church, and the church is completely under the work, not only in one place but in many places.
Or the church is governing the workers because it sends missionaries and supports them. Then the missionaries have to report back to the church, and if the church is not happy with what they are doing, it decides the policy. You have all this confusion in Christianity today because you do not see the difference between the church and the work.
Another way to distinguish the church and the work is this: the church is local; the work is regional.
The church is local. The scope of the church is local. You have the church in Jerusalem—it is Jerusalem. The church in Antioch—it is Antioch. Whether it is a city or a village, it is a community; it is local.
But the work is regional. In other words, the scope of the work is broader than just one locality. Peter and the eleven apostles stayed in Jerusalem, but they went out to Judea and even Samaria. Paul went out from Antioch and sometimes came back to Antioch, but he moved out to many places in Asia and was called even to places in Europe. The work is regional, but the church is local.
The third question is: Who are the fellow workers? Who are the workers? Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3, said:
We are God’s fellow-workers.
The “we” refers to himself and to Apollos, because he was talking about himself and Apollos. Paul, we know, was an apostle. Apollos, so far as I know, was not an apostle. He was a teacher. Some are apostles and some are teachers; not all are apostles.
In a very broad sense, the word “missionary” is the modern word for the ancient word “apostle,” because it means sent-out ones. But strictly speaking, not all sent-out ones are apostles. Some are apostles, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
Here you find Apostle Paul, a fellow worker of God, and Apollos, a teacher, also a fellow worker of God. In God’s work, we are fellow workers of God. In other words, you are working together with God. You are not only working together with one another, but you are also working together with God.
As you read the New Testament, especially in the case of Paul, you find that Paul seems to have many fellow workers.
In Acts 13, there were five prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch. They were ministering unto the Lord, and the Holy Spirit said:
Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
They were set apart for the apostolic work. Barnabas and Paul moved on from Antioch and began to travel in that work.
John Mark went with them as their attendant. He was a young man traveling with Barnabas and Paul, but he was involved in God’s work. Unfortunately, this young man was not really disciplined. When things became difficult, and perhaps because he was not happy about the relationship and order between Paul and Barnabas, he left.
When they were first called out, it was Barnabas and Paul. But very soon you find it was Paul and Barnabas. In other words, the Holy Spirit had decided that Paul should take the lead. John Mark, being a cousin to Barnabas and an undisciplined young man, was jealous and could not stand it. So he left.
But then, when Paul went out a second time, Barnabas took John Mark and went away. Paul chose Silas to travel with him. Silas became a fellow worker of Paul, and, being a fellow worker of Paul in God’s work, he became a fellow worker of God too.
Then, as they came to Derbe and Lystra, they found a young man, Timothy. In a few years Timothy had really developed a ministry, perhaps a teaching ministry. So Paul decided to take Timothy with him into the work, to train him, help him, and develop him, that he might be a worker fit for the Master’s use.
Timothy was joined to the work of God, a fellow worker of Paul and therefore a fellow worker of God. As Paul traveled, you find more and more people were drawn in.
In Acts 20, verse 4, Paul speaks of those who accompanied him as far as Asia:
And there accompanied him as far as Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
These were not merely traveling companions. They traveled with Paul and became helpers in the work in which Paul was engaged. Some came from Asia, some from Berea, and some from Thessalonica. Different ones came in, and together they served in the work of God.
In Romans 16, Paul commends Phoebe, a sister from the church in Cenchreae, who had been a help to many and to Paul himself. Then he says:
Salute Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus.
Here you find a couple, Priscilla and Aquila. It is important to notice that whenever Scripture comes to the matter of work, Priscilla is always put before Aquila. But whenever it is a matter of the order of the family, it is Aquila and Priscilla. Evidently, Priscilla was more involved in God’s work than her husband.
Paul also says:
Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you.
Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles.
Salute Urbanus, our fellow-worker in Christ.
Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord.
Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
So, in Romans 16, you find many people, men and women, who labored much in the Lord. They were Paul’s fellow workers and therefore fellow workers of God.
In Philippians 2, Paul not only mentions Timothy but also Epaphroditus:
My brother, and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need.
In Philippians 4, Paul speaks of Euodia, Syntyche, the true yoke-fellow, Clement, and other fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life.
In Colossians 4, Paul mentions Tychicus, “the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord”; Aristarchus; Mark; Jesus called Justus; Epaphras; Luke, the beloved physician; Demas; and Archippus. In 2 Timothy 4, he mentions Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, and Tychicus. In Philemon, he refers to Philemon as “the beloved and our fellow-worker,” and to Archippus as “our fellow-soldier.”
