The Reality of Christian Relationships | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

2nd Timothy chapter 4. 2nd Timothy chapter 4 beginning in

verse 9. Second Timothy 49 reads, do your

best to come to me soon for Demas and love with this present

world has deserted me and gone to thessalonica.

Crescens has gone to galatia Titus to Dalmatia.

Luke alone is with me, get Mark and bring him with you for.

He is very useful to me for Ministry tychicus.

I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak

that I left with carpus at troas, also, the books and above

all the parchments, Alexander the coppersmith.

Did me, great harm, the Lord will repay him according to his

deeds. Beware of him yourself for he

strongly, opposed our message. Left to our own understanding.

We might think that there would be no need for Paul to add

anything else to this letter especially after such powerful

comforting and reassuring words concerning his own death.

And the death of the righteous altogether.

I mean, how can you top verse 8 henceforth?

There is laid up for me, the crown of righteousness, which

the Lord, the righteous judge will.

Award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all who

have loved his appearing just ended there.

What a crescendo, what? A way to conclude.

What? A way to land this thing.

What a way to leave us in. Awe, and empowered.

And yet, The Holy Spirit. And perhaps to the surprise of

the first time, reader leaves us with 13 verses.

What else needs to be said? What else does he longed to

teach us? Why add to something that we

just read here in verse 8? Indeed he is wise indeed.

There is great wisdom for us today and either is great.

Great application and something as insignificant as details

random names and random requests.

If you just get a quick glance of what we just read, your

realize that God is apparently interested, and US understanding

Paul's Dynamic relationship with others.

Paul loved God and because Paul love God, he also cherished

people, I mean read his letters and you'll realize that he was

an expert at remembering names and only that he was keenly

aware of the individuals that he has encountered or administered

with or served and the circumstances that they're

enduring at a specific time, he really treasured people and he

cared Them. And here we are.

And what we would later, realizes the last letter of

Paul, the man can't help. But mention names, he has to, he

has to Spirit is moving in, but there is still an element of his

personality, tied into these verses.

But for what purpose, how does this benefit us?

DMS, take a kiss, Dalmatian Mark carpus.

So what I believe upon meditation, that wonderful

promise that we are given that if we think over these things,

the Lord will give us understanding.

I believe, the main point out of these verses is that In order to

understand a genuine or the genuine Christian Life.

From beginning to end, it is definitely experienced with and

defined by the intricacy of relationships.

The genuine Christian Life is experienced with and defined by

the intricacy of relationships with others.

It is impossible to say that you serve god without having to also

open your heart and invite people into your world.

To serve God means you will serve people.

And that way of life, introduces soaring Joy's, as well as some

of the most aching things that your soul can touch and taste.

You see what many people think about Christian relationship

with other Christians. As that, it is nothing more than

an unofficial agreement to check up on one another.

Once a week, that is not what this is about.

That is not what this is about. It is much more devoted than

that it is deeper than it is more serious than that.

And when you really take on what it means to be a community to

have people in your life that you run this race with you are

in for a roller coaster of highs and lows.

You will know an eruption of praise for an extended period of

time and you will also know eruptions of pain. relationships

can be extremely rewarding and at the same time, very upsetting

And Paul's Network. Reading these verses proves just

that. I cannot help but think that the

reason why God has placed these scriptures here for us, is that

the apostles account of his acquaintances and friendships

and Ministry Partners is somewhat of a model of what you

and I can expect. as we do life with others in Christ, the

attitudes and the actions that he brings up about certain

individuals that he served. And he served with are extremely

important for us to understand, you know why?

Because it will put a realistic lens on our relationships with

people. Now, what I'm about to present

to you today will not mean very much if you have a shallow

participation in a local church, it won't, in fact, it will sound

strange and it might even sound silly But what I'm about to

bring to you today will be extremely beneficial if you are

those who are rooted in a place committed to a group of people,

this will all make sense and this will greatly help you.

Because what you have to understand that, there are many

believers who innocently believe innocently believe that just

because you have a circle of friends who are apparently

saved. And just because you're a part

of a community of people who profess a love for Jesus Christ

means that we are Perfectly going to share Grace and extend

forgiveness and love and loyalty hand in hand from the moment we

meet until we skip into heaven. And you have other believers who

believe that, absolutely everybody who walks through

these front doors and even signs up for membership and even

serves in wonderful ways will be permanent pillars of the

ministry. Paul and Servants of God

throughout history, their testimonies would say.

