Colossians 4
June 26th 2011 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (
A.
Christians are Servants
1.
Servants of God
2.
Servants of each other (Gal
6:10)
3.
Servants of anyone – like the
good Samaritan
4.
We ARE servants – whether we
like it or not!
B.
It is a good things to be a
Servant as a Christian (1Tim 6:1-4) – to see yourself as a servant. Jesus was a
servant (Mt 12:18)
C.
We Christians have a Master in
heaven (
1.
The Lord
2.
Someone who is in charge of:
a.
Our purpose
b.
Our time
c.
The use of our talents and
abilities
d.
We are bought with a price
(1Cor 6:19,20)
D.
God will reward us according
to our labours – just and equal to our labours – terrifying thought isn’t it?
Especially if you have done little to nothing for HIM!
E.
The world has its titles and
awards of status
1.
The sports world has their
titles – most valuable player
2.
The movie world has their
titles – best actress, actor, etc
3.
Boxing has its titles –
heavyweight champion, etc
F.
Well, what are the official
“titles” that God bestows upon servants in His kingdom?
1.
I know, World’s Greatest
preacher? No
2.
Greatest Soul-Winner? No
3.
Best Christian Singer and
Song-writer? No
4.
Most Awesome Teenager? No!
II.
Message – The High
Titles of Christian Servants
A.
Beloved Brother
(4:7) – honoured with the great title of “Brother”
1.
It starts here – if you ain’t
born again, you ain’t nothing!
2.
Paul and Tychicus were
brothers in the Lord – spiritually speaking, not physically or nationally
3.
In the family of God
4.
Part of “the brethren” (Mt
23:8)
5.
Not just brother, but BELOVED
brother!
6.
Beloved is someone that Paul
loves – men can and should love each other
a.
Do you just “meet” with other
Christians, or do you love them?
b.
Love as Christ loved us (John
13:34,35)
7.
“Beloved” is how we should see one
another
B.
Faithful Minister
(4:7) – honoured with the wonderful title of “Faithful”
1.
A minister is another word for
servant
2.
But that word “faithful” is
more important!
3.
Some people help out – but are
not faithful
4.
They are not consistent – not
dependable
5.
Tychicus could be depended
upon by Paul
a.
When he was popular and
effective
b.
And when he was in trouble,
and in prison!
c.
Tychicus was right there
serving with Paul, and doing whatever Paul needed done
C.
Fellowservant in the Lord
(4:7-9) – Honoured with the amazing title of “fellow” - Equal
1.
The great “Apostle Paul” saw
himself and Tychicus as equals
2.
Fellow Servants – equal titles
– someone has to be in charge, but all serve together
3.
Just glad to serve alongside
another fellow servant
4.
Tychicus was ready to find out
what the Christians in Colosse needed and comfort them – that is the desire of a
servant
5.
Every Christian should learn
that there is great power and authority in being a servant (Luke 7:1-8). Jesus
had great power AS a servant, not AS God. We should tap into that power!
6.
Onesimus was from Colosse and
was also a faithful brother, and beloved brother
a.
This was what Paul called this
runaway slave whom he had turned to Christ – see the Book of Philemon
b.
Another faithful brother!
c.
What is amazing is that Paul
sent Onesimus back to his owner, and his owner freed him so that
he could minister unto Paul – of his own free will! Onesimus made himself a
servant now!!!
7.
Both Onesimus and Tychicus
will fill the Colossians in on what was happening in Paul’s life
D.
Fellowprisoner
(4:10) – Here was a man that was “Willing”
1.
Not everyone is willing to go
where the Lord is taking you! A wife does, but here was another Christian named
Aristarchus!
2.
Aristarchus was in prison with
Paul – right with Paul. When Paul got in trouble, HE got in trouble too (Acts
19:29)
3.
Artistarchus stayed with Paul
– served alongside Paul, through thick and thin (Acts 20:4; 27:2) even into
prison in
4.
Fellow labourers work
along side you doing the ministry
5.
Fellow prisoners sit
along with you in prison, or just outside your prison cell – it is like someone
staying by your bedside while in the hospital
6.
This is a high calling! Being
a fellowprisoner!
7.
All the disciples should have
been ready to be fellowprisoners with the Lord Jesus, but they ALL fled at the
first threat of prison
8.
Aristarcus is not upset or
bitter about being in trouble for preaching and church-planting – he “salutes”
the Colossian Christians! Great attitude!
9.
Aristarcus was a good strong
influence to John Mark who was easily discourageable!
E.
Fellowworkers unto the
1.
Jesus/Justus was a fellow Jew
– converted to Christ
a.
It was a blessing to have
someone of your nationality working alongside you
b.
Like Dan, Keith, Andrew Day,
etc
2.
Servants in a church, working,
labouring for each other, and for souls, are such a comfort to the church.
a.
There is no energy or joy in a
church where no one does anything
b.
But when everyone is doing
something, labouring for souls, then that church is alive
3.
The people Paul is listing
here were such a comfort to him – Why? Because they were not all “talk”, but
they put their back into serving alongside Paul!
4.
Look at all the fellowworkers
that Paul could see and take encouragement from:
a.
Tychicus (4:7)
b.
Onesimus(4:9)
c.
Aristarchus (4:10)
d.
Marcus – John Mark (4:10)
e.
Justus (4:11)
f.
Epaphras (4:12)
g.
Luke (4:14)
h.
Demas (4:14)
5.
Paul doesn’t have zillions of
people he called such close friends in the ministry, but these eight were
sufficient to keep him going!
6.
He could count on them to work
in the ministry!
7.
It is hard having a load of
“supervisors”. It is great having a load of labourers!
8.
Fellow-Workers are such a
blessing – so that you are not alone in the ministry
a.
It is not good to be alone,
and especially in the ministry
b.
The loneliest ministry is the
one with only yourself doing it – like John the Baptist. But after a while, even
HE had disciples, and fellow servants!
F.
Servant of Christ
(
1.
Epaphras was another Colossian
that Paul was so honoured to know and work alongside
2.
Here he is honoured with the
great title of “Servant of Christ” (Col 3:”3,24)
3.
Some of you are great servants
of your employer, of your family
4.
But will you seek to be a
Servant of the Lord Jesus”?
5.
It would be great to serve the
President of the
6.
But it is greater to serve the
Lord of heaven! The God who made you and loves you
7.
And look at the service that
Epaphras did:
a.
Loving his own people –
saluting them
b.
Labouring in prayer for them –
that they would succeed as Christians
c.
Passionate about Christians –
in Colosse,
G.
Beloved Physician
(4:14) – The title of “Helper”
1.
Luke was not a normal
physician – he was a beloved one
2.
Here is probably Paul’s
closest friend in the ministry – Luke
3.
Paul met him in Acts 16:1-11
4.
Luke was the last person to be
with Paul before he died (2Tim 4:11)
5.
Everybody else was busy
serving the Lord everywhere else
6.
And some abandoned Paul and
their ministry
a.
Demas (2Tim 4:10)
b.
Archippus (
7.
Luke was special, beloved
because he used his talent as a doctor and all his education to help Paul so
that he could help others
a.
Kept Paul well in spite of all
the disasters he kept getting into
b.
Kept a journal so that the
Book of Acts could be written
8.
Are you willing to help me and
others, so that we can help others?
III.
Conclusion
A.
Now you know some of the
official “titles” that God bestows upon servants in His kingdom
1.
Beloved Brother
- “Beloved” is how we should see one another – like Tychicus and Onesimus
2.
Faithful Minister
– we all need to be constant, consistent, dependable – like Tychicus
3.
Fellowservant in the Lord
- Just glad to serve alongside another fellow servant – like Tychicus and
Timothy, and Silas and barnabas
4.
Fellowprisoner
- served alongside each other, through thick and thin, good and bad, success and
failure! Like Aristarchus
5.
Fellowworkers unto the
6.
Servant of Christ
– Hey! Our title shows our focus… Jesus Christ! Like Epaphras
7.
Beloved Physician
– Luke used his talent to help Paul help others! Will you?
B.
God will reward us according
to our labours – just and equal to our labours – terrifying thought isn’t it?
Especially if you have done little to nothing for HIM!
C.
All the above heard a hearty,
“Well Done!” when they arrived home in heaven!
Craig Ledbetter | Pastor |