An Ordinary "Carcass"

     Do you know who Aristarchus was?  Not many people do.  He is one of the little known men of the Bible; yet he is mentioned five times in the scriptures.  Our God must have thought something of him to have him mentioned in the scripture.  John Knapp II once wrote a poem about him.  It was entitled simply "Aristarchus."    It is a very short poem, but it has always had a big impact on me.  Soooo.... I will share.

"Aristarchus"



by John Knapp II

 

If you aren't too fancy;

Just an ordinary carcass,

Consider the example

Of a man called Aristarchus.

 

Five times the Bible tells us

How his faith refused to bend;

Quietly he served the Lord,

Enduring to the end.

 

Ok and now for the scriptures:  Acts 19:29 - "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."

     Acts 20:4 --"And there accompanied him in Asia, Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimas."

     Acts 27:2 - "And entering into a ship of Adramytium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

     Col. 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)

     And finally, Philemon 24 - "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow labourers."

 

     So you see - we don't know nearly as much about Aristarchus as we know about Peter or Paul; but we know enough to know that he travelled with Paul.  He was with him as he planned to sail by the coasts of Asia.  He is mentioned as a fellow labourer and a fellowprisoner of the apostle.  He went to prison for the cause of the Lord!  He loved the Lord and sought to work with Paul on his journeys (or at least part of them).  You see sometimes, I think of Paul and Silas or Paul and Barnabas (and Luke of course) but I don't think about the fact that Paul had several companions --several helpers and fellow workers.  God knew what He was doing when he placed men like Aristarchus by Paul's side. Paul needed the help he got from these men because the Lord had given him an immense task and there really was no way he could have done what he did without help --help with the actual work, as well as moral and emotional support.  These "ordinary" men like Aristarchus were doing a great service for the Lord.  They were fulfilling a vital role in the development of the church while it was still in its infancy.

     God still needs workers today.  And we don't have to be the one in the forefront to understand that we are playing a vital role in the Lord's work. It doesn't matter what we do for the Lord - no matter how big or small our actions may seem to be to us, they are not insignificant.  What you do for the Lord matters.  EVERYTHING YOU DO MATTERS.  Everyone plays a vital role.  So you see, to God - there really are no "ordinary carcasses."  And I might add that He longs for any and all "Aristarchuses" who will, to come to him.

     So let's think about it --if Christ died for us --how can we help but live for Him?

 

From one "carcass" to another -

Christ above all things,

Robin