Picture: The Joy of Working With Christ 4TC 184.1
God does not live for Himself. “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). By His example Jesus taught what it means to minister. He served all, ministered to all. 4TC 184.2
Again and again He tried to establish this principle among His disciples. “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). 4TC 184.3
Since his ascension Christ has carried forward His work by chosen ambassadors, through whom He speaks to people and ministers to their needs. In Christ’s place they are to plead with men and women to be reconciled to God. 4TC 185.1
Their work has been compared to that of watchmen. In ancient times sentinels were stationed on the walls of cities, where they could keep watch over important posts to be guarded and warn of approaching enemies. At prearranged times they called to one another, to make sure that all were awake and that no harm had come to any. Each one repeated the call of good cheer or of warning until it echoed through the city. 4TC 185.2
The words of the prophet Ezekiel declare the solemn responsibility of those who are appointed as guardians of the church: “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, ... you have delivered your soul.” Ezekiel 33:7-9. 4TC 185.3
People are in danger of falling under temptation, and they will die eternally unless God’s ministers are faithful. If the ministers’ spiritual senses become so benumbed that they are unable to recognize danger, God will hold them responsible for the blood of those who are lost. 4TC 185.4
Watchmen on the walls of Zion may live so near to God and be so receptive to the impressions of His Spirit that He can work through them to tell men and women of their danger and point them to safety. They should not relax their vigilance at any time, and never are they to give one wavering, uncertain note of warning. They are not to work only for wages, but because they realize that there is a judgment on them if they fail to preach the gospel. God has chosen them, and they are to rescue men and women from destruction. 4TC 185.5
Co-workers with Christ do not put their own ease or convenience first. They are forgetful of self. In their search for the lost sheep they do not realize that they are themselves weary, cold, and hungry. They have only one goal in view—saving the lost. 4TC 186.1
The soldiers of the cross stand without flinching in the forefront of the battle. As the enemy attacks them severely, they turn to God for help and find strength for the duties of the hour. The victories they gain do not lead to self-exaltation, but cause them to lean more and more heavily on the Mighty One. Relying on that Power, they are enabled to present the message of salvation so forcibly that it vibrates in other minds. 4TC 186.2
Those who teach the Word must live in constant contact with God through prayer and study of His Word. This will give their efforts a power greater than the influence of their preaching. They must not allow themselves to be deprived of this power. They must plead with God to strengthen them and touch their lips with living fire. By the power and light that God gives they can understand more and accomplish more than their finite judgment had thought possible. 4TC 186.3
Satan’s deceptions are more successful against those who are depressed. When discouragement threatens, let the minister present his needs before God. When the heavens were as brass (see Deuteronomy 28:33) over Paul, he trusted most fully in God. He was afflicted, but listen to his triumphant cry: “This slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen” (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18, NRSV). By seeing Him who is invisible, we gain strength and vigor of heart. 4TC 186.4
When a minister has preached a sermon, his work has only begun. He should visit the people in their homes and point them to the higher way. Let ministers teach the truth in families, drawing close to those they are working to save. Christ will give them words that will sink deep into the hearts of the listeners. Paul said, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, ... repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20, 21). 4TC 186.5
The Savior went from house to house, healing the sick and speaking peace to the discouraged. He took little children in His arms and spoke words of hope and comfort to the weary mothers. He was the servant of all. And as men and women listened to the truths that fell from His lips, hope sprang up in their hearts. He spoke with an earnestness that sent His words straight to the heart with convicting power. 4TC 187.1
God’s ministers are to learn Christ’s method of working. This is the only way they can fulfill their trust. The same Spirit that lived in Christ is to be the source of their knowledge and the secret of their power. 4TC 187.2
Some ministers have failed to succeed because they have not given their full attention to the Lord’s work. Ministers should have no absorbing interests apart from the great work of leading people to the Savior. The fishermen whom Christ called left their nets and followed Him. Ministers cannot work for God and carry the burden of large personal business ventures at the same time. The minister needs all his energies for his high calling. His best powers belong to God. 4TC 187.3
“No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). With these words the apostle emphasized that ministers need to be completely dedicated to the Master’s service. They are not working hard to gain earthly riches. Their one desire is to bring the indifferent and the disloyal to appreciate the realities of eternity. They may be asked to take other opportunities that promise large worldly gain, but they answer, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). 4TC 187.4
Satan presented this enticement to Christ, knowing that if He accepted it, the world would never be ransomed. And in different ways he presents the same temptation to God’s ministers today, knowing that those who are deceived by it will be untrue to their trust. 4TC 187.5
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things.” By example as well as by word, the ambassador for Christ is to “command those who are rich ... not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:10, 11, 17, 18.) 4TC 188.1
Paul’s heart burned with love for sinners, and he put all his energies into the work of winning people to Christ. The blessings he received he used in blessing others. He went from place to place, establishing churches. Wherever he could he worked to counteract wrong and to turn men and women to righteousness. 4TC 188.2
The apostle made it part of his work to educate young men for the ministry. He took them on his missionary journeys, and they gained experience from this that enabled them to fill positions of responsibility. When he was apart from them, he still kept in touch with their work. 4TC 188.3
Paul never forgot that if people were lost because he had been unfaithful, God would hold him accountable. Christ “we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil and struggle with all the energy which He powerfully inspires within me” (Colossians 1:28, 29, NRSV). 4TC 188.4
All who put themselves under the control of the great Teacher can reach this high goal. The minister who dedicates himself fully to the Lord may be assured that he will receive what he needs to bring the word of life to his hearers. Paul has left us a picture of his own work in his letter to the Corinthian believers: “As servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ... in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich” (2 Corinthians 6:4-10, NRSV). 4TC 188.5
There is nothing more precious in the sight of God than His ministers, who go out into the unpromising places of the earth to sow the seeds of truth. God gives His Spirit to them to turn people from sin to righteousness. God is calling for workers who are willing to leave their farms, their businesses, if need be their families, to become missionaries for Him. And many will answer the call. In the past men have left home and friends, even wife and children, to go among idol worshipers and savages, to proclaim the message of mercy. Many have lost their lives in the attempt, but others have sprung up to carry on the work. So the seed sown in sorrow has yielded an abundant harvest. The knowledge of God has been extended widely. 4TC 189.1
If Christ left the ninety and nine so that He could seek and save one lost sheep, can we do less? If we neglect to work as Christ worked, to sacrifice as He sacrificed, isn’t this a betrayal of sacred trusts? 4TC 189.2
The heart of the true minister is filled with an intense longing to save others. They must hear the truths that brought to his own soul such peace and joy. With eyes fixed on the cross of Calvary, believing that the Savior will be with him until the end, he seeks to win people to Jesus, and Heaven regards him among those who are “called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14). 4TC 189.3
