Sermon Series: God is Closer Than You Think

The People

Colossians 4:7–18

April 2, 2006

Dr. Larry D. Thorson

These past few weeks we’ve been in a sermon series entitled God is Closer Than You Think based on John Ortberg’s book by the same title.

• We’ve talked about God’s desire to be close to us—to be with us.

• We covered how being with him is our choice.

• The third week we learned how the Spirit of God is present within us as Christ followers.

• Last week we learned about listening to God’s voice throughout each day.

Every one of these weeks builds on the other, and each reflects God’s great desire for a relationship with you that is far more than a Sunday-morning experience—but is woven into the fabric of every single day. One of the most overlooked places to experience God’s presence is in the lives of the people around us, particularly, but not exclusively, those who are Christ-followers. Here’s the diagnostic question we’re going to ask ourselves today: “How do you know if you are seeing God’s presence in and through the people around you?”

If you have a Bible with you, please turn to Colossians 4:7–18, Paul’s final letter to the church in the city of Colosse. Here is what he says to this congregation: “Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

“My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) “Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me“ Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Give my greetings to

the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. “After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the

Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. “Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.’ “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

Paul most likely wrote his letter to Colosse while a prisoner at Rome, probably not far from the end of his life. A handful of names are mentioned, and there’s a story behind every one of them. From the lives of these individuals and Paul’s words about them or to them, we are going to see various indicators which help us recognize God’s presence in and through the people around us.

The first indicator is this:

1. If you can describe how a person’s character traits reflect God, you might be seeing God through the people around you.

Paul starts in verse 7 by saying, “Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” Look at the three phrases that describe him .

· He’s a “dear brother.”

· He’s a “faithful minister.”

· He’s a “fellow servant.”

In verse 8 Paul says “I’ve sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts.” Paul was in prison for preaching the gospel and his friends were worried about him. He was sent to encourage the church. Tychicus’ character trait was an encourager. That reflects God who is an encourager.

Doris Whyte was an elderly member of my last church. When she was going through the new members class process Doris would make a point to tell me the specific things that she thought I was doing well and that she appreciated. She seemed to have the gift of encouragement. Not everyone is like Doris but in the area of encouragement I recognized God’s presence in her.

The second indicator is:

2. If you see people not for their earthly status but for their stature in Christ, you might be seeing God through the people around you.

Take a look at Colossians 4:9 where Paul writes about another name in his circle. Paul says that Tychicus is coming with Onesimus, “our faithful and dear brother who is one of you.” Onesimus was a runaway slave whom Paul had urged to return willingly to his owner, Philemon, as a sign of his obedience to Christ. That story is told in the Book of Philemon later in the Bible.

Onesimus could have been tracked down and killed for running away. But these were Christ followers and in Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse, he described that church, “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” (Colossians 3:11)

Imagine how Onesimus, a runaway slave, felt knowing he had come back to his master, Philemon, but that Philemon and the congregation at Colosse would hear these words from the apostle Paul: “This is my faithful and dear brother.” and not as a runaway slave. Wow, even the lowest ranking slave was included.

When I was a newly ordained minister in southern Virginia the pastors’ group I belonged to was invited to travel to Washington D.C. as a guest of Dr. Richard Halverson, then the chaplain of the U.S. Senate. Our first meeting with the chaplain was to be a breakfast meeting with some folks in the Capital building. We were all excited and had our best Sears suits on thinking we’d be having breakfast with famous senators. Instead we had breakfast with the Capital janitors Dr. Halverson had invited. Throughout the day as we followed the chaplain around we were struck by how important the ordinary people of the Senate were to him. He saw people not for their earthly status but for their stature in Christ, and thus was able to see God through the people around him.

The third indicator is:

3. If you observe Christ-followers who stick close to those who are in trouble, you might be seeing God through the people around you.

Paul writes just one phrase about a man named Aristarchus here in Colossians—“My fellow prisoner”— but, along with a couple of other New Testament passages, it’s sufficient to provide us with enough information.

In Acts 19:29 Paul is at Ephesus and there’s a riot, and we’re told that Aristarchus is one of those with Paul, a loyal traveling companion who shared his trouble there. Later, in Acts 27:1, it says, “When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.” And then we find out in verse 2 that they were accompanied by Aristarchus.

It may well be, some scholars think, that Aristarchus attached himself to Paul as Paul’s slave so that the Roman soldiers would allow him to stay close by.

Often we do well when people are in a short-term crisis. For a week or two we’ll offer support. But what about when people have long-term needs, ongoing financial or career problems, or an extended illness? How loyal are you within your circle in such situations?

There’s a saying in Proverbs, a piece of wisdom that goes: “A friend was born for times of adversity.” That’s Aristarchus. Paul says, “He’s my fellow prisoner.” He was in prison with Paul, almost certainly voluntarily. Aristarchus reflects Jesus’ promise that he will be with us “always, to the very end of the age.” When you see people who stay close in times of trouble, you are seeing God’s presence through them.

A few years ago a popular young man was killed in a car accident in my previous church. Immediately following the accident three women from our church dropped everything on their schedules and went straight to the family’s home. For the next three weeks those women cooked all the meals, cleaned the house, answered the phones, screened the visitors and sat with the family. They had no life for three weeks except that grieving family. Through them I saw God’s presence.

There are at least five more indicators of God’s presence among us through people but that’s all the time we have today because it’s time for dinner (Communion). The main lesson for today is look at the people you encounter this week. They may reflect the traits of God regardless of what they’re wearing or their status in life. Look for the presence of God in them. God is closer than you think.

This morning we’re going to partake of our Lord’s Supper together. God is closer to us in this meal than we think. In fact the very presence of God is with us today because this table represents what Jesus Christ, God’s Son did to make access to God possible for us. Do you trust in Christ to save you today or do you think you deserve an audience with God because you’ve lived a good life? As we prepare for the meal either tell God thank you for saving you or tell God that you want to trust Jesus Christ to save you and you’re willing now to invite him into your life through prayer.

Adapted from John Ortberg’s God is Closer Than You Think