Sunday, March 29, 1998 This Week’s Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Joshua 1:14-15, Deuteronomy 14:27, Exodus 25:2, and I Corinthians 3:6-9, we learned about the importance of cooperating in all phases of ministry. In Joshua 1:14-15, the children of Israel joined together to take possession of Canaan, the land which had been promised by God to the descendants of Abraham. In Deuteronomy 14:27, Moses is reviewing with the children of Israel their forty year journey through the wilderness in route to the promised land. On one occasion, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had found a place on the far side of Jordan which they and their families liked. Their desire was to remain on that land and not cross over the Jordan with the others into Canaan. Their request to stay behind was granted, but the fighting men of those tribes were still required to help the rest of the tribes of Israel gain their land.
In Exodus 25:2, a special offering was received from those who had a heart to give so that the Tabernacle could be constructed. The people brought what they felt led to bring so that the work on the Tabernacle could be completed. In I Corinthians 3:6-9, the Apostle Paul wrote about the cooperation of those in the early church who sought to spread the Gospel. In his writings to the church at Corinth, he indicated that Apollos had watered but that it was God Who had actually brought the increase. Paul was writing to them about the joint work of many who share in the blessings of someone becoming saved. Sometimes, Christians fail to realize that all of us are supposed to be working together towards the same goal of bringing others to Christ. Certainly, that was a problem in the church at Corinth.
In both the Old and the New Testaments, the teachings always show us to use, or at least be willing to use, all that we are and all that we have so that others can learn about the Lord. The essence of Christianity is to be God-motivated and others-motivated rather than to be self-motivated. We live in a selfish world where people only want for themselves, and where they often trample over one another to gain more for themselves. What a breath of fresh air it is when someone, in the name of our Lord, refuses to follow the leading of the self-motivated crowd. What a truly wonderful thing it is when people are willing to put themselves on the altar of God so that individuals everywhere might have the opportunity to learn about the free salvation which is available to them through Jesus, the Christ. As you go through the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you might be a minister to others and then determine within yourself that you will let yourself be used of Him.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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