Otherwise it's much more complicated than that.

It's complex. It's really complex.

And it's important to be clear sighted about these things

because they will help us know how to respond to the complexity

of relationships with other believers.

You will know how to respond to the good prayerfully.

You will be able to react to not so good and you will be ready to

stand firm with the ugly because there is the good.

There is a not so good and there is horrific things.

When we commit ourselves to other people, And if we do not

prepare ourselves, if we do not have a Biblical perspective on

what people are capable of that, you just might be setting

yourself up to be shaken to be shaken For Your Love In Christ,

and for Christ and to even be shaken in your service to the

Lord himself, some of us are more prone to under appreciate

those who are clearly blessings to us.

Whereas, there are others who are swimming in Dangerous Waters

because they are overly dependent.

Pawn other Christians, we want to be exactly in the center of

God's wisdom and how we how we do this, how we walk this walk?

How we endure this race with others who are running in the

same Lane as us. So with that being said, I want

to present to you 66, there was going to be seven, believe

number seven for next week. Six realistic, relational facets

that every believer can potentially encounter and where

you going to use. Paul's writings here, as a case

study, Paul's personal relational history to

understand, what can come about in our lives.

As we are a church. And the first category of

Believers that we can forecast to engage with our found in

verse 9. Those who bring us great joy and

comfort. Paul says, do your best to come

to me soon. In this one short verse, you

know what you have? You have a man who clearly

believes that, you can know deep deep Delight in another

Christian. That the presence of another

believer can be an extension of God's goodness that a friend or

friends that have been providentially brought about

into your life. Can genuinely bring relief to

your soul, can rescue you from despair can awaken a joy and

Christ and could be a form of shelter.

As you whether winter storms, Timothy, was that to Paul the

guy was his mentor. Sure, he encouraged him to

continue Faith. Absolutely about Paul him.

Self, drew some sweetness from his relationship with Timothy.

He actually felt it wasn't like, okay, you're a Christian I'm

supposed to, you know, walk this walk and hear you out and pray

with you and lay my head on your shoulder and you cry and I'll

try to cry with you. It wasn't that Go back to

chapter 1 of the same book. In verse 4, look what he says

about Timothy Paul says, in second, Timothy 14, as I

remember your tears, I long to see you.

I long to see you that I may be filled with joy.

Hold on, for a second. Paul is making a connection

between the presence of Timothy. And being filled with genuine

Sensational tangible, Joy. You know what, you have some

good hearted Christians, who might say of that, that sounds

like idolatry. That sounds like you're making

much too much of a person. Paul, that sounds like you are

elevating a man to wear, only God should be And yet the

scriptures would say. Otherwise yes we are supposed to

love God supremely but I believe the reason why Paul is saying

these things and he is perfectly righteous and holy and doing so

is because Paul knew Paul did not forget that whatever he

enjoyed from Timothy was ultimately sourced from God

himself. Timothy who brought this joy in

his life? Was a reason.

Why we read this in verse 4, go to verse 3.

And what does he say? He says, I thank God.

Whom I serve. I thank God for whom I serve and

then he tells to me that because I remember you your faith and I

long to see you man, like, come over, it's been too long.

We need a hangout, that's the simplified version of it.

I want to see you. And I moved in my heart and I

long for you to be close to me and God has always introduced

men and women in the lives of his servants.

Who have the ability to make your days lighter and brighter.

And you have every right to feel great, Joy about people.

Or about a person. It's often the mix of their

personality, it's definitely the shared love for Christ that you

have, I hope? And something about their

gentleness and their patience towards you.

Maybe it can be as simple. I know this sounds crazy the way

they laugh and make you laugh. That causes you to feel a great

love for that person or people. And guess what?

That's not just. Okay.

That's something to worship God about.

If King David were two here and he were to sit in the service,

he would totally be able to Echo the sentiments of Paul because

he had a friend just like that we touched on it last week

briefly but I want to turn your attention there.

And second Samuel, the Old Testament chapter 1.

This is a memoir of Saul and Jonathan who died in battle,

David heard it. He was grieved, he wrote a song

about it and he says something inspired by the spirit in verse

26 of second. Samuel chapter 1, Jonathan and

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

this is verse 25. How?

The mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle.

Jonathan lies. Slain, on your high places.

Now, look what he says about his friend I am distressed for you.

My brother Jonathan very pleasant.

Have you been to me? Your love to me was

extraordinary surpassing the love of woman Surpassing the

love of women. So the same psalmist, who wrote

in your speaking to God in your presence is the fullness of joy.

