Work Together for the Sake of Christ

Check out a cool video at this link. It shows a church singing together in a local grocery store, taking Jesus to the people!

Cool Flash Dance Video

Work together to proclaim the Good News.

1   After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Aquila and Priscilla were a married couple who Paul says were his “fellow-workers in Christ.” In his greetings to the church in Rome Paul says they risked their very lives for him and for all the churches.

These were solid people, committed to the cause of Christ and Paul committed to working together with them to further the gospel.

Teamwork is a big deal these days in business, government, clubs, sports, and church. We all know that we can get more done together than we can apart. We need friends and helpers along the journey of life, especially when we’re doing the work of Christ.

Don’t attempt a solo act.

Paul found friends with whom he had something in common, a tent making trade, and they bonded in ministry. So he stayed with them and they reasoned in the synagogue on every Sabbath persuading both Jews and Greeks. Working together they were more effective than going it alone.

Illustrate

This week the final 8 basketball teams advanced in the NCAA tournament. Any one of those teams can be national champion. They all talent, experience, and coaching to win. What will make the difference?

Teamwork.

The  team who best utilizes all their talent and works together will be champions.

The Bible says that a chord of three strands is not easily broken.

When we join our lives together in the common mission of Christ, then we will support and help one another to see the mission of Christ go forward.

So how?

In our homes, we need to be united on the cause of Christ.

So often today we can feel pulled in a million different directions because there are so many things to do, so many activities in which we can be involved.

It’s very easy to become disjointed and forget that even in our homes we have a common bond in Christ.

Our children need us to be there for them and we need them there for us, but when we are one in our love for Jesus we will be together like never before.

In the work place or at school try to find other Christians to build support. Ask them to support you in prayer and don’t be afraid to support them in prayer. Sometimes we need an encouraging word from another believer and if you have that relationship there it can mean all the difference in the outcome of your day and in your ability to minister to others.

In church we need to come together on the one who brings us together, and that is Jesus Christ.

This church will never unify around me, or any other pastor, or any one of its members.

A church will only be unified around the person of Jesus Christ.

When He is first, and we seek Him and His will above all things, then we will be working towards the same vision and values.

Christ doesn’t want us all doing the same thing, but He wants us all moving with the same purpose, and that is to go and lift up His name in the world, sharing His love with all people.

We have children’s ministries, youth ministries, adult ministries, and seniors ministries and that is great, but every ministry in this church has a mission outside of this church!

The children reached out to the fire dept and Hospice House.

The youth prayer walked in the mobile home parks.

Our church passed out free clothing to people in the community.

We send food to Selma Elementary school each week.

We’re sending a mission team to WVa. in July.

We’re building a ramp for a members mom and dad in April as part of Operation Inasmuch “Ramp Up!”

If basketball teams measure success in points scored and games won, then how do we measure success?

Success in the gospel is measured by one measure. It’s not $$, it’s not programs, it’s not comfort, it’s not even an increase in our attendance numbers.

It faithfully taking the gospel to the world and seeing people won to Christ. It’s people, people!

God has called us to love people and the most loving thing we can do is work together so that “many will be persuaded.”