So in these lists Paul mentions many fellow workers. What do you see when you put them together? You see that not only apostles are fellow workers; not only evangelists, prophets, pastors, and teachers are fellow workers; but there are others who do not belong to these four classes of people whom God has given to the church.
Some are sisters—quite a lot of sisters. As a matter of fact, the work of God cannot be done without sisters. Some sisters complain and say, “What can we do? All we do is the kitchen.” Not so, not so. You find Phoebe, Persis, Mary, and Priscilla—sisters greatly used by God in His work.
You also find professional people. Luke was the physician. According to the way the Holy Spirit writes, Peter was a fisherman, but after he was called to the work he was never called Peter the fisherman anymore. Peter was the apostle. And if he went back to fish, God would see to it that he caught no fish.
But when the Bible writes, “Luke the physician,” it means that he was not only a physician before he was involved in God’s work, but even after he was very much involved in God’s work, he was still a physician. In other words, he continued with his profession.
Zenas the lawyer was another one. Evidently, that lawyer continued in his law business, but at the same time he was very much involved in the work of God. Aquila was a tentmaker. He continued to make tents, yet he was involved in God’s work more than most people, because at least three churches gathered in his home.
As a matter of fact, he moved his home from one place to another, not for business but for the Lord’s business. Marvelous.
So here you see a picture. In God’s work there are many workers. The apostles represent the work of God, but aside from the apostles there are many others involved.
Not because you are not an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, or a pastor and teacher are you therefore not involved in God’s work. Not at all. Not because you are not a so-called full-time worker are you therefore not involved in God’s work.
As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as full-time—or, may I say, everyone is full-time. If you are serving the Lord, you are serving the Lord full-time. No doubt about that. God does not need part-time workers.
You are all full-time. But that does not mean you cannot have another profession. You can. Luke was a full-time worker, but he had a profession: he was a physician.
Whether it is full-time or whether you live by faith, there is no such thing as certain people living by faith and others not living by faith. If you do not live by faith, what do you live by? Everyone is by faith.
So, as a worker, it is not determined by full-time service or living by faith. Today our concept is that if you are a worker in the work of God, you must be full-time and live by faith; otherwise, you are not a worker. Then Paul was not a worker—Paul was disqualified—because sometimes Paul made tents.
Ah, you say Paul must have fallen. But strangely, God prospered his tentmaking. He was able not only to support himself but also his fellow workers. Peter could not go fishing. When he went fishing, he was unsuccessful.
God’s way is flexible, very flexible, very living. Do not be so legalistic. In God’s work, you can find all kinds of people. Full-time or not full-time, living by faith or not living by faith—whatever it may be, you find that these people are fellow workers.
Now, brothers and sisters, what does this mean to us? I think there are two extremes, two errors, in this matter of work.
One is that we think the work of God is entrusted exclusively to the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and all the rest are not involved. That is one extreme, one error.
The other extreme is this: everyone is a worker. So far as the truth is concerned, that is true. Every believer is a worker. Every believer should be involved in God’s work.
But not every believer is really involved in God’s work. That is what I am trying to say.
So far as God is concerned, He does desire every child of God, everyone whom He has redeemed and for whom He has paid such a price, to be really engaged in His field. That is God’s heart, no doubt about that.
We cannot say that we are just saved and enjoying, but have no responsibility in God’s work. We cannot say that. If we do, we fail God. Every child of God, from the viewpoint of God’s truth, is a worker.
Let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.
But to be really involved in God’s work, number one, you require revelation. If you do not have the revelation or vision of what God’s work is, then you are not in God’s work.
You may be involved in many works, but you are working for God—lots of activities—but you are not in God’s work. You need vision.
Number two: you need to commit yourself fully to God and to His work. You cannot be involved in God’s work if you are only halfhearted. You cannot engage in God’s work if you just give Him what is left.
If you are to be involved in God’s work, you have to give yourself one hundred percent to it. That does not mean you cannot have a profession. If God wants you to carry on a profession, fine, but the profession is for the sake of God’s work.
It does not mean you cannot have a family. If God has arranged that you have a family, then even in the family it is for God’s work. Your home is for God.
These are the two basic requirements. You may be fellow workers of God. You may be fellow workers with those whom God has called to His work, if, number one, you have vision, and, number two, you give yourself one hundred percent to it. Now, that gets you into the work of God.
I hope we are clear about this point. Not everyone, sad to say, not everyone who is saved can be said to be a fellow worker of God. That is very sad.
The reason is that most people do not have vision. They do not know what God’s work is. They do not know what God is really after. If you do not see what God is really working toward, you may be working in the opposite direction.
And number two, if you do not put yourself one hundred percent into it, you will not make it. You will not make it. But whoever really sees and really gives himself to God, thank God, he is a fellow worker.
