Colossians 4:7-18
Notes
Transcript
Be Helpful to One Another
Be Helpful to One Another
Good morning my friends!
I hope and pray that you have had a good week.
It seems that from Sunday to Sunday the days move so fast, it is often hard to imagine that we have seen a week pass since we were just here.
This is a sobering reminder that we must be careful to make the most of the time we are given.
Time will be gone before we know it.
I think this is one of the most important truths we can communicate about the life of Paul, the last chosen Apostle.
He is determined to do all he for the glory of God before his days come to a close. I think Paul knew his death was close at hand, and while he could rejoice in the joy of seeing Jesus. He also knew he needed to do more.
Paul wanted to teach and encourage believers so that they could continue the good fight of the faith.
The gospel message of Jesus needed to be taught over the whole world that the captives might be set free… This was Paul’s desire and this is God’s desire my friends, that people would know Jesus and believe.
So today as we close out this the book of Colossians, so look at see the blessings Paul shares as we close out the book.
1. Encourage One Another....
Encouragement is an important tool in the Kingdom of God.
Encouragement is the building up on another, strengthening and helping them continue even when they do not think they can....
And encouragement is something we can practice daily as we live among other beleivers of the Lord Jesus.
Turn with me to Col 4:7-9
7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
(Ti-Ki-Us), is a faithful brother, one of 4 friends of Paul who first met Paul at Troas in Acts 20:4.
He was from the area we would call Asia or Asia Minor, and this would be the area of modern day Turkey, early church tradition believes that he came out of the church at Ephesus.
And we know that he has served under Paul well, he has been faithful to the task set before him.
In fact he is described in 3 ways by the Apostle Paul… look at verse 7.. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
This is really beautiful my friends,
Consider this… A beloved brother… He was loved by Paul, he has worked with and alongside of him. I can see a sense of mutual encouragement coming from each other and they support, pray and help each other for the sake of the gospel. There is something special for us to have people we can relate to serving alongside of us.
This is why it is so important that we do not work alone, we must walk alongside of each other.
Next is the phrase …A faithful brother.... Tychicus had served Paul and faithfully carried out the tasks set before him. We know he carries the letters from Paul in Rome to the church at Colosse, He will also be one who travels with Paul to come to take the aid to the believers in Jerusalem.
And the final phrase… A fellow Servant.. Paul tells them that Tychicus is a fellow servant. we know that he travels back to Asia and his home church of Ephesus, carrying Paul’s message and teaching to them; as seen in Eph 6:21-22.. Tychicus would encourage them in the Lord.
And here for the Colossians, Paul says (Ti-Ki-Us) would be coming to them to them, sharing all that had taken place while he has been imprisoned there in Rome. But also to encourage them.
Look back at verse 8… Col 4:8
8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,
Paul knew that Tychicus could indeed learn a lot by traveling to the Colossians, but he would not be alone, Onesimus would be with him, remember he is the run away slave who came who left his master, Philemon.
He would see first hand what was taking place in the church but his larger task would be one of encouragement. As those believers hear from Paul, as they understand the work Paul is doing while in prison, they would be encouraged.
It is a blessing to hear what God is doing in other places. It would remind them that God is there, faithful among us, our work no matter the difficulty.
Paul doesn’t let anything stop him, He knew that every event could be redeemed for the Lord’s sake. He is faithful and as seen many come to the faith, the christian world needs to hear these things. Listen to Phil 1 that I shared with you last week briefly....
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
Paul might have been imprisoned, but he blazed a trail to advance the gospel and the work there would encourage others.
Every believer faces the same challenge my friends, will we be faithful to love people to Jesus. Will we be faithful to communicate the gospel to the lost around us before it is too late.
When we see and hear others doing it, it encourages us to push forward in our efforts.
Tychicus and Onesimus would share it all with them...
Let me ask you, How are you best encouraged in your faith and how will you encourage others.
And by the way, be careful and don’t be a sour Christian...
No one likes that… be love....
Second thought for the day..
2. Support One Another...
When we think of the body of Christ, we must always remember that we are family. We are brothers and sisters and Jesus is Lord.
We are to support one another as we serve the Lord our God.
Lets move forward and look at verses 10-13
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
Aristarchus er iss Tahr cuss
Epaphras Ep uh frass
Hierapolis High ur AHP oh liss
Paul opens up this section commenting on a couple good men who have served and are now serving well.
The first Aristarchus ( er iss Tahr cuss) Paul mentions as a fellow prisoner sends his greeting to the church members at Colosse. So here is what we know about him.
He was from Thessalonica, He had received Christ under Paul’s ministry and now was a traveler with Paul. So he is likely in prison under the same charges as Paul. He is one of three men who are with Paul during this time.
Secondly we find Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. This is John Mark who had traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey.
