January 4, 2004 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

One day last year, as I was preparing the communion message for a particular Sunday, the Lord led me to do something different. Up to that point in time, preparation of this message involved searching through the Bible for scriptures that I thought would help us understand why God would come to live with us as one of us, and hopefully the message would help our hearts and minds to focus on the what the body and blood of Jesus means to each and every one of us. Well, last May the Lord pointed me at the letter written for the little church at Colossae. I remember standing up here at the very beginning of this study, explaining to you that for the next two or three months we would be going through Colossians. That was seven months ago. I remember learning that perhaps no other book in the Bible is more centered on Jesus than Colossians. That makes it a good study on how to remain in constant communion with Him, but I remember how I had absolutely no idea what would happen when we reached the salutations at the end of the book. Then I remembered how Jesus blessed a small amount of bread and meat, how He broke it, and how He gave it to the disciples to feed the multitudes.

Colossians 4:7-10

7. All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
8. Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

Tychicus hung out with Paul faithfully, and so he's sent to tell the churches in Asia about Paul's "ministry in chains," and to do the work of the Spirit, comforting hearts.

9. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

Onesimus, a kind of prodigal son, Philemon's runaway slave, returning with this letter and one to his master, redeemed through Paul's kind words here.

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;)

A few years before, back in Acts 13 on their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas take John Mark (gospel of Mark), Barnabas' nephew with them. Somewhere early in the trip, John Mark deserts them, and runs home. At the beginning of their second missionary journey, Barnabas wants to take John Mark with them, but Paul thought it was a bad idea since the kid had flipped out and left his work last time. Paul puts his foot down, so does Barnabas, and the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed on this journey separately, Barnabas taking Mark with him, and Paul taking Silas with him. Years later, we see that Barnabas' work was successful with John Mark, for here in verse ten, Paul salutes him. So too, you who feel like you've "missed the mark," that God opened up a door for you to do something, but you failed, take heart! I don't care how badly you messed up, He's not through with you. His eyes search to and fro across the entire earth for a heart that is true to Him, that He may show Himself mightily in that person's behalf. Whatever confronts you today, whatever it is that makes you to want to run home and hide, whatever it is, it isn't too big for God to handle.