In the New Testament there are many arrangements and much fellowship in God’s work. Especially with Paul we can learn that there are many arrangements, and we can find a basic principle—in these arrangements there is authority and also fellowship. Therefore, if we spend some time to look into the record in the Bible, we can repeatedly see that there are many arrangements in which the young brothers should listen to instructions in the work. These arrangements denote authority and also fellowship. When a brother has received knowledge and light, he not only uses authority to send some brothers to carry things out, but he also fellowships knowledge and light with them. Brothers, have you seen this? The arrangements in the Bible do not only denote authority. If they did, Paul would have simply told his young co-workers to do something and they would have done it. In these arrangements Paul had light and knowledge before God, and he imparted them to his young co-workers. Therefore, on the one hand, we need to see that this is a matter of authority, and on the other hand, we need to see that it is a matter of fellowship, because Paul shared his knowledge with his young co-workers.
Colossians 4:7-8 says, “All the things concerning me, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you, whom I have sent to you for this very thing.” Do you see? Tychicus was sent to Colossae by Paul. Verse 9 continues, “With Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother.” Here you see that Paul sent Tychicus and Onesimus to Colossae together.
In God’s work the master builders have authority to send people. It is recorded in the Epistles that Tychicus was a very good brother. The book of Philemon tells us that Onesimus was a beloved brother. But both of them were sent by Paul.
Let us continue with Philippians 2:19: “But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged by knowing the things concerning you.” Verse 25 says, “But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus.”
Here the sending of two other brothers is spoken of; one was Timothy and the other, Epaphroditus. Timothy was like a son to Paul, as was Onesimus, whom we mentioned earlier. These two were young brothers, and Paul sent them out. Epaphroditus was a co-worker of Paul and was raised up after Paul was; therefore, Paul sent him. Thus, the Bible clearly shows us that in the coordination of the work, the leading workers are those who send people out. The young workers need to take orders. Only when the older ones have the assurance before God, can they send people out. Paul said, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly.” He was very clear before the Lord that he should send Timothy; he was sending Timothy according to his hope in the Lord Jesus. I hope that you will learn something from this.
Ephesians 6:21 says, “But that you also may know the things concerning me, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you.” Tychicus was sent to Colossae earlier; now he was being sent to Ephesus. Verse 22 says, “Him I have sent to you for this very thing.” Tychicus was also sent by Paul to Ephesus.
At another time Paul entreated Titus to go to Corinth. Second Corinthians 12:18 says, “I entreated Titus and sent with him the brother.” The word used here is quite interesting. This time he did not send Titus but entreated him to go. Paul often did not like to send people. This is what you can see in the book of Titus. Paul was a person with much authority as far as Titus was concerned. Titus was a young person and was sent out by Paul; Paul had much authority over him. But here Paul only entreated him. Sometimes there was only the entreating, not the sending. There are two brothers in this verse; Paul did not mention the name of the other brother whom he sent. Therefore, some were sent. Some were sent because of the assurance that Paul had before God. Some were left in a place like Titus. Paul entreated him to go. Titus went because he obeyed. He received the entreaty; therefore, he went. This was different from Apollos in 1 Corinthians 16.
First Corinthians 16:12 says, “And concerning our brother Apollos, I urged him many times to come to you with the brothers; yet it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.” Do you see the beauty here? It is very beautiful! Paul entreated Titus, and Titus obeyed and went. Titus was a young man, so he obeyed the entreaty. Apollos was not a young man; he was about the same age as Paul. In other words, he and Paul were of the same generation. Cephas, though, was ahead of Paul. In the church in Corinth some said, “I am of Cephas”; some said, “I am of Paul”; and some said, “I am of Apollos.” Apollos’s standing in the church in Corinth was that he belonged to the same generation as Paul. For this reason he was entreated, not sent. Paul did not send Apollos. Paul could not send Apollos; he could only entreat him. Furthermore, Paul entreated him not only once, but again and again. The good point here is that Apollos did not go. Paul entreated him and said, “You go with the brothers.” He urged him once, twice, and three times. Apollos was willing to go, but he said that he definitely could not go at that time. Apollos was quite serious that he definitely did not want to go at that time. But Paul added a word: He was quite certain that Apollos would go. This is very beautiful! The older ones should be entreated; if they do not listen, do not worry. They will go because this is their way before God.
Therefore, the entreating of Apollos in 1 Corinthians 16 and that of Titus in 2 Corinthians 12 are different. Paul could have ordered Titus, but he did not; rather, he entreated him. But Titus took Paul’s entreaty as a command. Paul could entreat Apollos, even twice or three times, but Apollos did not go. However, Paul was certain that he would go. Thus, the arrangement of the work is such that there is the authority and the fellowship. This is very precious.