Sermon Tone Analysis

Colossians 4:7-18, God’s Design In Relationships

When you come to a passage at the end of a book (when there is a closing to a New Testament letter) that doesn’t seem to have much practical meat - How do you handle it?

Big Idea - God has given me relationship so I can influence other for Christ.

When you come to a passage at the end of a book (when there is a closing to a New Testament letter) that doesn’t seem to have much practical meat - How do you handle it.

-You can skip it.

-Look for 1 truth to hold on to.

-Look patterns in the scripture.

In our passage today we see a pattern.

We see a series of relationships mentioned at the end of Colossians.

We see that they are used in Paul’s life and the Colossians’ lives.

Hook

Relationships are important - Tim Williams.

Some people have a very immature or broken view of relationships.

They treat relationships like a consumer.

They are takers.

They are friends as long as it benefits them.

Big Idea - God has given me relationship so I can influence other for Christ.

Hook (Maybe story of Tim Williams)

Transition - There are 2 kinds of people: There are Influencers and there are the bucket.

I. Influencers and Buckets

Define Influencer - Sees relationships as an opportunity to minister to others.

Bring good - spiritual good to others.

Help another person grow.

Define buckets - The taker.

They see relationships as a resource to be served from.

For this persons relationships to last, the other person must be giving.

Buckets are stuck in being buckets because they believe a lie.

Many of us in the room think have a heart attitude of,

“I could never influence anyone for the positive - to push people forward spiritually.

A reason we struggle with this is because we tend to believe lies:

-There is a sin in my life that disqualifies me from being used by God.

-If people could see my thoughts or attitude on the inside and knew how bad I was, they wouldn’t allow me to influence them.

If people knew my inward spiritual failures, they would never follow me.

-So out of shame of who we think we are or the shame of past sin, we don’t make effort to influence others lives.

-Some receivers believe the lie - I’m not mature enough spiritually or don’t know enough spiritually to help someone else grow or spiritually influence others lives.

Question - Can you identify with one of these lies?

Could you say, Yes - there is a heart attitude or an inward thought that I allow to hold me in the receiving position - that keeps me from influencing.

-Where does that leave us?

It leaves as a receiver of God’s word, receiver of God’s blessings - but never a minister.

This person comes to church, maybe reads their Bible - but is someone who’s life is defined by spiritually sitting and soaking.

-If they are a Christian, they are the kind of Christian that Satan loves.

They are the kind of Christian that may be growing on the inside, but doesn’t have much of an effect on those around them.

-This is the kind of Christian Satan prefers because they don’t encroach on the kingdom that Satan is trying to build.

There is another kind of person this is the

spiritual influencer.

This person is someone who takes speaking up for Jesus and doing for Jesus seriously.

They may be outgoing and loud or they may be quiet and behind the scenes.

They have not believed a lie like the Bucket.

They have chosen to believe in God’s grace and God’s power.

They believe this,

“In all of my brokenness and imperfections God can still use me to help others grow spiritually.”

-This person hasn’t gone to seminary, doesn’t have the Bible memorized.

-They simply and profoundly believe in God’s grace and His power in their life.

Ask a question here - How would you categorize yourself?

Would you say that you are a bucket or an influencer?

What lie are you most tempted to believe?

The lie that your past sin has disqualifies you from influencing others?

The lie that due to your struggle on the inside that you cannot be an influencer?

The lie that I am not mature or knowledgeable enough be an influencer.

Paul in todays passage speaks of 3 kinds of influencers in Pauls life.

Many more that these 3, but today just these 3.

We will look at the 3 influencers of:

The Encourager

The Transparent Sufferer

The Prayer

Transition - We will first look at the Encourager.

I. Influencer Type 1: The Encourager of the heart (CUT THIS POINT DOWN)

Colossians 4:7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities.

He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,

The kind of influencer that Tychicus was, was an encourager.

Encouragement comes in many forms:

-Some encouragers speak words of encouragement.

-Some are note writers

-Some serve the Lord behind the scenes and their servant actions are encouraging.

We know that Tychicus traveled with Paul (in ).

There was a lot of time spent together.

For relationships to develop there must be time spent.

Tychicus served Paul.

He helped deliver money & he delivers news.

Paul calls Tychicus a “Fellow Servant”.

He helps Paul with the ministry.

Remember that delivering money and new from one town or city to another means walking (in some cases hundreds of miles).

I think is fair to say that Tychicus both encouraged Paul by his words and his serving.

I think is fair to say that Tychicus both encouraged Paul by his words and his serving.

He encouraged in word and deed.

He encouraged in word and deed.

Transition - We know that Jesus is a great encourager:

-To a paralytic, lying on his bed, Jesus said, “Take courage, My son, your sins are forgiven” ().

-To the woman with the hemorrhage who touched the fringe of Jesus’ coat, He said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has saved you” (, lit.).

o the woman with the hemorrhage who touched the fringe of Jesus’ coat, He said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has saved you” (, lit.).To the disciples, who thought that Jesus walking on the water was a ghost, He said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (; parallel, ).To the disciples on the night He was betrayed, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” ().

-To the disciples, who thought that Jesus walking on the water was a ghost, He said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (; parallel, ).

-To the disciples on the night He was betrayed, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” ().

Christ was not only an encouragement in word, but also in deed.

-Yes his miracles encouraged.

-The greatest miracle of all time, the resurrection ...

-John and Peter jumped to their feet and ran to the Tomb in excitement.

God is calling all of us to be an influencer.