WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.439 Well, good morning. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:08.160 If you have a Bible, I invite you to turn with me to 2 Timothy. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:16.160 We are in week three of our study in 2 Timothy, and we're looking at verses 15 to 18 today. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:27.039 And really the theme, what we're looking at today, is very similar to what we looked at last week of living unashamed for Christ. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.440 What does that mean to live unashamed for Christ? 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:45.200 And today we're looking at a character in the Bible that I'm sure walking in here today, not one person in this room, if you were asked, who is your favorite Bible character, I'm sure no one here would have said Onesaphorus. 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:51.439 Though that's a good name to put on a baby list of names, I would challenge you to do that. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:57.280 We're looking at the faithfulness of Onesaphorus. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:07.040 Last week, again, looking at the subject of being unashamed for Christ and just having conversations and even knowing just my own heart and life. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:25.359 That is a tough thing for us of living unashamed for Christ in our day-to-day life, being courageous and being bold to speak about Christ to our friends, to family members, to co-workers. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.560 You know, that's something that can weigh on us pretty heavy. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:45.200 We can sing of Christ here, but it is, it weighs and it can weigh heavily on us when we're trying to have a gospel conversation with an old friend that we grew up with, knowing that this conversation could affect this relationship forever. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:53.840 Or apply that to a family member or a coworker, somebody who you're gonna have to keep working with day to day. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:59.040 Living unashamed for Christ and having the courage and boldness to speak of Christ. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.319 I want you to see this theme in chapter one. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:06.480 If you have a Bible, I hope you do, I would encourage you to bring a Bible. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:12.400 In chapter one, I want you to follow along and I want you to test this theme that I'm telling you. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:14.479 Look at verse eight. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:20.319 Three times in this chapter, we see this idea of ashamed or being unashamed of Christ. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:29.599 Paul writes in verse eight to Timothy, saying, Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:31.520 That's the time number one. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:32.400 Now look at verse 12. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.159 Skip down to verse 12 in your Bible. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.000 You see this idea again. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:44.080 In verse 12, Paul says, This is why I'm suffering, but I am not ashamed. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:48.639 And now in our current text, look at verse 16. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:03:04.159 What we're gonna look at today, Paul is writing about this Onesaphorus, and he says, May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesaphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.680 So this is our theme. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:15.680 The Lord has us going through 2 Timothy, and what we're looking at really last week and today is living with no shame for Christ, without any shame. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:31.360 And really, specifically today, we're focusing on living unashamed for Christ by loving the body, by loving our fellow Christian and serving our fellow Christian despite whatever consequences may come for that. 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:41.759 And really, this connection between our love for Christ and our love for his people is a very, very close connection. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:50.719 In John chapter 13, for example, Jesus said this by this all people will know that you are my disciples. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:52.800 Just pause right there mentally. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:59.199 Jesus says, Hey, by this one thing I'm about to tell you, everybody else is gonna know you're a true follower of me. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:00.479 You know what he says? 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:03.759 If you love one another. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:06.800 If you believers love one another. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:11.039 You see, the connection between loving Christ and loving his people is a very close connection. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:18.319 We see this also when Paul, before he knew the Lord, is on the road to Damascus. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:29.839 If you don't know Paul's testimony, his background, Paul was a Jew, he was a Pharisee, and he was known as Saul among the Hebrew people, and Saul persecuted Christians. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:38.000 His mission was to travel around, search out Christians, and put them in prison or kill them. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:39.759 That was his mission. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:47.199 And one day he's traveling to Damascus, on the road to Damascus, and he has an encounter with Jesus Christ. 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:49.120 And do you remember that encounter? 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:50.560 What Jesus says to him. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.240 Jesus appears to him. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:54.480 Paul is amazed by this bright light. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:55.920 He sees Jesus. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:02.560 And Jesus looks at him and he says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.639 That is an incredible thing to say. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:09.439 Paul was persecuting Christians. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:11.920 Jesus had ascended to the Father. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:14.879 How is he persecuting Jesus himself? 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.800 You see the connection between Christ and his people. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:24.399 To persecute Christians is also to attack Christ Himself. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:30.480 And on the flip side, on the positive end, to love Christians is to love Christ. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:41.759 And one of the fruits of our Christian life, the fruit of the Spirit of God in us, comes out in a love for other Christians. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:49.279 We're looking today at living faithfully, with no shame of living for Christ and his people. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.879 And really, we see this set before us today. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:06:00.959 Paul writing to Timothy, his protege, and if you weren't with us last week, remember Paul is writing this letter from a dungeon. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.639 He's writing from a prison cell in Rome. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.920 And even though this is going to be his last imprisonment, Paul is going to die. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:12.240 The end of this imprisonment is his own death. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:13.680 He's going to be executed. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.160 He is writing to encourage Timothy. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:18.240 He's writing to strengthen him. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:21.839 He's writing to instruct him and challenge him. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:30.800 Paul is focused on the kingdom of God advancing, even though he is about to die, and he's trying to encourage Timothy to be faithful. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:33.519 Encouraging him to be faithful. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:51.600 And really, in our passage today, Paul is going to lay out to Timothy two examples for us: a bad example of unfaithfulness, what not to do, and then a good example of what to do, of how to carry on in this Christian life. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:07:10.800 And so this is our prayer is that for my own heart and for us is that we, by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit in you, I pray that God would give us such a heart that we would pursue and desire faithfulness more than we want to live. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:16.879 That being faithful to Christ would be more valuable to us than our very own life. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:21.040 That's what we see highlighted in our text today. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:23.519 First, look with me at verse 15. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:26.959 We have number one, the men who turned away. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:32.720 We have the unfaithful example by these men who turned away. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:34.160 Look at verse 15. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:48.879 Paul writes to him, You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Fagellus and Hermogenes. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:52.800 He says, All of these have turned away. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:08:07.040 Paul is writing in Rome, but he's writing here about those who are in Asia, those who were in Asia, partnering with Paul in ministry, co-workers of the gospel, which for us would be modern day Turkey. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:10.000 That's the Asia he's referring to, modern day Turkey. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:13.519 And he's pointing out that many turned away from him. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:18.319 Now we know when he says all, he's not literally saying every single believer. 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.920 Timothy is one of them who so far has remained faithful. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:24.959 And not only Timothy, Timothy is pastoring a church. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:33.840 He's leading the church in Ephesus, who, as far as we know, for the most part, have remained faithful and following Timothy and following the truth of God's word. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:49.440 But he is saying that many who he was co-laboring with, when the tension came, when the pressure of the culture came, when persecution arrived, that these many turned away from me. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:53.840 Now that is a devastating statement. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:56.399 That's a crushing thing to say. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:14.240 Betrayal is something that whether you're a toddler and a friend walks away from you and abandons you, or whether it's a marriage, somebody walks away, uh, this is one of the most devastating things that we can experience in life. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:20.320 Our Lord, our Lord experienced many turning away, didn't he? 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:21.759 Many. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.879 But here, Paul is writing about these who turned away from him. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:33.279 And just so we can feel, I want you to understand how significant this was of them turning away. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:36.799 And I want you to, I want to give you a scenario to consider this. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:42.879 Suppose that a man is walking down South Battlefield Boulevard. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:47.440 He's walking down, he passed the Vino's, the Vino right over there, Great Bridge Middle School. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:48.879 Y'all are tracking with me. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:10:00.320 And he's walking down the road and he turns and he sees behind a building his best friend's wife getting attacked by two other men. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:09.039 And in that moment, this man who's walking and he sees this has a decision to make about himself first. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.200 To go and help would mean he's likely outnumbered. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.159 There's risk of danger, there's risk of harm. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:23.279 But to go on, he could preserve his life, and he could remain safe. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:36.399 Now, I want you to imagine how devastating, how crushing, and I think we would all agree how despicable would it be for him to turn the other way and to keep walking. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:38.559 Devastating. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.879 Now apply that to what we're looking at here in our text today. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:46.960 You may think that doesn't sound as intense as what we're seeing here. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:56.639 Picture this Paul is a member of the church, the universal church, and what is the church to Jesus Christ? 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.840 The church is the bride of Christ. 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:10.080 How much does Jesus Christ, who is reigning as the King of kings and Lord of Lords, right now at the right hand of the Father, treasure his bride? 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:19.679 These men, in a moment of trial and persecution, they turned away from a child of God. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:25.519 They turned away from one who is a member of the bride of Christ, of the church of Christ. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:27.039 This is devastating. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:32.639 It's a devastating thing, and it should lead us to ask this question of why would they do that? 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:35.120 Why would they turn away? 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.279 What would lead them to do such a thing? 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:44.320 And I think the answer to that question is something that actually can be a struggle for all of us. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:50.559 Something that we face, perhaps in a smaller way, on a daily basis throughout the week. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:58.080 And the answer of why they would fall away, why they would turn away from being faithful, is the fear of man. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:00.879 The fear of man. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:09.360 Proverbs chapter 29, verse 25, says this says, the fear of man lays a snare. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:13.440 But whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:29.759 Ironically, the fear of man, that thing that leads us to pursue self-preservation rather than faithfulness to Christ and faithfulness to his people, that self-preservation thing in us that makes us ask the question, well, hold on, if I do this, what's it gonna mean for me? 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.440 Or how are people gonna think of me? 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:32.559 How are they gonna look at me? 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:38.000 How's this gonna affect my reputation if I stand on the truth or if I speak about Christ publicly? 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:46.080 That fear of man in us, that tendency in us, it can lead us, if we're not careful, to unfaithfulness. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.000 And this is what Proverbs is saying. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.879 The fear of man lays a snare. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.279 You know where the fear of man is called? 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:54.799 It's a trap. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:57.039 It's a trap. 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:05.039 Set before you and I all throughout this week ahead of us are going to be snares of the fear of man. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.519 They're laid out. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.080 They're laid out before you. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:12.240 And we would be wise. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:18.320 We would be wise to know that, to recognize that, and guard our hearts against that. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:20.799 Look at the contrast here in Proverbs 29. 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:26.559 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.720 Trusting in the Lord is actually what is safe. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:32.399 That's the safest route. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:37.519 No matter the scenario around, the safest route is to trust in the Lord. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:43.840 In other words, we should fear, if anything, we should fear our fear of man. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:47.440 That's what we should be afraid of as we go out of fear. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:50.240 We should be afraid of that fear of man in us. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:51.600 This is what we saw in Peter. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:52.720 You remember Peter? 00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:07.120 As Jesus is there with his disciples before he's arrested, uh, before he is sent to the cross, Peter says, No, Lord, they all, they all may scatter, they all may abandon you, I will not. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.720 Remember what Jesus said to him? 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:13.200 Truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:25.840 And so time goes on, Jesus is arrested, and all, just like Jesus said, they all scatter, and sure enough, Peter, a little more resolved than the others, Peter goes back. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:36.879 And as Jesus is being questioned, as he's being flogged, as he's before the council, Peter is there and he's around and he's trying to, he was in eyesight of Christ. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:40.080 And then as he's there, he's huddling around a fire. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:45.440 At one point, somebody looks at Peter and says, Hey, you were one of them. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.519 You're one of that man's followers. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:48.480 And what does he say? 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.960 No, no, no, I don't know the man. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:53.120 I don't know who you're talking about. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:58.879 Three times that happened, and the Bible tells us that Jesus made eye contact with him on the third. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:01.039 He made eye contact. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:02.639 Why did Peter do that? 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:06.399 The fear of man, self-preservation. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:10.080 It's an ugly snake, and it can rear its head in our lives. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:16.000 It's reared its head in the lives of so many who have gone before us, and it's something that we have to guard against. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:22.159 Phagellus and Hermogenes are two people specifically that Paul calls out by name here. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:32.879 They turned away from faithfulness, they turned away from being faithful because of the possible results of associating themselves with Paul. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:44.480 And you know, I imagine whatever was before them, I imagine in that moment of trial, what was not running through their mind and heart were the words of Christ. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.759 We looked at it last week. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:55.360 Remember, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:57.840 I imagine that was not going through their minds. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:00.559 That probably was not. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:10.159 Or Jesus' words, whoever saves his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:12.879 Not going through their minds. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:19.679 And so this, these are the words of Christ that should be going through our minds on a daily basis. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:21.039 I want to ask you this question. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:27.600 I really want you to consider this because this temptation exists in every one of us. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:29.120 It exists in me. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.279 It exists in you. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:37.919 Where in your life does the fear of man rear its head? 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.240 Where? 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.000 Is it among family? 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.559 Is it at your work? 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.000 Is it when you're with your friends, your old friends? 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.960 Where does it rear its head in your life? 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:06.799 And it comes into our mind like thoughts like tempting us, well, hold on, well, what should I say? 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:09.839 If I say this, then what are they gonna say of me or think of me? 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.119 That's fear of man. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:17.359 Or the fear of man is something that will tempt us to do what's easy rather than to do what's right. 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.839 It's the fear of man. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:28.000 It will tempt us to want more to stay alive than to be faithful to Christ. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:30.720 That's what the fear of man will do. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:38.000 Charles Spurgeon once said, He will never do much good in the world who is afraid of men. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.920 That person will never do much good in the world who is afraid of men. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.240 And this is what he is showing Timothy. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:50.480 Paul is laying out for Timothy, giving this example. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:57.680 And he's pleading, don't pursue self-preservation, pursue faithfulness. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:14.720 And so, really, as we look at these men who turned away, it's a warning to Timothy, but it's a warning to us today, 2,000 years later, to not follow that route by the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit in us, not to be given over to the fear of man. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:19.680 Not to be given over to it, but recognizing the Spirit lives in us. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:31.599 God has not given me a spirit of fear, He's given me a spirit of power and love and sound judgment, that we can walk boldly for Christ, committing ourselves to Christ, committing ourselves to Christ's people, no matter the cost. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:33.359 That's what he's called us to. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.759 Number one, we see this bad example of the men who turned away. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:44.000 But number two, Paul goes on to lay before Timothy a good example. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:49.599 Number two, we see the man who stayed faithful. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.480 The man who stayed faithful. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:54.480 Look at verse 16 and on. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:08.720 Paul writes May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesaphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.240 But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:18.400 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:24.000 And you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:27.920 We don't know much about Onesaphorus. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:36.960 We don't know at the time of Paul's writing this whether or not he has died for the faith or not, whether or not he's become a martyr. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:53.440 The only reason we say that could be a possibility is because Paul notes hey, the Lord not just grant mercy to Onesaphoros, but what does it say to the to the household of Onesaphoros, to his family, to his household. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:02.240 But what we do know about him was that Onesaphoros was a servant of Christ, that he worked alongside Paul in gospel ministry. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:07.839 He followed him, he was with him, he did life with him, he did ministry with him. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:14.000 For our context, you got to imagine this would be a guy who was very involved in his church. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:23.680 Onesaphoros was one who was involved, was faithful, had a history of faithfulness, and he remained faithful. 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:31.359 And I want to highlight to us five things here that stand out about Onessaphoros' faithfulness. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.839 Five things that stand out about his faithfulness. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:35.839 Number one, notice what it says. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:39.680 Paul says, May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesaphorus. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.519 And now he's gonna describe why. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:47.279 For number one, he often refreshed me. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.200 Why? 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:51.440 He refreshed me. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:21:00.640 You know, if you were a prisoner in Rome in that day, much of your livelihood, even while in prison, was dependent on your visitors. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:12.880 Dependent on people coming to give you physical help, to provide things that you would need, to provide food and water and just different things to keep warm. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:17.440 Paul writes about in different times about hey, bring this, bring the cloak. 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.599 And so their livelihood was dependent on people meeting their needs. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:28.000 And so, on the one hand, no doubt, Onessaphoris refreshed him physically. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.559 He was practically there. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:34.480 Think about that and that implication for us as God's people today. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:41.119 Practically, real, tangible needs that we have, we should be there for one another. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:43.359 We should show up for one another. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:45.519 For those who are thirsty, give them drink. 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:47.039 For those who are hungry, give them food. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:48.400 Very practical things. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:51.599 He refreshed me often, he says. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:54.880 But I think even more than a physical refreshing. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:58.640 There was a spiritual refreshing. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:01.200 You know what's Amazing thing. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:18.480 How just gathering on a Sunday morning, how we not even necessarily by a specific conversation that you have, but the sheer reality of being around other brothers and sisters in Christ has a refreshing tendency to it, doesn't it? 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:22.319 You may not feel it on a daily basis, but watch this. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.039 Don't follow this challenge, but just hear me. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:28.240 If you don't come to church for a month, you will feel it. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:30.720 You will feel it. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:38.960 That is when you will see and feel there is something in my soul that I'm missing. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.599 There's a lack of refreshment. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:51.039 There is this refreshment that comes from us just being with each other, worshiping together, physically being present with each other. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.559 Refreshment. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:55.039 It's a beautiful word to use. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.400 That word refresh. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:06.480 Think about how refreshing it is for us when you are parched, when you are thirsty, when you go to the beach in the summertime and you forget your bottle of water. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:10.640 And then to get cold water. 00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.960 That is the picture. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:15.279 How refreshing is that? 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:20.799 My question for you is who, Christian, refreshes you in the Lord? 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:26.000 Who refreshes you in the Lord? 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:38.559 My encouragement to you, you would be very wise and you would care well for your soul to invest in those relationships. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:40.640 Who refreshes you? 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.640 Spend time with those people. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:44.000 Thank God for those people. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.400 Number one, he says, he often refreshed me. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:48.960 Going on, same verse. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:54.720 Number two, he was not ashamed of my chains. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:57.039 How is this Onessaphorus faithful? 00:23:57.200 --> 00:23:58.799 Well, he refreshed me often. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:05.039 And number two, unlike the others, he was not ashamed of his chains. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:24.240 Think about what could be facing Onesaphorus by simply going to the prison where Paul is, mind you, being imprisoned, not for committing some crime of theft or robbery or whatever, but rather for preaching the gospel. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:29.759 The same gospel that Onesaphoros believes in and is seeking to spread. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:39.200 You can see the danger of simply going to meet his aid to help him, says here, he was not ashamed of my chains. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:42.640 Hey Timothy, let me encourage you with this. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.039 Let me encourage you with Onesaphoris. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.119 He wasn't ashamed. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.960 You know what, Timothy? 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:50.960 You're not the only one. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:53.279 You're not the only one. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:59.119 Though the majority around you go away from Christ, the majority around you compromise, Timothy. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.640 There are faithful ones out there. 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:02.480 Onesaphoros is faithful. 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.720 Be like Onesaphorus. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:07.440 He was unashamed of his chains. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:09.039 He was a true friend. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:16.480 You know, one of the greatest blessings in our Christian life is God blessing us with brothers and sisters in the Lord. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:19.440 And we see this is something that the Lord has done. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:21.039 Who did God give Moses? 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:22.799 He gave him Aaron. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.880 Who did God give David? 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.880 He gave him Jonathan. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.119 Who did God give Esther? 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:31.200 He gave her Mordecai. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.119 Think about this. 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:35.839 Think about these relationships. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.000 This is one of the ways that God has blessed his people throughout the centuries. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:42.480 We should thank God for these people. 00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:45.039 Do you have people in your life like that? 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.960 Do you have an Anessaphorus in your life like that? 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:52.319 Thank God for that person today. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:53.920 Thank him. 00:25:54.400 --> 00:26:00.480 You should recognize that individual as a gift from God, as from the Lord. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:02.480 Thank him for it. 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:04.640 It's a blessing from him. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:11.119 And if you're here today and you don't have someone like this, go look for them. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:21.359 This room is full of faithful people who would love to encourage you, who would love to come alongside you. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:23.119 Go look for them. 00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:25.359 He was not ashamed of his chains. 00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:30.880 Number three, he searched for Paul earnestly. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:34.400 Look at what it says in verse 17. 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:42.559 But when he, that's but when Onesaphorus arrived in Rome, what did he do? 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:48.319 He searched for me earnestly, and he found me. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:51.119 He went looking for Paul. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:27:02.319 When things got tough in Paul's life, when most people shied away from it, scattering, this was one individual going against the grain, going against the current. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:04.559 He went to Rome. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:07.119 That seems crazy, doesn't it? 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:09.599 You see why he did it though. 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:14.799 He loved Christ and he loved his brother and the Lord. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:23.680 And we don't even need to read a verse here on the page that says explicitly, Onesaphorus loved Jesus, and Onesaphorus loved the people of God. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:24.799 We don't need to see that. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:26.240 We don't need to see that quote. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:28.559 All we need to see is what he did. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:33.440 Our treasures, our values come out in what we do. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:36.240 He searched earnestly for him. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.039 Do you see that? 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:41.119 We search for things to the extent that we value things. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:46.400 For example, when I lose a pen, you know, one of those river oak pens? 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:56.880 I don't look that hard, and this is probably something I need to repent of, because my wife will sweep the house and find a wad of river oak pens. 00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.799 It's a confession. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:01.119 I don't look that hard. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:18.720 Now if I lose my child, hopefully, if there's any decency in me, earnest searching, zealous, passionate, earnest, steadfast, nonstop until I find her. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:19.519 Right? 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:20.480 Why? 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:21.599 Value. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:24.000 Just the value difference. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.160 He searched for him. 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:32.240 He searched for him and he didn't give up, though it took him some time to find him. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.960 This wasn't a Google map time frame. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:42.079 He had to go spot to spot, prison to prison, to look for Paul. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.599 And he found him. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:45.519 You see his love for Christ. 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:47.200 He is faithful. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:49.039 And here's the truth from this. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:52.480 There is no such thing, we have to understand this. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:58.559 There's no such thing as a true Christian who doesn't love other Christians. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.880 No such thing. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:17.119 When the Spirit of God convicts somebody of sin and brings them to faith in Christ Jesus, when God removes our heart of stone, he gives us our heart of flesh, one of the things you will notice in that is that individual will begin to have a love for the people of God. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:22.640 It flows out because the Spirit of Christ is in them. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:24.640 This is what happens when we're born again. 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:40.960 This is why in the book of 1 John, what many of y'all read through this summer and your 7, 5, 7 groups, you will remember that one of the reasons why an individual should have the assurance of salvation is whether or not love for other Christians exists in their heart. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:42.720 And so I want to encourage you today. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:50.640 If you are doubting your own salvation at times, I want to ask you this question: do you have a sincere love for other believers? 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:53.440 Do you love other Christians? 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:57.920 If you do, be encouraged. 00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.599 Rest in that. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:01.119 That should encourage you. 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:03.039 Oh, hold on, let me take a test. 00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.480 Let me check a pulse really quick. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:05.680 Am I really in Christ? 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:07.200 Do I really know the Lord? 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.960 Yes, I do love. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:10.559 I do love God's people. 00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:12.160 I do love God's people. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:14.000 The Lord has changed my heart. 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:15.920 That should encourage you. 00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:18.480 This is Onesaphoros. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:20.480 You see it in action. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.079 He loved God's people. 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:23.359 He loved them. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:24.799 He was committed to them. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:26.480 He was faithful to them. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:32.000 We should ask the question: does that characterize our commitment to Christ's people ourselves? 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:36.799 His faithfulness to Paul should characterize our faithfulness to one another. 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:38.559 It should be like this. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:40.960 We should pursue each other like this. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.440 Lastly, not lastly, number four, take it back. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:48.240 He was known for faithfully serving the body. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.680 Look at verse 18. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:53.200 He was known for faithfully serving the body. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:58.160 Paul tells Timothy, May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.839 And look what he says. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:05.920 You well know, Timothy, all the service he rendered at Ephesus. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:15.519 This was a man who has a history of faithful service to God's people, focused on the kingdom of God and seeking to be a blessing to the people of God. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:35.359 I know so many brothers and sisters in this church who behind the scenes are so faithful to Christ, who have been so faithful for the long haul, who have affected so much good, so much spread of the gospel, so much ministry, because of faithful individuals in this body. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:38.160 Faithful ones who you don't even know. 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:39.519 So many. 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:41.200 This is him, this is what he's doing. 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:43.119 He's faithfully serving the church. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:46.799 Lastly, number five, this is more of implication. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:51.519 Notice Onesaphorus is in the minority. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:54.559 Notice what Paul says in verse 15. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.839 Look at verse 15. 00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:57.039 Quick reminder. 00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:02.240 Paul starts it off by saying, Hey, all, all who are in Asia turned away. 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:06.720 And among whom are these two men, Fajellus and Hermogenes, they turned away. 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:09.759 But then he looks at Timothy and he says, But there is one. 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:14.559 There was one who was faithful. 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:17.519 There was one who was true. 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:20.720 There is one who was not ashamed. 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:23.039 And this is a takeaway for us. 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:39.200 As we leave this room today and as we go out, if our heart's desire, and I pray it is, if our heart's desire is set on being faithful to Christ, and we want to pursue faithfulness to Christ and faithfulness to his word and obey him in all things and please him in all things and be bold to speak of him in all things. 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:44.000 If that is our resolve today, understand you're going to be in the minority. 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:47.440 Be okay with that. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.319