Because in God’s work, He requires many workers.
Perhaps we may look at a parable in Matthew 20. The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard. It is a parable, but we know it concerns God’s work, because the vineyard is God’s work and the householder is God.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.
And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us.
He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.
God’s work needs workers. Very early in the morning He went out to hire workers. From the early morning until the eleventh hour—when there was only one hour left—He was still going out and bringing in workers.
In other words, our Lord cannot stand seeing people standing there idle. Our God is such a diligent God. If He sees anybody standing there idle, He says, “Why are you standing idle? There is lots of work to do. Why do you not come in and work?” He wants everyone to come into the vineyard, into the work.
But of course, we know what happened. At the end of the day, when the householder began to give wages, he began with the last and went to the first. Those who had worked about the eleventh hour received each a denarius. When the first came, they supposed they would receive more, but they also received each a denarius.
They murmured against the master of the house, saying, “These last have worked only one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he answered, “Friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst not thou agree with me for a denarius?”
Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Or is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.
Yes, all are in the vineyard working, but there is a difference. Some worked for wages agreed upon. In other words, they had a negotiation: “You give me a denarius, then I come into Your vineyard. If You do not, I do not bother.”
But others worked willingly, without any promise; some had the promise, “I will give you what is right,” and others did not even have any promise of wages. It is our heart attitude that makes the difference. The last will be first, and the first will be last. Many are called, but few are chosen.
Those chosen are those who serve the Lord for the Lord’s sake, not for any other purpose. So, brothers and sisters, not because you are not an apostle do you have nothing to do with God’s work.
Finally, we have to go very quickly into our responsibility in the work. Of course, God’s work is one, but it covers everything. When you come to this matter of responsibility, I can only point out a few things generally.
Number one: certainly we need to pray. Whatever specific part in God’s work you are doing, one thing that we all have to do responsibly together is pray.
In Ephesians 6, verse 18, we read:
With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,
and on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.
Here you find that the Ephesian believers were exhorted to pray—for all the saints and for Paul in the work. In other words, our first responsibility in the work is this: if we see the work of God, then we need to engage ourselves in praying.
Oftentimes our prayer is so limited, perhaps limited only to ourselves and our family. Certainly, we should pray for ourselves and for our family. Some may pray for the brothers and sisters in their immediate circle. Thank God for that.
But I believe that if you have vision of God’s work, your prayer life has to be broadened. You need not only pray for yourself, your family, and the brothers and sisters in your locality, but really take up the burden to pray for God’s work all over the world. Pray. That is a responsibility we must all take up.
Number two: Philippians 1. Paul says:
Because of your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now;
being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.
There is another general responsibility that everyone involved in the work must take up: we must all have fellowship in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a good work, and God has begun it in you. He will certainly complete it.
In other words, we have to take up the gospel of Jesus Christ as our work. We need to have fellowship in it. Fellowship in the gospel may be in many different ways. Some may be evangelists; some may not be evangelists, but may be witnessing; some may be helpers in some way.
Even the Philippians had fellowship with Paul in the gospel. They sent supplies to Paul once and twice, so that the work of God might be done. This is fellowship in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we all need to be involved in the fellowship of the gospel.
Number three: Ephesians 4. We read:
For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ;
till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
From whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.
According to the grace and gift that God has given to you, work diligently. Abound in the work of God. God gives gifts to different ones differently. God gives grace to everyone, but the grace of God is so tremendous that some people may be graced on this side and others on that side.
But everyone who is involved in God’s work should work diligently, abounding in work with whatever grace and gift God has given. As we work together, we will find that the church is built.
This afternoon we have simply put before you this matter of God’s work and responsibility. I do hope that God will open our eyes to see that we should not be passive or negative about God’s work. There is a call from God that we should all be engaged in His work.
God willing, tomorrow we will have some questions and answers. If you have any questions on responsibility in the work, please write them on a paper and give it to me any time before tomorrow afternoon. We hope tomorrow afternoon to share on perhaps some practical questions.
Do not expect me to answer all the questions, but my practice is that everybody helps.
Shall we pray?
Heavenly Father, how we do praise and thank Thee that Thou hast been, and Thou art still doing, Thy work. Oh, how we praise and thank Thee that Thou art calling Thy people into Thy work.
We do acknowledge that we are unworthy, we are unfit, but we thank Thee because it is Thy grace and Thy gift given to us that enable us to be engaged in Thy work.
So we do ask Thee, O Lord, that Thou wilt give vision and wilt also bring us to that point that we may give ourselves one hundred percent, that Thou art able to use us for Thy great work to be done. To Thee be all the glory. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.