2 Corinthians 10:16; To Preach The Gospel In the Regions Beyond You

2 Corinthians 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

The Apostle Paul has this holy ambition for the Lord to fulfil the Great Commission. And he will do so honourably as MacDonald said well, “The Apostle Paul did not intend to trespass on others’ fields of labour or to glory in what other men had done before he got to a certain place.” He saw the urgency of the work as Jesus saw it:

Matthew 9:35-38 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

It was his prayer that the Lord will raise up men in the church in Corinth to co-labour with him to bring the gospel further beyond. The words written by Dr SH Tow echo this thought to the tune by Edward Woodall Naylor, entitled “Labourers of God Arise!”

Labourers of God arise,

The harvest fields are white

Late is the hour,

the labourers are few;

O work! ’twill soon be night,

Rise up, ye men, be wise;

Press on toward the prize;

Late is the hour

the labourers few;,

O Work! ’twill soon be night!

Amen.