Making Our World A Better Place

Chris Long
Missions Weekend

2 Tim 1:15-18

Paul was blessed by someone that made his world a better place.
That someone is Onesiphorus.

Do you have a someone like that? Or maybe you could be that someone?

Paul talked highly about Onesiphorus.
What did he do?

1. Remained loyal and stood by Paul in times of destress.,

v.15

definition [Loyal] :

• firm and not changing in your friendship with or support for a person or an organization, or in your belief in your principles
• always supportive
  
• always liking and supporting someone or something, sometimes when other people do not

We need to be loyal to the ones who's precious in our life.
Loyal to our faith, to our family, friends, and nation.

2. Onesiphorus ministered to Paul's deepest needs.

v.16 - refreshed me (NIV) ; visited and encourage (NLT).

Rom 12:13 - Practice hospitality.
Usually Christians, they loved God SO much so gave all to God, and left nothing for others.

We can refreshed others with an act of kindness.

3. He was noble and not ashamed of Paul's sufferings

v.16b
Nobility - someone has to got standard classy, not mediocre. He's a class act that can affect people.

definition [Noble] :

noble (HIGH RANK)
adjective [not gradable]
having a high social rank, esp. from birth
a noble family related to the queen

noble
noun [C]
a person of high social rank, esp. from birth

nobility
noun [U]
the class or group of people who have a high social rank, esp. from birth

When Jesus was on the cross, He prayed for the ones who prosecuted Him.
They KNEW what they did to Him was wrong. And still He prayed for them!
People was like, "what? are you serious?"
Why?
Cause He's got class. He got standard classy.
He saw the case beyond everyone else.

Same thing happened to the murderer who's hanged beside Him.
He forgave him, and promised paradise to him, right now!

4. Onesiphorus had a shepherd's heart

v.17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.
Luke 15:4-5

That's why, ministry isn't a business.
You go and search for the 1% who's lost, in need, etc. and leave the 99%

Onesiphorus traveled from Ephesus to Rome, just to go and found Paul.

It's a long way!



5. He came and helped Paul in many practical ways.

1 Corinthians 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

No one got excuses to say "I don't have a special gift like you to serve", cos there's a gift called a gift of able to help others. Everyone has this gift.