Be an Onesiphorus
Key Passage: 2 Timothy 1:15-18
Date: June 7, 2024
Your Bibles, if you would, 2 Timothy, 2nd Timothy chapter number one. We’re going to leave our normal subject on Wednesday night’s life of David. We left it last week, prayer on the square. And I appreciate Brother Josh mentioning that in this prayer. Praise the Lord for able to have services in the courthouse. And Bill Ketron let us go in. We got four. We got to get more. Make sure you get that done. I made sure I got it done so I could be on you to get it done. Amen, you know? And if I didn’t have you, I don’t know if I’d have did it, but let’s work at that. And send him a thank you card. He really is the one that let us in there. We want to let him know how much we appreciate it. You can email it or send it down the courthouse via mail. But we want to know we appreciate it very much.
Since we kind of change gears a little bit, it’d be best tonight for us to change gears also. I feel like the Lord would have us go to this subject here. We’re in Second Timothy. And would you be an Onesiphorus? Would you be an Onesiphorus? You say, what is an Onesiphorus? I don’t know. I just thought it was good. I can say the word. That’s good for me. I tell you what, now, you know, so we want to talk about it for just a little bit here.
And 2 Timothy is a good book, and it’s something that helps me when I read it. I remember this is the last book that God used Paul to pen. And it always adds; he’s in prison. He’s writing to a younger preacher. And for me, it helps. This is his last words. Of course, God, let him want to write. It’s his last words. He knows he’s going to die in this book. He says, “I’m ready, and I fought a good fight,” and so on and so on. He said, “There’s a crown of righteousness waiting for me.” He knew he’s about to go out. And so his last words, it means a lot to me when I kind of realize that. It adds a lot of meaning to it. So we’re in chapter number one of 2nd Timothy, and we’re going to start in verse number 15, chapter 1, verse number 15 to 18.
And would you please stand as we read God’s word together, 2 Timothy chapter number one and verse number 15? Of God’s word, the Bible says: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
Would you go to the Lord in prayer and ask the Lord just to challenge us tonight to be like Onesiphorus? Would you do so? Father, Lord, I sure would like to be more like this man. Father, I sure could grow in this area. Would you challenge us all to be like him and grow us? And would you encourage and refresh your people tonight? Lord, please. And Father, we’re asking for this in faith because we’re asking in the name of Jesus. So, Lord, you’re blessed over at Masters Club also, bless tonight over there. Well, thank you, Lord, for what you do. Let me pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
This would have been a good time for Paul to be discouraged. He, in prison nearing the end, he knew that. And look at that verse number 15. Let’s just glance back at it real quickly here. It says there, “This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me.” Sometimes we think of these great Christians; we think their life here on earth ended in glamour. And often it’s not like that. In fact, Jesus, the closer He got to the cross, the thinner the crowds became. Paul, a little similar, he spent much of his life in prison, and such is the case here. And in fact, he didn’t have great crowds of people around him. He said, all those of Asia, they turned away. He was alone in some ways at the end. Look over in chapter number four, look at verse number 10, 2 Timothy 4, verse number 10. He says, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, he is departed to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.” Look at verse number 16: “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men took me.” I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Now, I’m just saying this great man, the ending of his life here on earth, was not as glorious as we often think. Very challenging him there. He’s alone in many, many ways. He’s in prison. He knows he’s about to be martyred for the cause of Christ. And just imagine that. Now, here’s, think about him, and he’s kind of contemplating. He’s writing, of the inspiration of God, and saying, they forsook me, and I’m alone. He’s there, all of a sudden his mind goes to Onesiphorus. Isn’t that amazing?
