I don’t mind working alone, but I’m glad that I’m not alone in my work. I like to think of my elders as my partners in the ministry. I like to think of my wife as partnering with me in serving God. In fact, I like to think of my whole congregation as joining with me in the work of the Lord. Actually, the Bible talks about how we get to join God in his work. We don’t work alone.

Paul begins his letter to the Church in Philippi with thanksgiving. He says, ‘I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Phil 1:3-5 ESV)’ Paul prays with both thankfulness and joy because of their ‘partnership in the gospel.’ What does that phrase mean? Paul uses this word ‘koinonia,’ or partnership, in two ways.

Firstly, he uses it to describe how they are all recipients of God’s grace in Christ. In fact, only a few verses later Paul says, ‘you are all partakers with me of grace. (Phil 1:7b)’ Paul thanks God for them because they are his brothers and sisters in Christ, they all share in the same grace, they all believe the same gospel.

But, for Paul ‘partnering in the gospel’ isn’t just an objective truth, it has practical results. Paul is so filled with thanksgiving and joy because they are supporting him in the work of proclaiming the gospel. In verse 7 he not only mentions how they are partakers with him of grace, he also mentions how they share ‘in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (Phil 1:7c)’ Later Paul mentions how they ‘shared (or partnered with) my troubles, (4:14)’ and how they ‘entered into partnership with me in giving. (4:15)’ Paul prayed with thanksgiving and joy, because the Christians in Philippi, not only shared in the same amazing grace of God, they also shared in the work of proclaiming the gospel.

You are my brothers and sisters because you are all partakers with me of grace, and I want to encourage you to join with me, and all those who are partners in the gospel, in partnering together in the work of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. I want to encourage you to pray for each other that we might not just believe the gospel but that we would join in proclaiming it. I want to encourage you to give generously to the work of the gospel. May we truly be partners in the gospel.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ, those we are partners with me in the gospel. Lord, I pray with joy every time I think of all those who are faithfully trusting in Your Son Jesus as their only hope. Lord, I pray that we, as members of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, would join with all Your people in partnering in the gospel. May we join together as we declare Jesus Christ as both Saviour and Lord. In His glorious name I pray. Amen.