A Fond and Friend-Filled Farewell, Part 2

From Chuck Swindoll remarkable after terrible state which we have all made some moment of failure were we abandon our post we didn't keep our word. We proved unfaithful is great God and his grace as a way of picking up the pieces. Blending them back together in our lives.

We seek the forgiveness of those and he puts us back on our feet when we come to the end of Paul's letter to the Colossians were somewhat surprised to find a sequence of emotional statements to his friends.

It's unexpected because Paul's personal comments follow a masterful theological treatise on the majesty of Jesus Christ who is our all in all well today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll present his last message in a brand-new series on Colossians in this final presentation will discover the relevance of Paul's sentimental expressions and what they teach us about the value of friendship, loyalty and grace. So our father.

We paused for a moment with gratitude for those in the circle of our friends summer so near and dear to us their mentors. We hang on their every word they have guided us. They have inspired us. They have exhorted and corrected us, they have been models for us.

Thank you for mentors and their and there are those who share the ups and downs of life with us there there when we hurt and there there when we celebrate they are there for us when we are in need, as we are there for them in their times of struggle thank you for those outside our immediate family who have filled the role that no one else could fiddle. They have enriched our lives were grateful. Today, our father, for Jesus, what a friend. He was our friend when we were lost and we didn't know it, we realize the role he would feel as we came to the end of ourselves and found ourselves at the foot of the cross. Realize this one is the one who died for us how inestimable has been his love for us. Father, we thank you for giving him to us for releasing him from the environs of the third heaven and sending him to this depraved sin cursed earth where he would be misunderstood, misrepresented, mistreated and crucified. What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to you are God in prayer. May these words in the 12 verses that appear at the end of this little letter come off the page and become implanted deep within our hearts as we become acquainted with the man who circle of friends included these fine people maybe realize in the process. The importance of cultivating the same in our lives.

It is our joy to serve you as a body of people. We are family were not a bag of marbles bounced together and don't touch each other's lives, except to make noise were container of grapes we bleed into each other. We blend together. We rejoice when others rejoice and we we when those among us. We may the light that we send burn brightly may attract those who live their lives in darkness and despair. May our lives as we touch affairs become for them a point of hope, a reason to go on a discovery of the greatest individual who ever lived. This what we give our gifts today. Lord, that this message might make continue be every penny that is given be handled with integrity and spent with wisdom in the name of Jesus praying. Everyone said by going to Insight world.org/studies and now the message from Chuck called a fond and friend field farewell letter of Colossians is written of the majesty of Christ, and he is our all in all and the significance of our Savior, and the importance of his presence as we work our way through life and been a guest of the end and he gets very personal, almost nostalgic as he names 10 individuals men and women in these 12 verses first there are the two friends who carry this letter to the church at Colossae there mentioned in verses 789 they took the document they made sure it was safe they put it in the pouch.

They carried it with them literally from Rome over to the little we would call little to the town of Colossae.

When you verse 10. The category changes to those six who remained with Paul in Rome there there to comfort and to be his companion. Because remember, he's trained to a Roman soldier he's under house arrest and he is literally bound to a soldier who had the duty to guard this prisoner while he is awaiting trial. The last two number five and our campus were to live in Colossae whom the apostle and others with him. Great they will be the recipients of the letter that is sent to them and carried to them `us Nessus the letter that Paul is written name. Colossians at the end of it all is very touching moment very intimate moment for Paul personally takes the stylus in hand and go manacled signs his name with his own signature.

If we were able to have a copy of the original Greek document on which Paul wrote this letter coordinate common Greek we would see that the penmanship changes at verse what we call verse 18 the end of the letter. It is Paul's own hand that he writes his own penmanship and then adds a couple of thoughts that are so meaningful for him and the people in Colossae now with that as a background. Let's meet these 10 people. First, the two who carried the letter to Chris will give you a full report about how I'm getting along so who is to kick us. You will see three things about him. As you read on. First, he is a beloved brother. So he's a much loved and admired friend in the faith. Second, he is faithful see the word. He is a beloved brother and faithful so he is consistent and loyal and trustworthy and reliable in his ministry. That's why he would be trustworthy to take good letter from Paul in Rome and get it all the way into Asia, where Colossae is located in the third. We notice in the same verse he is a helper who serves with me in the Lord's work is he is a fellow servant literally a fellow do lost sleep. We are both slaves of Christ, he is a fellow slave.

I looked up the name to keep us have found that he's mentioned in acts 20 verse four we know from that he is a native of Asia I found in Ephesians 6 verses 21 and 22 that he is a bearer of that letter, Paul wrote that letter and had it sent to Ephesus and to kick us carried the letter of the Ephesians to the church so he is a man so trustworthy he is able to do that on more than one occasion. It's verified in the words of second Timothy 412 where he says I sent to Kinko's to you. He says in Titus 312, when I send Artemis or to Kinko's and that he gives the message to them.