Could also say of another Fallen human being who love God and

walked according to his ways. You are very pleasant to me.

You can say both. You can say both.

And what's? So encouraging here is that he

actually goes on to even say That the love of this man was so

extraordinary, it surpassed the love of women.

Now, David didn't have the best marriage history.

The ability to relate to one woman was not the most

praiseworthy, but nonetheless, there's something to be said

here, and unfortunately, you have men and you have people of

a certain Community who would try to justify how God how God

permits for homosexual relationships and what use this

as a proof text. And saying, look, he clearly is

saying that the love of another man is greater than the love of

women, and that is just one sliver of evidence of how

perverted man can be, you know, why?

I'll tell you why? Because it's a commentary.

On how this generation doesn't understand.

True love isn't not a sad. Thing to know that there are

people who can't grasp the idea of deep love without sexualizing

it. If it has to be deep love like

this than it has to be sexual. Well, you don't know what love

is. You don't.

And this man here is expressing a friendship.

Love, I committed love a loyal love, and he can say, is even

greater than that of the relationships, he's had with

women. There's something so powerful

about this. And the point is that a passage

like this shows us that God bestows Upon Us, Grace's through

others, who touch our hearts in a special way and guess why you

can expect that in your Christian Life.

You can expect that in your Christian Life that person could

be a friend, like Jonathan that came at an early point in your

walk with the Lord like David who was freshly anointed and God

brought us supporter at the right time.

That person could be your spouse and I hope it is.

That person could be a mentor like Paul was to Timothy that

person could just be somebody that you've just connected with

on a certain Sunday afternoon and your lives are conjoined in

a special way. But no matter what, no matter

what someone offers you, whatever, Comfort, whatever,

whatever warmth, whatever spring of joy and Delight is ultimately

God. Who is fashion that person and

provided that person for you? Don't you forget to thank him

for it. Oh it's not just Timothy.

Do a come back to S too many for look at this mention.

We would we would skip over a verse like this, there's just

seemed trivial this one, seems so unimportant, but look at

verse 13. What he says, when you come

bring the cloak that I left with carpus at troas, also, the books

and above all the parchments. I was tempted.

I want to preach just on that verse.

Just on verse 13, the the cloak, the books, the parchment,

there's so much there, so much there for the sake of the theme

of what we're trying to communicate today.

Consider this that Paul request his personable and valuable

items from a man named carpus an unsung hero.

Never hear of them again or before this Timothy before you

come and visit me, go to carpets his house.

I've left my prized possessions with him.

Telling me what Paul trusted carpus.

He really did, he can leave some cash at his house and not worry

that a dollar would be taken. Carpus could ask for his car

keys and and Paul would be okay with that.

And so there are there there are wonderful things that await us.

Wonderful people that will become family to us that we can

trust and we can enjoy. And we can receive so much from.

It was Timothy, always carpets. I'm sure there are others, but

realize this again, let me say it that those people have been

given by God, even the name, Jonathan means, God has given

God has given and God will give to you and I believe it and

rejoice at those Treasures because Jesus Christ paid a

price to purchase friendships like that.

Christ paid a price so that he can so transform hearts in which

though you have different backgrounds, and personalities

and histories, there can be a connection that is deeper than

blood and that is the holy spirit living in you and living

in them. Christ paid a price for such

relationships. So if you are enjoying them, if

your relishing in them, if you are making memories with them,

don't forget to thank God. First thing that you and I can

expect in this Christian walk with other Christians are people

who will bring us great comfort and joy.

But secondly, you can expect those who might walk away from

the cause of Christ. Verse 10 for Demas in love with

this present world has deserted me and gone to thessalonica.

If Timothy is an example of the deep joy, as you can know, and

Christian relationships, then Dimas is an illustration of the

great risks. That you can expect and choosing

to serve alongside other people Dimas was not an acquaintance

merely. He was more than that.

He was a traveling Ministry partner with Paul, he's

mentioned and Philemon. Where there he is, called a

fellow worker, he's mentioned in the book of Colossians.

But Demas. Although he was a fruitful

servant at one point, is the embodiment of something that

Jesus taught, one of the three conditions, the unfortunate

conditions of the Soul. That response to the word of God

and the wrong way. Dimas had a heart that was

Rocky. So at one point he received the

gospel in such a way that it jolted him to serve alongside

with a renowned apostle. And he apparently had some kind

of fruit there. He was a worker.

