Sunday Sermon Colossians 4:7-18(3)
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Announcements
Announcements
Please remember that the Milton-Freewater Ministers Association’s food drive ends December 12, which is next Sunday.
2. Angel Tree Kids- Kathy to share
3. If you have any announcements, please contact Pastor John or Barbara Goodenough and we will get them put in the bulletin and announce here at the beginning of church.
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning, and welcome to FCC, where we worship God in Spirit and in Truth, one verse at a time, one book at a time.
Today, we want to contemplate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ by taking communion as a church family.
I want you to know that this is an ordinance that the Lord gave to his disciples and the Holy Spirit had Paul institute it here in the book of Corithians where I will read from.
Communion is a time to remember what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. The bread and wine are tangible, physical reminders of Christ’s love for us. Every time we eat and drink, it is a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ.
At the same time, communion is also a time to examine ourselves and our walk with God, as instructed 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. It is a time to do a heart check. Are we walking out our faith and living in an active relationship with Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in our lives and to sanctify us. Or are we living life according to our choices and only partaking in communion ritualistically? It’s all about communion and fellowship with God. The dictionary describes communion as: “a close relationship with someone in which feelings and thoughts are exchanged:”
Here at FCC, we invite all our brothers and sisters in the Lord to take communion with us. So please come to the table.
First, I will pray us in and during this time of prayer, I will pause so we can allow the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts, so we take communion with our hearts being right with God.
Second, after I say amen, please come, come to the table and get your cup. As you return to your seat and we will take together.
After service, Mike will have garbage can at the back of the sanctuary where you can dispose of the cups.
How does that sound? Let’s read the text and remember our Lord with a sincere heart, a heart that desires to worship whole heartedly, in Spirit and in Truth.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Prayer
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we bow before you in humility and ask You to examine our hearts today. Show us anything that is not pleasing to You. Reveal any secret pride, any unconfessed sin, any rebellion or unforgiveness that may be hindering our relationship with You.
Pause
Lord as we take the bread and of the cups representing your broken Body and poured out blood for us, we remember and celebrate Your faithfulness to us and to all who will receive You. Thank you for exchanging our sinfulness, for your righteousness and for paying the price for our sin. In Jesus Name we Love You, Amen!
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Review
Review
We have come as far as Colossians 4:10 and this is where we will pick up today.
Let us remember that this power packed epistle is about the pre-eminence or the supremacy of Jesus Christ in the life of a believer.
We are at the salutation of the letter, or the close if you may and Paul spends 12 verses on talking about those who have helped him.
He leaves a picture for us church. A snap shot of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. This picture clearly shows us that we are not to be Lone Rangers, but rather connected to others.
If the apostle Paul needed others church, how much more do we?
What is the number one thing in your life that cause you the most pain?
What is the number one thing in your life that brings your healing?
It All Starts with Relationships
Everything significant in life starts with relationship. At the end of the day, your faith, your family, your work, and your leadership are all based on who you relate to and how you relate. Your life is motivated by love for others, being part of a family, a desire for intimacy and vulnerability, choosing to work on a great team, and creating a product or service that helps others. We are happiest when we know our lives revolve around people. Conversely, we are not ourselves, not our best selves, when we are isolated and alone. ~Dr Townsend~
Read Colossians 4:10-18
Read Colossians 4:10-18
Last week, we dealt with Tychicus and Onesimus, this week, we are going to deal with a few more, well maybe. But regardless, we will be talking about the importance of relationships.
I was hopeful that we would finish today, but guess what, the Lord has one more week for us in the great letter!
Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
So, here are 3 more of Pauls companions or fellow workers if you may.
It is important for us to realize no ministry or minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be successful without others.
In fact, if you spend any amount of time with a successful person and you ask them who or what they contribute their success to, if they are believers they will say God and others!
So before, I sahre about these three Jews who helped Paul become successful, I wanted to look back to the text that we finished with last week:
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
It is important for us to look at this verse in the context that it was written.
Solomon just finished up talking about the vanity of selfish toil and about how when we toil for ourselves we are miserable, just plain miserable.
No matter how much we make or how much we have, if we are not toiling for the Lord and others it is all vanity and grasping for the wind.
God wants us to labor church, but to labor in the right spirit, with the right motives, for the right reasons! Blessed are the balanced!
Church, the text we read before this is used often at weddings and it can be used for that, but it is also written in the context of friendship or the value of friendship church and that is what we are talking about today.
Let’s take a close look at this here in Ecclesiastes 4;9-11 to see what the Lord has in store for us.
First, I think it is important to for use to realize and understand that we are all on the highway and there are only two highways church:
Broad Way
Narrow Way
Here in just a few minutes you will understand why I brought up being on the highway church.
But in the meantime, just remember we are just pilgrims and sojourners passing through this life and heading to the next.
Ronnie Scroggin who attended here a few years ago when he lived in the are stopped taking my calls and would not receive my text. He was not in the best health when he came here, but when he moved, his health got worse. He was diagnosed with cancer and became very angry and depressed at God and others, and therefore disconnected from others.
