HOW TO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR FELLOW WORKERS

Text - 1 Corinthians 16:15-18

Introduction

Last Sunday in Junior Church the children were asked to write down on a piece of paper those things for which they were thankful.  I would like to share with you some things for which my daughter said she was thankful.   She said she was thankful for “mom, dad, dog, bike, brother, hair, etc.”

As I was looking this list over I was curious as to why she was thankful for hair so I asked her.  Her response was, “Well dad, some people don’t have any!”

That reminds me of a story about a fourth grade boy who was asked to write a short paper on “Things I am most thankful for”. In it he put, “My glasses. They keep the boys from punching me and the girls from kissing me”.

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving Day, a day devoted to thanking God for all that He has given us.   As individuals as well as a church god has richly blessed us with many good things.  This morning there is one thing in particular that I would like us to focus our attention on.

Our text is found in 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 and the tithe of my message is “How To Show Appreciation For Fellow Workers”.  This morning I would like us to give thanks to God for those fellow workers within our church who help make it possible for us to carry on the ministry God has given to us.  William James once said, "The deepest principle of Human Nature is the craving to be appreciated."  The Bible says...

2 Thessalonians 2:13a But we ought always to thank God for you...  (NIV)

Today within the Lord’s churches including our own church, there is a need for more fellow workers.  There is a need for cooperation between fellow workers. And there is a need for us to see these needs and then fill them.

Many though are like Apollos whom Paul described in verse 12 where he said, “Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.”

Even though Paul encouraged him greatly, Apollos still did not want to go to Corinth, but would go at some more opportune or convenient time for him.

It would appear that Paul needed him now, but Apollos didn’t want to go now.  That describes the same kind of attitude many people have today.  They want to serve God, but they want to do it on their own terms.  They are needed now, but they don’t want to serve now because it’s not convenient for them.

Thank God though for those few people like the house of Stephanas who are willing to serve as fellow workers in the cause of Christ.  They don’t have their own agenda, they just want to serve God and others.

Let’s look now more closely at our text and see what Paul says about this exemplary family and how we are to appreciate people like them today.