A Reputation of Faithfulness.

Steve Gentry

[0:09] We’ll go ahead and have a seat. [0:10] Welcome to Village Church. [0:11] This is your first time here. [0:12] My name’s Steve, one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:15] And as always, I am thankful and grateful to see each and every one of you. [0:19] Right now, I have 80 minutes to preach.

[0:23] So I might want to adjust that timeline for me. [0:27] If here’s the thing, if I have to do the math on how long I’ve been up here, [0:32] you guys are in serious trouble. [0:34] All right. You’re never going to get to lunch. OK. [0:37] All right. If you have Bible Colossians, Chapter four, [0:40] we’re going to be starting in verse seven this morning.

[0:43] But this is the end of our series going through the letter to the Colossian [0:47] church next Sunday. [0:49] We will begin a series where we’re going to go through the narratives [0:52] of the Old Testament Book of First Samuel. [0:55] Before we get to our sermon, though, I do want to reiterate. [0:59] If you came in late, remind you about Village Palooza tonight.

[1:03] Please come on. Make every effort to come out tonight. [1:06] I believe it’ll be a good time. [1:07] If you are not here, here’s the philosophy. [1:10] I’ve always been taught about how the Great Commission [1:12] or worldwide missions works. [1:13] If you are not going to go overseas for the purpose of reaching people

[1:17] with the gospel, you necessarily have a responsibility [1:21] to use all of the resources God has given you in partly [1:25] to send people to reach the world with the gospel. [1:28] That is how we fuel missions efforts all over the world. [1:32] And it’s just a small part of what you can do is come out tonight, be generous. [1:37] So what I mean by that is don’t come thinking you’re going to snag a deal.

[1:40] All right. And so if you’ve got that mentality, you got to change that mentality. [1:44] You’re coming to be generous so that we can fuel efforts [1:48] to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. [1:51] It’ll be a good time. I’ll be here. [1:53] So, you know, it’s at least going to have one funny joke somewhere. All right. [1:57] Colossians really has been this Holy Spirit offering

[2:01] for the Church of Jesus Christ to stay faithful to what is the true gospel. [2:07] Throughout the book, we’ve seen the supremacy of Christ over all things. [2:10] We’ve been warned to reject false doctrines [2:13] that would belittle Christ while also rejecting those false teachers [2:17] that bring them. [2:18] We’ve seen a command to remain faithful to Christ, a commitment

[2:22] to live the order that has been designed by Christ, a call to know [2:27] what time it is as we follow Christ. [2:29] And now in the conclusion, we’re going to see a strategy to endure [2:34] for the purpose of Jesus Christ. [2:37] At the end of a few of his New Testament letters, [2:40] the apostle Paul offers a list of names.

[2:43] Colossians four offers such a list. [2:45] There’s a temptation to very quickly go through this type of passage [2:50] and then move on to what we think is going to be more important. [2:54] But that would be to our own detriment. [2:56] I won’t lie. [2:57] Preparing a sermon about a list of names is not the easiest of ventures.

[3:02] But once you pay attention to the purpose for which Paul [3:06] would include such a list, I believe it is fruitful in building [3:10] your faith and applying the text to your very life. [3:14] So many times people treat the Bible as though it is nothing more than [3:18] some type of intellectual venture. [3:20] But what we see when we come to this aspect of a book in the New Testament

[3:24] is that Paul’s point is not to give us this great exercise in intellect, rather. [3:30] He wants us to apply what we are learning from him [3:33] and what we are learning from one another inside of the church [3:36] to the very way by which we live our lives. [3:40] I’ve never personally been one to put much value [3:44] in what other people think about me.

[3:46] Doing anything that matters is always going to act as an invitation to criticism. [3:52] It’s going to be almost an invitation to get people to rally around you [3:55] and be a critic of everything that you do, because those who don’t criticize, [4:00] that’s basically the way that it works out. [4:02] And following Christ comes with even a guarantee [4:05] that people will say all sorts of insults about you.

[4:08] And I’ve certainly experienced that. [4:11] That should not, though, build for your life [4:13] a philosophy of acting and living in such a way to deserve those insults. [4:20] Rather, the Christian must in all things seek to build a reputation [4:25] of faithfulness in his or her life. [4:28] You should build the type of reputation that goes in front of you

[4:31] so that you can gain the type of influence that others know [4:35] they can trust what you think and how you teach people to live [4:40] in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because they see an example [4:44] worth following in you. [4:46] And so, friends, as you follow Christ, you should surround yourself [4:49] with people who can aid you in building a reputation of faithfulness

[4:54] that will endure the rest of your life. [4:56] Look at what the apostle Paul writes, starting in verse seven. [4:59] Ticicus will tell you all about my activities. [5:03] He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. [5:07] I have sent him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are [5:11] and that he may encourage your hearts.

[5:14] And with him, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, [5:19] they will tell you of everything that has taken place here. [5:23] Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, [5:27] concerning whom you have received instructions. [5:29] If he comes to you, welcome him. [5:31] And Jesus, who is called Justice.

