Living Life For God

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TEXT STYLES 1 AFTER PEARL HARBOR RESIDENTS OF NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA HEARD SOLDIERS FROM THEIR TOWN, WOULD BE COMING THROUGH ON A TROOP TRAIN. 2 ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT THE TRAIN DEPOT WITH FOOD, GIFTS, LETTERS, AND LOVE TO GIVE THE BOYS. WHEN THE TRAIN SHOWED UP, IT WAS NOT THEIR BOYS ON BOARD. 3 IT WAS THE SOLDIERS FROM KANSAS. THE NORTH PLATTE RESIDENTS DECIDED TO GIVE OUT THEIR GIFTS TO THESE SOLDIERS THEY DID NOT KNOW. 4 THIS ACT OF GENUINE DEVOTION TOUCHED BOTH THE SOLDIERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE DEPOT THAT DAY. 5 A FEW DAYS LATER, RAE WILSON SUGGESTED THE TOWN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR EVERY TROOP TRAIN THAT CAME THROUGH. 6 FOR THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, THE TOWN’S PEOPLE MET EVERY TROOP TRAIN THAT CAME THROUGH THEIR TOWN. 7 EVERY DAY, THEY PREPARED SANDWICHES, COOKIES, COLD DRINKS, AND HOT COFFEE. THEY HAD MAGAZINES AND BOOKS FOR THE SOLDIERS. THE STATISTICS ARE STAGGERING. 8 BY THE TIME THE LAST TRAIN ARRIVED ON APRIL 1, 1946. SIX MILLION SOLDIERS HAD BEEN BLESSED BY THE PEOPLE OF NORTH PLATTE. 9 45,000 VOLUNTEERS HAD COME FROM FAR AND WIDE. SERVING FAITHFULLY UNTIL THE WAR WAS OVER AND MOST OF THE TROOPS HAD BEEN TRANSPORTED HOME. 10 IF THESE PEOPLE WERE THAT DEDICATED TO SERVING THE SOLDIERS. WE AS CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE EVEN MORE COMMITTED TO SERVING THE LORD. 11 WE CAN LIVE LIFE FOR OURSELVES OR WE LIVE LIFE FOR GOD. THE CHOICE IS OURS, BUT TO MAKE THIS CHOICE. PAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD. 12 TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CONCLUSION TO THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS. FOR SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD. 13 TURN TO COLOSSIANS 4:7. PAUL HAS SPENT THE LAST 3 ½ CHAPTERS TALKING ABOUT GROWING IN CHRIST. HE HAS INSTRUCTED THEM TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY. 14 HE HAS TOLD THEM HOW THEY SHOULD LIVE OUT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. NOW AS HE CLOSES THE LETTER HE GIVES EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE LIVING FOR GOD. 15 COLOSSIANS 4:7–9 AS TO ALL MY AFFAIRS, TYCHICUS, OUR BELOVED BROTHER AND FAITHFUL SERVANT AND FELLOW BOND-SERVANT IN THE LORD, WILL BRING YOU INFORMATION. FOR I HAVE SENT HIM TO YOU FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE, 16 THAT YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT HE MAY ENCOURAGE YOUR HEARTS; AND WITH HIM ONESIMUS, OUR FAITHFUL AND BELOVED BROTHER, WHO IS ONE OF YOUR NUMBER. THEY WILL INFORM YOU ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE. 17 PAUL GIVES SOME EXAMPLES WE FIND AMONG PAUL’S COMPANIONS WE FIND: A MESSENGER AND MINISTRY A RUNAWAY SLAVE (SERVING IN MINISTRY) 18 A RESTORED BACKSLIDER (NOW FORGIVEN) A PASTOR (CONCERNED FOR HIS FLOCK) A DOCTOR-TURNED-HISTORIAN ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD. 19 LL4Θ= LET PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PERSON MENTIONED IS TYCHICUS. HE WAS THE MESSENGER CARRYING THE LETTER. PAUL DESCRIBES TYCHICUS AS A FELLOW BOND-SERVANT. 