Download Complete in Christ 5. Promoting the Gospel by Living it out to the End

Complete in Christ
Christ Centred
Friendships
Colossians 4:10-18
Complete in Christ
1. Promoting the Gospel
through Christ Centred
Friendships
• The Gospel is…
 The entire story of Jesus
 1 Corinthians 15:3ff
“…Jesus died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was
raised on the third day”
Complete in Christ
1. Promoting the Gospel
through Christ Centred
Friendships
Colossians 4:10-14
10 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.)11 Jesus,
who is called Justus, also sends greetings.
These are the only Jews among my co-workers
for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a
comfort to me.
Complete in Christ
1. Promoting the Gospel
through Christ Centred
Friendships
Colossians 4:10-14
12 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. 13 I vouch for him that he is working
hard for you and for those at Laodicea and
Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor,
and Demas send greetings.
Complete in Christ
1. Promoting the Gospel
through Christ Centred
Friendships
• 3 Jewish believers
• Aristarchus, Mark, Jesus called Justus
• 3 Gentile believers
• Epaphras, Luke, Demas
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors
and sinners?” Matthew 9:10
Complete in Christ
2. Promoting the Gospel
by Going
• Life of Aristarchus
• Macedonian mainly associated with
Thessalonica (Acts 27:2)
• One of Pauls travel companions (Acts
20:4)
• Seized by the people during the riot in
Ephesus (Acts 19:29)
Complete in Christ
2. Promoting the Gospel
by Going
• Life of Aristarchus
• Willingly risked his life in that Ephesian riot
(Acts 19:28–41)
• He accompanied Paul on the Dangerous sea
voyage which actually records the shipwreck
in chapter 28 (Acts 27:2ff)
• From Rome he is sending greetings to the
Colossians and to Philemon
Complete in Christ
2. Promoting the Gospel
by Going
• Jesus called Justus (Aristarchus and Mark)
Colossians 4:11
These are the only Jews among my co-workers for
the kingdom of God, and they have proved
a comfort to me.
Complete in Christ
3. Promoting the Gospel
in Prayer
• Epaphras
 ‘Slave’ of Christ
 Wrestled in prayer so that:
 To stand firm
 Mature
 Fully assured
Complete in Christ
3. Promoting the Gospel
in Prayer
Colossians 4:13
13 I vouch for him that he is working hard
for you and for those at Laodicea and
Hierapolis.
“Praying that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.”
John H. Jowett
Complete in Christ
Build into your life Christ-centred
friendships that promote the gospel
Complete in Christ
4. Promoting the Gospel
through your
Marketplace Ministry
• Luke
 Author of 3rd gospel & Acts
 Educated man, esteemed, Man of influence,
honoured
 Invested all of it in the Kingdom of God
Complete in Christ
5. Promoting the Gospel by
Living it out to the End
• Mark
 Cousin of Barnabas
“You have received instructions about him; if he
comes to you, welcome him” (4:10)
 Acts 15 – sharp disagreement between
Barnabas and Paul over Mark
 Mark, my son (1Peter 5:13)
Complete in Christ
5. Promoting the Gospel by
Living it out to the End
• Mark
• Co-Writer of the 2nd Gospel
• Mark was very useful to Paul in his ministry
(2Tim 4:11)
• Mark about to make a trip to Asia minor without Paul
• Young man (like Titus and Timothy) who served as a
special representative for the Apostle Paul
Complete in Christ
5. Promoting the Gospel by
Living it out to the End
• Demas
• Philemon 1:24 And so do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
• Colossians 4:14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor,
and Demas send greetings.
• 2 Timothy 4:10 for Demas, because he loved this
world, has deserted me and has gone to
Thessalonica.
Complete in Christ
5. Promoting the Gospel by
Living it out to the End
• Demas
• Lover of the world (1John 2:15-17)
• ‘The cravings of sinful man…’ – the world
entices the believer
• ‘The lust of his eyes…’ – what he doesn’t have
• ‘Boasting of what he has and does…’ - the
pride of life”
Complete in Christ
Complete in Christ
6. Promoting the Gospel through
an Unwavering Commitment to
the Local Church
Colossians 4:15-18
15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea,
and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16 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.
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry
you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my
chains. Grace be with you.
Complete in Christ
Build into your life Christ-centred
friendships that promote the gospel
Complete in Christ
1. GO
2. PRAYER
3. MARKETPLACE MINISTRY
4. LIVE IT OUT
5. LOCAL CHURCH
Complete in Christ
“Lord, help us to live as those who are
complete in Christ.”