How Do We Do The Lord’s Work? (Part 3)

Dear Bethelites,

In our previous pastoral chats based on the theme “How do we do the Lord’s work?”, we had considered that we need to plan, pray and be prepared to do the Lord’s work, and be willing to submit to His sovereign will for He may change our plans and direct us to a different path. Two other vital spiritual lessons we need to learn about doing the Lord’s work. Thirdly, we must be willing to face adversaries.

I. We Must Be Willing To Face Adversaries

1 Corinthians 16:9, For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

When we serve the Lord, we must expect opposition. There is one way we can avoid opposition altogether, and that is, we don’t do anything. If we want a life that is free from opposition, then just sit and do nothing. If we want to do anything for God, then expect opposition. Be prepared, so when it comes, we may say, “Well, I knew that was coming.” I like the way Campbell Morgan, the British evangelist, puts it, “If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you are serving in the wrong place.” There will always be struggles in the ministry.

When I was a young Christian, a pastor once said to me, “When you look for a church to serve the Lord, you should look for a place with problems.” I was surprised, and I asked him, “Why would I want to do that? I thought I should be looking for a church that is peaceful, happy and everything is running smoothly.” The pastor said, “You should look for a church that is discouraged. A church that needs help. A church that is lacking. A church where the people need to have a better understanding of God’s Word, or they have an unbalanced understanding of God’s Word. So the Lord can use you to serve there. If the church is lacking in nothing, and everything is running smoothly, praise God for that church. But why do they need you?” His words of wisdom changed my entire perspective about serving the Lord. For I always had this idea of avoiding trouble, and I never thought of serving the Lord in the midst of trouble.

The word adversaries means to oppose. When Paul was in Ephesus, God had opened the gospel door for him there. His ministry was very effective amongst the Ephesians. That was why he said, for a great door and effectual is opened unto me (c.f. v.9), and he was referring to Ephesus. But the more he was engaged in the Lord’s work, the more Satan opposed his work. That is an important lesson we must understand, and be prepared!

Dear friend, are you willing to face adversaries when you serve the Lord? Adversaries may come in the form of people. There may be people who oppose our work, and they are always criticizing the things we do, or saying things to discourage us, and cause us to give up. Adversaries may come in the form of situations. There may be situations and circumstances that will hinder our work. The question is, “Are we willing to face the adversaries when we serve the Lord, or are we quick to give up the moment we face struggles?” Do you think God does not know the struggles you are going through? He is omniscient! If the Lord permit (c.f. v.7), means if God has called us to serve Him, and if He allows us to face the adversary (whatever it may be), we must be willing to face it. And He will give us the strength to overcome it. If we believe Him, then we must not give up!

What was amazing about the Apostle Paul was that he not only knew about his own struggles, but he also knew about the struggles of others. 1 Corinthians 16:10, Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

Timothy was trained by Paul, and if the Corinthians had opposed Paul the Apostle and teacher, do you think they would not oppose the young Timothy? Most certainly! And they would oppose him even more. Paul knew about that very well, and that was why he urged the Corinthians not to mistreat or despise Timothy, so that he would serve the Lord without fear. Even though Paul was an Apostle, he was not proud, and he treated everyone who was serving the Lord in the same way. That was why he said, “Both Timothy and I are doing the same work.”

Dear friend, obviously, you know the struggles you are facing. But do you know the struggles that others are facing? Do you know those people who are serving in the different ministries of the church? Some are young and inexperienced, and it is the first time they are organizing the program. Do you know and understand their struggles? Do you remember the first time when you served the Lord; you were just as fearful and easily intimidated. How can we forget so easily? Do you know those leaders who are serving in the church? When things go wrong, people are quick to point the fingers at them. But how many of us would write a note, or say something to encourage them to press on. Our leaders are just as human as we are, and they need encouragement too. We are all the same, serving the Lord, though in different capacities!

Let us be like Paul who urged the Corinthians to understand and accept Timothy, and he said, Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren (verse 11). In other words, Paul was saying, “Do not mistreat or despise him, and after he has ministered to you, please send him on his way in peace so that he may come back to me. Because I expect to see him together with the brethren.”

II. We Must Understand That Everyone Is Different

So, in doing the Lord’s work, we must plan, submit to the Lord’s will, and be willing to face adversaries. Finally, we must understand that everyone is different, in that everyone’s burden is different.

1 Corinthians 16:12, As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

Apollos was known for his eloquence, and his knowledge of the scriptures (c.f. Acts 18:24). He was so effective in articulating God’s Word that he had a group of people in the Corinthian church who looked up to him. That was why some Corinthians said, “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Peter, and I of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12).” Paul did not agree with that kind of behaviour and division, but at the same time, he was not jealous of Apollos.

He knew that Apollos was a capable leader. Therefore, he wanted Apollos to go together with the brethren to visit the Corinthians. Most likely, to lead the group. It was a good plan; it was Paul’s desire and burden. But that did not mean it was Apollos’ desire and burden. He had other plans, desires and burdens, and he wanted to remain at Ephesus. Therefore, Paul said, “It is not God’s will for Apollos to visit the Corinthians at this time, but when he has the opportunity, then he will visit them.”

One thing we must understand is that even though it may be God’s will for us to do something like serving in a particular ministry, it does not mean that it is God’s will for everyone to do the same thing.

No one can force anyone to serve in any area. Our services must come from this burden that God has set upon our hearts. It is perfectly alright to serve in a ministry different from the rest. Just because someone does not serve in the choir, or as an usher, or in the refreshment team, does not make the person any less spiritual than us. We must understand that, and accept the fact that everyone is different. For everyone has a different burden!

But please do not take that as an excuse not to serve. Everyone must serve, and the point is that everyone does not need to do it in the same way. The very fact that we are gifted by God differently, with various spiritual gifts, tells us that we will be serving in different areas.

To recapitulate, our attitude in doing the Lord’s work must be; (1) we must plan, (2) we must submit to the Lord’s will, (3) we must be willing to face adversaries, and (4) we must understand that everyone is different.

In Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng

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