Stuff That Matters
First B Jackson
2017-04-23

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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Good morning and welcome. Are you glad to be here this morning? Yes. Alright, I am too. Would y'all stand up with me and we're going to sing as Scott would call some old classics.

Scott is on the road this weekend, I think, but redeemed hymn number three fifty six. Would you stand with me and sing? We'll try to sing some of those folks in the vestibule in here with us.

Redeemed how I love to proclaim it redeemed by the blood of the lamb redeemed through his infinite mercy his talent forever redeemed redeemed

Amen. How about Amazing Grace? It's been a while since we sang Amazing Grace. Oh, y'all singing while it's gone and while Judy was gone, so we're going to leave. Thank you for doing this, Judy.

Appreciate it. Amen. Y'all can have a seat. Got a few announcements this morning. During the construction phase of the kitchen remodel, we are still going to have the connect hour.

So, if y'all want to come early and get to meet with some of the folks from the first service and just connect with them, that's still a good time. It's down at the end of the hall. You'll notice a big plywood room. We have put up the plywood room and and reinforced the wall. I guess we added some dust cover so that it wouldn't be all dusty during construction.

So there's coffee and refreshments and stuff down at that end of hall between services. This morning, this morning, one of those hiccups about construction is that that the breakers were off to the kitchen and to the coffee pot. So, I promise you, we'll figure all of that sort of stuff out as we go. There will be coffee in between services down there. Volunteers are needed for vacation Bible school and also for the nursery But volunteers, who would who would...

No, I'm just... I'm not gonna point you out right now. But we do need volunteers for both Vacation Bible School and the nursery. VBS this year is gonna be an abbreviated format. It'll be like a weekend format in the evenings.

And Christa Clemmer has been in charge of children's ministry here for quite some time, and she is transitioning out of that. And Liz Owings is transitioning in. So, the two of em are working on Vacation Bible School. So, you can speak to either Christa or Liz, either one of em and what is this? Oh.

Monday nights at first B. That was actually written on the beach in Hawaii. Is that right? In the sand on the beach in Hawaii. We're doing Monday nights here still during the construction phase.

We're still meeting. We're still eating down there on Monday nights, meal music, and a message. Carl is going to talk. It's going to be a message from the book of Luke about the sovereignty of God and our responsibility is the way I understood it this morning. So, from Luke, at the same time, Awana is meeting in this room right here and the volunteers that we have for Awana are going to be pouring scripture into the minds and hearts of our young people and that's a great one because kids matter to God and for all of the other announcements, they are in your bulletin.

If you didn't pick one up on your way in, you can pick one up on your way out and it'll have the calendar of events and all that you need to know about. Anybody have anything else that they're that they need to announce? I feel like we we're it's an intimate gathering here this morning. Not as many people here this week as they were last week. Anybody have an announcement?

No. Alright. Well, why don't you stand up and greet one another and try not to make the introverts too uncomfortable. Just get together and we'll bring you back together with a song.

I hear the savior say thy strength indeed is small child of weakness watch and pray find in me thine all in all Jesus paid it all to him I We

have one more song this morning. When I look into your holiness, if you know it, sing loud. This is the one that I'm less familiar with than the rest of them. I've been singing it since I've been here. I should know.

Y'all can have a seat. I'm going to invite the frontline team to come forward and would you pray with me as I pray that God's blessing on this offering. Lord God, I think of the beauty lord all around us and the budding of spring that has happened everywhere else in the country is starting to happen here. God, I think of how you renew us and whereas we have that wintertime analogy of our sins, though they'd be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. And then I think of the new life, that resurrection, that Easter message.

I think of all this, Lord, and I'm amazed by you. And Lord, we sing these songs and we look to you because you're our provider and lord, you've provided an abundance and we just want to give back. I think of the song that we sing freely, freely, we have received freely, freely give. God, would you allow us a freedom to give? Would you allow us a freedom to be able to do that so that others may know you?

And God, would you keep us in the center of your will? Would you extend your kingdom through the proclamation of the mystery of the gospel. In Jesus name, lord, would you use these tithes and offerings as a part of your ongoing effort to save the world to the ends of the earth. In Jesus name, amen. Thank you, Jimmy.