He contributed to a certain extent.

He was an asset to Paul's Ministry Endeavors.

But just as Christ taught about the rocky soil, Dimas endured

for a while. For a while.

And then when there was a price to this thing, when it became

costly, when he saw Paul getting arrested and persecuted when he

saw, how Christians were being targeted by the government Dimas

pulls out, not just because of a fear of that, but because of a

love for the present world, you know what I find?

So interesting about verse 10, when Paul describes his

desertion, he doesn't say he left Christ.

So that was his ultimate crime. He says he left me.

He left me, why is Paul making this personal?

It's very simple because he himself felt the sting himself

experienced a sorrow when this man that he served with chose to

walk away from the Narrow Path and straying into the world that

brought paying to the man. It hurts.

And how could it not when you are considering the faithfulness

of Demas? How can Paul not be not be hurt?

I wonder if he remembered the times where you saw Dimas

witnessing to people. I wonder if after he learned

where he went into the world, he reflected upon the times of

intercession while they traveled into unknown territory, not

knowing where to go next. I wonder what it was that

flooded, his mind for him to make this so personal Dimas hurt

him. And I want to tell you today, I

want to be very realistic because the Bible is very

realistic. You better be ready.

For the possibility of people walking away from Christ that

once walk with you in the Name of Christ.

It can happen. It can happen very easily and

perhaps some of you and here, can even testify, especially you

Saints who have walked longer in this faith.

That you go on social media one day.

And somebody that used to hold Bible studies that you benefited

from much or somebody that you once evangelize on the streets

or didn't Ministry without a certain local church for a

season of your life is now clearly in the world.

And it hurts you. It stings it brings pain and I

think that's important for us to know because we need to be

prepared for it. I remember going to a conference

when I first got saved maybe a year in and I was in Canada.

We came to the United States in great Zeal, we hopped in a car

and we drove 24 hours with a group of friends to go to a

specific conference. It was a young adults

conference. And so, before every service,

there will be lineups lineups of young people and they're getting

them all pumped up and And all these things and as you're

standing in line you would meet different people.

And so I remember meeting a specific young man who was a

youth pastor in the city of Boston?

And he just opened himself up. He was so he was just bubbling

with joy. I mean, the guy was almost going

to fly waiting for the service to begin and he introduced

himself and he asked what we did and who we were and then we

extinct exchange social media, you know, accounts so that we

can follow up with one another. We saw him periodically

throughout that conference was a large one, still Nice guy.

Friendly guy. In that setting, I thought this

guy was not just an he was on fire for God.

Years Ago, by never seen him ever since years go by.

But you know how social media has the ability to keep you

connected to people even from decades ago.

One day to my surprise after years, I sign on, I go into

social media and I see the same person, post a picture, and he

is Marching In the Gay Pride Parade of his City.

Dress in a way that I cannot even describe to you without

blushing. And so, I clicked on his

profile, I look through his time, I realize that he's in a

relationship with a man. He walked away from the

ministry. And guess what?

I had no more of a 10-minute conversation with that person.

That might be even in his eyes Eurasian and I still felt pain.

And I couldn't help, but think of his students.

I couldn't help, but think of the ministry, that hired him can

help. But think of the times that

people listen to this man, preach to them this, these high

school kids. What are they feeling?

You want to walk this walk? Expect people to walk out on

Christ, God forbid. But don't be surprised if it

happens. But thirdly, we read of another

group of people, another category and is found here in

verse 10. In the second part, he says,

Christians has gone through galatia Titus to Dalmatia.

Now, look at verse, look at verse 12.

Take a kiss. I have sent to Ephesus.

The next group here. Are just again it seems like

insignificant details of men and names going to certain places

but it is extremely important to grasp because they will help us

greatly. This point actually might be the

most relatable point to a lot of you in this place.

So pay attention. This actually might heal.

You We had told at these names have brought my brother here and

galatian. Other brother here, another

brother that was commissioned by Paul himself to go to take a

kiss. We can't place these men in the

same category as Dimas Dimas abandoned Paul, he was operating

out of selfishness. He was operating out of

unbelief, it was an apostate. These men we are told there are

not in close proximity Paul and he's communicating that they're

not with me. There's somewhere else.

He doesn't condemn them for such actions.

He doesn't blame them for unfaithfulness he remained

silent and that silence is important.

Why why are we being told again? Christians has gone to Glacier.

Okay, Titus to Dalmatia. All right, take you guys.

I've sent to Ephesus. That makes more sense.

He's probably sending tickets to Ephesus so that he can take care

of the congregation so that Timothy can come and visit him,

that makes sense. But what about the other two?

And again, upon meditation upon looking at this, I believe, the

main reason why Paul is mentioning this to Timothy is so

that Timothy can know that these people had to leave it was out

of necessity, not out of Apostasy.

Their absence could be felt it contributed to the need for

Timothy to be there with them, but they had to be there.

They had to be away causing separation between the parties

may be for a long amount of time and maybe even permanently

here's what I'm trying to say to you today.

Throughout the course of your life, there will be those that

you have richly invested your time and energy for there will

be those that you have shared so much with their we those that

you perhaps you have made unspoken promises because of the

richness of your relationship that you would never never part

ways. And then one day they move.

And then one day you get the news that your friend that you

have known for so long. That would bring a smile to your

face. As you would walk into this room

is not going to be there anymore.

That's just the reality of the Christian Journey.

Listen, please listen to me, people come and go people come

and go and it's not because they fell in love with the world.

Truth be told some Christians handle this kind of transition

in life. More easily than others.

And again, as I said, if you have a shallow participation in

your church, if you're not rooted in, if you're just a

sermon listener and not a committed member at a specific

place, whether it's here or elsewhere, this might not hold

any weight but some of, you know, the sadness.

Of somebody leaving. Somebody moving on.

And that sadness is a testament, that grief is an indication of

your love for that person. But I want to say this and it's

so important to understand, although, that grief is totally

normal, and it's even to be expected.

If you really care for somebody, please pay attention.

Please pay attention. Some of you need to really,

really, really, really here. This that sadness, can easily

make you selfish. I can make you and I selfish

saying, what do you mean? Here's what I mean that over the

years as people come and go, you have those who in order to

protect themselves from that pain in order to avoid that

strange sensation, that even though you are still going to

the same place, there are some people who are not there and at

there's a feeling of something's missing here in order to avoid

all of that you crawl into a shell.

You refuse to open your heart up to other people that God is

bringing into your life. I want to be very pastoral.

Now, I want to speak to a specific thing that many

Christians deal with and it is dangerous because perhaps you

have said something along these lines, perhaps you have

entertained it, perhaps you even communicated it to others.

I don't know, man. Things are not the way they used

to be. This is not the same.

So and so is not here anymore, it's just different.

I'm not sure if I like it. I remember, we used to have this

and we used to do that and I'm just I'm not seeing it now.

That's dangerous. That's really dangerous.

Because the Bible warns against that kind of thinking.

In Ecclesiastes, 7 verse 10. We are told say not why were the

Ecclesiastes 7:10

former days better than these For it is not from wisdom that

you ask this. Say not.

Why were the former days better than these?

That's not wisdom. What's the opposite of wisdom?

You know, the answer and you know why?

You know why it is not wise to think like that to say that to

people to say that to yourself to believe that it kills faith?

It assassinates faith and it listen goes beyond that it

discredits God. Who has a plan for every season?

and sometimes that includes new people and sometimes that means

people will move on This comparison to the former to the

present is a Temptation among all of God's people.

And he was as a temptation to God's people in the old Covenant

and I want you to go to the book of haggai to see an example of

this. So go to haggai in your Bibles.

You have your Bibles, right? If you don't have a Bible, come

see the leadership and we will get you a Bible.

You need a Bible? Haggai chapter 2.

Haggai 2 · chapter mention

What's Happening Here? The people of Israel have

returned from Babylonian exile. They've now return to the

promised land. What's happening in the promised

land. They're rebuilding, they're

rebuilding the walls and they're rebuilding the temple because it

was destroyed because of their Disobedience and they lay the

foundation. They're in the process of

renewing, the place where they worship God and then God speaks

through the prophet haggai. Why?

Because he made an observation about the people and how they

responded to this new Temple. Look at verse 3 here, who is

left among you, who saw this house in its former glory, how

do you see it now? Is it nothing as nothing in your

eyes. This is God speaking to his

people and he specifically speaking to the older generation

because this older generation new, the glories of the Temple

of Solomon. They saw how Solomon's Temple

was adorned, perhaps they were there on that day, where the

glory of God filled the temple, they saw the amount of

sacrifices the wealth, the prosperity.

They go into Exile, they come back, it's in Ruins, they build

it up and they're looking at it like wow.

This is this, is it. And not only that, you don't

have to turn there. But when you go to Ezra where it

gives the details account of them building the Temple.