20 COMING FROM PAUL THIS IS VERY HIGH PRAISE. TYCHICUS WORKED WITH PAUL HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN PAUL’S LIFE. PAUL HAD SENT HIM TO FILL THEM IN. 21 MANY TIMES WE DO NOT WANT PEOPLE UP IN OUR BUSINESS. AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO BE OPEN BOOKS. WE DO THIS SO THEY CAN SEE US LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD 22 NO, WE DO NOT NEED TO SHARE EVERY SORTED DETAIL. YES, WE NEED TO AVOID OVER SHARING. BUT, HOW CAN PEOPLE PRAY FOR YOU 23 IF THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR? HOW CAN PEOPLE, SEE CHRIST IN YOU, IF THEY DON’T SEE YOU? 24 LUKE 11:33 “NO ONE, AFTER LIGHTING A LAMP, PUTS IT AWAY IN A CELLAR NOR UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON THE LAMPSTAND, SO THAT THOSE WHO ENTER MAY SEE THE LIGHT. 25 ONE OF THE REASONS WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE IN IS SO THEY WILL BE ENCOURAGED. PAUSE 26 LL4Θ= ENCOURAGE PEOPLE ONE OF THE REASONS PAUL SENT TYCHICUS WAS SO “ THAT HE MAY ENCOURAGE YOUR HEARTS” 27 THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE. HERE PAUL WANTS TYCHICUS TO DO THIS BY TELLING THEM ABOUT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. 28 WHEN WE HEAR OF OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS GOING THROUGH TRAILS LEANING ON GOD WE ARE ENCOURAGED AND GAIN STRENGTH TO FACE OUR TROUBLES WITH GOD. 29 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 THEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS YOU ALSO ARE DOING. 30 ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER IS SUCH A VITAL PART OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE IN. 31 THIS MEANS COMMUNICATING THE PROBLEMS WE FACE. THIS GOES AGAINST THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS. 32 BUT GOD USES OUR STRUGGLES BEST. WHEN OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST KNOW ABOUT THEM. 33 LL4Θ= BEING BELOVED BROTHERS THE SECOND PERSON PAUL MENTIONS IS ONESIMUS. HE REFERS TO ONESIMUS AS A “ BELOVED BROTHER” 34 PAUL HAD JUST CALLED TYCHICUS THE SAME THING. THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE ONESIMUS HAD BEEN A RUN AWAY SLAVE. PAUL HAD BROUGHT ONESIMUS TO CHRIST IN PRISON. 35 ONESIMUS HAD RUN AWAY FROM COLOSSAE. NOTICE PAUL REFERS TO HIM AS: “ ONE OF YOUR NUMBER.” CALLS RUNAWAY SLAVE A BELOVED BROTHER 36 ONE OF THE TRULY AMAZING THINGS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY IS THAT ALL ARE EQUAL IN CHRIST. THE GRACE OF THE GOSPEL IS DISPLAYED WHEN PAUL PLACES THE FORMER RUN AWAY ALONGSIDE THE FELLOW BOND-SLAVE OF CHRIST. 37 THIS IS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF HOW WE NEED TO TREAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. ALL WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST ARE EQUALS. NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND, GOOD OR BAD 38 PRISON, DRUGS , LIFESTYLE. WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. (PAUSE) WE MUST DO THIS TO MOVE FORWARD THE AUSTRALIAN COAT OF ARMS PICTURES TWO CREATURES. 39 THE EMU, A FLIGHTLESS BIRD, AND THE KANGAROO. THESE WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY SHARE A CHARACTERISTIC APPEALING TO AUSTRALIAN. BOTH THE EMU AND KANGAROO CAN MOVE ONLY FORWARD, NOT BACK. 40 THE EMU'S THREE-TOED FOOT CAUSES IT TO FALL IF IT TRIES TO GO BACKWARDS. THE KANGAROO IS PREVENTED FROM MOVING IN REVERSE BY ITS LARGE TAIL. 41 THOSE WHO ARE LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD SHOULD BE LIKE THE EMU AND KANGAROO THEY MOVE ONLY FORWARD, NEVER BACK 42 IF WE ARE TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE LORD. IF WE ARE TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD. 43 WE NEED TO BE MOVING FORWARD, NOT BACKWARDS. THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE DO TO MOVE FORWARD. LETTING PEOPLE INTO OUR LIVES. 