[5:34] These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers [5:37] for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. [5:41] Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, Jesus, greets you, [5:45] always struggling on your behalf in his prayers that you may stand mature [5:49] and fully assured in all the will of God, for I bear him witness [5:54] that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

[5:59] Luke, the beloved physician, greets you. [6:01] Excuse me, as does Demas. [6:04] Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and to Nympha [6:08] and the church in her house. [6:10] And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read [6:13] in the church of the Laodiceans and see that you also read

[6:17] the letter from Laodicea and say to Archipas, [6:21] see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. [6:26] I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. [6:29] Remember my chains. [6:30] Grace be with you. [6:33] Number one, this morning, what I hope you see in the text

[6:35] is that the gospel work builds a reputation of faithfulness. [6:40] Gospel work builds a reputation of faithfulness. [6:45] You know, leaders rise from reputations. [6:48] Leaders don’t just magically appear one day, as you might think. [6:50] No, leaders have a journey by which they learn, by which they are trained, [6:55] by which they grow up.

[6:56] But ultimately, what happens in a person’s life, [6:58] the way by which a person becomes a leader is because he or she [7:02] has built a reputation with others so that they are trusted, [7:05] so that people know that if I follow your example, [7:08] I will have a life worth living throughout. [7:10] Colossians, Paul points out that many people seeking to influence

[7:14] the church at Colossae, but actually warns them about their influence [7:18] because he says, no, do not listen to them. [7:20] They bring false doctrine. [7:22] They bring false applications with those doctrines. [7:25] And he warns against following their influence. [7:28] And so we see right off the bat in the book of Colossians,

[7:31] that there are many people that you should reject when it comes to influence. [7:35] People nowadays even aspire to be what’s known as an influencer [7:39] on social media, and none of them should have influence. [7:44] All of their influence should be rejected. [7:46] None of them are trustworthy. [7:48] All of them are going to bring idolatry into your life.

[7:51] But so many have bought into the fake ideologies, [7:55] bought in to the false doctrines that are presented from social media. [7:58] And so you invite these influencers into your life [8:01] because they’re going to help you look the way that you want to look. [8:05] They’re going to help you kind of live some type of lifestyle [8:08] in this world that you want to live.

[8:10] They’re going to help you make more money than you ever thought possible. [8:12] And you’re going to make it faster than you ever thought possible. [8:15] If you follow their example, [8:17] John Calvin once wrote that the human heart is a perpetual idol factory. [8:23] And most of the people that have and seek to influence your life [8:26] and popular media today are people that will lead you down a path

[8:30] of constant idolatry. [8:34] And my fear for so many of you is that you are falling for it. [8:37] Hook, line and sinker. [8:39] And you’re inviting through whether it’s podcasts, [8:41] through whether it’s social media, through whether it’s YouTube, [8:43] you are inviting the influence of people that will help you

[8:47] do nothing more with your life than to build more and more altars to bail. [8:52] In your life, idolatry. [8:55] And so there are so many people that you should reject their influence. [9:00] But in his conclusion in this letter, the apostle offers a list of people [9:04] whom the Colossians should invite the influence of in their life, [9:09] because they offer a positive gospel influence, not just in what to believe,

[9:15] but in how to live out what you believe. [9:18] In Colossians, chapter one, verse twenty nine, the apostle Paul wrote [9:22] that he was working himself to the bone to present people mature in Christ. [9:27] He wrote for this for the gospel. [9:29] I toil. I work myself to the bone, struggling [9:33] with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

[9:39] And the tense in which the word struggling is written in this text [9:41] is agonizomai, which is a word that means I am straining [9:46] in effort to work towards this goal. [9:49] Elsewhere, the apostle Paul wrote that this is what it means [9:51] to be an athlete. [9:53] You are straining towards a goal, towards a prize.

[9:58] Therefore, anyone that the apostle would send to help lead [10:01] these people would reflect the same type of philosophy of gospel work. [10:07] Friend, your reputation will rise out of what you are the most committed to. [10:14] Every one of you are putting your hands to some type of work. [10:17] Every one of you are struggling towards something. [10:20] You are straining towards something in your life,

[10:23] even if you are straining to be lazy. [10:26] You’re working very hard and never getting up. [10:29] The apostle Paul writes that the type of people that I am sending [10:33] are people that can be trusted because they have shown through their effort. [10:37] They have shown through their commitment that they follow [10:40] and love Jesus Christ above absolutely everything.

[10:45] You must be known for your commitment to the gospel. [10:48] But unfortunately, so many, even some of you are known [10:51] for your lack of commitment to the gospel. [10:55] Look beyond the difficult to pronounce names and consider [10:58] what the apostle is saying about them. [11:00] These guys are coming.

[11:02] You can trust them to lead. [11:04] That’s what the apostle Paul is saying. [11:06] And so in reflection of that type of idea, you have to ask yourself, [11:10] can you be trusted to lead? [11:13] Have you built the type of reputation [11:15] inside of the Church of Jesus Christ, inside of your life

[11:19] where people trust that the influence that you’re going to have in their lives [11:23] is going to bring them closer to Jesus Christ than they would be without your life? [11:28] My fear for so many of you is that is not the reputation [11:31] that you are building, nor is that the reputation that you are even [11:34] attempting to build. [11:36] You really don’t have a tremendous amount of desire

[11:39] to build any type of reputation for the gospel. [11:41] You really don’t want to lead. [11:42] But even worse, some of you sit there wondering, [11:45] why isn’t anyone inviting my influence into their lives? [11:48] Why haven’t I been elevated to a level of leadership inside of this church? [11:53] And I can tell you, friends, honestly, so many names metaphorically

[11:57] cross my desk all of the time. [12:00] Should this person be a community group leader? [12:02] Should this person host a community group? [12:05] Should this person lead a serve team? [12:07] Should this person be able to serve in Village Kids? [12:11] Should this person be able to serve in Village Students?

[12:14] I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’ve got kids in all of those environments.

[12:19] And so when unfortunately, [12:23] I say no, they shouldn’t.

