[0:00] Hallelujah! We thank God you have tuned into this message by David Entry at Carish Church. No hand can help you with the fulfillment of your destiny but the Word of God.
[0:11] May God's hand align with you further into your destiny through this Word. Colossians chapter 4, reading from verse 5 all the way to verse 16.
[0:23] Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, ceasing with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
[0:37] All my state, Tychicus, declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord, whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your estate and comfort your heart.
[0:56] With Onesimus, a faithful and a beloved brother, who is one of you, they shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, saluted you.
[1:12] And Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, touching whom ye received commandments. If he come unto you, receive him. And Jesus, who is called Justice, who are of the circumcision, these only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God who have been a comfort unto me.
[1:36] Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salute you always, laboring fervently for you in prayer, in prayers that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
[1:53] For I bear him record that he has a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Herapolis. Look, the beloved physician, and Demas greets you.
[2:06] Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea and Nymphas, and the church that is in his house. Verse 16. And when this epistle is read amongst you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodiceans.
[2:25] Here ends the reading of God's holy word. Father, what we don't know teach us, who we are not make us, where we are not take us, to the glory of your name, in Jesus' name. Amen.
[2:36] Hallelujah. Amen. Well, we find out from the text that we've been reading, that after he encourages our relationships with one another, our family relationships and social relationships, he does not stop there.
[2:55] Really, when you look at the way the text is structured, it looks like chapter 4, verse 1 is supposed to be part of chapter 3. Because what he was talking about, the end of chapter 3, continues in chapter 4, verse 1.
[3:07] But afterwards, he goes on to pray for me. So after he encourages them to have a great relationship, he begins to say they should pray for him. And after saying that they should pray for him, so that he will declare the mysteries of Christ.
[3:19] He's in prison, and he's writing from prison. And so he said, I will declare the mysteries of Christ. And then he goes on to tell them that their relationship with outsiders.
[3:30] So he said, they should use their head. Believers should just, don't just be spiritual in dealing with unbelievers.
[3:43] Use your head as well. Being spiritual, God knows that someone is also using their head. So he said, use your head or be wise towards outsiders and seize every opportunity.
[3:58] So every opportunity that comes your way, there will be several opportunities for Jesus to shine through your life. If you're a Christian, God will surround you, not just surround you, you will be, if I can use the word, inundated or saturated with opportunities for Christ to shine through you.
[4:16] Every time. That's one of the reasons why we are Christians. Not just to go to heaven, but that Christ will be revealed in us. So Paul said in Galatians chapter 1, verse 15 and 17, when he pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me according to his grace.
[4:34] Verse 16 said, to reveal. All right. So to reveal Christ in me. So when God calls you, one of the reasons why you are a Christian is that Christ will be revealed in you.
[4:45] Not only formed in you, but revealed in you. It's very important for the Christians. So in our dealing with the outsiders, even if they don't want to read the Bible, they don't have to want, but when they see you, they will know what the Bible is about.
[5:01] Sometimes our lives must be so much that people cannot doubt the Bible is life-changing. And so he now enjoys us. And then extends it by saying that in our dealings with outsiders, let your words, let your speech be with grace.
[5:22] So as you speak, it should communicate grace. Let your speech, Christians. In other words, sometimes it's not about how much some people say, ask for me, I'm very spiritual.
[5:39] You don't need to be telling people how spiritual you are. When we watch you and we listen to you, it will show. When you're under pressure, when your emotions are stirred in a certain way, whether excitement or moroseness, when your emotions are stirred in a certain way, that's when we can really tell how far this Christ has been formed in you.
[6:07] When you listen to people as they speak, you will be able to tell. Paul said, when I was a child, I speak like a child. I understood like a child.
[6:18] In 1 Corinthians. But when I became a man or an adult, I put away childish sin. In other words, I put away my toys.
[6:30] But the point there is that when I was a child, I speak. So a child speaks. You can tell. When a child speaks, you can tell, you are just a child.
[6:42] When you're under pressure, what you say and how you say it matters. What you say and how you say it. So in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 29, is that let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
[6:59] Oh! This is a serious thing in the Bible. It's a let no. So sometimes it's there. It might want to proceed. Don't let it come out.
[7:11] It's a corrupt communication. Pastor, what is a corrupt communication? What you know is a corrupt communication. He said, let no, no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying.
[7:30] What you are saying, how is it going to build somebody? Edifying is building. And he said, whatever you say must be good to the use of edifying.
[7:43] It can be used to build people. It can be used. The Holy Spirit can use what you are saying to build somebody. That's why it is not a sign of spirituality to go around and say, ask for me, when I see something, I will just say it.
[8:00] I will say it as it is. No! You can't say it as it is or say what is on your mind. You don't always have to say what's on your mind. You don't have, you have to say what is useful for building.
[8:16] That's what you have to say. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the one hearing.
[8:33] It will minister the one hearing. Okay, so it says that when we are about to say something, we should think about the one hearing. Not your intentions, but the one hearing.
[8:45] You don't intend to harm them. You don't intend to hurt them, but what you are about to say, are they ready to take this? Is this person ready to take this, your so-called truth?
[8:58] Is this person ready to take it? So it says that, that it's my minister grace. So when you are speaking, as a Christian, the more spiritual you are, the more grace is on your mind when you are speaking.
[9:11] Now, what does it mean to let your speech be with grace? How do you speak grace? When you say something, what you are about to say is grace, it means that speak what is spiritual.
[9:22] It means that speak what is wholesome. Speak what is fitting. This thing, is it appropriate to say it? It's fitting. When you are speaking, speak what is kind.
[9:36] Sometimes, some things are true, but did you have to say it like that? To, to break my confidence? To humiliate me?
[9:47] To prove that I'm nothing? Did you? And there are people whose spirituality is to prove how unspiritual are there people who are. They don't feel spiritual so they can prove that this one is not spiritual.
[10:00] This one is not spiritual. And I, as of me, there's no clear sign of unspirituality than that. Sometimes, we might not say something bad, and some people are very gifted with that, in defaming others, in a way that you can't say they did it.
[10:21] they'll pass one comment about the person you are trusting, the person you believe in, the person you are impressed with. They'll pass just one comment, and you can't say they said anything bad, but it just, it just changes your mood about the person you are.
[10:39] Yeah. And they are, kind of, they're more dangerous people. Yeah. Yeah. They won't say anything negative, but the comment they pass leaves you with questions in your mind for a long time, sometimes, for the rest of your life.
[10:55] He says that let your speech be with grace. Be kind. That means, be kind about the things, the comments you are passing about this person, even though you are not happy with them.
[11:08] It means sensitive. Be sensitive. It means be purposeful. It means be complimentary. It means be gentle. It means be truthful in what you are saying to this person.
[11:25] Be truthful. An offended wife, be truthful. An offended husband, be truthful. Be truthful when you are commenting about your ex.
[11:36] Be truthful. Do you understand what I'm saying? Be truthful. So it says that let your speech be with grace and not only grace, seasoned with salt.
[11:52] You know, salt gives a certain type of flavor. But salt is also for preservation or to prevent something from decaying or getting corrupted.
[12:05] and we live in a generation that corruption is on the rise. I'm not talking about political corruption. I'm talking about mindsets.
[12:16] Society is getting corrupted when you speak. it should be with grace and your speech should be able to bring some preservation. You know, I think Revelation chapter 3 verse 2, scary scripture, that you have a reputation that you are alive but you are dead.
[12:35] And it says that watch and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die. So you see, there are things that are remaining in society that are decent enough.
[12:45] when you speak sensitively, your speech should be able to preserve somebody's mindset from getting corrupted further.
[12:59] Do you understand that? When people hear from you, they don't continue in the track of decadence or decaying. They don't, they hear from you some, something pulls them back.
[13:13] Someone is just so tired he is ready for divorce. After speaking to you, you, you have been able to help the person to see a bigger picture and to realize that, you know, this thing can work.