Look at verse number 16 right there. Verse number 16, he says, “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus,” he’s just talking about these people who have forsaken him and turned away. And we don’t know a lot about the two fellows mentioned by name, Phygellus and Hermogenes. Most think they were leaders, but we really don’t know. They had some influence, but it seemed like they turned away also. But now his mind goes; he said, “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.” And that was not ashamed of my chain, his handcuffs, if you will, his imprisonment. Someone said, “Well, you’re such a fanatic, he got put in jail, good for you,” you know, that type of attitude. Or they might avoid him. But Onesiphorus never did. He was there refreshing him. To the point, he’s told him about these people who have turned away. He’s at the end of his life, and yet the man that comes to his mind is a guy that refreshed him, a guy that was an encourager, if you will. He said he oft refreshed me. And that’s interesting. The Bible uses that word there in verse number 16, for he oft refreshed. Some will put the definition: cool. Kind of like on a hot summer day, you’ve been out there cutting the grass and you’re hot, and you just get some cool drink of water, and it’s just refreshing. That’s why Onesiphorus was, and Paul’s mind goes to this refreshing man, his encouragement.
Now, let me just say a word or two on this note. I thought the Lord might have us do it. If you look over in Revelation chapter number three at the Church of Laodicea, I tend to believe this is misunderstood many, many times. I thought it would be a good time to show you what I believe God’s speaking of over here in Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 15. Remember the church at Laodicea and lukewarm? Let’s just look at this for just a moment. Let’s think about it and try to know what God’s saying here. Revelation 3 and verse number 15. If you’re there, would you say amen? Amen. Good deal. Let’s read that. He says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I was spit out of my mouth.”
Now, so many have said over the years, “Well, God doesn’t want you to be in between. He either wants you on fire for the Lord or just totally off.” That really doesn’t make all that sense to me. Well, if you’re not right with the Lord and you’re going to backslide, you might as well just backslide all the way. Just go get a bottle and drink it all up. I just honestly, it don’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Well, if you’re going to backslide, just go all the way. If he hates somebody, go shoot them, you know. I don’t think that’s what God’s saying. Well, if you’re not hot, you know, and you’re going to go backwards, just go all the way backwards. You’re saying, “I would that you’re either cold or hot.” Hot, most, and I would agree with it totally, would be on fire for the Lord, the definition of just on fire for God. Cold, I would not say that God just wants you to totally backslide if you’re going to backslide. Cold often in the Bible has to do with refreshing. Let me read for you a couple of verses. Proverbs 25:13: “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is a faithful messenger to them that sent him.” Proverbs 25:25: “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Matthew 10:42: “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
This is what I think God is saying over here. You say, look, if you’re not on fire for the Lord, you’re not hot, okay, go refresh somebody else that is. If you’re not hot, be cold. Be refreshing, be encouraging. I don’t want you in between, you know, lukewarm, you’re just apathetic about everything. What makes you want to fall up? Either be hot and on fire for the Lord or be refreshing to someone. I don’t think he’s saying, “Well, I don’t want you to be in the middle, just go ahead and backslide all the way.” No, I don’t think so. I think he’s saying, look, either be on fire or refresh someone else, be cold or hot. What I believe he’s saying there. Refreshing, I hope you’re refreshing to someone.
Sometimes we’re looking for everybody else to refresh us when God wants to use you to refresh someone else. I was thinking about Brother Duane. He was one of our first deacons, just a good godly man, a good soul winner, and boy, he was just refreshing. He was always encouraging the people he was around. He was refreshing. And what a great thing to be known as someone’s just refreshing.
Now, there are so many ways that you can refresh or encourage someone. Maybe the most popular, the most frequent way is with your words. What does the Bible say in Proverbs 18:21? “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Your words—are you refreshing with your words? Onesiphorus oft refreshed me.
I remember Solomon? Solomon, when God met with him in that dream. He said, look, I’ll give you prayer. He said, I want some wisdom. Do you remember that? Now, what was it that made Solomon, when God said, “I gave you whatever,” what was it that made Solomon say, “Hey, I want a wise and understanding heart?” What made him go that way? I don’t know everything about it, but it’s interesting. His dad, David, we studied about it on his deathbed. Some of the last words that David said to his son Solomon. I just read them for you. You might want to jot down the reference: 1 Kings 2, verse number 6. “Do therefore,” he’s talking to Solomon, he’s talking about Joab, taking care of Joab later on. He says this, 1 Kings 2:6: “Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace.” A little bit later on, David’s on his deathbed. And he said, “Now I promise him,” yeah, not kill him, but Solomon, you need to take care of business. And this is what he says, 1 Kings 2:9: “Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man.” Did you notice it? The dad on his deathbed saying last words to his son, he keeps calling him a wise man. Several years later, what happens? Well, God appears to Solomon and says, “Solomon, I give you, what do you want?” Solomon says, “I would like to be a wise man.” Maybe David trying to refresh or encourage his son all those years before had an impact on him. Refreshing people, encouraging them, lifting them up with your words—so vital, so needed in 2021.