[12:27] Breaks my heart. [12:29] I don’t look around saying, who can I reject today? [12:33] I have nothing to gain from that. [12:36] I don’t know if you know this, but we don’t pay volunteers anything. [12:38] I could double their salary. [12:39] It wouldn’t change the budget.

[12:42] But when I have to say, no, it has nothing to do with me [12:46] having some type of personal vendetta against anyone. [12:48] We always need more leaders. [12:50] We always need more volunteers. [12:53] We always need people. [12:54] But some many people over the years have said, well,

[12:57] they’re not going to appoint me to leadership. [12:59] You’re never appointed to leadership. [13:02] You earn leadership by earning influence [13:05] through the commitments that people watch you have. [13:07] And when you say, no, I’m too busy. [13:10] No, I can’t do this.

[13:11] No, I can’t be there on Saturday. [13:13] No, I can’t come to this meeting. [13:15] No, I’m going to be out that weekend. [13:16] No, I’m going to be out all those weeks. [13:18] I have soccer this day. [13:19] I have baseball that day.

[13:21] I have football this day. [13:21] We got to travel on that day. [13:23] We got mathletes on Thursday. [13:24] We’re just too busy. [13:26] You will never lead where the gospel is concerned [13:29] because you are too busy investing all of your time

[13:33] and all of your family’s time in the things of the world.

[13:37] And if you cannot even for a moment understand [13:41] what it means to be more committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, [13:45] then you are building your own personal kingdom in this world. [13:48] Then you will never lead anyone or anything [13:53] where the gospel is concerned. [13:55] Gospel influence is built through your commitments.

[14:00] I love to think about this group of men. [14:02] If you read the New Testament, the church is not that old at this point, [14:06] maybe a few decades. [14:09] So every one of these men [14:12] started out as a new believer. [14:14] That’s the way I love to just think about the names

[14:16] that I read in the New Testament is that at some point [14:19] they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. [14:22] Maybe it was even through Paul’s ministry, [14:23] maybe it was through another apostle’s ministry, and they came to faith. [14:26] And they were a new believer just like everyone else. [14:29] And so they had a point, a of Christianity.

[14:31] And every one of the men on this list serve as an example [14:35] that the point be of being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ [14:39] is a real place that every one of us can get. [14:44] You know nothing about most of these people.

[14:48] Save one thing. [14:51] The apostle Paul trusted them to lead inside of the church of Jesus Christ. [14:56] And ultimately, that tells you everything you need to know about this person.

[15:00] I mean, can you imagine having the apostle Paul as a reference on your resume? [15:05] I mean, where the church of Jesus Christ is considered right, your own ticket. [15:08] You got his name on your resume. [15:11] Every one of these men serve as an example of a man that Paul trusted, [15:16] where the church of Jesus Christ was concerned. [15:20] And so I ask you.

[15:23] What is it that is preventing you from having this type of reputation? [15:28] What is it in your life that you’re so committed to [15:33] that people don’t just automatically equate your name [15:37] with a leader for the gospel?

[15:42] I’ll tell you one thing. [15:43] This list serves as an example that reputations rise out of teamwork. [15:48] I think some people read the New Testament and they get the false [15:50] notion that the apostle Paul was some type of lone ranger on the mission of Jesus. [15:56] No lists like this prove to you Paul was a team builder. [16:00] Paul had people all around him.

[16:01] I can tell you the key to success for me in my life has not been that I’m so great. [16:07] No, it has been the team that I have built around me. [16:09] I’ve always built teams around me. [16:11] I will always build teams around me because I need that type of accountability. [16:15] I need those voices in my life. [16:17] I need that discipleship in my life.

[16:19] And the issue that is keeping some of you back is that you have no team. [16:24] Just me and Jesus. [16:26] That’s all I need. [16:27] Really? [16:28] You think you’re better than the apostle Paul?

[16:31] If the apostle Paul needed a team, Steve Gentry needs a team. [16:36] The apostle Paul needed a team. [16:38] You need a team. [16:40] You need people to build on. [16:42] You need people to build with. [16:43] You need people to sharpen you.

[16:45] You need people to grow you and you need people to sharpen and [16:49] you need people to grow. [16:51] Some people in our modern era have gotten the mentality that all you need for [16:55] discipleship as a podcast and a Bible, and you’ll be good to go on your own. [17:00] I’ve talked to some people about their discipleship and I always ask the [17:03] question, if you ever want to lead where I’m concerned, I’m going to ask you,

[17:06] who’s discipling you and who are you discipling? [17:08] And one time I had somebody throw at me, John MacArthur. [17:10] I said, who’s discipling you, John MacArthur? [17:12] And I said, whoa.

[17:15] I can tell you over the last 30, 40 years of my life, I’ve probably, I can [17:20] almost guarantee you I’ve listened to more MacArthur sermons than anybody in [17:23] this room, but I was like, is he flying in on the weekends?

[17:29] Oh, no, no, no, no, no. [17:31] I, I just listened to his sermons and that’s my discipleship. [17:35] That’s not discipleship.

[17:37] Discipleship is personal for discipleship to really be happening. [17:41] You have to know the person and that person has to know you because [17:44] that’s how accountability works. [17:45] That’s how real spiritual growth works. [17:48] It requires a team. [17:51] And the apostle Paul had that.

[17:53] He had built this team so well that this team could be deployed all over [17:59] the region to start churches, to reinforce churches, to rebuild churches, [18:04] and to make disciples who could grow to be leaders through their influence. [18:10] Every one of these men represents someone that went from a team [18:14] mate to a team builder.