44 ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER. BEING TRUE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST ARE ALL VITAL TO MOVING FORWARDS. MOVING FORWARDS MEANS BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST. 45 COLOSSIANS 4:10–15 ARISTARCHUS, MY FELLOW PRISONER, SENDS YOU HIS GREETINGS; AND ALSO BARNABAS’S COUSIN MARK (ABOUT WHOM YOU RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS; 46 IF HE COMES TO YOU, WELCOME HIM); AND ALSO JESUS WHO IS CALLED JUSTUS; THESE ARE THE ONLY FELLOW WORKERS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD WHO ARE FROM THE CIRCUMCISION, AND THEY HAVE PROVED TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME. 47 EPAPHRAS, WHO IS ONE OF YOUR NUMBER, A BONDSLAVE OF JESUS CHRIST, SENDS YOU HIS GREETINGS, ALWAYS LABORING EARNESTLY FOR YOU IN HIS PRAYERS, 48 THAT YOU MAY STAND PERFECT AND FULLY ASSURED IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD. FOR I TESTIFY FOR HIM THAT HE HAS A DEEP CONCERN FOR YOU AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN LAODICEA AND HIERAPOLIS. 49 LUKE, THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN, SENDS YOU HIS GREETINGS, AND ALSO DEMAS. GREET THE BRETHREN WHO ARE IN LAODICEA AND ALSO NYMPHA AND THE CHURCH THAT IS IN HER HOUSE. 50 LL4Θ= BE ENCOURAGED BY OTHERS. PAUL SAYS HE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGED BY 3 MEN. ARISTARCHUS IS DESCRIBED AS A FELLOW PRISONER. 51 LITERALLY THE TERM IS FELLOW WAR CAPTIVE. IT CAN BE VERY ENCOURAGING TO KNOW OTHERS HAVE BEEN WHERE YOU ARE. ARISTARCHUS HAD BEEN ON TRIPS WITH PAUL. 52 HE HELPED DELIVER DONATIONS TO JERUSALEM. HE HAD BEEN ON PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY. AND HE IS IN PRISON WITH PAUL NOW. 53 IT IS POSSIBLE HE VOLUNTEERED TO SAY WITH PAUL IN PRISON. OR HE WAS THERE FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL LIKE PAUL. PAUL IS ALSO ENCOURAGED BY MARK AND JUSTUS. 54 “ FROM THE CIRCUMCISION” MEANS THEY WERE JEWISH. PAUL WAS RUNNING LOW ON JEWISH FRIENDS IN ROME. HE WAS DOWN TO JUST THREE. 55 THESE THREE ARE DESCRIBED AS FELLOW WORKERS. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS. WE ALSO NEED TO ALLOW OTHERS TO ENCOURAGE US. 56 OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT WE ARE NOW FACING. OTHERS WHO HAVE LEANED ON GOD AND CROSSED THAT VALLEY. 57 HEBREWS 3:13 BUT ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER DAY AFTER DAY, AS LONG AS IT IS STILL CALLED “TODAY,” SO THAT NONE OF YOU WILL BE HARDENED BY THE DECEITFULNESS OF SIN. 58 TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WE HAVE TO RECEIVE AS WELL AS GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT. IT DOES NOT WORK IF ALL WE DO IS ENCOURAGE OTHERS. CARING ABOUT ONE ANOTHER MEANS LETTING OTHERS ENCOURAGE US. 59 LL4Θ= CARE DEEPLY NEXT PAUL MENTIONS EPAPHRAS. EPAPHRAS IS DESCRIBED AS A BONDSLAVE OF CHRIST 60 AND AS “ONE OF YOUR NUMBER” THIS MEANS IS COME FROM COLOSSAE. EPAPHRAS HAD BEEN A PRISONER LIKE PAUL. 61 PHILEMON V23 EPAPHRAS, MY FELLOW PRISONER IN CHRIST JESUS, GREETS YOU, 62 EPAPHRAS BROUGHT THE GOSPEL TO THE COLOSSIANS. HERE WE SEE PAUL TELLS THEM HOW DEEPLY EPAPHRAS CARES FOR THEM. 63 HE IS DESCRIBED AS: “LABORING EARNESTLY FOR YOU IN PRAYERS” PAUL TESTIFIES THAT EPAPHRAS HAS A: “DEEP CONCERN FOR YOU” 64 IF WE ARE GOING TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTH. IF WE ARE GOING TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD. WE MUST HAVE A DEEP CONCERN FOR OTHERS. 65 THE GOAL IS TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST. CHRIST HAD A DEEP AND ABIDING CONCERN FOR OTHERS. HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US. 66 JOHN 15:13 “GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THAT ONE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. 