Someone Like Me

Story

Are there any Star Wars fans in the room today?

Those first three movies made in the 70’s & 80’s were special weren’t they?

What I love about the movies is the story within the story. The overarching story is the battle for the Republic, but within that story, you got Luke working through his Daddy issues.

I mean, his Dad cut off his hand…

Talk about an abrasive Dad.

[Pause]

But that’s what makes Star Wars so compelling — it’s not just the big battle, but it’s the stories happening inside of it.

Luke has his story.

Vader has his story.

And those smaller stories actually matter to the bigger story.

And when you get to Colossians 4… Paul does the exact same thing.

Transition

As Paul begins to write his farewell’s to the church, he mentions ten people by name who all have a story within the story. These are people who had an impact not only on the church of Colossae, but some of them who had an impact on multiple churches that were born during this time of the church.

And of these ten, there are three that I want to focus on this morning.

Why?

Because I want to show you how their story matters. That in the bigger story of the scriptures, there are men and women who are named because their story matters.

They matter.

Their issues matter.

And we’ll do this so that you’ll begin to understand that YOU MATTER

You matter - not just to us… but also to the mission of God.

And because your life matters… my hope is that YOU MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT.

The title of my message this morning is, Someone Like Me

Someone Like Me

If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Does my life actually matter in God’s Kingdom?’ Colossians 4 answers that question.

Because Paul shows us the kinds of people God uses… and they are a lot more like you than you think.”

Tychicus

Let’s read about the first person today, the man with the choppy name - Tychicus.

Colossians 4:7–8 NIV

Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.

As you read through the letters of Paul in the New Testament you are going to discover that he is leading the church even when he is not present. He writes letters from prison, from Ephesus, or from other parts of his missionary journeys to help the many start up churches spreading throughout the then known world.

As we’ve already said earlier in this series, Paul did not travel to Colossae to start the church, it was started by Epaphras, who many believe heard Paul preach this Gospel while in Ephesus.

Epaphras then takes this message to Colossae and starts a church, but then runs into a wall and he needed Paul’s leadership to overcome the conflicts that he was facing.

Tychichus was the guy that traveled with Paul and remained with Paul in Rome while Paul was under house arrest.

When news of the church arrived to Paul he writes this letter, and he sends Tychichus to deliver the letter.

Not just this letter, but at least one other, and maybe up to four letters.

What does this tell us about Tychichus? He represents trusted leadership.

Why is that?

Tychichus didn’t just deliver the mail, he delivered the message.

He would give clarity to the churches who were reading Paul’s words.

He would interpret the tone of Paul’s writing. (Galatians)

He would move them from reading Paul’s letter to understanding Paul’s letter.

Tychichus became a bridge from Paul to the church that he was writing to.

He carried the authority of Paul when he traveled to the churches

He would de-escalate tensions in churches and helped provide stability when needed, like at Colossae

[Application]

The application through his life is that just as Paul trusted Tychichus, I believe God is looking for someone that he trusts to deliver His message.

God uses people He can trust.

And, contrary to what the world may look for in a leader today, God’s leadership criteria is simply this: Can I trust you?

Not the most gifted…

Not the most visible…

But the most trustworthy.

For some of you here today… you have been saying ‘yes’ to God for decades, and I want you to know that matters more than you think.

For others in the room who sometimes overthink what it means to be used by God - just know that it comes down to this one thing. Your availability.

Your ‘yes’ to Jesus is your super power.

[Pause]

Onesimus

Paul then highlights a second person named Onesimus.

Colossians 4:9 NIV

He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

If there was one person whose life rivals Paul’s it would be Onesimus.

There is a whole letter in the Bible devoted to him; Philemon.

In that letter we learn that Onesimus was a run away slave from Colossae. He was a slave to Philemon, and while he was on the run he hears the gospel from Paul and he is then discipled by Paul and here in the text he is being sent back to Colossae along with a letter from Paul to receive him as no longer a slave, but as a brother in the faith.

His name, Onesimus, means “one who is useful”, however when a slave runs away he is now useless to his master. As a matter of fact, Paul writes that:

Philemon 10–11 NIV

that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Said differently, once Onesimus came to Christ, he started living up to his name.

Because in Christ, you don’t just get forgiven, you get renamed.

When we fast forward to later in his life, we read that Onesimus eventually becomes the Bishop, the overseer, of the church in Ephesus after the death of Timothy.

Talk about a glow up. From prisoner to Bishop.

But that’s the application we find in his life. Onesimus shows us the Transformed Life.

The church is a beautiful kaleidoscope of stories…

Some are like mine. I grew up in a church. I have a legacy of Pastors, Bishop’s, Evangelists, Worship Pastors, and Teachers in my family.

But then there are others, who grew up running with a gang. They grew up in a household of atheists. They grew up with addicitons. They might have wrecked their marraiges. They might have wrecked their relationship with their children. But one day, when they came to Jesus, God transformed their life.

And now in this beuatiful family called the church, the one who grew up on the streets can sit next to the one who grew up under the pews.

The one who grew up singing in the church choir, can sit with the one who grew up running with a gang.

The one who grew up in LKids, can sit with the one who grew up in the foster system.

[Application]

How many of you like the game Uno?

Then you know what this card means - It’s the reverse card.

In the ‘game of life’ God has the power to hit you with the reverse card.

You were on your way to a destructive ending, but God hit you with the reverse card.

You were on your way to another failed marriage, but God hit your marriage with the reverse card.

You are here today, because someone invited to watch a baptism, but you know that if you don’t make a UTurn right now, today, you are headed down the wrong path. Let God hit your life with the reverse card and begin to see a new way of living.

Look no further than Onesimus as an example of the slave who got hit with the Reverse Card.

He wasn’t supposed to have this ending. As a matter of fact, the penalty for being a run away slave at that time was likely death.

But God, in his grace changed the course of his life and changed his story.

And if God did it for him, he can do it for you.

Let me say this slowly and clearly -

You are not the worst thing that you’ve done and you are not stuck as who you’ve always been.

Justus

Then we get to our last person for today… Justus.

Colossians 4:11 NIV

Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

And when you read a sentence like this, you start thinking to yourself, well, he didn’t do a whole lot.

But if Paul mentions him by name, you need to understand that he had a profound impact on Paul. He ‘proved to be a comfort to Paul.’

Have you ever been appreciative of people who just show up?

I’m not talking about they showed up and made their presence known, but they just showed up.

That was Justus. And he is a lot like some of you.

You aren’t an Onesimus… you might actually be scared to sit next to an Onesimus in church.

You are also not like Tychichus. You shrivel up at the thought of having to represent Paul and interpret his letters to the churches he wrote to.

But your lane is to be that person who provides comfort…

I call that The Ministry of Presence.

Some of the most powerful people in your life are the ones who didn’t fix anything… didn’t preach anything… didn’t solve anything…

They just stayed.

When Ps Joanna and I set out to launch this church, there were people who came with gifts and expectations of how they could use those gifts… And then there were others who just kept showing up. Didn’t ask for anything. Didn’t demand anything. They just showed up. That’s what Justus was like to Paul.

Justus shows us Quiet Faithfulness.

Long obedience in the same direction.

He sat with Paul in that prison.

He traveled with Paul when others deserted him.

Not much is said of him, but here he is in the text. Showing us that God rewards Quiet Faithfulness.

Don’t ever think that because your gift isn’t seen by many, that it isn’t seen by the one who matters.

You matter in this Kingdom.

You encourage, your presence and your solidarity matters more than you know.

In a world where people leave quickly Justus reminds us of the power of staying.

Conclusion

As I close, I want to ask you, who do you feel like you most relate to?

Some of you are Tychicus—steady, faithful, consistent.

Some of you are Onesimus—you’re in the middle of a transformation story.

And some of you are Justus—you’re the one who just keeps showing up.

No matter your age, background, or story, God is writing something beautiful through your life.

The question then is not “do I matter?”

The question is - will you give God something to work with?

Altar Call

I just want to take a moment… and talk to you—not as a crowd… but as individuals.

Some of you… your story sounds like Onesimus.

You’ve been running. You’ve made mistakes. Maybe you feel like you’ve disqualified yourself.

But today… God is inviting you back. Not as a slave… but as a son or daughter.

If you’re ready to give your life to Jesus… or come back to Him… this moment is for you.

Some of you… God is calling you to step up.

To be someone He can trust.

You’ve been on the sidelines… you’ve been hesitant… but today you feel God saying, ‘I want to use your life.’

If you’re ready to say ‘yes’ to God—whatever that looks like—this moment is for you.

And some of you… you’ve been showing up quietly.

You’ve been faithful. You’ve been present.

And maybe you’ve wondered… does it even matter?

And I believe God wants to remind you today… I see you.

If you just need encouragement to keep going… this moment is for you too.