[18:18] My question is what is preventing you from graduating to team builder? [18:24] See, so many of you have consumed discipleship for so many years. [18:31] I love discipleship groups. [18:32] I do. [18:33] I really do. [18:34] I was pretty much the force behind why we started having discipleship groups

[18:37] in the life of our church. [18:39] But at some point, some of you need to start asking the question, why [18:42] has my discipleship group been meeting in perpetuity for five, six years?

[18:49] At that point, you got to disperse. [18:52] You’ve got to go from team mate to team builder. [18:56] You’ve got to go from discipleship receiver to disciple maker.

[19:03] Recently, I found out about a discipleship group in our church [19:05] that was filled with people who are already leaders within our church. [19:09] And I said, how soon can we destroy that group?

[19:14] Because that’s not discipleship. [19:16] That’s just friends getting together for lunch, which I love. [19:21] I get lunch with friends all the time. [19:23] I don’t tend to get lunch with enemies. [19:24] I do sometimes. [19:24] It’s weird.

[19:27] Some of you have never eaten lunch with a person that despises you. [19:29] I’ve done it a lot. [19:32] I do not recommend it. [19:34] It’s not fun, but it’s great to have lunch with friends, but don’t use it. [19:41] It’s self protection to excuse yourself from influencing the lives of others [19:46] for the purpose of discipleship.

[19:47] Some of you should have been team builders years ago. [19:52] What are you waiting for? [19:54] Build that reputation. [19:55] These men surrounded Paul and where this great example of Philippians [20:00] 129 says the apostle Paul writes in, he says, it has been granted to you [20:05] that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him, but

[20:08] also suffer for his sake. [20:12] These were men who had suffered with Paul. [20:14] He calls one my fellow prisoner who had chosen to be in prison [20:19] for the gospel with Paul. [20:21] It wasn’t necessary according to scripture, but he chose to suffer [20:24] alongside Paul because he was a good, faithful team member.

[20:29] Do you have people in your life that when you suffer for the gospel, you [20:33] know, they’ll stay right by your side.

[20:36] You know, they will suffer with you for the purpose of the glory of God [20:40] in the gospel of Jesus Christ. [20:41] The apostle Paul knew that if he deployed these men to Colossae, [20:46] they would be faithful because they had already shown their faithfulness [20:50] during difficult circumstances as they struggled together for the [20:55] sake of the gospel lead by example.

[20:59] Some of you, you know, all the right words, you know, all the right things [21:05] to say so that people will not question your Christianity. [21:08] But my question really goes beyond the verbiage to the application. [21:13] Are you applying those things? [21:15] I mean, some of you, you come into a new church, some of you came into [21:18] this new church, you’d already been discipled, you knew all of this

[21:20] theological language and you’re like, I cannot wait to go to a community [21:24] group to show these people the budding theologian that I am. [21:28] And you spent the whole first time in your community group. [21:31] You’re like, I got to say the word super lapsarian because half these [21:36] people will have no idea what I’m talking about. [21:37] They will be so impressed.

[21:39] Here’s a secret. [21:40] You can go the rest of your life, never hearing that term again, not [21:43] knowing what that term means. [21:44] Die, meet Jesus Christ and you’ll be just fine. [21:46] All right. [21:48] And you love showing people how smart you are, but the reality is you’re

[21:53] not applying any of that knowledge to actually living and building a [21:56] reputation of faithfulness to the gospel. [21:59] You must build a reputation of dependability and faithfulness in [22:05] order to be trusted. [22:07] But that’s only seen through what you are really committed to. [22:11] Proverbs 22, one makes the statement.

[22:13] A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches. [22:16] Favor is better than silver or gold. [22:19] I don’t know if all of us actually believe that. [22:22] We think we just buy a good name after we make all the riches. [22:28] Paul talks about what really matters on this. [22:30] Let’s look at the terminology he uses to describe some of these guys.

[22:32] I’m just going to throw the terms at you. [22:34] Beloved, faithful. [22:36] Servant, brother, workers, comfort, mature, assured and on and on. [22:43] These are terms used to describe lives that are focused and invested in [22:48] eternity rather than transient nature of selfish gain. [22:54] Some of you spend all of your time investing in things that won’t outlive

[22:59] you investing in things that won’t even live as long as you live in this world. [23:05] When you could be making choices to invest in eternity. [23:10] So when you invest in eternity, that is what builds a good name to be chosen [23:14] rather than great riches. [23:15] Don’t waste your life. [23:17] How are you building a reputation of faithfulness?

[23:21] I really want you to ask yourself that question. [23:25] I mean, I guess you need to start with, are you building a reputation [23:27] of faithfulness first? [23:29] If the answer is no, what’s holding you back? [23:32] But then if you would be as audacious to say, well, yes, I am. [23:36] Here’s my question. How?

[23:39] What are you doing? [23:40] What kind of decisions were necessary in the lives of these men to garner [23:45] the accolades of the apostle Paul? [23:49] To build a life that meant Paul trusted them to exhort and edify [23:53] a church that needed help. [23:56] I’ll tell you, these reputations were built one decision at a time.

[24:00] And this great book, my favorite, one of his books, Francis Schaefer, [24:03] it’s called True Spirituality. [24:05] He describes real life about being a moment by moment decision [24:09] for Christ and all of the things that we do. [24:12] And so after reading that, I realized, man, all of my decisions matter. [24:15] There are no unimportant decisions that I make in my life.

