The Gaffer

Intro

A gaffer on a movie set works in the background and you never see him/her. The gaffer is the lighting technician. The gaffer’s work is indispensable. You would be unable to see the chase scene, the love scene, the rescue scene. The gaffer rarelt receives credit for the work they do, except to see their name race through the credits at the end of the movie, too fast for anyone to read.

The little known

Paul mentions Tychicus in Ephesians and Colossians. Paul refers to him as a dear brother and faithful servant and slave in the Lord.

The slave Onesimus is mentioned here in Colossians and Paul sent a letter with him to his master, Philemon.

Aristarchus from Thessalonica traveled with Paul from Macedonia and Greece. Paul mentions him here in Colossians as well as Philemon.

Jesus, whose Roman name was Justus was a Jewish companion with Paul when Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians from prison in either Caesarea or Rome.

Epaphras helped start the church in his hometown of Colossae. Paul mentions him here and in his letter to Philemon.

Demas greets the church, unfortunately tradition has it that Demas deserted Paul.

Paul refers to Archippus as a fellow soldier in his letter to Philemon and tradition says he was in a leadership role in the Colossian church.

The known.

John Mark was a cousin to Barnabas once disappointed Paul, but unlike Demas their relationship healed.

Luke the dear doctor.

Both John Mark and Luke wrote 2 of the 4 Gospels, and Dr. Luke wrote the book of Acts.

There are gaffers throughout church history who were more famous than most. They did not do the work they did to receive recognition. They ministered for God to receive the glory. Their satisfaction was knowing the worok of the Kingdom of God is ongoing and outreaching.

John Wycliffe translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English in 1382. We have the Bible in a language we can understand because of his work. This then led throughout history for the Bible to be translated in hundreds of other languages.

Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type machine. He printed the first Bible in 1455. This made the Bible affordable and available for the general public.

Martin Luther The German monk posted his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church in 1755. He is known as the father of the Reformation, the father of the Protestant churches.

There are gaffers in the life of the church today around the world.

Ignatius Memeirus is in Athens, Greece. Ignatius started 11 churches in 5 languages in the Boston metropolitan city in the 1990’s before returning home to his native Greece.

Asia Bibi started 3 Bible prison Bible studies during the 5 separate times she was persecuted and imprisoned in Pakistan for leaving the Muslim faith before she was killed in her last incarceration.

Rick Myers created the digital Bible E-Sword in 2000. He has made it available free on the internet, asking for donations and trusting God. To date, this Bible program is available in 143 languages.

Do we have gaffers here at Mt Zion church?

There are those who do landscaping and flowers.

Builders of large and small projects.

Musicians and typists

Pray-ers and note senders.

Teachers and evangelists.

What ministry does God want you to do here at Mt Zion?

Does He have another mission outside these walls to reach the people who may feel unlovable?