Life 101: Connecting with Others
The Faithful Friend
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24
Two friends were out hunting. As they were walking through the woods, one of them yelled and the other looked up to see a huge grizzly bear charging at them. The first friend started to frantically put on his tennis shoes. When his buddy saw this, he anxiously asked, “What are you doing? Don’t you know you can’t outrun a grizzly bear?” To which the first guy responded, “I don’t have to outrun him. I just have to run faster than you do!”
With Friends like that – who needs enemies!
This morning I’d like to speak with you about the importance of having faithful friends…
Let’s look at Colossians 4:7-18. Follow along in your text or just listen as I read. After we’ve read the text I’ll have a few quick observations to share with you.
The Faithful Friend
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about oura circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Colossians 4:7-18
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Faithful Friends
…Are the Measure of True Wealth
Paul mentions over 100 people by name in his New Testament letters! In Romans 16 alone, there are 26 people listed. Here, in Colossians 4, he mentions 10 individuals.
It’s very clear that the apostle Paul was not a lone ranger. Paul was as a member of a team and a part of a family – the family of God.
One of the critical characteristics of the followers of Jesus is that there is an incredible connection we have to one another – we are family! We are brothers and sisters. Now, that doesn’t mean we have to go around saying it to one another. Hello, brother Bob. Good morning, sister Susan. Do you say those kind of things to your biological family members? I don’t. If I went to my brother Dave and said, Good morning brother Dave, How are you feeling today, he would look at me like I was a martian.
I don’t have to say that to him because he knows that he’s my brother and he knows that I know he’s my brother. We’re connected by life experience, by DNA, by heritage.
So are we as followers of Jesus. We share a bond that is impossible to fully explain.
Fred Zenz, an elder in the church in St. Joseph, MI – my first church – shared with me some 35 years ago that he was closer to his spiritual brothers and sisters than he was to his biological twin brother who was not a follower of Jesus.
We have something incredibly special in the connection we have a part of the family of God. This is the family room where we come together.
By the way, this should give us incentive to work harder at remembering people’s names – after all they are family.
By the way this connection we share is unique among Christian believers according to George Barna. Athiests according to Barna in a poll done this last month found that Atheists and agnostics, who comprise about one-tenth of the population, were… least likely to look forward to spending time with friends.
Atheists and agnositics are not only men and women who live in faithless world – they live in a lonely world.
…Offer Help when Needed
Paul was a great networker! Without supportive friends and partners throughout the world, the gospel would not have spread as fast as it did. Besides, Paul was in prison and he needed the help!
Take Tychicus as just one example. As Paul’s friend, he had been asked to carry the mail…He was to deliver letters to the Ephesians, to the Colossians, and to Philemon. He was Paul’s personal FedEx man!
He was asked to share the news. He would be able to tell people how Paul was doing. And he asked him to encourage their hearts.
We all need encouragement don’t we? Paul was confident in giving Tychicus these three jobs because he was faithful. I can think of no higher commendation than what Paul said about his character.
He was a “dear brother.” Paul was not afraid to be affectionate in the way he referred to people. Tychicus was loved deeply by Paul.
And he was a “faithful minister.” Paul counted on Tychicus on several occasions. Nothing negative about him is ever stated in Scripture. Did you know that the chief virtue of a believer is faithfulness? 1 Corinthians 4:2: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” God does not ask us be brilliant or beautiful but longs for us to be faithful.
He was also a “fellow servant.” Paul didn’t pull rank on people just because he was an apostle. Sometimes we get this mixed up, don’t we?
You might refer me as a pastor or minister. Some even call me reverend but actually we’re all fellow servants.
One of my main tasks is equipping you for the work of the ministry.
…Stand with You
Most of Paul’s relationships were nurtured in the crucible of ministry partnerships. Some of the best friends you will ever have are those who you meet as you minister together.
Take Aristarchus in verse 10: “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings.”
Aristarchus stayed with Paul no matter what the circumstances were. He risked his life during a riot in Ephesus, sailed with Paul to Rome and suffered through a shipwreck.
And now he’s a fellow P.O.W. with Paul. Commentators are not sure if Aristarchus was an actual prisoner who was charged with a crime, or if he voluntarily shared Paul’s captivity. I tend to think he willingly served time with Paul in order to encourage and help him. According to Roman law, a respectable prisoner was allowed two slaves to serve as his personal attendants. If this is the case, Aristarchus was an unusual man.
This is the kind of faithful friendships we long to be and to enjoy in the family of God.
I have friends all over the world who have stood with me in my life and ministry. Today I count you among those who stand with me in this ministry. We are in this together and that makes us all stronger.
…Pray for You
Epaphras. Take a look at verses 12-13: “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”
We have already met Epaphras in Colossians 1:7. He was the evangelist who first launched the church in Colosse and labored in teaching and shepherding as their first pastor. He is called a “servant of Christ.” This word in Greek is better translated, “slave.” A slave of Christ recognizes that all of one’s possessions, aspirations, and time belong completely to Jesus.
Epaphras was “always wrestling in prayer.” His prayers were constant, frequent, and intense. He’s a great illustration of Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer…”
The verb “wrestling” can be translated, “agonized” and is the same word used for the prayers of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. This battle metaphor pictures prayer as a struggle.
Friends, prayer is hard work. Praying that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. He didn’t pray only when it was convenient or when he had nothing else to do.
Over the years, I’ve had many people who have wrestled in prayer for me… Some here today… they wrestle in prayer for you too! Who could ask for a more faithful friend than one who will wrestle in prayer for you.
…Come in Many Different Kinds
Included among Paul’s friends are a doctor and a runaway slave. He had friends who were Jewish in background and others who didn’t even know who Abraham was. He hung out with guys and had friendships with women.
He was closer to some than others, some were givers and a few were goers, several were old and a handful were new, some were up to the task while others bolted from their beliefs.
Onesimus was the slave. Onesimus was his heart. Read the letter to Philemon and you’ll read the personal letter from Paul to Philemon about Onesimus.
Luke was the doctor. Luke helped to take care of Paul when he received beatings and when he suffered various ailments during his imprisonments. He was well educated and highly trained and was a careful and exact historian.
Yet he chose to use his gifts for the kingdom because everything else was secondary to serving Christ. We know that according to 2 Timothy 4:11, Luke stayed with Paul right up until his death when Paul wrote: “Only Luke is with me.”
Only a faithful friend will stay to the very end.
But there were others like Nympha, a woman who lead a Life Group in her home. Demas who struggled with the temptations of the world. There was Archippus who was faltering in his commitment to the Lord. And there was Mark, who had once let Paul down and now had become a faithful friend.
People – It’s all about People
God did not call us into an organization. We are not formed into a corporation or even a club. We are called to be part of the Family of God... and it is an incredible family.
Family of God Class…
7:00-9:30 PM Friday, Oct 27
9:00-11:30 AM Saturday, Oct 28
We’re called not to outrun each other, but to run together.
We need each other because we can’t make it on our own.
And, we need Jesus or our sins will consume us.
This is the family of God and you are welcome here.
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