Anybody know how many of you sports people? I mean, I had to look it up today. But how many—anybody know how many home runs Babe Ruth hit? Anybody? 714, 714. Brother, how did you say that? You’re 714. Now, let me read for you a little thing here about Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth, remember 714. Amanda wrote this. He said, “When I decided to meet Babe Ruth and obtain an autograph from him, I couldn’t have selected a more inappropriate time,” May 1935. Earlier that day, Babe had struck out three times while playing the Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, you know, those that hit a lot of home runs, they’re swinging for the stands. You know, they strike out a lot also. The fans had booed him unmercifully. He was feeling pretty low. I went to the Babe’s Hotel in Pittsburgh that night and phoned him from the lobby. “I collect autographs,” I told him. “Are you sure you want my autograph after I made such a mess of myself today?” I assured him I most definitely did. So the Babe gave me his room number and invited me up. He told me the door was open and I was just to walk in. When I entered the room, I was saddened to see the King of Swat, wearing an old blue robe lying on the davenport, the picture of dejection. He was then 40 years old. His career was just about over. He signed his autograph beneath his picture in my book, then leapt up and said, “I feel terrible. Not only did the fans boo me, but some idiot spat on me. I guess the guy was mad because you see me hit a home run.” I tried to console the big slugger by saying, “Forget today. Tomorrow’s another day. I have enough confidence in you to predict that tomorrow you’ll be the hero of the game.” “Do you really mean that, kid?” He said, sitting up. When I said that I did, he went on. “Well, I’ll be. I’m going to autograph this baseball too. It was used in batting practice.” The next afternoon, I anxiously tuned in the game. Babe Ruth was making a comeback. He hit three home runs. His second being the only ball ever hit over the right field grandstand at Forbes Field. He was a hero once again. Those three home runs were number 712, 713, and 714. Turned out to be the last in Babe Ruth’s career. He retired from baseball just eight days later. My friend, just the power of encouragement. Refreshing. Working at it. Onesiphorus, he worked at it. He was consistent at it. At verse number 16 there, he said, for he oft refreshed me. It wasn’t just a one-time deal. He oft refreshed. He was working at this thing. Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
I mentioned this to preach recently, but sometimes when you’re down, you’ll think, “Well, so-and-so’s coming. They’re going to lighten my load. I want to see them.” Sometimes you’re having a down day and you see somebody coming, “Oh no, I don’t want to see them right now.” And what will people think when you’re coming, when I’m coming? Onesiphorus, he oft paused in the last days of his life, and he’s talking about people leaving him when his mind went to this man that oft refreshed him. That’s so important. Don’t ever get to the point where you’re just always wanting or expecting people to give to you. Be refreshing to them. Work at it. It’s important. Sometimes it takes more than one time to encourage somebody.
