“Working together with him…” – 2 Corinthians 6.1 (CSB)

Four words that should impact every day that we live. Four words. That’s all it takes. And how life would look differently if every follower of Jesus camped out on and applied these four words.

WORKING TOGETHER.

How much of the Christian walk here in the United States is connected to our individuality rather than encouraging toward community? We take great pride in being able to “handle anything that comes our way.” We feel like it’s weak to ask for help because “God helps those who help themselves” (which, by the way, isn’t in the Bible). We settle for listening to sermons and podcasts online alone, listening to worship music alone, reading books alone. While those things are great to do, and having private time with the Lord is vital in our walks with him, so is being together with other followers of Jesus. Even God, back in the beginning, before sin entered the world, said that it was not good for man to be alone. Also, it is important to remember that the definition of the Greek word for “church” (ekklesia) is the idea of a group of people brought together to accomplish something. In fact, please read through Acts 2.42-47 and notice how often the early church did things together. So, to approach our walks with Jesus only from a place of “individual” and not from a place of community is to refuse to enter into the true depths of discipleship, the type of discipleship that Jesus introduced and expects for all of us to enter into.

And then, we need to focus on the word “working.” Every follower of Jesus has been called into one mission: to make disciples. Regardless of the spiritual gifts we have received (which we are to use to edify God’s church), we are all called to engage in the mission of Jesus. Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 6.1 to continue what he had said prior.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God has reconciled the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5.1-21 (CSB)

We have a job to do. We have work to do. Our walk with our Savior is not one of remaining comfortable and living out our preferences until we see him face to face. Instead, it’s one where we work and follow. It’s one where we are involved in what the Lord is accomplishing but doing it at his pace and in obedience to him instead of leading the charge and hoping that he will bless our efforts. It’s not about us doing things for him. Instead, it’s about us doing things with him.

WITH HIM.

I want to make this part perfectly and unequivocally clear: we work with God. In the passage above, Paul makes it clear as well:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5.20 (CSB)

The work belongs to God. Even what we do on behalf of Christ, God is doing through us. God has a purpose. God has a will. God has a design for his work to be accomplished to bring about the results he wants. Our working with him is not a brainstorming session where we are on equal footing with the Lord, him bringing ideas, and then we bring our ideas to the table, and then the best ideas are picked. No. What is supposed to happen is that we surrender to EVERYTHING that God wants to do so that true life change happens in the lives of people. We don’t go out on our own for the Lord, but rather, we go out with the Lord. And what a beautiful invitation that is.

WORKING TOGETHER WITH HIM.

And so what would it look like, church, if we lived this out today? Think about it. If every follower of Jesus in the cities where we lived applied and practiced these four words for one week, what would our cities look like after seven days? What would our churches look like if all of us sought the Lord’s leading and used the spiritual gifts that he has blessed us with to build up his people and care for those in our churches? Can you imagine if we all sought the Lord every day and asked him, “Who’s the one that you want me to impact with your gospel today,” obediently following his lead and then working with him? Can you imagine how things would look?