Again, it says that you had some people shouting with joy, when

the foundation was laid yet, at the same time, it was mixed

with. And it says specifically those

who are older who were weeping, They were weeping because they

they made a comparison, they contrasted and those tears came

through eyes who could not see by faith.

What God was trying to do in the present.

And so they lived in the past and that's never really a good

thing. Even in Ministry, even in church

life, it's not good and so God speaks to her haggai.

He says do you see this as nothing?

Do you think this is insignificant?

Do you think I was doing things in the past that were greater?

And now I just kind of cooled off a little bit and you just

have to endure this because you're a Christian and you

should go to church and you should be accountable to people.

Do you think that's what I'm like you got to wrong because in

the same chapter, you come down to verse 9.

And what do you read the same, Lord speaks to the same people

about the same house that they were comparing the latter Glory

of this house? Shall be greater than the former

Says the Lord of hosts. And in this place, I will give

peace declares the Lord of hosts.

That was ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who

is the glory of God. He walked into the same Temple

that would later. Be adorned by Herod.

But the glory was not. What Herod did it was Christ?

The Incarnate Son of God, who stepped into that place?

Who taught, who cleansed, who Shield?

It was fulfilled in Christ. But the Practical implications

are still true. They're still true when we when

we see it in this way. God has a purpose for every age,

every season, every rebuilding process, every transition.

And if you're not careful to see that, You may fail to see the

value of what God is doing now. if you are so attached to

someone or some people or certain memories, You may just

be drained of enthusiasm and hope and your efforts will not

be as they should, and you're going to miss out, want to be

transparent with you when I was living in Canada. 20 21, 22

years old. So, active group of friends,

some of them may even be watching, I don't know.

We would do evangelism on the streets worship nights prayer.

We travel to conferences together.

And you know what, I really believe at 20 21, 22, this is

the group of people that I'm going to be with for the rest of

my life. Like this is it I can't see it

getting any better than this. And in one conference happened.

And that conference changed my world.

Literally you want to know how much it changed my world.

I there was nothing attractive about moving out of the place, I

was living in Canada and I did not want to come to America.

That was never even a thought. Never even, I never even

entertained it within 23 weeks, I moved.

What am I trying to say? God changed the script.

A script that I really loved and enjoyed And he will do that to

you too. If you walk with him, he'll

change it in some way because he's doing something.

He's constantly writing something. and God promises

those who walk in obedience that as they behold, the glory of the

Lord, they will be transformed into the same image from one

degree of Glory to another So no matter what changes, no this

that that change will bring about a greater glory in you.

If you just respond, well, if you just trust him, so what

should you do about the past? What should you do about?

People who move in and out? Because guess what?

People get married, guys. They do and that marriage calls

him to a different state. What you gonna do ministry

opportunities are going to we're going to open up, and God is

going to call certain people that you've loved and served

with and laughed with and prayed with, and counseled and receive

counsel from. And God is going to use them

somewhere else schooling opportunities.

Fill in the blank. What are you going to do?

It's not the same anymore. That is not Christian attitude,

that is not christ-like attitude, that is not

faith-filled. It's immature.

And it can be detrimental to your relationship to the Lord

and it can close you off to the people that God wants to bring

into your life now. And just in case, none of that

motivates you guess what? There's going to be a Heavenly

reunions and all of them are going to be there at the same

time forever and ever and ever. Hey cheer up.

Just cheer up and serve the people that God has brought to

you now. And then one day, we're all

going to be there. It'll be a short while.

There will be those. That God will lead to move on.

And you might feel like you're left behind but you're not.

You're exactly where God wants you to be.

Whether it's here or elsewhere, let's move on.

There's another group of people. and it's those who was stick

with us until the end verse 11, Luke alone is with me.

That's it. Luke alone is with me.

While others went like Demas because they love the world.

And others had to go because God called them somewhere else.

God in his Providence. Can sometimes allow those who

have been with us to stay with us To Stay With You.

Luke is also mentioned in Philemon and Colossians and it

is believed that he was a convert to Paul's preaching and

it is believed that he joined Paul's traveling Ministry at the

time stamp of Acts chapter 16 but what's so significant here

Acts 16 · chapter mention

is that Luke stuck with Paul until the end that doesn't make

Luke any better than tychicus or Christians or Titus.

But it does say something about his character.

You see Luke symbolizes a type of believe Who stands by those

when life and Ministry is not easy.

When we are enduring, humble beginnings and hardships, this

man here was loyal. He again he had a choice.