67 IN EXPRESSING HIS DEEP CONCERN FOR US. CHRIST LAID HIS LIFE DOWN ON THE CROSS. WE CAN EXPRESS OUR DEEP CONCERN FOR OTHERS 68 BY PRAYING FOR THEM LIKE EPAPHRAS DID FOR THE PEOPLE OF COLOSSAE. WE CAN EXPRESS IT BY LOVING, SERVING, FORGIVING THEM. TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS WE MUST DEVELOP OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. 69 LL4Θ= DEEPEN OUR FRIENDSHIPS AT THE CLOSE OF A TRADITIONAL ROMAN LETTER GREETINGS ARE EXCHANGED. PAUL SENDS GREETINGS FROM LUKE AND DEMAS. 70 AND INSTRUCTS THE COLOSSIANS TO GREET BELIEVERS IN A NEARBY CITY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT OF GREETING. THIS IS NOT “HI, HOW YOU DOIN?” 71 THE WORD BEING TRANSLATED GREETINGS EXPRESSES SINCERE ATTACHMENT DURING A SEPARATION. LONG FOR SOMEONE YOU MISS DEARLY. IT SERVES TO STRENGTHEN PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP. 72 THE IDEA OF THIS KIND OF GREETING IS TO DEEPEN FRIENDSHIP. STRENGTHEN BONDS BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO MISS EACH OTHER. 73 MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS A PICTURE ERIN GIVING ME A HUG. THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN 37 YEARS AGO. 74 THE SMILE ON HER FACE IS AMAZING. I REMEMBER THE FEEL OF THAT HUG. SHORTLY AFTER WE STARTED DATING SHE WENT ON A TRIP TO EUROPE. 75 SHE WAS GONE FOR 4 WEEKS, AT SEVENTEEN, I ASSURE YOU, THAT IS FOREVER. WE HAD MISSED EACH OTHER IMMENSELY. 76 IT WAS VERY HARD FOR US TO BE SEPARATED THAT LONG SO SOON INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP. WHEN SHE RETURNED THERE WAS A PARTY. THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT THE PARTY. 77 TO ME, THAT PHOTOGRAPH REPRESENTS THIS IDEA OF WHAT GREETING SOMEONE IS ALL ABOUT. NOT JUST SAYING HI, IT'S THAT GREETING OF A LONG-LOST SOMEONE WE TREASURE WHO WE HAVE MISSED GREATLY. 78 GREETINGS LIKE THIS STRENGTHEN FRIENDSHIPS, CREATE BONDS THAT LAST A LIFETIME. AS WE GO ABOUT LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD. 79 WE NEED TO BE SURE TO GREET OUR FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST DOING SO DEEPENS FRIENDSHIPS. AND WE ARE GONNA NEED DEEP FRIENDSHIPS AS WE GO ABOUT GOD BUSINESS. 80 COLOSSIANS 4:16–18 WHEN THIS LETTER IS READ AMONG YOU, HAVE IT ALSO READ IN THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS; AND YOU, FOR YOUR PART READ MY LETTER THAT IS COMING FROM LAODICEA. 81 SAY TO ARCHIPPUS, “TAKE HEED TO THE MINISTRY WHICH YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MAY FULFILL IT.” I, PAUL, WRITE THIS GREETING WITH MY OWN HAND. REMEMBER MY IMPRISONMENT. GRACE BE WITH YOU. 82 LL4Θ= SHARE GOD’S WORD PAUL URGES THEM TO SHARE HIS LETTERS. SEND THE LETTER THEY RECEIVED ON TO LAODICEA. 83 AND READ THE ONE THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN TO LAODICEA. THIS WAS USUALLY DONE BY MAKING A COPY AND KEEPING THE ORIGINAL. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE WAS A SPECIFIC “LETTER TO LAODICEA.” 84 BUT MANY SCHOLARS THINK THIS MAY REFER TO EPHESIANS. EPHESIANS WAS A CIRCULAR LETTER. 85 IT WAS PASSED FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH. PAUL’S LETTERS WERE MEANT TO BE READ ALOUD TO A CONGREGATION. 86 THIS IS HOW THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS FIRST EXPERIENCED. THIS IS HOW THE EARLY CHURCH LEARNED ABOUT LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD. 87 LL4Θ= STAYING ON TASK HERE, NEAR THE END OF THE CLOSING PAUL MENTIONS ONE LAST PERSON. HE INSTRUCTS THOSE HEARING THE LETTER TO: 88 SAY TO ARCHIPPUS, “TAKE HEED TO THE MINISTRY WHICH YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MAY FULFILL IT.” ARCHIPPUS WAS SERVING IN SOME CAPACITY IN THE CHURCH AT COLOSSAE. 