[24:18] And so I set out and ask myself, [24:20] how can I filter all of the decisions that I make? [24:23] And so I began filtering and viewing everything [24:26] that I do in my life through one question.

[24:30] What if everyone in the church [24:33] made the same decision I’m about to make? [24:37] What if everyone in the church [24:38] made the same decision I am about to make, because that begs the question. [24:43] What effect would that have on the church as a whole? So.

[24:48] What if I decide me showing up on Sunday morning isn’t that important? [24:53] Well, what if everyone in the church? [24:56] Made that decision. [24:58] What if I decided I’m not going to be in a community group? [25:03] Well, what if everyone in the church made that decision? [25:06] What effect would that have?

[25:08] What if I decided discipleship group? Not for me. [25:10] What if everyone in the church made that decision? [25:12] What if I decided I’m just not going to give, I’m not going to be generous? [25:17] Well, what if everyone in the church made that decision? [25:19] What if I decided not to come to Village Palooza? [25:22] What if everyone in the church made that?

[25:24] I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. [25:25] I’m going to be sad.

[25:28] But so many of us don’t think through the implications [25:32] of what if everyone acted, made decisions the same way that I do, [25:36] because you’ve convinced yourself of a lie. [25:39] You believe that your decisions exist on an island [25:43] and have no impact on anyone but yourself. That’s not true. [25:46] The reality is every decision you make impacts dozens,

[25:51] if not hundreds of people all the time.

[25:56] And the sad truth is, some of you are asking yourself the question, [26:00] what if everyone made decisions the way that I make? [26:02] And you’re realizing right now that if everyone lived like you live, [26:06] the church wouldn’t even exist.

[26:11] That is not the kind of life that builds a reputation of faithfulness.

[26:19] Number two, this morning, stories of God working come from working for God. [26:24] Stories of God working come from working for God. [26:29] Love the way the text reads. [26:33] It reads in such a way, the apostle Paul starts with Tychicus, [26:36] and he’s like, Tychicus is going to come and he’s going to tell you [26:38] everything that’s been going on.

[26:40] Onesimus is going to join him. [26:41] You wouldn’t believe the stories that these guys have of gospel work. [26:47] Onesimus is going to tell stories of what is taking place. [26:49] Aristarchus has stories of choosing imprisonment for the gospel. [26:52] Justice has stories of work among the Jews. [26:55] Epaphras is a prayer warrior.

[26:57] He’ll tell you all about his prayer life. [26:59] Luke wrote an entire gospel account with his stories and on and on. [27:03] And so you have to ask them, how do these guys have stories about the gospel?

[27:09] Because it is literally what they spent their lives investing in. [27:15] But if you want to see God work in your life, the people that I have read, [27:20] the people that I have personally met that have amazing stories [27:24] about the work of God, I can tell you the one commonality among every one of them [27:29] is an audacious commitment to gospel work.

[27:35] They saw God work because they were working for God. [27:40] When you put yourself intentionally over and over and over again [27:45] in environments in which God’s work is taking place, [27:49] you’re going to see it. [27:51] You will have testimonies. [27:52] You will be a witness to amazing moves of the Holy Spirit.

[27:56] But it’s only going to happen if you do the work that God commands. [28:01] I mean, the fact is that whatever you are most committed to [28:05] is what you will excel in. [28:07] Whatever you are the most committed to is what you’re going to grow in expertise in. [28:11] That is just a natural law that applies to everything. [28:15] Your commitments are revealed

[28:18] by what you spend your most time actively doing, actively pursuing, [28:24] actively thinking about and actively planning towards. [28:27] The question is, are you committed to the work of God?

[28:32] I often beat up on guys because they’re used to it.

[28:39] Fantasy sports is so easy to make fun of.

[28:43] Yet, and you’re looking at a former champion, OK? [28:47] Let’s just be honest. [28:49] All right. All my cards are on the deck. I’m transparent.

[28:53] The same guy that is an expert at fantasy sports, [28:57] which also brings this kind of I love it when guys are talking about sports [29:01] and they use the inclusive we like we have a game Sunday. [29:05] I’m like, they throw in yen. [29:07] You’re about 60 pounds overweight. [29:09] I’m going to bet on the other team.

[29:10] All right. No, no, no, no. [29:12] When they’re on the team, you’re at the buffet. [29:14] That’s the reality. [29:15] So can you just do us all a favor, friends? Stop saying we. All right. [29:18] You’re not going to get a Super Bowl ring for being a fan. [29:21] That’s just not the way that it works.

[29:23] It’s not a we anything. [29:24] It’s a them. [29:25] And then it’s just you stuffing your face with Doritos. [29:27] OK, that’s the juxtaposition. [29:31] But I will have guys tell me all of the time, Steve, I [29:34] I don’t just don’t know how you do it.

[29:37] I am just not a reader.

[29:40] And then I’ll ask you a couple of questions about minor league [29:43] baseball pitchers and, you know, every stat from every team [29:48] from the farm leagues for the past five years. Why? [29:52] Because you’re building a dynasty in fantasy sports. [29:56] No, it’s not that you’re not a reader. [29:59] It’s just that you don’t care about God’s word.

[30:02] There’s a significant difference. [30:04] And it’s not until you have the humility [30:08] to admit that your affections are pointed in the wrong direction [30:14] that you can redirect your life towards being committed [30:18] to things that actually matter and stop building a life [30:23] in which the most important pursuit of your life

[30:27] is a bunch of 20 year olds throwing a ball down a field.

[30:33] Friends, it might be fun and it might be a moral, [30:38] but when it becomes a passionate pursuit, [30:41] it’s straight up idolatry. [30:44] And ladies, you’re no better.

[30:47] Some of you are so passionate about reality television, [30:50] I question whether you know what reality is.

[30:56] When you live for God, though, [30:59] you get stories about what God is doing. [31:03] The thread that is woven throughout the conclusion of Colossians [31:06] that we’ve read is that these men are all committed above everything [31:11] to living for the gospel of Jesus Christ. [31:14] That is what they are excelling at.

[31:16] That is what they are pursuing. [31:17] That is what they are committed to. [31:20] That is what their reputations are built upon. [31:24] And that is what they are known for. [31:26] And so I ask, what are you known for?

[31:30] What are you known for in your pursuits? [31:33] You see, working with others for the gospel forms [31:37] this amazingly unique bond. [31:41] In Acts, Chapter 19, verse 29, [31:42] it shares the narrative of one of the names mentioned here, Aristarchus. [31:47] It says, So the city was filled with the confusion.

[31:50] And so the apostle Paul and his team had been there and they had preached [31:54] the gospel. So many people came to faith in Jesus Christ [31:57] that the unbeliever started a riot. [31:59] It says, So the city was filled with the confusion. [32:02] And they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them [32:06] Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.

[32:10] This is the fascinating thing. [32:12] We don’t know anything else about Aristarchus. [32:15] But we know one thing. [32:16] This guy believed the gospel to the extent that not only would he preach it, [32:21] he would face the repercussions of those rejecting it [32:25] to where they are physically beating him, dragging him through the streets,

[32:30] going to attempt to kill him. [32:32] And can you imagine the bond that he and Paul shared afterwards? [32:37] Sitting around a campfire, Paul. [32:39] Remember that time they were dragging me through the streets? [32:41] That was crazy.

[32:44] See, some of you want the reputation, some of you want the stories, [32:48] but you are afraid of the suffering. [32:52] You’re afraid of the sacrifice. [32:54] You’re afraid of saying no to worldly things, to say yes to godly things [32:59] because it’s going to cost you too much. [33:01] I don’t think for a moment any of these men regretted the decisions

[33:05] they had made because they knew a glory that we haven’t even touched.

[33:10] When you serve with someone for the sake of the gospel [33:13] and you have a story like this to share, you have such a unique bond [33:17] with your team that many will never know because they won’t put it on the line [33:22] for the gospel of Jesus Christ. [33:25] I know that most of you want to see God work. [33:29] Some of you are even sitting there asking yourselves

[33:32] why you don’t see him work more in your life. [33:35] And I will tell you, with no qualifications, [33:38] the answer is that you are either unavailable [33:41] or unwilling to commit to the work of God in order to see God work. [33:47] That’s the reality. [33:49] Another amazing story from this list is the life of Onesimus.

[33:53] The Book of Philemon was written about him. [33:56] Look at what he talks about midway through Philemon. [33:58] He says, for this, perhaps is why Onesimus parted from you for a while [34:03] because Onesimus had actually run away from his master [34:07] that you might have him back forever. [34:10] No longer as a slave,

[34:13] but more than a bond servant, as a beloved brother, especially to me. [34:18] But how much more to you both in the flesh and in the Lord? [34:22] It’s amazing story of the apostle Paul [34:25] working reconciliation in the lives of Philemon and Onesimus. [34:30] God worked this great reconciliation between these two. [34:33] What a story to be able to share.

[34:37] The question that you need to consider is not about the details of the story. [34:40] The question you need to ponder is whether or not you are passionate [34:43] about seeing God work in this way. [34:45] Do you want stories of seeing God redeemed, seeing God reconcile, [34:50] seeing God restore people? [34:53] Friend, it is only going to happen if you live by faith,

[34:56] and that requires different commitments than you probably have. [35:00] So measure the commitments in your life by the word of God, [35:05] not by the ways of the world.

[35:09] I mean, think about it this way. [35:11] If it doesn’t really matter for God, [35:14] why does it matter so much to you? [35:17] Think about the things that you are the most most committed to. [35:21] Do they matter to God? [35:23] I mean, would you be willing to say this commitment totally matters to God?

[35:27] Or would you be honest enough this morning to say most of the things [35:31] that I’m the most committed to, most of the things that I am pursuing in my life, [35:34] I cannot honestly say they matter to God, they matter for God. [35:37] They are advancing the gospel at all. [35:39] And so, again, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, I ask you the question, [35:43] why does it matter so much to you then?

[35:47] Why are you so passionate about things that don’t matter? [35:51] Verse 12 states in Colossians four that Apaphris’s mission [35:55] was to help the church at Colossae mature. [35:59] This is the same vision from Ephesians 413 [36:02] when the apostle Paul wrote that God had given all the leaders to the church [36:06] that until we all attain to the unity of faith

[36:09] and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood, [36:12] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. [36:15] What he’s saying is Apaphris is living for the vision [36:19] I’ve presented in Ephesians, Chapter four. [36:21] Notice Apaphris is going to come in and you’re going to be more faithful [36:25] to Jesus than you would have been without him.

[36:27] Do you enter into the lives of people? [36:30] And they look at you and they say, I think I will be more faithful to Jesus [36:34] because you were in my life than if you weren’t in my life.

[36:38] The answer to a question like that has nothing to do with your talent. [36:44] It has nothing to do with some special ingrained ability, [36:48] because some of us are tempted to cop out on questions like that and say, [36:53] well, I’m not that talented of a disciple maker. [36:56] I’m not that able to do like other people can do. [37:00] I’m basically a second class Christian.

[37:02] This has nothing to do with that. [37:05] Commitment is something that everyone can attain to.

[37:11] Disciple making is something that the Holy Spirit has gifted [37:14] every single follower of Jesus Christ to be passionate about. [37:17] And so it’s not a question of ability. [37:19] It’s simply a question of commitment.

[37:23] And I’ll tell you this, not because I’m trying to make you feel guilty. [37:27] I’m trying to help you measure [37:29] what you are investing in through your commitments. [37:33] And I want you to just be honest with yourself about your situation. [37:37] If you don’t have stories of God working, [37:42] it is because you are simply not living by faith.

[37:46] It’s not more complicated than that. [37:50] You are not going to reach maturity [37:52] until you cease to commit to things that God doesn’t care about [37:57] and then recommit to what God is passionate about in his word. [38:03] Therefore, measure your commitments. [38:06] Most of the commitments in your life

[38:09] probably make sense by the world’s standards. [38:14] But is that how Christians should really measure their lives?

[38:22] The number three this morning, understand [38:23] finishing well doesn’t happen by accident. [38:27] Finishing well doesn’t happen by accident. [38:30] There are two names in this list [38:32] that serve as juxtapositions of one another. [38:35] It’s fascinating.

[38:37] There’s Mark and there’s Demas. [38:40] Both of them mentioned here. [38:43] One of those guys didn’t start very well [38:46] and one of those guys didn’t finish very well at all. [38:49] First, I want to talk about Mark. [38:51] You probably know him simply because of the gospel according to Mark.

[38:56] Mark is an example that just because you don’t start well [39:01] doesn’t mean you can’t finish well. [39:04] In Acts, Chapter 15, starting in verse 37, [39:06] we see a portion of a story about Paul and Barnabas. [39:10] If they were partners in mission, [39:12] Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement

[39:14] that got so severe that they decided to separate [39:16] and go work for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship [39:21] without one another. [39:22] And it was because of Mark. [39:25] Because at some point earlier in Mark’s life, [39:27] Mark was the cousin of Barnabas.

[39:28] At some point earlier in Mark’s life, [39:31] Mark had gone on a missionary journey in Acts 15, verse 37, said, [39:35] now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark, [39:39] but Paul thought best not to take with him with them. [39:44] Excuse me, take with them one who had withdrawn from them [39:47] in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

[39:51] In other words, Mark had been with them and Mark was like, [39:54] this is not what I thought I was signing up for. [39:57] We don’t know the details. [39:58] I like to make some up in the Steve International version. [40:02] On about day three, Mark realized that they weren’t staying in four star hotels. [40:08] And he’s like, my bed sure was more comfortable at home.

[40:11] And I had some really warm meals. [40:13] My mom was making me back there. [40:15] Hey, Paul Barnabas, I’m out. [40:18] So he goes home and then Barnabas had a reputation [40:23] of being just such a kindhearted guy. [40:24] He’s a great guy.

[40:25] In Acts chapter four, it says that Barnabas was actually known [40:27] as the son of encouragement. [40:29] I will tell you, I’ve never been accused of that. [40:32] All right. [40:33] And so Barnabas is called the son of encouragement. [40:35] And so Barnabas comes to Paul and he says, he says, Paul,

[40:38] let’s give Mark another shot. [40:40] He’s my cousin. My sister won’t stop calling me.

[40:44] And so Barnabas goes to Paul and Paul, [40:47] I assume by the way he wrote in the scripture, I mean, in Galatians, [40:50] he’s like, I wish those guys would emasculate themselves. [40:53] All right. Paul is blunt. [40:54] He’s to the point. [40:55] He’s on mission.

[40:57] And he says, I ain’t got time for no jibber jabber. [40:59] That guy abandoned us. [41:00] I’m not bringing him with us. [41:02] And Barnabas is like, I’m not giving up on Mark. [41:05] And Paul says, I’ve already given up on Mark. [41:07] And so they separate.

[41:10] But something happened between Barnabas and Mark [41:14] in their discipleship relationship, where Mark didn’t let [41:17] his initial failure define his future.

[41:22] And in Second Timothy four, verse 11, [41:27] he grew to be such a great leader [41:29] that it says when Paul is towards the end of his life, [41:33] Luke alone is with me. [41:35] And I love this. Get Mark. [41:38] Bring him with you.

[41:39] He is useful for me in ministry.

[41:42] Even Paul changed his mind about Mark. [41:47] None of us bring anything to the gospel of Jesus Christ worth anything. [41:52] All of us come empty handed with nothing to offer Jesus, but sin. [41:58] And when we offer it to him, he takes it. [42:01] He redeems us. [42:02] He restores us.

[42:04] And he and his grace alone is what can turn anyone into a leader. [42:09] And so here’s the deal with Mark. [42:11] Just because you haven’t been doing well so far. [42:17] Doesn’t mean you can’t change all of that today. [42:22] So because some of you will think that because you have a bad reputation [42:25] or because you’ve made some bad decisions or because you’ve had sin in your life,

[42:30] you think to yourself, well, I’m done. [42:33] What if God’s not done with you?

[42:36] Until you’re dead, the story is not over yet, friend.

[42:41] Mark redeemed his reputation. [42:43] So can you. [42:46] But starting well doesn’t always mean you’re going to finish well either. [42:51] There’s another name on this list, Demas.

[42:55] The text doesn’t tell us anything more than the fact [42:58] that Demas was with Paul at that point, he was helping Paul. [43:01] He was useful for Paul. [43:04] But a few years later, one verse before he says, bring Mark. [43:10] The apostle wrote this about Demas in Second Timothy, four, 10 [43:14] for Demas in love with this present world has deserted me.

[43:22] As a fascinating phrase that he uses there [43:26] in love with this present world, Second Timothy [43:28] was written towards the end of the apostle Paul’s life. [43:32] Second Timothy was probably the last letter he ever wrote. [43:34] And at this point in Paul’s life, Paul knows he’s awaiting execution. [43:38] He is suffering for the gospel.

[43:41] He did not make it out alive. [43:44] And at some point after starting so well [43:48] that he had a partnership with the apostle Paul, Demas looked and he said, [43:52] wait a second, I’m not going to die for this.

[43:56] And the epitaph of Demas’s failure, [43:59] the epitaph of what I believe was probably [44:02] him leaving the faith.

[44:06] Wasn’t that Demas? [44:08] Wasn’t in love with Jesus Christ? [44:11] What was he in love with?

[44:14] This present world. [44:16] Demas did not endure.

[44:19] There are so many examples throughout my life of people [44:22] seemingly embracing faith in Christ with excitement, [44:25] only to desert the faith when the emotional high wore off.

[44:31] When you really realize what it means to follow Christ is difficult. [44:35] Following Christ is incredibly difficult. [44:38] If you do not have real love through faith in Jesus Christ, [44:42] you’re never going to make it. [44:45] And we learn from these two guys, Mark and Demas, [44:48] that endurance is the goal.

[44:50] The key, though, is that pesky term I’ve been using commitment.

[44:56] What are you committed to? [44:59] Some people come to Christ because you believe that Christ will make much of you. [45:05] No, the only way to endure in faith [45:08] is if you set your heart toward making making much of Christ through your life. [45:14] It’s all about Jesus. [45:16] I must die to self

[45:18] so that I can make much of him through my life. [45:22] Endurance is always the goal, and that is not going to happen by accident. [45:28] You have to intentionally make decisions that build your faith. [45:33] You have to intentionally say no to this world. [45:36] You have to intentionally say yes to Christ. [45:38] You have to intentionally do things that the world will say.

[45:42] That is never going to pay off. [45:45] But you know it’s going to pay off in eternity.

[45:50] You must be intentional by making those moment by moment [45:54] decisions to be faithful to Christ above all, [46:00] pointing yourself in the right direction. [46:02] That’s why when my decisions don’t line up with God’s calling in scripture, [46:07] I must repent. [46:09] I must change.

[46:13] Endurance is frankly the goal because salvation is at stake. [46:16] I look around the room and there are a couple of marks in this room.

[46:22] Look around this room. [46:23] There is no one named Demas.

[46:28] Mark’s reputation [46:30] has left a legacy where people say that’s a name worth having.

[46:36] Demas, it’s kind of like meeting a guy named Judas. [46:39] You don’t do that very often. [46:42] If at all. [46:44] Because Demas was in love with the world, his name didn’t endure. [46:49] The fruit of salvation in your life will be seen over the long haul, [46:54] or it is not real.

[46:57] You will not always do the right thing. [47:02] You’re going to sin. [47:05] The key is at the moment that you realize I made a bad decision. [47:11] I committed to the wrong things. [47:13] I’ve sinned is to run [47:16] as fast as you can to the cross of Christ.

[47:22] Confess your sin.

[47:25] Receive forgiveness because he is faithful and just to forgive us [47:29] of all sin that we can we confess, cleanse us from unrighteousness.

[47:34] Learn from your mistakes [47:37] and follow Christ even closer after that. [47:41] Do not be a Demas. [47:43] Build a reputation of faithfulness. [47:45] Commit to gospel work. [47:47] Repent frequently.

[47:49] Embrace the supremacy of Christ in all things and over all things [47:52] and live the Christian life into eternity. [47:59] A few application points this morning. [48:02] Proactively build a reputation of faithfulness.

[48:06] Some of you are proactively building a reputation of laziness.

[48:12] A reputation of faithfulness isn’t a gift someone gives you. [48:15] It’s an effort that you strive towards, and you need to proactively build one. [48:20] Secondly, commit to gospel works above worldly pursuits. [48:26] Commit to gospel work above worldly pursuits. [48:31] Thirdly, say yes to more God things [48:35] and no to more me things.

[48:37] I think one of the most shocking things that people realize [48:40] when they start to follow Jesus Christ is just how selfish you are.

[48:46] Selfishness requires a tremendous amount of repentance is going to take years. [48:51] But the only way it’s going to happen is if you learn to say [48:54] yes to God things and no to me things. [48:58] The world is going to say never say no to a me thing. [49:03] Jesus is going to say die to yourself daily. [49:06] And then finally, set standards that will help you finish well

[49:10] and don’t deviate from them. [49:13] I’ve had so many people over the years tell me, Steve, [49:15] you’re so extreme on your commitment, Steve, you are so legalistic [49:19] in the way that you treat your own life. [49:21] And I say, no, I’m not legalistic. [49:24] I know that it’s by grace and grace alone that anything good is happening

[49:28] in the life of a sinner like me. [49:31] But I will tell you, I’m not even for a moment [49:33] going to consider changing my commitments because I’m going to die [49:36] on the field for Jesus Christ.

[49:40] I try. To strive [49:43] to never allow anything into my life [49:46] that is going to bring my faith into question, not always perfect. [49:50] But set those standards [49:54] and you will finish well.