The reason I know the verses is I checked them all in the concordance.

I'm not bright enough to remember them. So I need a book that will help me so I need a concordance. Another study book you need in your own research is a lexicon lexicon will give you the meaning of words often when I give you the meaning of the word.

I found it in one of several lexicons that are in my library, so when you deduce serious work in the Bible becomes more than just a coffee table book but it's more than a paperweight in your home when you begin to live in the pages of this book you will realize the value of the concordance in the lexicon.

The words will make sense. They will come alive, and the names will become familiar to you. As a result of your work.

I think of to kick us as sort of the FedEx representative of Paul is one of my wild imaginations are so they were not offensive. The UPS representative.

They were the brow that were able to carry the message to Kinko's and the other on estimates. What says in verse nine. I am sending an SMS up faithful and beloved brother one of your own people.

He and Jessica so there traveling together when you read your Bible think, imagine it. It tells you the truth, these two men traveled together to take this letter to Colossae. He and to Kinko's will tell you everything that's happening here.

So Paul was an open book.

When you have friends that are as close as to Kinko's and this man own SMS you have nothing to hide and they knew how things were going there and when they arrived they had more than a document they had news they could share verbally as they explained the people in Colossae how things were.

Today we pick up the phone today. We got an email. Those days there was none of that. So, as if information was going to be shared. It was written or it was said, and was repeated or read. So these men will be the ones who carry that case you haven't remembered own estimates was once a runaway slave when you read the little one chapter O Philemon, who was the slave owner.

You will read the name on estimates who did our scandalous thing.

He escaped from his master and he fled the streets going all the way all the way across the Aegean across the Adriatic all the way to Italy, and of all things by God's providence. God brought him an SMS to Paul Paul Lees of the Christ, and he's now converted he was once a worthless runaway slave. But now he is invaluable he is in fact one of Paul's trusted messages a little touch of application. If I made everyone of us has something so ugly about us that we hope no one else knows heads looking around other heads right now. Yes me to we all have done things that were chained up.

Many of them were done before we knew Christ and as a result there under the blood there forgiven. There's no reason to make mention of them would scandalize others if we camped on those things that once made our lives a scandal is gracious of Paul. Not to mention that on estimates was once a runaway. He saves all that he simply says my friend is a faithful and beloved brother is one of your own people, people of Colossae doing what an endorsement. Here is a man who had known days of darkness and despair and disobedience, who was now on the list of Paul's friend had greater Paul to include Onassis Paul relied on to kick us in on estimates to carry the message okay that's two the next six Aristarchus is mentioned down in verse 10. What is says about Aristarchus read it in your own Bible. He is in prison with me.

He's actually under arrest. As I am.

The Greek says he is a fellow captive with me.

We learn more about Aristarchus from other sections of Scripture which I found in my concordance acts chapter 19 verse 29 identifies him as one alongside JS who is dragged out into an amphitheater in the mob sitting in Ephesus. If you travel today to ancient Ephesus. You will walk into that theater, you're able to actually see the place where Paul was and where Aristarchus and Gaius were dragged out in the mob.

Their lives were were preserved, but they had known of suffering and persecution they were Paul's traveling companions in acts 27 to you will trace Aristarchus as he travels from Caesarea by the sea all the way to Italy all the way to Rome. He was one of his traveling companions.

So there's a closeness to Paul, probably so close is the reason he became arrested. We have a saying today and we still use it and they had a saying in ancient days, the friend of my enemy is my enemy.

That's the way the Romans looked at it, the friend of Paul who was under arrest ought to be under arrest.

In those days if you visited someone who was captured, you often put your own life at stake at risk because you were now seem to be a friend of the one who was under arrest in another country, perhaps for that reason we don't know. He simply says he is in prison with me but he sends his greetings is an interesting there's no bitterness mention there's no pity there is greeting.

He says is greeting and watermarking them.

Hope you're underlining the names to kick us. Verse seven on estimates verse nine Aristarchus verse 10 Mark now we meet in verse 10, Mark Mark Barnabas's cousin we learn here and nowhere else in the Scriptures are we told that so we learn that they are related, which explains stay with me when Paul and Barnabas did their first missionary journey they took along with them. A young man named John.

John Mark this Mark is shown he's a tenderfoot debated the first part of the journey, but when they got to the shores of Pamphylia and the rugged rocks that were there in no doubt that the infestation of mosquitoes. Some of them carry malaria. Perhaps it was there.

Paul contracted terrible disease. He became discouraged. He panicked and had no doubt in the middle of the night fled.

He abandoned them. This is John Mark. This is the man mention here among Paul's friends gets better when you get to ask 13 you read of his abandonment when you get later to ask 15 you read of the argument that broke out between Paul and Barnabas as they were discussing whether they should take John Mark with him on the second journey and Paul said no.