[13:28] I can work at it. You should be able, I was, I was teaching some people yesterday and I told them, as a pastor, if, to me, a couple in a congregation are having issues and you come and tell me about your wife, he has done this, he has done this, he has done this.
[13:46] My natural position is to begin to take a stand to defend your wife in her absence. Not that you are wrong, but even if you are right, when you listen to the person, okay, you should have put my handkerchief on the microphone.
[14:03] You didn't do it and you're upset. When the person comes, he might not explain why he did, maybe he forgot. So when you are telling me he didn't put it there, I will be talking about, but when, maybe he forgot.
[14:17] I will be talking about, maybe he doesn't feel comfortable in doing that, but he hasn't been able to tell you. You know, so as to help you reinterpret the actions of the other person.
[14:29] Because sometimes, your head is because of your interpretation. You are so hurt because of the way you have interpreted what has happened. But if you, you are upset.
[14:41] Okay, some time ago, you are waiting for your cousin or your brother or your spouse to pick you from the station and it was raining or it's snowing and every time it comes late. And you are standing there and it's snowing.
[14:52] You are very upset. You are fuming. Look at it. Only to come to realize that the person had a mild stroke. and fell.
[15:04] But because they love you so much, they drag themselves to sit in the car and race to drive. And race to drive. And you are fuming. You are fuming. Your initial interpretation was what has caused you this problem.
[15:19] And we believers must stand in the gap between people so that your communication, what you are saying, will stop the person in their track from going downwards, going further.
[15:32] in the church, someone says, I'm not happy. When they meet you, they realize that the problem hasn't been with the leader. The problem has been with them. You are able to help them to understand something better.
[15:44] Things in a better light. In the family life, your brother say, I'm leaving. Mom doesn't care about me. I'm leaving. Say, you know, Amanda, it's always like that. Even me, even me, I've been planning on leaving.
[15:55] I'll follow you. Take the lead and I'll follow you. No. No. Even if you are planning on leaving, your words should be seasoned with salt.
[16:13] Am I preaching at all? So it says, let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you might know how you ought to answer every person.
[16:28] When someone asks a question, you answer the questioner. Not just, you answer the question. You have to find out where this person stands, where he's coming from. Deal with people from where they are at.
[16:41] And make allowance for people to make mistakes. Make allowance for people to hurt you because people hurt people. Make allowance.
[16:51] Make allowance for people to say something that you didn't think they should have said. And you made allowance for them, so when they say, you cover them, you say, no, don't say that again.
[17:03] It's very annoying. Don't say that again. But even what you are saying to them is what the Bible is focusing on, not what people are saying to you. The Bible is not focusing on what people say to you.
[17:13] It's focusing on you are spiritual, what you say to people. What you say to people is more important than what they say to you. It looks like I'm talking to somebody because everybody is too quiet.
[17:33] Major people's speeches are with grace. When you're speaking, grace is part of it. And it's seasoned with salt. It's not everybody you talk to about everything.
[17:46] You are a child. If you talk to everybody about everything, children, you have a conversation with them, they will tell you everything that's been happening in their house.
[17:58] They will tell you about their mom's concert. children. Children. So some people, when you begin to have a chat with their children, they begin to stand there quickly.
[18:12] What are you talking about? Because children, the only God knows what teachers hear. Your children's teachers know a lot about you.
[18:24] Children. Children. Children. Children. Children. You see the way you are laughing about children? But there are people who think they are adults. They think they are spiritually matured by spiritual babies because of the things they are saying.
[18:40] It's not everything you say. It's not everything you let out. It's not every information about certain places, certain people. You part of. If I possess a scripture, I say, tell it not in God.
[18:53] Publish it not. In Ashkelon. There are some things. Don't say it. Let your speech be with grace. Hallelujah. So he says that let your speech be with grace and season with soul.
[19:11] Why? So that you will know how to answer every man. Then he changes the focus from dealing with others. Then he said, let me tell you about my friends.
[19:22] I'm not alone in this thing. They are co-starring. Also appearing. It's the letter from Paul, but they are also appearing.