89 SOME FOLKS THINK HE WAS FILLING IN FOR EPAPHRAS WHO WAS VISITING PAUL. PAUL ASKS THE COLOSSIANS TO SPUR ARCHIPPUS ON REGARDING HIS MINISTRY IN THEIR CHURCH. HE IS TO “FULFILL” IT, COMPLETE IT, OR GET’R DONE. 90 THE IDEA IS THAT GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO THIS TASK. AND THE CHURCH NEEDED TO HELP HIM STAY FOCUSED ON HIS TASK. AT TIMES EACH OF US CAN DRIFT FROM THE TASKS GOD HAS CALLED US TO. 91 IT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE TELL US TO “TAKE HEED TO THE MINISTRY” A SMALL VILLAGE DEEP IN THE WOODS HAD AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE. 92 EVERY DAY EACH VILLAGER WOULD WALK IN TO THE WOODS TO THE SAME PLACE AND POUR HIS HEART OUT TO GOD OVER TIME THE PATHS TO THESE PLACES BECAME WELL WORN. 93 AS A RESULT, IF ONE OF THE VILLAGERS BEGAN TO NEGLECT PRAYER, IT WAS SOON APPARENT TO THE OTHERS. THEY WOULD KINDLY REMIND THE NEGLIGENT ONE, “BROTHER, THE GRASS GROWS ON YOUR PATH.” 94 WE MAY NEED TO HAVE OTHERS POINT OUT WHEN THE GRASS STARTS GROWIN ON OUR PATH. (PAUSE) WE MAY ALSO NEED TO BE REMINDED TO REMEMBER OTHER THINGS. 95 LL4Θ= REMEMBER THOSE SUFFERING “I, PAUL, WRITE THIS GREETING WITH MY OWN HAND. REMEMBER MY IMPRISONMENT.” PAUL USED A SCRIBE TO WRITE THE BODY OF HIS LETTERS. 96 HE WRITES THIS LAST LINE HIMSELF. PICTURE AS HE GOES TO WRITE IT. THE CHAINS ON HIS ARM AS HE HOLDS THE QUILL. 97 THE WORD IMPRISONMENT IS “BONDS” THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR HELP TO GET OUT OF PRISON. HE SIMPLY ASKS FOR THEM TO REMEMBER HIM. 98 HEBREWS 13:3 REMEMBER THE PRISONERS, AS THOUGH IN PRISON WITH THEM, AND THOSE WHO ARE ILL-TREATED, SINCE YOU YOURSELVES ALSO ARE IN THE BODY. 99 THERE ARE CHRISTIANS SUFFERING ALL OVER THE WORLD. SOME IN PRISON, SOME WORSE OFF THAN PRISON. WE NEED TO BE SURE WE REMEMBER THEM. 100 THAT WE PRAY FOR THEM PAUL CONCLUDES THE LETTER BY SAYING; “GRACE BE WITH YOU.” GRACE IS NECESSARY TO DO GOD’S WILL. 101 GRACE IS NECESSARY TO LIVE A LIFE FOR GOD. A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT AND RESOURCES WENT INTO CARING FOR THE 6 MILLION SOLDIERS THAT PASTED THROUGH NORTH PLATTE. 102 IT WAS CERTAINLY WORTH ALL THAT WENT INTO IT. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT AND RESOURCES TO LIFE A LIFE FOR GOD. WE NEED TO BE AWARE JUST HOW “WORTH IT” LIVING FOR GOD IS. 103 THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO LIVING FOR GOD. PAUL MENTIONS JUST A FEW IN THE CLOSING OF HIS LETTER. WE NEED LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT OUR TRIALS AS PAUL DID. 104 WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS HAS THOSE WHO BROUGHT PAUL’S LETTER ENCOURAGED THE COLOSSIANS. WE NEED TO ALLOW OTHERS TO ENCOURAGE US AS PAUL ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE ENCOURAGED. 105 LIVING A LIFE FOR GOD MEANS CARING DEEPLY ABOUT OTHERS LIKE EPAPHRAS DID. WE MUST SHARE GOD’S WORD WITH OTHERS AS PAUL CALLED THEM TO SHARE HIS LETTERS. 106 WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER STAY ON TASK, FULFILLING WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO. AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER CHRISTIANS SUFFERING FOR CHRIST. 107 TO DO ALL THESE THINGS AND MORE WE MUST HAVE GOD’S GRACE. (PAUSE) WE ENTER INTO GOD’S GRACE WHEN WE PLACE OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST. 108 THAT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS PAID FOR OUR SINS. IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST… 109 110