Relationships in the Ministry
2 Timothy 4:9-15 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
An interesting assortment of relationships in the ministry of Paul….
There are those who will STICK WITH THE STUFF:
LUKE: Only Luke is with me
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Philemon 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
(Of course LUKE is the man God used to PEN the ACTS of the APOSTLES as well as the gospel that bears his name.)
TITUS : Titus unto Dalmatia
Galatians 2:1-3 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
2 Corinthians 2:13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 7:6-7 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
2 Corinthians 8:6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
2 Corinthians 8:16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
Titus 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Here is a FAITHFUL minister of Christ. A Fellow labourer in Christ who was close to Paul in the ministry.
TIMOTHY:
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
We also see the TWO PASTORAL EPISTLES written to TIMOTHY and can glean much about him…. He was FAITHFUL to the Ministry
Crescens : Crescens to Galatia
Not much is said about this man but he seems to be a faithful steward of the trust of Paul.
(And yes there are those that are lesser known that labour faithfully.
Tychicus : Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
Acts 20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
Colossians 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Titus 3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
Ephesians 6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
There were the ENEMIES:
Alexander the coppersmith
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
Demetrius:
Acts 19:23-29 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
There will ALWAYS be enemies of the TRUTH. Those who with violence and bitterness oppose the truth.
We EXPECT them. They cause challenge to us but they are KNOWN
There are always the amalekites, the midianites, the HIVites, gugishites…. Always those who are OF the WORLD and OPPOSE GOD
Jude 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
THERE WERE THOSE WHO TURNED AWAY:
There was DEMAS
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Philemon 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
There will always be those who turn back… who for a short time come WITH you but eventually fall away
These are the biggest heartbreaks in the ministry….
IT WILL HAPPEN:
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
WHY?
Lack of Salvation in some:
Mark 4:18-19 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
DISILLUSIONED
DISTRACTED
DISCOURAGED
SHIPWRECKED:
1 Timothy 1:18-20 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Proverbs 27:8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Proverbs 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
2 Peter 2:18-20 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
They are like WRECKS that float underneath the water waiting to DESTROY the unsuspecting… they are a BAD “TESTIMONY” and a DANGER to the less discerning
They are a CAUTION OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY WHO DO NOT WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY
THERE ARE THOSE WHO MAY SURPRISE US
JOHN MARK:
Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
Hosea 14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
There is always a john Mark who pleasantly surprises us and comes alone after a failure or feeble beginning
Acts 15:36-41 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
One who turned aside from the work at first but eventually came to be quite PROFITABLE for the ministry…
One who was probably used by God to pen the book of MARK
How do we KNOW who is WHO
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
TIME and EXPERIENCE.
Ours is to be FAITHFUL, not discouraged… LOOK AT HIM not people and BE CAREFUL and BE FAITHFUL.