[19:33] He mentions about 9 to 11 people. In Romans, he mentions about 16 or 26 people. These are people who are significant to him. Every now and then he mentions some people's names in his teaching.
[19:47] In this one, in his letter, he said, now I've said all this and I'm about to end what I'm saying. Let me give you the also appearing people.
[19:58] Then he says that all my states, the first among them is Tychicus. Tychicus declare unto you. That's all.
[20:09] You should have gone on by saying I can't just mention Tychicus and leave it. Tychicus. Tychicus. Tychicus.
[20:19] Tychicus. Tychicus. Tychicus. Tychicus declare unto you.
[20:30] Who is, when you read the Amplified, well loved. Some people are well or much loved.
[20:44] A prison apostle sending a prison epistle. had to mention somebody. He said, this guy is much loved.
[20:56] Oh yeah. When you do ministry, God will always bring you people who you can't tell this one is much loved. It's much loved. When something happens to them, something happens to you.
[21:10] And usually, your enemies target them first. much loved. Much loved. When somebody in a position loves you, be careful not to hurt them.
[21:22] But when you hurt them, you hurt a lot of things. I've told somebody this before. That the way you love God and the way you are committed to the things of God.
[21:34] See, when you're a pastor and you love God and you see people who really love God and you see their level of commitment, he has a way of endearing them to your heart. Some people with their backs like it hurts.
[21:46] Paul said, Tychicus. Tychicus is much loved. And I can say about you, you are much loved. Some of you didn't say amen in your front.
[22:07] You are much loved. When you love someone, you are uneasy when they are not okay. Much loved.
[22:20] Tychicus is not only much loved. Look at their credentials. He said, Fakatashu, Bataia. Faithful assistant is assisting me and his level of assistance is so faithful because sometimes you can tell someone is assisting but this person is not faithful.
[22:41] Yeah. Can tell he's not faithful. Can easily jump ships. Yeah. When it comes to Christianity, faithfulness is a major virtue. God said he's faithful.
[22:54] Jesus calls himself faithful one. The word of God is faithful. To the extent that he says that, he says in the scriptures that when thou good and faithful servant is not how powerful you are.
[23:09] You are not rewarded for you how powerful you are, how anointed you are. God is not looking for anointed servants. Faithful servants. Some of the people were appointed for ordination.
[23:24] I was talking to them and I was telling them that you are not here because of your anointing. No wise church builder builds with people because of their gifts.
[23:37] You build with people because of their faithfulness. You can only travel. Bible, listen to what Bible says about a faithful friend. Proverbs chapter 25 verse 19.
[23:49] Confidence in an unfaithful man is like you with a broken tooth. In time of trouble. You think it's okay till trouble comes then you realize that you have hurt yourself.
[24:01] It's like running with a foot that is out of joints. Oh yeah. In Proverbs. Bible says a friend loved at all times.
[24:16] Proverbs. 17, 17. A friend loved at all times. Faithful. Tychicus has been faithful to me. In Acts chapter 20 verse 4 Tychicus was part of Paul's apostolic team.
[24:31] One of the things that destroys churches. that destroys the strength of the move of God is unfaithful allies. Unfaithful assistants. Many churches would have been bigger than it is if it wasn't for unfaithful assistants and unfaithful people who have been put in positions.
[24:51] It's required of a steward to be found faithful. Many churches that could have done more great things and made greater impact have been grounded or have been severely hit because of unfaithful assistants.
[25:12] I know I'm talking for a certain pastor. Unfaithful assistants who have damaged and brutalized their work and then when they are hurting their work they don't care.
[25:24] They just want to make a statement. I was teaching some people yesterday that I said even Satan does not promote unfaithful demons. No!
[25:41] You'll be out of your mind to promote someone who is not faithful to you to represent you. It is required of a steward to be found.
[25:51] That means it's a process of time. It takes time. Sometimes it will take 10 years. Sometimes certain levels of trust all you need is a few months. Other levels of trust what you need is some years.
[26:04] Other levels of trust you need a very long period of time. 15 years. 20 years! 20 years! It makes a difference. Let's make a difference.
