1 Kings 18, Jeremiah 44, 1 Corinthians 3

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S FELLOW WORKERS”    

Our headline quotation is from what Paul told the Corinthians in his first letter to them.  We read this today in ch. 3 v.9.  The world lacks an Apostle like Paul today to challenge it – as to what is true – what it is to believe – and, just as important, the way in which people should live and seek to meaningfully serve their Creator and His Son.

In the Old Testament we read the account of the prophet Elijah coming on the scene to challenge the worshippers of Baal, those who denied there was a true God and, instead, worshipped a God of their own imagination  (Today we can say this is ‘Evolution’!).  Elijah has a dramatic confrontation with these prophets and says, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.”…” And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.” [1 Kings 18 v.40]

Soon we believe a far greater than Elijah will appear, even Jesus Christ, who will return to an utterly godless world and just before he appears we will see, as Jesus predicted,  “people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  [Luke 21 v.26]

We pray that the world at that time will not be utterly godless; that there may be a few, who, although not having the power of Elijah, they will, nevertheless, be flickering lights.  Jesus said,  “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [John 8 v.12]  This is only achieved by genuinely following Jesus – as Paul experienced after being ‘turned around’!  Let us take in his words that we read today in 1 Corinthians ch. 3.

Paul told the believers there (and us) “For we are God’s fellow workers.” [v.9].  Each were to do their part in the work – teamwork was essential – but, says Paul,  “Let each one take care how he builds …” [v.10] for ” each will receive his wages according to his labour.” [v.8]  As “fellow workers” we need to read and then absorb God’s words of guidance and inspiration – every day.  We “walk by faith, not by sight.” [2 Cor 5 v.7] – walking by sight means we fail to see the need for God’s guiding wisdom.   

As “God’s fellow workers” – let us remember what we read yesterday in ch. 2 of 1st Corinthians.  Paul told them, “among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.  But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”  [v.6,7]  All those who genuinely seek to be God’s fellow workers” read and absorb this “hidden wisdom” every day.