Do you think his condition got better or worse?
You right, it worsened! His attitude was not one of gratitude, until the Lord and others put him in check.
A few weeks ago, Ronnie called me to apologize for cutting me off and then he explained why and what was going on in his health.
His attitude is one of gratitude and humility, not anger and ungratefulness!
He has now called me two weeks in a row, and has opened his heart to me about his goals for the end of life.
Certainly, we talked about death and I need to share his response:
My question was simple church, How are you doing with the possibly of dying? Do you have any fear?
Ronnie’s response was, “ John, I am at peace with dying and I have no fear! Have you ever prepared to move or go on a trip? You know the excitement that comes with it? That is how I feel! I am excited to make the move from my address here on Earth to my eternal one in Heaven.
How does that set with you?
Ronnie suffered alone for about a year, until he came to the end of himself and cried out to God and others.
And this is what we see here in Ecclesiastes and Colossians.
Lets look deeper:
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
Why are two better than one?
Solomon’s experience with the independent man, the man who is absorbed with himself caused him to consider the importance of friendship and the value of people doing things together.
He may have recalled the Jewish proverb, “A friendless man is like a left hand bereft (deprived) of the right.”
Perhaps he watched some pilgrims on the highway as he was writing this letter and drew this conclusion, “Two are better than one.”
Church, are two better than one? Absolutely!
Two are better than one church, but let us not forget that the devil is destroying families all over this great nation.
He is break church families apart for trivial things and convincing the multitudes that the grass is greener on the other side.
Think about the divorce rates, think about how many people today move form person to person, from church to church.
Think about how many clubs and organizations that used to cultivate relationships and now many of us are Lone Rangers.
So two are better than one because when it comes to working ( let’s remember this is written in the context of labor or toil) because we can simply get more done.
If two are better than one, then what about 3, 4, or 5? Can we get more done with more people? Absolutely!
Church, even when they divide the profits, they still get a better return for their efforts than if they had worked alone.
Also, it’s much easier to do difficult jobs together because one can be an encouragement to the other.
Two are better than one when they are working! For they have a good reward for their labor church.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
Where is Solomon coming for here?
2. Two are better when it comes to walking .
Roads and paths in Palestine were not paved or even leveled, and there were many hidden rocks in the fields.
It was not uncommon for even the most experienced traveler to stumble and fall, perhaps break a bone, or even fall into a hidden pit .
This is the person who is mature and has walked with the Lord for a longtime, but still can fall church, we can all fall.
How wonderful to have a friend who can help you up (or out).
But if this applies to our physical falls, how much more does it apply to those times when we stumble in our spiritual walk and need restoration?
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
With a little help from our friends!
Are you grateful for the friends that God has placed in your life to walk circumspectly?
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Circumspectly- akribōs- “to watch or look carefully at how you live, to be vigilant and mindful of your behavior, to be on the lookout.”
To be circumspect is to be wary; the word comes from a Latin word literally meaning “look around.” “Walk circumspectly” is Paul’s way of urging Christians to look very carefully at how they live and behave.
Church, we all have blind spots and need others to give us help, direction, and correction when we fall.
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?
3.Two are better than one when it comes to warmth .
Two travelers camping out, or even staying in the courtyard of a public inn, would feel the cold of the Palestinian night and need one another’s warmth for comfort.
The only way to be “warm alone” is to carry extra blankets and add to your load.
Any one that has backpacked knows that you wants a light load and besides the roads that were traveled in Palestinian thieves and robbers.
Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
4. Finally, two are better than one when it comes to their watch-care or safety especially at night.
It was dangerous for anyone to travel alone, day or night; most people traveled in groups for fellowship and for safety.
Is that more real today than ever? That we all need traveling together?
Not just in this physical world, but much more in the spiritual world.
Remember the story of the Good Samaritan?
Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Church, this is a picture of someone who tries to go through life alone in the church
God has called us to be in relationship, Paul had friends, how mush more show we?
Woe to him or her who has no one to pick them up if they fall!
Working>>Walking>>Warmth>> Warfare
5 TIPS FROM DALE CARNEGIE
1. Become genuinely interested in other people. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
2. Smile. If you want to draw others to you, light up your face with a smile.
3. Remember names. A person’s name is the sweetest and most important sound to that person.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. Treat others the way they want to be treated.
I close with a great Bible story, one that we can all identify with, let’s to EXODUS 17.
Moses just got done dealing with the complaining of Israel again, but this time it was over water and they were temping the Lord
So God told Moses to strike the Rock and water would come out and it did. This was the first time under grace, the second time he would strike the Rock was in anger and this prevented him from going to the Promise Land.
And we come to our closing text:
Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
Heavy- ka’bed- heavy (weary) adj. — marked by great psychological weight; weighted down especially with sadness or troubles or weariness.
If Moses needed other people, how much more do we?
Do you see the three fold cord? Moses, Hur, and Aaron>>
Who is holding up your hands when they become heavy?
Prayer
Prayer
Benediction
Benediction
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
THE LORD BLESS YOU!
YOUR MISSION STARTS NOW!