[26:15] Let's make a difference. When we get to certain levels in life you don't need new friends. Oh yes! The older you are the less you need new friends.
[26:30] Doesn't matter how high you rise. Especially the higher you rise the more you don't need new friends. Yes! So then people who are faithful you always look for faithful people to rise with.
[26:44] And every faithfulness will be tested. You need faithful people to rise with. faithful who will stick with you. Bible says that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
[26:57] There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. 1824. A man who has friends must show himself friendly. I don't have friends. It's because you are not friendly. I don't know anybody in the church.
[27:10] Paul knew names. Paul was mentioning names. The longer you have been in the church the more names you should know. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
[27:23] name. Is this something strange? It's in the Bible. Bible say, Paul said, I've finished talking about it. Let me mention names. I know people. I know people. I know people.
[27:42] You have been in this church. He said, I'm faithful to God. But you don't know names because you don't have friends. You don't have friends. I'm not talking to somebody.
[27:52] Someone is listening to me. You only do your church online. That's why you don't have spiritual friends. That's why you don't have actual Christian friends. All your friends are some straight people. So Bible says that Proverbs chapter 18, 24, right? The scripture we are talking about. It says that a man that has friends must show himself friendly. And there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Closer than a brother. It says that Taichikus, I'm sending Taichikus. Taichikus, who beloved, faithful minister. Some of us get so distracted by the term minister. This is not a title. This is not a title minister.
[28:41] So minister, Mr. Mark, Mr. Robert, Mr. Daich. No, no, no. That's not a title minister. This one, in fact, helper. Some other translations use servants. Paul was in prison, but people were serving him. Servant. Boom. Faithful servant. No, that's the one I'm talking about. The first one, the servant. Faithful servant. He serves me. He serves the interest of the commissioners you're giving to me without thinking on what's in it for me. What's in it for me? What's in it for me? Faithful servant and fellow. We are in prison together. So in Acts chapter 20, verse 4, you will find out that Taichikus was one of the team that was with Paul. So it's not like he just started following. They've been together. And Sopata of Berea accompanied him to Asia. Also Aristarchus, Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Debbie, and
[29:44] Timothy, and Taichikus, and Trifumos of Asia. These are guys who went with him when he was going. And when he came to mentioning the people he knew, he said Taichikus amongst the others. He mentions Taichikus. In Ephesians chapter 6, verse 21, when he was writing the epistle to Ephesus, he mentioned Taichikus there again. He said that, but that he may know my affair and how I do. Taichikus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known unto you all things. Taichikus. He used to send him a lot. Faithful, faithful brother you can send and know that you'll do it the way you want him to do it. Not the way the people want to. And in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 12, he makes mention of Taichikus.
[30:33] He said, and Taichikus I have sent to Ephesus. I have sent him. He said 7. In Titus chapter 3, verse 12, he mentions Taichikus. When I send Artemis to you, or Taichikus, be diligent to come to me at, that's talking, I'm telling Titus. He was telling Titus that I'm going to send Artemis or Taichikus. God, Taichikus is always ready for any errand. Taichikus. Faithful.
[31:02] Why won't he be beloved? Why won't? This man is in prison by hard people he's so in love with. God, these guys have made a big difference in his life and his ministry. His life and his ministry. Next week I will pick it up from Onesimus. So two people he sends to, Onesimus and Taichikus. Onesimus, you know, oh good, I don't, it was an ex-prisoner, unfaithful slave. Unfaithful slave. Today Paul is calling him faithful. Unfaithful slave. And unfaith, Onesimus. And these two people, you sent them with letters that today we are still reading.
[31:47] Oh, may God raise Taichikus and Onesimus. Look at how we are benefiting because of the faithfulness of somebody like Taichikus. Oh, faithful Taichikus. Faithful Taichikus.
[32:06] Where are you? Faithful Taichikus. God be loved. Today the message title is Faithful Taichikus.
[32:16] Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. We pray you have been strengthened and enlightened. You can connect to David Entry on all relevant social media platforms, including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Carriage Church app. Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed.