Not only do we get to be recipients and participants in the gospel, but we also we get to be partakers of the fruit and joy of the gospel! This participating and partaking is showing up amidst the local gathering of the church, serving with our gifts, sharing our resources, living on mission as we scatter, and praying for one another. When we participate in such ways, we make up the local expression of Jesus’ church, which then makes up the cosmic expression of Jesus’ church.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.