I could go or I could stay and he chose to stay through success

and through suffering. He chose to remain in crisis,

not when things were always comfortable.

And this was a loyal man. Locked in.

If God has brought me to Paul to serve alongside with them that I

will until God calls me elsewhere or tells me to do

something else. And here's the thing that I want

to bring up to you that in ministry as you serve the Lord

and some of you have experienced this recently, there will be

shakings in your life shakings to your world shakings to your

ministry. And in those shakings, God

allows it to happen to reveal a lot of a reveal, a reliability

of others. And it is in those moments where

we give thanks to God. Paul said that about Titus among

Point God comforted me through the coming of Titus through the

coming of Titus. And so when we in life, when we

serve God and things are flipped upside down and crazy, things

happen, know that in those moments, You will, you will know

a type of Joy because you will see you will see people.

Who will lock arms. Maybe, as you're suffering

through your marriage. Maybe is your enduring

persecution. Paul was being slandered here.

Paul was highly unpopular to be associated with him was

dangerous and yet he says, Luke is still with me and the Bible

highlights that I want you to know.

That although there are turmoils with relationships.

There are also great reasons to thank God for people.

Like Luke expect the same prayerfully.

There are more to say about that, but I want to move on here

to another group of people. Not just those who stick with us

at the end, but there will be those who will disappoint us at

times. Look here again, in verse 11.

Luke alone was with me, get Mark, get Mark and bring him

with you for. He is very useful to me for

Ministry. Now this won't this won't really

make sense until you understand the history that Paul.

How with Mark most of you, I'm sure know this Mark was the man

in Acts 13. That was joining Paul and

Barnabas in their missionary journey and at one point jumped

ship, he pulled away no reason given.

But according to Paul it was inexcusable, it was a whore.

I'm to the ministry. It was a hindrance and and this

is not to say that Mark was like demons.

He wasn't like demons. Mark was a genuine follower of

Christ who is clearly gifted or as Paul wouldn't have recruited

him in the first place and yet this highly gifted lover of

Jesus Christ in a moment of weakness caved.

And he caved in such a way where he didn't carry his load.

And at frustrated, those who trusted him, including Paul,

what am I trying to say serve God in one place long enough

with the same people long enough and someone just made mess up Do

you know what? You can expect in your Christian

relationships with others, disappointment, and others

believe it? Believe it.

Maybe some of you are holding back, many amens.

As I say it, it's just true. There were people.

There will be people who have a one-point been committed and at

some point over time, show disinterest to the thing that

they said they would be committed to.

There will be some people who will not be as present, who will

be absent. Will be a long stretch of the

time coming in and out, for immature reasons.

And it will, it will Annoy Us. It will hurt us.

Even what do we do about that? Well, the same Mark that Paul

was very frustrated with is the same Mark that he says, now

bring him to me because he's very useful to me in Ministry.

The failures of those that we live for Christ with should not

be write-offs to them completely, please hear me.

Friendships. People are fickle.

They're not like Jesus, right? Paul talks about Jesus, and

we're going to talk about that next week.

They're not like him though. They love him and represent him

as as they can. But I want you to say to your

own heart, don't write off people who might have let me

down. Don't write off people because

they failed to stand firm or be who they were called to be due

to fear or due to selfishness. Listen.

What I've learned about churchgoers over the years is

that many people want to drink all the grace that they can get

and they don't want to give a sip to anybody else.

I mean, it's okay for you to fail, you know, from time to

time and Jesus to forgive you. But oh, if you fail It was nice

knowing you. Do you really expect to do life

with people? Who are on the same path of

progress as you are to not to not make mistake.

And yet all it takes are super. Some people.

And the same church is for one person to mess up one time and

they'll never be here again. Don't ever show up again.

What is that? That is the opposite of the

attitude of this man who said follow me as I follow Christ.

because that kind of hardening of the heart that stubbornness

can bar you from knowing blessings like Mark was to Paul.

He learned that this man was useful.

He just messed up at one point. So I want to tell you today, be

ready to be let down, it's going to happen, but at the same time,

be ready to believe that that same person who might have

failed in a certain way. God Can Transform and renew and

teach to the degree, where they will be a blessing beyond your

own understanding. And so, Mark symbolizes those

that will disappoint us. I come to the last point.

It will be very brief. We heard those who bring us

great joy and comfort. I hope you have those people in

your life. You heard of those who might

walk away from the cause of Christ at one point.

God forbid, you heard about those who will be sent by God

elsewhere. I'm sure all of us have

experienced that, but if you're living still in a dark cloud

because of it, shake out of it. There will be those who will

stick with us until the end and we should celebrate God for

that. And there will be those who will

disappoint us at times and don't give up on them because God

hasn't given up on you. and lastly, there will be those Who

are dangerous? Poor dangerous.

Verse 14. Alexander the coppersmith, did

me, great harm, the Lord will repay him according to his

deeds, beware of him yourself or he strongly opposed our message.

Paul name names publicly. That might make us feel very

uncomfortable, but if a leadership is truly God-fearing

and they love the people, they will warn people about other

people and not just from a leadership standpoint.

There are people that you have to warn other people about.

You have to, this is not gossip here, this is not slander.

This is Love, This is Love and this is very straightforward,

you know, we just finished saying give people a chance.

That's true. We have to be forgiving, we have

to extend Grace especially when people repent.

I don't think Paul brought Mark back in without any sign of

repentance or change. I believe that's actually the

opposite. I believe Mark did learn at some

point. She was close with Peter

Barnabas, took him in, and it just makes you wonder if he

matured over time and Paul observe that and he brought him

in. But when it comes to people like

Alexander, who show no repentance, who have an

appearance of godliness, you have to understand my fellow

brother and sister you've heard it before.

Before. So I'm not going to stay here

too long. There will be those who will

come in to do damage. Damage to Unity damage to

Doctrine, damage to you damage to your Purity damage to your

finances. There are people who will, Who

will come after you because God is working in your life.

And God is working in your local church and the same way that

Christ has ambassadors. So there's the devil.

And so you and I have to be ready.

Be ready because look, what Paul said, Alexander the coppersmith.

Did mean not just harm great harm.

Do you see as you zoom out? And as you consider these

thoughts, do you see how this is just so complex?

You got some people who love you.

Some people stick with you, some people who walk away because

they had to and it still hurts but you have to be okay with it.

There's some people walk away because they love the world and

there's some people who come into your life that just want to

make your life a living hell. How do you respond to that?

I'm sure each of us know how to respond to all of these.

But up to this point we are told very clearly how to respond to

this kind of thing. It says here that the Lord will

repay him according to his deeds.

You and I, if we're going to survive, if we're going to

survive on this journey, and this course for Christ have to

know how to leave Vengeance to God.

And let Lord, the Lord deal with people himself and you do not

participate in that act of Retribution and you leave it to

God, leave it to God and you move on.

Alexander the coppersmith. Did me, great harm.

And then he tells Timothy beware of him yourself.

And I tell you today, beware. Be Discerning, don't be over

simplistic. Pray, ask questions, be careful.

And God will guide you. But even if you do all of that,

sometimes God in his Providence, will allow someone to hurt and

to harm. And sometimes in those moments,

we learn great things about God. And sometimes in those moment,

like God, what he loves to do to get Faith out of us, will try to

get Faith out of you. And that way, this are you going

to trust me with that person or you going to deal with it

yourself? Be careful asking God for more

faith. Be careful, because it looks

like many things. And what Paul is doing here is

an act of faith. And there is no doubt that it

pleased God. Oh, so many things to say and

there is a seventh relationships, but it's not.

It's not a human though. He is fully man.

He's also truly God. And I believe he is worthy of an

entire message for himself. But there is a relationship that

you, and I should understand that United should consider.

That you and I should know about, as we deal with

relationships with other people in this world.

Let's pray. Chloe, thank you for the wisdom

of these verses. And Lord, we are better prepared

and we are ready to eat. To know how to righteously react

and respond to the good and to the bad.

Thank You. O.

Lord, that the things that we are experiencing, you have

already predicted And Lord that. That pain and also the great

pleasure that we know and others is something that Paul himself

new. You've provided us this.

This table of insights. For us to digest for ourselves.

And so Lord, we thank you that you care about how we experience

relationships. And we ask that you would help

us obey and to apply all that we've heard today.

We thank you for the past. We thank you for the Memories.

We thank you for the people that you've allowed us to know and a

chapter 2 of Our Lives. We thank you for those who have

been with us longer than the average person perhaps and we

cherish them until you call us home or until you call them or

call us elsewhere. but Lord, help us help us not go off

course in our emotions and our thinking With all that we've

heard Lord we want to be in the center of your will.

And how we, how we relate to one another.

We give you praise and we worship you for your goodness in

this in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Let's Stand Together.