A banker, he always tossed a coin in the cup of a legless beggar. The beggar was outside the bank. He had pencils, and most people, they’d just toss him some money; they’d never take a pencil. But the banker always insisted on getting one of the pencils. And he’d say this: “You’re a merchant.” And he’d always just give him some money. He’d get one of the pencils, the banker would say, “And I’ll always expect to receive good value from merchants I do business with. You’re a merchant, not a beggar, you’re a merchant.” One day, the banker came by and the man was gone. And the banker, he was kind of looking for him. He didn’t see him for a while. He finally forgot about him. Later on, he saw the man building had a concession stand set up. And it was a former beggar. He said, “Wow.” He said, “Hey, small business now.” Impressed. The man said, “I’ve always hoped you might come by someday. You were largely responsible for me being here. You kept telling me that I was a merchant. I started thinking of myself that way. Instead of a beggar receiving gifts, I started selling pencils, lots of them. You gave me self-respect and called me to look at myself differently.” Friend, you just never know. Just your constant trying to refresh can make a difference in people’s lives. Sometimes it takes a while. You never know. Sometimes just a word—I was mentioning my wife, Dell—over years ago, she had said just a line to me. And I don’t even know if she knew what she was doing, but that has encouraged me for years and years. I was thinking about when I was in eighth grade, I was kind of debating about whether to live for the Lord. I was kind of, oh, in between a little bit, that moment, unfortunately. And yet a girl in my class, she just said a few words. I don’t remember the exact words, but something like, “Paul, you always want to do right, living for the Lord.” And that stuck with me. And honestly, that made a huge impact in my life. Just a few words. You just never know what you say and how it would affect or influence someone.
Look back over there in verse number 16, verse number 17 again. 2 Timothy 1, verse number 16: “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me.” So he worked at it. When he came to Rome, he said, “Hey, I need to go find Paul.” Paul, of course, is in jail in Rome. And when he made his trip over there to Rome, he said, “I’m going to look him up,” and he wanted to go refresh him. That’s so important for him. I think about Brother Glenn. Oh, where’s Brother Glenn? Did he slip out already? There he is, there he is. He’s hiding behind the Coopers over there. Brother Glenn, he’s got to go to Kentucky tomorrow to get his taxes done. Oh, my goodness, I just got my taxes done this week, too, man, you know. But he wanted to see Brother Fontaine before he left, and he said, “I might go by there tonight.” That’s a good thing, maybe just say a few words of encouragement to Brother Fontaine. You just never know what your words are trying to refresh and encourage. Onesiphorus, he worked at this saying. When he came to Rome, he sought out Paul. He wanted to encourage him. I thought about the verses we know as far as why we should go to church: Hebrews 10:24 and 25. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another.” And so much the more as you see the day approaching. As you get closer to Jesus coming back, you’re going to need them more and more. And that’s part of going to church. You go to church. You try to encourage. No, that’s part of it. So vital, very important part of church. Someone’s saying, “Well, that’s not my gift.” Well, you can work at it. All of us can work at it. God tells us to. And he doesn’t say, “Well, just the gift of encouragement will work.” Program of love and good works, he tells us all. So very, very, friend, so very, very important.
Jesse Owens—this is a wonderful story. Jesse Owens should have aced the long jump in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The record he had set the year before was 26 feet, 8 and a quarter inches. Actually, that stood for 25 years. But the Nazis were out to prove their superiority. And as a black sharecropper’s son walked to the pit, he saw a tall, blonde German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. And he got nervous. On his first jump, he leaped from inches beyond the takeoff board. Rattled, he fouled the attempt also. Then the tall German approached Owens and introduced himself as Luz Long. Long suggested that since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet and 5.5 inches, he played it safe on his last try to make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jumping from there. Owens qualified easily. He set an Olympic record and earned a second of four gold medals. The first to congratulate Owens was Long. In full view of Hitler, he went and congratulated him. Owens wrote, “You could melt down all the medals and cups I had, and they wouldn’t be enough to plate the 24-carat friendship that I felt for Luz Long.”
I just encourage me. Encouragement. This guy Onesiphorus, he worked at this thing. He would go out of his way to encourage someone. Your words are so very important. I remember a lady used to come, Mary Ann Dunn. Anybody remember Mary Ann Dunn in our church? Some of you do, years ago. She’s an older Indian lady in our very first building. She lived right beside it. My wife got to lead her to the Lord. She’s in heaven now. And Mary Ann Dunn—I never forget one time at the multi-purpose building over in Laverne. We used to rent it sometimes for special services when our storefronts were being worked on. And she was over here nearing the end of her life. She was front row, I think, over here; we had just had chairs and everything. Right in the middle of service, she fell asleep and fell out of her chair. I’m talking about it—fell all the way down. Men were running over there, you know. Well, I’m good at putting people to sleep, you know. I’ll tell you what. Toward the end of her life, she would come; she’d sleep. I mean, I’m glad she came to church; she got good naps in there, you know. She’d come to church, and I’d see her—I mean, sometime before I got out there, man, she she’s just out, you know, she’s out. She fell out of her chair. I knew she was to the point where maybe someone had to nudge her, “Hey, we’re out of church,” type thing, you know? And she’d come back and shake my hand. I knew she’d slept the whole service long. And she’d come, she’d shake my hand, and she’d say this. She’d say, “Boy, preacher, that sure was powerful.” Now, I knew she slept the whole service long. I can’t be honest with you, it still meant something. I know she didn’t hear anything in the world I said. Still encouraging. I’m just talking about encouraging people. It means something to them. This guy Onesiphorus, he would go out of his way to encourage him, to encourage him. Paul’s at the end of his life, and he says, “You know what? I remember that guy right there. Lord, you’d be merciful to him. Give him some good rewards, if you will.” Encouragement. You never know how much someone might need it.
This is written by a teacher. Her name was Helen. She said in the earlier grade, I had taped Mark’s mouth shut for talking too much. Couldn’t do that nowadays. You can tell this was dated here. Now, he was one of my students in junior high math. We’d worked hard on a new contract. By Friday, the students were getting very cranky. So for a break, I asked them to write the nicest thing they could about each other student and hand it in. I compiled the results from each student. And on Monday, I gave out the list—all the students, all the good things other students had said about them. She compiled them. Several years later, Mark was killed in Vietnam. After the funeral, most of his former class headed with his parents and me to Chuck’s farmhouse. Mark’s father took a wallet out of his pocket. They found Mark when he was killed, he said. He carefully removed a folded and refolded and taped-together paper that had been folded so much—the one on which I listed the good things Mark’s classmates had said about him. Chuck smiled sheepishly and said, “I keep my list in my desk drawer.” Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck, Chuck put his in our wedding album.” Someone else said, “I had mine too. It’s in my diary.” Vicky reached into her book and displayed her frazzled list from all those years earlier. Just someone trying to encourage, refresh. And they still had him.
Hey, how about us just say, “I like to be like Onesiphorus”? Paul is nearing the end, and he’s thinking about all these people who left him, but he said, “You know what? That guy Onesiphorus, he oft refreshed me.” Would you bow your heads and close your eyes tonight? Maybe, hey, you know, “I like to be more of an Onesiphorus. I’m going to work at it. By the grace of God, I’d like to do a better job of being like Onesiphorus.” God spoke to my heart about that tonight. If that’s you, slip your hand up, preach, “I like to be more like Onesiphorus.” My hand is up also, for sure, for sure. God bless you. God bless you. Wonderful. Would you please stand? Would you please stand? We’ll have a word of prayer.
Father, help me, help us, Lord, to be refreshing. Lord, forgive me sometimes for thinking too much about me. Help me to be concerned about others. Help me to be Onesiphorus—refreshing. Help us all to be that, Lord, please. Lord, challenge us in that area. We’ll thank you, Lord, for what you do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Would you come? You just never know in eternity what all God’s done with refreshing—refreshing people. You know, if I’m refreshing, and then maybe I have to say something, correct something, talk about a tough subject, there’d be more apt to listen because I’ve been refreshing all those other times. It makes for a great church service, a great church family. I pray, Lord, we got it, but when everybody’s just coming to me like Onesiphorus, you’re going to be a refreshment to them, and you’ll come away with the biggest blessing you always do. And it is more blessed to give than to receive. Glad you’re in church tonight. We got done early. I don’t know what in the world. I’m surprised myself, but I appreciate you coming over. And miracles still happen. Amen, look at that. I’ll tell you what, for sure. And we’re glad you’re in church tonight. Everybody, thanks for being here. And looking forward to Saturday. If you can come out Saturday, we’d love to have you. It’d be great. And just good to see everybody out tonight. Thank you so much for being here.
Original File: Be an Onesiphorus - Pastor Paul Chisgar Monday PM 51221