Colossians 4:7-18

We are not alone! Jesus gives us friendship, partnership and mentorship

intro: Discipleship: you are not alone!

Good morning Church. My name is Taylor and I am one of the pastors here at Living Stones Church.

Today we are finishing our series in the book of Colossians, and next week we begin our series through the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis titled, “Origin Story”- very excited about that. Genesis has got to be one of my favorite books of the bible to read.

1) Everyone Finding Everything in Jesus

Last week we talked about the purpose of your position being a husband, a wife, a parent, a child, your role at work and all the other positions in life that you may have. If you haven’t, listen to the sermon on our website or the LS App.

Today we get an inside look into Paul’s relationships in the church.

Today’s big idea:

We are not alone! Jesus gives us friendship, partnership and mentorship

2) story of loneliness [I]

3) Humans were made to be in relationship with God and each other.

a. Never just 1 or the other.

The great Apostle Paul saw himself as part of a team and in the midst of his chains he says,

4:11 These men, “they have been a comfort to me”

i. Sometimes we are low and would be lonely if it weren’t for the comfort of friends. We need friends.

ii. Sometimes we are lonely because we serve and work hard but all by ourselves. We need a partner.

-single moms

iii. Sometimes we feel alone because we have nobody to guide us. We need a mentor.

-those without dads or without a mom

-those without anyone investing in them

e. the message of the Gospel is this: God has come to be with you. He died in order to unite you to himself. Your life is hidden with God in Christ and you have the Spirit of God in you. In Christ, you are never truly alone.

f. but one of the coolest implications of the Gospel, one of the best secondary side effects of the Gospel, is discipleship.

We are not alone. Jesus gives us friendship, partnership and mentorship.

4) Yet how common it is for people who go to church to never experience what we call discipleship.

a. Imagine if your only restaurant experience was drive-thru dining. For christians who have never tasted discipleship then no wonder you are lonely and unsatisfied with the experience.

Jesus certainly feeds you, but the restaurant experience is found inside, with the people. not in your car.

Lone Christianity = Lonely Christianity (church hopping, hiding, just attending, never really investing)

We are not alone. Jesus gives us friendship, partnership and mentorship.

pt 1: Friendship: we are not alone

[READ vv7-9]

1. Christian friendship is family

a. Tychicus and Onesimus are “beloved brothers.”

b. Proverbs 17:7

A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

friend and a brother are the same thing. this is a comparison to draw out the similarity in the two. not the differences. A true friend is like a brother and the best of brothers are friends.

Do you have a “Brother from another mother?”- I’m sure many of us have an aunt or an uncle who isn’t actually related to us at all. But, because of the depth of the friendship, the friendship has taken on equal value with the most significant relationships for many of us, family.

I grew up with an Uncle Bill. He’s like a 5’6’’ Mexican powerlifter.

Most cultures value family relationships over friends relationships.

What is interesting about Jesus’ example of friendship, is that he treats them both the same.

Jesus treats his friends like family and his family like friends.

“ I no longer call you my servants but my friends.”

On the cross to Mary, “woman behold your son” then he said to the disciple, “behold, your mother.”

Jesus has made us to be family and friends. Brothers and sisters. these are not just words, this is christ’s will. He has adopted us and given us the same family name.

Jesus has been a friend to us.

Disciples are not simply business partners, associates, acquaintances, we are friends.

Christ’s friends came from every walk of life- he did not have filters on them

Half of Paul’s friends were greek, half were jewish. some were free, others (Onesimus) were slaves.

[A] not cliquey, family

Christian friendship is less chosen by us and more chosen for us. Like family. You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.

We get to choose who we trust and how much. Not everyone in the church is trustworthy. Yet, like family, they are ours regardless and we can be a friend to anyone.

you don’t have to like someone to be their friend and to love them.

How can you be indifferent to a new face here? for behold, a brother or sister you did not know is now here.

How much more we should be interested in hearing each other’s stories.

3. Friendships change

a. Distance- 9vv10, 12, 14, 15, etc. Greetings. the church of Colossae knew these men on first name basis- they are not together in this season, but they are also not alone. Our friends may move, distance can change a lot.

Friendships may have years of distance and bad communication and then one day, you just pick up where you left off.

b. dissertion- Demas- For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. 2 Ti 4:10.

don’t be a Demas. But don’t be surprised when it happens.

When people we have invested in and loved with our whole heart leave the church, or leave our church- it hurts! As Paul says, when one member of the body is hurting, the whole body hurts.

Yet, we do not place our faith in peopple, but in Christ. We do not choose friends off of their faithfulness to us, but because Jesus is faithful to us,

c. Disagreements- Mark and Barnabas- had a disagreement, split up with Paul in Acts and went their own way, spend years away and then are later reconciled.

d. Duty- Tychicus and Onesimus will soon leave Paul.

To be a christian means to become a friend of Christ and a friend of others inside and outside of the church, but only Christ is and can be our BFF. there is no distance that can separate us, there are not seasons to his friendship, he is always faithful to be your friend.

Leave the 99. Go for the 1.

4. Jesus, our friend and brother never changes

pt 2: Partnership: We Cannot do the work alone

[READ v7, 11)

1. Partnership- we cannot do the work alone. God

a. Fellow servant/ fellow workers (11)

sharing a letter

sharing encouragement

sharing burdens

sharing the ministry

2. Church planting- a work of the whole body

If you are here, god is calling you to partner with him and with us.

2. Membership at the church

3. its normal to feel alone. Find someone who shares your vision, who brings balance to your ministry.

Jesus sends his disciples in pairs of 2.

Mat and I

CG Leaders

pt 3: Mentorship: You cannot mature alone

Tychicus (v7) Faithful minister

Epaphras (v12)

brought them the Gospel

Stayed with them

Always struggling on your behalf

So they might stay mature and assured

Paul and his letters (v16)

a. letting false teachers into their churches and listening to them, being influenced by them. Being discipled by them.

They were being turned from the freedom of the gospel of Jesus and back to their past slavery in the world.

Col 2:18–19.

They were being picked apart by the wolves and felt alone, confused. But sheep find strength in numbers.

today:

we don’t have an idea of true following or a definition for discipleship

we are ignorant of the influences we allow into our lives (podcasts, tv shows, influencers).

We become more like the people who influence us and less like christ. Often times discipled into consumerism, moralism, hedonism, nationalism, individualism, etc.

We become ineffective to influence others for Christ

We do not remain faithful and steadfast

Paul and his “I See In you.” to Archippus

[I]

[A]

Be a mentor, find a mentor.

You have lived experiences that you can share with others. You have a reason for hope and you can share that with others.

Open your heart and life up to trust another

Won’t just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.

conclusion:

Maybe you’ve heard it- leadership is lonely, planting a church and pastoring can be lonely. This is true. But I do not feel alone.

God is with me, his spirit is in me and goes before me. But i am also not alone, thanks to many of you, thanks to Pastor Mat. You have been true friends, partners and disciples this year. You have encouraged me, supported me, partnered with me and been my friends.

You are not alone

Jesus has rescued you. Your life is in hidden with God in Christ.

Jesus has sealed you by his Holy Spirit, he is with you until the end of the age

Jesus has brought you to himself and

Jesus has brought you into the church, his family. You are not alone. He has friendships for you here. He has partnerships and ways in which we help each other here. Jesus wants you to grow as you are taught and teach others.

You are not alone.

When we say, we are disciples who make disciples. Here this:

You are a friend of Jesus, called to be a friend to others

You are a servant of Jesus, called to partner with others in the work he is doing

You are a student of Jesus. called to mentor and be mentored.

We are not alone.