Also, is the the writer of the Gospel of Mark, we was a eye witness of Jesus and his family home was the place of the Upper room.
Now we know Mark and Paul had a little falling out when he returned home while on the first missionary journey, he was young both in age and in the faith.
But Paul has welcomed him there while he is imprisoned and Now admonishes the church to receive him when he comes to them. Paul has faith in him and the ministry he provides there.
So there are two people Paul has supported and helped along the way.
My friends we have people who are young and perhaps young in the faith. Support them and give them the opportunity to serve the Lord.
Also Paul mentions a person by the name Jesus who goes by Justus, he is to be welcomed alongside of John Mark as well.
Finally, Paul speaks of Epaphras, (Ep uh frass), he is one who brought greetings to Paul from the church at Colosse. Lets go back and see what Paul says of him… Verses 12-13 Col 4:12-13
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
Epaphras ( Ep uf frass) is the one who first communicated the gospel witness in Colosse, he was faithful and many believed and the church was birthed into existence there.
He is one of three people who are referred to as a “servant” or “slave” of the gospel ministry, but this word ( servant, slave in the Greek “doulos”) Here is also worthy to note that it would be used of those who were under arrest as well.
But the key to supporting other believers was the fact that Epaphras (Ep-uh-frass) was faithful to pray for those to whom he ministered.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
Epaphras struggled in prayer for them, he could not be there to help them personally, but he supported them by “wrestling in prayer for them.”
And what was the hope of his prayers? He prayed so that they would not fall by the wayside, would not be led astray by heretical teachings.
He prayed, wrestled, labored in prayer for them that they might stand mature, fully assured in all the will of God. His hope was that they grow, mature and know the complete will of God in their lives...
Brothers, as the family of God we must support one another in prayer, we in praying for one another help provide a strong foundation for their lives and walk.
We hold one another up…as the family of God supporting each other, loving each other, praying for each other, doing what we can to help our brothers and sisters.
We are to be a Ep uh frass to one another… praying and lifting each other up...
Now finally we look at this one last thought today.
3. Be Kind to One Another...
One mark of our Christian faith is kindness, it is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Kindness.
And in the midst of hardship, persecution Paul and those with him were kind.
Lets look at our text...
14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
First Paul mentions Luke. Oh Dr. Luke is the one who writes the gospel of Luke and we know he also traveled work alongside of Paul during many of His missionary journeys.
Luke had a significant role in the early church, working, teaching and of course he assisted Paul a great deal, only Luke was with Paul at the writing of 2 Timothy.
Luke held many good friends at Colosse, so he sends his greeting to them, it was a kind gesture to encourage them.
Demas as well sent his greetings.. Demas is only mentioned three times in Scripture. He has accompanied Paul to Rome.
And finally in those last few verses, Paul also sends greetings to others close by… the brothers at Laodicea and the house church that met in the home of Nympha.
Laodicea, was a neighboring city to Colosse.. The church there began about the same time as Colosse as we know from church history.
Paul desired that what he wrote be shared with those at Laodicea, and with the word for them to read the letter from Laodicea..
What is happening here? In kindness and love, Paul knew that these churches needed each other, none of the body of Christ need be alone, we need each other - believers and churches alike need each other… they were the body that were to work together for the glory of God.
Consider this.. there are so many churches in our communities, lets just say baptist for the sake of the argument.. how often do we work together?
Hardly ever… there are churches that could work together for the glory of God putting aside the me and I and hold fast to the “us” to serve and work for God.
In the kindness that Paul closes this letter we cold serve each other in kindess for the glory of God.
And as we close the letter, look at verse 18 Col 4:18
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Paul, says I write this by my own hand. it is a very personal work that Paul while imprisoned, is ministering to them.. He cares for them.
Then he calls for them to be kind as well, Remember my chains...
The chains outwardly signified the value, the worth of the gospel. The gospel is worth being jailed for, it is worth suffering for, and it is worth even laying our lives down for..
He faced great hardships, and he calls for them to pray for them.
Noticed he has not called for them to pray for his freedom, but just remember him, and the gospel message he is proclaiming.
He loves the Lord, he is a true servant, a real slave to the Lord, and this took him to Rome.
And finally in kindness he reminded them of God’s grace.
Paul is ending this message with grace and that is where he began… by grace they had received salvation, those who put their trust in the work of Jesus would know that grace sustains them.
My friends, Paul is kind but firm in all things, calling on them to love and be faithful to God and one another...
Kindness is something we have been shown, we do not desire it but we can give it away to all we meet along through the course of our days.
Encourage each other...
Support one another
Be Kind to one another
We need each other, the I of each person has to be laid aside and must take up the need to bless and help each other as we serve before the Lord.
Let me ask you to just ask God one question about your life.
God am I doing this, living this for your glory… and if we are not, Lord convict us, call us to live differently and fully for you.
Lets pray