I'm sure he quoted a verse like confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint. That's a problem you know you called versus would you want to verify your reason for holding that opinion after Barnabas had a verse about the forgiveness of God. Don't forget on the water literature to the apostles that you had no reputation, reputation you had was scandalous and I was there for you. We need to be there for John Paul said no Barnabas that yes Paul said no. Barnabas said yes and it was so severe, so severe an argument that Barnabas took John Mark and they set sail for Barnabas's homeland in Cyprus.

He was a Cypriot by birth. Barnabas and his cousin John Mark seal together and Paul chose Silas to travel with him on that journey years of past years of past through the years. John Mark has begun to mature. He's become reliable. He seemed the failure of this early decision, when he abandoned these wonderful friends and he is probably come full circle and maybe even make it right with Paul, so much so that Mark Barnabas's cousin. He says welcome him.

If he comes your way is great.

Here's a man who had been abandoned by Mark now saying I speak in his behalf.

By the way, next time you read the gospel by Mark remember John Mark is the one who wrote it is remarkable how in the process of time after a terrible mistake which we have all made some moment of failure are we abandoned our post or we didn't keep our word reproved unfaithful.

Isn't it great that God and his grace has a way of picking up the pieces. Blending them back together in our lives. We seek the forgiveness of those we hurt and he puts us back on our feet so it was with Mark never got to a man who has a name. Nobody wanted verse 11 Jesus do your son a favor and don't name him that I'm not surprised that he's the one we call justice well out of one of these silly about it.

There's a reason for the change. Jesus was his Jewish name justice is his last name not uncommon in those days but they called injustice. For obvious reasons. He sends his greeting.

What about it. We know nothing more. You will not read of justice anywhere else in all the Bible but to Paul. He's a friend. I could at this moment. Name two or three people who are dear friends of mine and have been for several years who not one of you would know they are my justice and you have a friend like that as well.

You will becoming a friend to another as well. Not all friends make and make a name for themselves. So the application here is it's okay to be sheltering tree that doesn't have a name known by others. This in the branch that reached out over Paul's life, name, justice was a branch that brought him comfort and companionship. By the way. Hebrews 11 comes to the end of a long list time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Bracken's answer to Jeff and David also examine the profits who through faith subdued kingdoms and wrought righteousness and stopped the mouths of lions and puts the violence of fire. It says in Hebrews 11 then he says at the end of that there were others of whom the world was not worthy. It's always been one of my favorite lines out of Hebrews 11. Here are some I won't even name, but their lives were so significant to the cause of Christ.

The world wasn't worthy of seeing their shadow. You may be living your life not known by that many people not doing something that seems all that significant.

If your name will put up in a public place people would drive right by not knowing what that represented a want you to know you're in the company of justice and Nampa, you're where there's nothing else known, but God knows and you have played a role is the branch that's brought shelter to the lives of another or or the lives of others know what he says about justice. These are my coworkers there working with me here, for the kingdom. What a comfort.

They have been.

But I miss something important. Look earlier in the verse verse 11 justice since his readings, these are the only Jewish believers among Michael I know about you but that surprise me to read that by now because Paul has ministered to the Gentiles number of the Jewish companions had moved elsewhere been involved in their ministry. He's really surrounded by Gentile, but there were still a few Jewish who were standing beside justice is one Chuck Swindoll is working his way through Paul's list of friends and the warm greetings. He sent from his prison cell and there's much more to discover in this fourth chapter of Colossians.

You are listening to Insight for living, Chuck titled today's message of fund and friend filled farewell. It's the 10th and final sermon in the brand-new teaching series that concludes tomorrow called Jesus Christ are all in all. To learn more about this ministry. Visit us online@insideworld.org as we wrap up the study and Colossians all point to the two collateral resources inside for living has developed an interactive study tool that Chuck calls searching the Scriptures, and there's a sequence of study notes prepared for every sermon Chuck presented in this brand-new series, including the one you heard today. It's interactive because you can jot down your personal notes online or print out the PDF for safekeeping. We invite you to point your friends to this free resources well take a look and discover what's available to you by going to Insight.org/studies if it's a book you're looking for. I'm pleased to remind you that Chuck wrote a living insights commentary on Colossians. It's laid out in a format that's clear and easy to understand. This is one of the last times all mentioned this resource because Chuck's teaching series will conclude tomorrow to purchase a copy of the commentary on Colossians go to Insight.org/or call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8880 we rely on your support to make these daily Bible studies with Chuck possible that if it's been a while since you responded or you've never stepped forward with the contribution we invite you to give a donation today.

Just give us a call if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8880 give a donation online@insight.org/right here on insight for living in the preceding message of fun and friend filled farewell was copyrighted in 2014 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited