Faithful In The Footnotes

This study is based on the sermon titled Faithful In The Footnotes by Matthew Maher below.

In the closing verses of 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul lists names we might quickly skim over—but heaven doesn’t. In his final greetings, we meet people like Prisca and Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, and others whose faithfulness didn’t earn headlines, but left a lasting mark in the kingdom of God. Landmark Church's message this week, preached by Pastor Matthew Maher, reminded us that the kingdom remembers what the world forgets. Hidden acts of devotion—hospitality, sacrifice, quiet endurance—are etched into eternity.

Prisca and Aquila exemplify a marriage built not on ease, but on calling. They lived, worked, and ministered with Paul, even risking their lives for the gospel. Onesiphorus sought Paul out in prison and refreshed him, unashamed of his suffering. Erastus used his influence in the public sector for the kingdom, while Trophimus, though sick and sidelined, still played a role in Paul’s mission. These lives remind us that faithful presence—wherever we are—is ministry. Whether leading house churches or simply showing up when it matters, these “footnotes” prove that there are no small roles in the body of Christ.

Paul’s final request—“come before winter”—carries both urgency and tenderness. Some windows of obedience close with the season. This sermon called us to seize the moment: to forgive, to show up, to serve, to obey—now. As Paul closes with words of grace and presence, we’re reminded of what matters most: not how loud our lives echo on earth, but how well they’re remembered in heaven. In God's kingdom, it’s not the famous who are honored—it’s the faithful.