Good to have you back. So, we in our study of Colossians, we made it up through the first verse of chapter four and I told you that I feel like the first verse of chapter four goes with the rest of chapter three. It's about masters and servants and so it makes more sense to me to fit that in that other paragraph. So, we made it up to the beginning of the second verse of chapter four of Colossians before my almost sabbatical. I was out for three Sundays in a row.

That that doesn't happen very it's never happened as long as I've been here. Don't think we've had three Sundays in a row where I was not here. So, when I had prepared for Florine to preach and for Matt to preach and miss those two and you all know that I missed the other because my friend Chad passed away and I shared that with you last week. Nothing like missing three weeks and then coming back and it's Easter. Complete full house in both services and I was nervous.

I was really nervous last week because I was a little out of practice and I knew it was not the conventional Easter message but thank thank God he got us all through it and I felt I feel like I gave the message that I had to give, you know? And praise God, he's affirming that in our weakness. He is strong. Well, Colossians four two through 18, it should stay, not 13. We're going to just finish out the book of Colossians this week.

This Colossians is one of the prison epistles. It was written while Paul was in prison under house arrest in Rome and I'm calling this one stuff that matters. Now, one of my professors in seminary said, don't ever use things. I have three things to tell you and don't ever use the word stuff. Whatever.

Stuff that matters. This is stuff that matters and it's a series of things or stuff that matters. Actually, Jim Watt, y'all know Jim Watt. He comes here when he's in town and Jim wrote a book and it's called Stuff That Matters. It was what he wanted for his grandkids to know.

So, stuff that matters from Paul is the first six verses I'd say or two through six is stuff that matters and then, he goes into some personal concluding remarks. So, we're going to go through that today. Colossians four two through four starts off like this. Continue steadfastly in prayer. Being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

So, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Plotting onward but praying always. When we see in a couple of different letters that Paul has written, he says to pray without ceasing. And though you might not be a multitasker, I am not a multitasker. I am either talking on the phone or I'm doing something in the kitchen.

I cannot do something in the kitchen and talk on the phone. If I'm talking to somebody on the phone, I can't pay attention to what you're doing. I'm not a multitasker but I can pray without ceasing and I mentioned this morning, I have a friend who said the best praying that he ever did was when he was trying to get out of the bottom of a well. He'd fallen into a well and he was trying struggling for all he's worth but he was praying at the same time he was trying to get out and he got out to tell the story. So, continue steadfastly in prayer being watchful in it with Thanksgiving Isn't it encouraging to be around somebody who is thankful in the midst of circumstances they see the good.

I didn't mention this one this morning, first, but Amy, my friend's wife, now widow, was able before we even came home from that, she said, we had been praying about how this was going to resolve. We've been praying about this, how this was going to resolve and she was already beginning to see ways that God had answered problems in her husband's death. She was continuing steadfastly in prayer. There's no doubt about that and she was being watchful in it for the things that were able to happen. I'm thankful that I was able to be there.

That was huge for me. So that's just the first verse we're going through today. Stuff that matters. Steadfast prayer matters. How are you going to know what it is that God has for you to do if you're not asking it?

How are you going to have true communication with God if that conversation is not flowing and going? Steadfast, continuous, continual prayer matters. Third verse, at the same time, multitaskers, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word. Praise God. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word.

Open doors matter. You get a lot further if you step through open doors than if you just spend all your time banging on a closed door, right? Paul would start in the synagogues and he would try to present the truth to people who should know and eventually, that door would be closed to him. Sometimes he's completely thrown out or lashed or beaten or whatever, and then he would go to the Gentiles where the door was open and the gospel would go forward. So open doors matter.

Step through open doors. When you have an opportunity, we're praying for opportunity all the time to be able to speak a word. That's what he's saying, that God would open to us a door for the word. To to what? To declare the mystery of Christ.

Now declaring sounds like I want to declare facts. I want to declare something. Put my foot down on this. I want to declare, but it's interesting to me, Paul says, to declare the mystery of Christ. Why is it that God loves us?

Why is it that he made any effort at all to save us as opposed as we were to him? That's a mystery. God is good. You can answer it simply quoting that scripture, but to declare the mystery of Christ. Though I once was lost, I now am found.

Can you tell your story about how you met Jesus? Can you? You can declare the mystery of Christ if you were one way and now you are a different way, that's the mystery of Christ. You can share that. Whether you know all of the biblical backing for it or not, maybe a different thing.

But you can certainly say, I once was lost, but now I'm found. You remember the blind guy that Jesus that Jesus had healed and the Pharisees sought him out. He was like, he healed you on Sunday. We're gonna, you know, and then he says, what do you know about this man? He goes, I don't know anything about this man.

I know I once was blind but now I see. That was his story. He declared the mystery of Christ. To declare the mystery of Christ on account of which I'm in prison that I may make it clear, making clear a mystery, that you may make it clear to declare it. I'm not sure why it is, but I know that it is.

And I know that God has moved in my life. There's something that I've heard quite a bit and I've... I think it's true. I think it's good is there's no theological argument against a transformed life. If your life has been changed by your relationship with Christ, you can say that and no theological argument will stand against you.

So that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak, what you say matters. And it is obvious that he's saying declare the mystery and speak that I may make it clear. All of that is verbal. The gospel goes forth verbally. I was talking to Bob a few weeks ago and he said, somebody told him that they thought not in words but in pictures.

I think in words. I think in words and so, it is verbal clarity is really nice. Articulating the mystery of Christ, saying it out loud matters. What you say matters. So continue steadfastly in prayer because it matters.

Open doors matter. We can expend a whole lot of energy banging on a closed door. There's something to be said for persistence, but maybe you're not the one to reach that person, you know? Continue steadfastly in prayer that the right person would have an open door. To declare the mystery of Christ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

I think it's interesting that a guy in prison says that God may open to us a door. And he mentions again, on account of which I'm in prison because he's in the gospel, but he's not saying open the literal door so I can go and get after it. He's saying open a door for the word. And Paul understood that it didn't have to be through him. It could be through a whole list of other people he's gonna give us in a few minutes.

That's humility. If it were not for Paul being in prison, we wouldn't have Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians, maybe a couple more. So that's a wealth of information that Paul running on his missionary journeys might not have had the time to write. But declaring it, speaking it, and making it clear is something... I try my best.

I know that I I throw out Greek words and I do grammar studies. Somebody calls it grammar lessons instead of instead of church on Sunday mornings. But making it clear, I think, is important. It does matter what we say. How many of y'all ever listened to Martin Luther King's sermons?

I I know most of us have listened to the address that he gave on the mall in Washington, the I Have a Dream speech, but his sermons are available. They're available online. They were available in record format. The ones at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, a lot of those were recorded and they're online and you can listen to them. And I do.

I I like to listen to his sermons. And there is a guy that is there and he is kind of like the hype man. I don't know how many of y'all really enjoy gangster rap or hip hop, but in most rap groups or hip hop groups, there is one guy whose job is to just hype things up for the other guys. And they say things like, yeah, boy, that sort of thing. Okay?

You got it? Flavor Flav. You know what I'm talking about? That that thing. Yeah.

So here you go. There you go. Perfect. So BB King even has a guy. BB King, you know, most people would call him the king of the blues.

I've I've been to see BB King in concert a few times. And as I was there, there's one guy that does not play an instrument. He wears a hat. He wears sunglasses. He sits down and all that he did the whole show was say, BB King, worldwide, king of the blues.

He said it over and over and over again but that was apparently his job. He didn't play an instrument. He wasn't playing the harmonica. He just said, BB King, worldwide, king of the blues. He might have loaded stuff in and out of the truck.

I don't know. Martin Luther King had a guy in his congregation at Ebenezer. You don't hear him so much when he's out and about speaking somewhere else. But you do hear him if it's at church and this guy's favorite phrase was make it plain. That's what he would say.

Now, you get the normal, yes, amen. Uh-huh. I agree. You know, yes, lord. Help him.

Preach. You get those sort of things but I'm going to demonstrate, I hope. Now, the presence of this is from a sermon called the drum major instinct. Martin Luther King borrowed the title and the outline from someone else and he gave him credit for it but the drum major instinct and he said, James and John, when they came to Jesus and said, do us a favor, Jesus. Let one of us sit on your right, one on your left.

He said, they were following after what all of us have, the drum major instinct. We want to lead. We want to have authority. And Jesus, rather than blasting them or saying, you know, no, that's proud. You shouldn't have said that.

He said, okay, if you're going to be in a prominent position, you're going to have to be a servant. You're going to have to serve the least of these. Basically, it was his response. So going into this sermon, Martin Luther King is going through four or five paragraphs and he says, now presence of this instinct, the drum major instinct, explains why we're so often taken in by advertisers. You know those gentlemen of massive verbal persuasion and they have a way of saying things that gets you to the point of buying.

In order to be a man of distinction, you must drink this type of whiskey. In order to make your neighbors envious, you must drive this type of car. Right. Right. There you go.

That's the guy right there. Okay? He carries on and he says, well, I've seen some people riding around in Cadillacs or Chryslers who don't even earn enough to have a good T model Ford. Yep. There you go.

Make it plain. This is this is very common. The call and response type thing is very common in black churches in the Southeast. It's not very common and I'm not calling for it. I'm not asking y'all to do it here.

The first service, I do, I went through about three paragraphs and nobody said anything. Make it plain is the point and usually, it was while he was given an analogy that just hits the nail on the head. You know, to be able to give a word fitly spoken and make the mystery of Christ real to people right now in this time. So, make it plain. Make it plain.

That's what we are to be doing with the way we live our lives. For me, every Sunday, this is my job. You know, get up here and just make it plain. Try to bring it down. So, that's what I'm trying to do.

What you say matters and so does how you say it. So, here we go forward. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders. You can speak the truth and have every word you say be theologically correct and absolutely true and still run people off. If you're not walking in wisdom toward outsiders.

Spiritual outsiders is the main group that this is talking about. Actually, I'm going to show you a bunch of translations so that we just go through. These are English translations of this Greek text. Be wise in the way that you act toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity.

Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time, paying the price that it takes for that time with that person who's an outsider. Walk in wisdom toward those outside, redeeming the time. Conduct yourself with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Walk in wisdom toward the those that are without, the King James says.

Redeeming the time. The new Southern Baptist Holman Christian Standard Bible says, act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Behave wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of your time. Conduct yourself with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. And then God's word translation says, be wise in the way that you act toward those who are outside of the Christian faith.

Make the most of your opportunities. So this right here, being where we are, y'all know I'm from the Southeast and I'm here right now in Wyoming. And if you look at this area all around us, we've got tons of transplants here and I know that. But this area has more of a Mormon presence than almost anywhere else in The US. The I-fifteen Corridor all the way from Las Vegas or from Las Vegas all the way up to Canada is the most Mormon place in The US.

Now walk in wisdom toward outsiders. Do y'all remember the commercials that started coming out in the seventies that were like, I'll give an example of one. There's a guy riding, a little child riding along on a bicycle, fall off, scrapes their knee, and then some kind person stops, picks them up, puts them back on the bicycle, kind of dust them off, and just does this great act of kindness, generosity, care, and then right at the end it says, brought to you by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Before that, there was not a whole lot of traction for Latter day, the LDS or the Mormon movement. But after that, they saw a great increase in the number of people like, Maybe I should take them more seriously.

I disagree with Mormon theology. I disagree with the addition of additional books. I don't believe in the doctrine and covenants or the pearl of great price or the book of Mormon but that commercial didn't mention any of those things. That commercial said, be nice to people. Like we are.

It's effective. It's very very effective. This is a pragmatic point or could be taken that way. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders. Just because your theology is pure and good and your practice is devout, you can still run people away and you may not be making the best use of the time trying to convince them of your point L, M, N, O, or P when they don't even have A, B, and C.

Alright. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious Speak and give unmerited favor The favor of believing that you're speaking to someone who's an intelligent human being that can understand the words that you're saying. Don't speak down to people Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt. Salt has a preserving influence.

We've heard that over and over. Yes, by all means, speak the truth, but do so in love, care about the people. Outsiders matter. They matter to God and if if you don't believe that, I can't even help you. You know what I'm saying?

Outsiders matter. It's not just about me, my four, and no more. It's not just the folks who are here every Sunday. I know that when I preach most Sundays, I'm speaking mostly to insiders. I know because y'all show up.

Y'all are junkies for Jesus. You come in to get your fix on Sunday mornings. I know that. But outsiders still matter. And last week, I would not have preached this sermon.

I'm attempting to walk in wisdom toward outsiders. I knew on Easter that it would be a bunch of people. There'd be a bunch of people here. Both services would be full and they were. Both the doors were open last week.

People standing up against the back wall and a lot of those folks were here because they love their mama and their mama asked them to go to church on Easter and what else you going to do, right? That didn't mean that they were believers. So, I want to present to people A, B, and C, not LMNOP. Outsiders matter. And if you don't believe that, let's go to other places in the New Testament.

We haven't reached Titus in our study of the New Testament yet but here it says, for we ourselves, think about this people, every single one of us, for we ourselves were once foolish and disobedient and led astray and slaves to various passions and pleasures passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others, and hating one another. That's the way we were. Ephesians two twelve, like I said, Colossians and Ephesians are twin books. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants and promise. Having no hope and without God in the world and if you think it's only a New Testament thing, Old Testament talks about how we treat outsiders too.

Exodus twenty two twenty one says, you shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, someone who's passing through for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. For four hundred years, you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You were the outsiders. Had someone not cared enough to share with you the gospel, you would still be an outsider. So let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt, something that they want more of, not less of.

So that. I love a so that. Y'all know how much I love a so that. So that you may know how you ought to answer and it doesn't stop there. It says, each person.

There are some people that you can talk to and you can just give them the truth straight up, no chaser, and they will go for it and then there are others that you can't speak to like that because it will run em off. Paul is praying and he's asking people to know the individuals that they're dealing with. Out of love and concern for them, know how you ought to answer each one. If you have a one size fits all presentation, you're probably gonna have a very slim effectiveness. The gospel does fit every person.

How it's presented makes a difference in how or whether someone will accept it. So that you may know how you ought to answer each person, and I will go back to say this. I don't often mention Mormonism to decry or to make fun of it. And I won't start. I don't agree with the theology.

I don't agree with the additional books. I've already said that. But I do love those people. I do love them because God loves them. And I do want to have an audience with them.

From very, very early on in the LDS church, people are taught to shun or to get rid of or to put away someone who has a spirit of contempt. So if you make fun of a person who practices Mormonism, you will not have the opportunity to do that again because they will cut you off and you'll have no way of making any ground with them if they're listening to the teaching of the church. So there are in our midst right now, folks who have come out of Mormonism. Praise God. They are here and they're humble, obedient servants of God living here but you know what?

They're kind to people who are still in the church and when you make fun of people, you're making fun of their mama or their daddy or their cousins or their friends. And I don't want any of us to ever do that ever. So the way that we live our life, the words that we use, I pray will be attractive and bring people in and not push them away. Because people matter. It's not just outsiders, it's all people and I say that because Paul starts right here with his concluding personal remarks and these personal remarks are all individual people.

He has something kind and good to say about each one of em and their effectiveness for ministry but it's personal. People matter to God. Tichicus will tell all tell you all about my activities. He's a beloved brother and a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your heart.

Praise God. That's a nice use. If you read about Tichicus, he's usually delivering a letter for Paul or he is doing some kind of administrative task, something that needs somebody who can explain the letter, somebody who can carry it, somebody who understands Paul's heart and understands the people and can take that to him. So this is Tychicus. If you look him up, you'll find Saint Tychicus.

He is a saint in the Catholic church. He's a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church. This is a Greek Orthodox representation of him. He always is carrying a letter or a book. That's his icon and that's because that's what he was doing.

In the New Testament, when we see him, he's carrying a a message to someone. That's what Paul says about him. So, I'm going to update this. Carl. Carl will tell you about my activities when I was gone to Georgia and when I was gone to San Diego.

I did not communicate with the whole church, but I did communicate with Carl. He's a faithful minister, a beloved brother, and a fellow servant in the Lord. And when I was trying to communicate to all of y'all, I communicated it through him. That's what Paul was doing. I left him behind or sent him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts.

Amen. So, there's Carl. Alright. And with him, Onesimus. Onesimus, y'all remember Onesimus, right?

Because Philemon and Colossians, these two books, Philemon was written to one individual, Philemon and Onesimus was Philemon's slave, probably a runaway slave who had run away and he had come to Paul in Rome and Paul was sending Tichicus and Onesimus back with two letters. One was to Philemon, an individual, one was to the church at Colossae and this verse nine says, and with him, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, they will tell you of everything that has taken place here. So that's Onesimus. He is a saint in the Catholic Church, in the Greek Orthodox Church, and he is pictured here in the typical Greek Orthodox way. He's carrying a letter in his hand.

You see that too? That's his icon. Faithful and beloved brother, one of you, he and Tychicus will tell you of all the news here. Now, Onesimus, remember, was a slave. He was an unpaid worker for Philemon.

This is Francis Solomon, Ferry, as we affectionately call him. Ferry moved all of the chairs in the sanctuary. He put them in the current configuration. When it's time for Awana, the one who will have moved them is fairy. He does it every week.

For a while, we tried paying him. He would not accept it. He works for nothing out of his reasonable service to the Lord and when I told him I was going to use this picture and I was going to say this, he said, Do not glorify me. That's exactly what he said. I am a sinner saved by grace.

I only do that which he puts in front of me. Praise God that we all would have that attitude. So that's Francis. He's faithful and you're a beloved brother. Brother.

He's one of you, no different than any one of you. He is Romanian and incredibly industrious. But he and Carl will tell you of all the news here if you ask him. Alright? Aristarchus.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you. Now, Aristarchus is in jail. I don't know of any of our members that are currently in jail. I did not put anybody's picture up. This is not the blotter, the police blotter.

He is Paul's fellow prisoner. He was a believer. He's a Greek background guy from his name and he said that's that is saint Aristarchus. He's mentioned favorably in a couple of places and so Paul mentions him he's a saint. Catholic church, saint, Greek Orthodox church.

Next one. And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. Now they may have known him as Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. That's not usually the way that we think of him, I don't think. But concerning whom you have received instructions.

If he comes to you, welcome him. So Paul has already been in communication with him about Mark and he says, if he shows up, welcome him. You remember when Paul and Barnabas split on their missionary journey, the second missionary journey, there's a split between Paul and Barnabas. Oh my goodness. Big deal.

What was it over? It was over Mark, John Mark. It was over Mark because Paul saw him as having abandoned them on the first missionary journey and so he said, I don't want him to take him with us. Barnabas said, I do. I'll stick with him.

We just have to part ways. So they parted over John Mark, this guy, Barnabas' cousin. But Paul, now quite a few years and a lot of miles later says, concerning Mark, when you see him, just like you received the instructions, welcome him. Don't shun him. Don't act like Paul's mad with you.

Paul said that you are a deserter. Don't be ugly to him. Welcome him. Bring him in because people matter to God. Outsiders are insiders.

Mark, what we usually think of him is not as the cousin of Barnabas. We think of him as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He's the second one. Mark, the earliest gospel writer. Mark, that guy.

Praise God. Now, a quick digression right here. I mentioned that outsiders matter and I wanted to share something because of the whole Matthew, Mark, Luke, John made me think about this. Do y'all know who Rodney Gypsy Smith? Rodney Smith was one of the early Salvation Army guys.

He's pictured here without his Salvation Army uniform on but Rodney Gipsy Smith said this, there are five gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian. Most people will never read the first four, but people are always reading you and how you transmit the gospel and how you act and what you say. Gypsy Smith, Salvation Army obviously worked with ministry to those who could not care for themselves for the most part. Acting it out, the Christian. So walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. And think of that individually because it does matter. Back to the text 11 and Jesus who is called justice. Now, who's called justice is only mentioned here. I don't have a picture for him.

He is still considered to be a saint. I I know that we're saints. I know if you're a believer in Jesus, you're a saint. Don't get me wrong. But the way that the church works, they have that kind of saint.

They promote people to saints. I just want you to know the people that I'm mentioning are recognized as saints because I've got something coming later that I think is interesting. Jesus who is called justice, still considered a saint, couldn't find a picture of him, one of his icons. He's one of those lesser known gods. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

So Jewish background guys, he's got Aristarchus, Mark, and Justice, Jesus who's called Justice. And then the Gentile background guys, he's mentioned a few and he's gonna mention a few more. Tychicus, Onesimus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, Nympha, and Archippus. Now, Epaphras is the one who had planted or founded this church. Epaphras, who is one of you, Colossians, He's a servant of Christ Jesus and he greets you always struggling on your behalf and his prayers.

So, he's paying attention to the things that matter. Continuing steadfastly in prayer. Always struggling on your behalf and his prayers and that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. He presented the mystery. He declared it to them and they accepted it and that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God for I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

If you had to think about it geographically, so alongside a river, Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis are these three cities. It is a lot like Jackson, Wilson, and Moose. They're about the same distance apart. They're in about the same configuration. There's a river near them.

So he's saying, I bear him witness that he doesn't just work hard here. He's working here. He's working there. He's working all over. Epaphras, this is he's considered a saint most both of those churches.

This is what Paul says about him and I didn't have time to put in a picture but when I think of this, I could put several of your pictures in there, and I know that. But I think of a guy, I think of Mike Demetrius. Do y'all know Mike? Mike Demetrius is a younger guy, comes to the first service. He is very actively involved here.

On Sunday mornings while the band is playing, often Mike is walking around in the chairs out there empty as they are praying for whoever will be sitting in this service that God would speak and he does that on a regular basis. When Renzi does his youth breakfast on Friday morning, the feeding frenzy with Renzi at 07:30 on Friday mornings, Mike Demetrius gets here ahead of time and helps him finish off breakfast. He helps him clean up after it's over, and he tries his best to pray for the youth. Actually, Mike got married Friday was a week ago. I got to marry Mike and JJ and they are great together and the way that they met, this is cool.

I didn't know this until the vows but the way that they met and really got involved is Mike asked how he could pray for her to start off with. So, he led off with that. Good move, Mike. That y'all would stand mature and fully assured in the will of God. He also works hard for you and your neighboring towns.

His job or one of em, he's got three jobs. He works with the fire department and he works some with real estate but his main gig for the last few years has been at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort between Hierapolis and Laodicea, alright? Between Wilson and Moose. He's working at the village out there and he works for those guys who are mostly outsiders, the guys who come out and are ski instructors or lifties or whatever. He's been working with those guys for years.

Praise God. Epaphras. Luke, the beloved physician greets you and we know Luke is Luke of Luke, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The beloved physician greets you and so does Demus. Now, Demus, if you look him up, you're not going to find a saint in front of his name.

You might find San Dimas or Saint Demus with an I. That's a different guy altogether. It's not this guy. San Dimas High School from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Do you all know that movie?

It's not this Demas. This guy walked away. He walked away from the faith. He walked away from Paul. He left him towards the end of Paul's writings.

He said that Demus walked away from the faith and it broke my heart. So, that's sad but Paul still included him with greetings because when he's with us, he's with us. Now, y'all know I love church membership but I'm going to present the same way whether you're a church member or not a church member to say that you're really, you're with us, you're 100% there, and you sign on to be a member. Praise God. That's wonderful.

I'm still going to present and there may be demons, not demons, but demises among us where they wander. I have seen people who've been fervent for the faith for a while and then wandered away. It's incredibly sad. I don't want for that to be the case, but it does happen. And he's included in this letter as sending greetings to you, but then later on we see.

And that's what I was talking about, to elevate someone to the place of saint, and Demas doesn't get that because he walked away. That's why. God looks at the heart, man judges in the outside appearance. I believe Paul could be wrong about demons but from what we know of scripture, the last thing we hear of demons is he walked away. Don't let that be you.

Give me greetings. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and to Nymph and the church in her house. Now, Nymph all we know about her is a church meets in her house. So, she is a hospitable lady who has a church meeting there at her house. Do me a favor and do not search Nympha on Google, okay?

I was looking for pictures all over this. They're going to come up with pictures you don't want to see, trust me, alright? It means something different now than it meant then. That was just a common lady's name at the time. And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

And say to Arkeppa see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. Now, I mentioned Philemon and Colossians being delivered at the same time, written to the same group of people, once to an individual Well, in that book of Philemon, he's writing to Philemon but he also says, Archippus, help with this. That's the ministry that Archippus had received. Now, Philemon had every right to be angry with Onesimus and under Roman law, he could have killed this runaway slave. Arkippus was supposed to ease that transition.

That's what I believe it was. I think that there's sufficient evidence to say that's what it was. Say to Arkippus, see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. To help take care of Onesimus and Philemon and bring harmony to their relationship. I'm trying my best to transmit to Philemon to let him go but even if he doesn't, can you smooth this over?

So, in updating this one, this is his icon. Usually, in Greek Orthodox, if you've never been in an Orthodox Church, they have the walls covered with these guys pictures and this is Arkippus. See and it says, when you see him, say this, see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord and I actually think that's a good thing for all of us to say to one another because we've all received a ministry from the Lord and if we were to greet one another with a holy hug or a holy kiss and say, just see to it that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. I think that'd a good and encouraging thing to do. I have changed this one just a little bit for an update, okay?

For an update these days, insiders matter too. He just listed a bunch of insiders. Insiders matter a lot. If I were gonna update Colossians four seventeen for today, at first be today, I would update it to say, and say to Bailey Morley. Do you all know Bailey?

Bailey is Blake's lovely wife, and she is our nursery coordinator. And I would say, when you see Bailey Morley, say to her this and mean it, how can I help you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord? Because Bailey's job is to coordinate and get different volunteers here and active and taking care of the nursery. We've talked about walking in wisdom toward outsiders. We have a greater opportunity in this church for seeing outsiders.

The church I grew up in, we never had anybody from outside of Shiloh, Georgia more than 10 miles come to that church. Why would they? It's Shiloh, Georgia. This is Jackson, Wyoming. We had 5,000,000 something visitors last year come through this valley, and they are projecting more this year if you can believe it.

I can't believe it. That was a lot of people, you know. We have a greater opportunity for helping along outsiders. Even if they're believers, they're not from here. And so with our nursery, if you've been traveling from, let's say, the Northeastern United States and you've taken Interstate 90 and come across all of the great hinterland and you come down and you've been in the car with a screaming youngin', when you get to church, do you want to sit for forty five minutes and just know that they're well taken care of?

And you could just listen to a sermon and not have that responsibility. We have a great ministry to outsiders actually. There's Bailey, if you don't know what she looks like. And when you see Bailey Morley, say to her, how can I help you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord? For the last seven weeks, six weeks, I think, six or seven weeks, Bailey...

And we pay her a little bit. We do pay her a little bit to put up with. It's the most thankless job in the church. If you ask me, my job, oh my goodness, y'all just tell me good things all the time. Nobody thinks about Bailey being in the nursery except if they've got a young and that's screaming, you know?

Don't y'all have a nursery? Yes. Take em down there. Bailey, for like six weeks, has been filling in for folks who weren't here. And so it's like we have been paying Bailey not to come to church.

She hasn't been able to be here for church because she's been in the nursery for the last few. So when you see her, how can I help you fulfill the ministry that you've received in the Lord, Bailey? Can we pray? And I'm gonna ask while I'm praying if a frontline team would come forward. We are going into a time of communion, and I know that this is a heavy service related passage because it's the things that matter.

And it matters whether we serve or not. Jesus walked his whole life in complete submission to the Holy Spirit of God. He was continuing steadfastly in prayer because he was looking for open doors, opportunity because outsiders matter people matter, insiders matter, how you say, what you say matters Jesus was doing all of that and he walked a perfect life. We're going to start by distributing the bread as a representation of Jesus's body that was broken for us. God, would you please bless as we distribute this little cracker?

The representation of your perfect life lived in complete submission without sin, tempted in every way that we're tempted yet without sin. God, would you, would you draw people through our surrendered and submissive life as we partake of this bread, lord, would you allow us to think and contemplate our own walk, what we're doing, lord. I pray that you'd forgive us of our sin. We'd not partake unworthily but lord that we would consider our steps just as you constantly considered yours. In Jesus name, would you bless this bread?

Amen. Read after supper and after you've given thanks, he said, this is my body which is broken for you. Take this and eat and do it in remembrance of me. Lord Jesus, I thank you that you did walk in complete and holy submission unlike any other. I pray that you would allow us, lord, though we are sinful and have been, I'd I pray that you would allow us.

Lord, to walk worthy of the high call. To proclaim the mystery of Christ, Christ, and to point to your blood, lord, as the only sacrifice for sin. In Jesus name, lord, would you bless this cup as we distribute it. In the same manner that he had taken the bread, he took the cup after supper and after he give it thanks, he said, this is the new covenant in my blood. Take this and drink and do it as often as you will in remembrance of me.

Lord God, we know the only thing that is separating us from an outsider is the gracious provision of your blood accepted that grace accepted through faith. Lord, would you use us to spread your word, to declare that mystery in such a way that it draw people in. Jesus name, amen. Would you stand and sing with me the doxology to close?

Praise God from whom all blessings flow praise him all creatures here below Praise him above ye heavenly host. Praise father, son, and holy ghost. Amen.

This is the last... I didn't get to the very last verse. Grace matters. Paul says, I write to you this with my own hand. Remember my chains.

Grace be with you. Grace be with you. It's by grace that you've been saved. It's through faith. Not of yourself.

It's the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. And now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. Amen.