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FELLOW LABOURER
LORD’S DAY, NOVEMBER 2
1 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Philippians 2:19-24

 

“…our fellowlabourer

in the gospel of Christ…”

 

FELLOW LABOURER
 
Timothy was a faithful companion of Paul who first joined him at the start of his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3). He was together with Paul and Silas when they came to Thessalonica and experienced persecutions together with them. They had probably only served together for some months, but in the short time that they had been together, young Timothy had proven himself to be a faithful and trustworthy servant of the Lord. Paul therefore entrusted him with the mission of returning to Thessalonica to follow up with them and see how they were doing.
 
Although Timothy was a fair bit younger than Paul, Paul regarded him as an equal. He described him as “our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ” (1 Thess 3:2). In describing him as a brother, Paul expressed his confidence in his salvation, and that he was a close brother-in-Christ whom he cared dearly for. He recognised Timothy’s calling as a minister (servant) of God, that he had faithfully discharged the duties that had been placed upon him. In Philippians 2:20‑21, Paul commended him as one who was likeminded and selfless in his care for others. He regarded him as a fellow labourer in the Gospel, one whom Paul was proud to serve alongside and co-labour with.
 
Like Timothy, all of us are called to be fellow labourers one of another. We have all been saved to serve, called to be servants of the most high God. We may not be called in the same way that Timothy was, to travel alone to dangerous places to hazard our lives for the Gospel’s sake. But wherever it is that God has called us to, we must faithfully labour for the Lord alongside our fellow saints. It is indeed a great joy and blessing to have brothers and sisters-in-Christ that we can rely on and serve together with. We will be able to mutually edify and encourage one another in the Lord, fully confident that we all have one another’s best interest at heart.
 
THOUGHT: Do the people around me regard me as a faithful, fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ?
PRAYER: Father, may Thou help me to be a faithful steward of Thine in all that I do.

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