Colossians 4:7-18, “Everyone Has a Part in God’s Story”

When I was in fourth or fifth grade at Park Street School in Kennebunk, we all played football at recess in the schoolyard. I say we all played, but the reality was that the two best players picked teams, I usually got picked last, and only a handful of kids actually played while the rest of us ran around calling, “throw it to me, I’m open,” and never touching the ball once. Children have ways of letting each other know who’s in and who’s out, and some people never really grow out of that.

The gospel is God’s message to the world that all are welcome in His kingdom and family and all are included in Christ by His grace. The way we minister the gospel should reflect the message we share.

Tell God’s Story

Paul is sending messengers from Rome to the churches in central “Asia” (Turkey today) to encourage them with stories of what God has been doing in their ministry in Rome. The gospel is God’s story, and when we share stories of what God is doing to bear fruit through the gospel, this is encouraging to others.

He says he is sending Tychicus with this letter for this reason.

Colossians 4:7–9 (ESV)

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,

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.

“Everything that has taken place here” can be found in more detail in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, written at the same time. He tells them,

Philippians 1:12–14 (ESV)

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

God is using Paul’s bondage to advance the gospel. Just to show that He knows what He’s doing, and His power is made perfect in our weakness.

When we tell stories of what we have seen God do, especially to advance the gospel in surprising places and ways, it is encouraging and empowering.

Does anyone have a story to share about something God is doing right now?

The gospel is God’s story. The gospel is that God is overcoming our fall into sin and establishing the new creation through Jesus. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the kingdom of God are now available to anyone who repents and believes in Jesus Christ as Lord. When we tell God’s story, it has the power to change lives.

To whom are you telling God’s story? Who needs encouragement? Who needs to hear the gospel for the first time?

Bear Each Other’s Burdens

Does the church exist to build up believers or to seek and save the lost?

Some people think these are opposed to each other, you can’t do both, at least not at the same time. But that’s never what we see in the New Testament church. As they ministered the gospel to more and more people, they also comforted one another, struggled in prayer for one another, worked hard for one another.

Our examples here are

Colossians 4:10 (ESV)

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),

Colossians 4:11 (ESV)

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.

Aristarchus, Justus, and Mark were willing to stay with Paul in prison to help him. People like that are a comfort.

Epaphras, in verse 12,

Colossians 4:12 (ESV)

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.

Paul says he worked hard for the Colossians and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. He had taught them the gospel when he was with them, and now that he is in Rome, he struggles in prayer for them, that they would apply what they have learned in the gospel, stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

What does this look like, when someone is standing mature in the faith and fully assured in all the will of God? In what ways do we work hard for others so that this happens for them?

We don’t stop ministering the gospel to those outside the church to minister to one another inside the church. The two always work hand in hand. The people gifted in evangelism and mercy who are constantly pouring out need others around them who will pour in with encouragement and help. Those gifted in healing and serving who pour out into the lives of people both inside and outside the church sometimes need the wisdom of brothers and sisters who love them to remind them to rest.

Which brings us to our last lesson from this passage. In the church’s ministry of the gospel,

Make Sure Everyone Plays

The gospel is God’s story. But everyone has a part in it. Paul is probably the most influential disciple of Jesus from the first century in terms of his advance of the gospel and his ability to clarify the gospel. But he never did anything alone.

Paul mentions Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Jesus Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, Nympha, and Aristarchus. This is just a small number of people involved in gospel ministry in the first century. You can read other lists like this at the end of Paul’s other letters. What can we learn from this?

Every Christian has been given spiritual gifts and a calling into ministry.

If you are a new creation in Christ, you are also an ambassador for Christ. Every follower of Jesus is called by Jesus into gospel ministry. We carry out that ministry in different ways. Some ministry roles are very visible and vocal, like Paul and Mark and Epaphras. Epaphras had preached the gospel in Colossae in the first place and planted churches there and in Laodicea and Hieropolis.

Some have support roles, like Aristarchus and Justus, who were willing to stay in prison with Paul as helpers. Some are administrative or organizational like Tychicus and Onesimus, who are communicating between the churches. And some are hospitable like Nympha, who hosts a church in her home in Laodicea.

There are a few unique people like “the beloved Luke”, a doctor who had joined Paul in his ministry and had been so captivated by Jesus that he asked everyone who knew him to tell him their stories and wrote them down so we still read them today.

And not all roles are happy and successful and permanent. Demas is mentioned here but later we find out he deserted Paul when his trial began.

But Paul also looks forward and sees Archippus, a man who needs affirmation from the church that his ministry is needed and valuable, and tells the church to exhort him to fulfill his calling.

Colossians 4:17 (ESV)

And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

Paul’s words to the church at Colossae about Archippus are helpful to us. Our responsibility is to affirm the gifts and calling for one another. When we notice someone is good at something or they are bearing fruit in some area, and we notice their gifts in that role, we should encourage them to fulfill the ministry to which God has called them. Who are the people in our church who have useful gifts and need encouragement to play a role in gospel ministry?

2. Meet in homes whenever possible.

Most churches in the first century met in people’s homes. While we don’t necessarily believe house churches are the best or only way to do ministry, meeting in small groups in people’s homes is a necessary element of gospel ministry. It opens doors for gospel conversations that might not happen anywhere else. It provides opportunities to invite neighbors who might not attend a church service to meet your Christian brothers and sisters in a hospitable environment. And it provides opportunities for members of the body with gifts of mercy and helping, and hospitality to play their critical role in gospel ministry.

3. Invest in relationships between churches.

Epaphras had set an example of thinking beyond his home church, exploring what God might do through the gospel in other places.

Colossians 4:13 (ESV)

For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

His ministry had borne fruit in multiple cities. Now Paul is sending Tychicus to a number of churches with letters. He had gone to Ephesus (Ephesians 6:21). He had apparently also delivered a letter to the church in Laodicea.

Colossians 4:16 (ESV)

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.

Paul is encouraging sharing and communication between churches in the same region. There is a lot we could say here, but suffice to say it is instructive and inspiring to hear about what God is doing in other churches near us. It gives us a broader vision of God. His love and power are working all over the world. When we can catch a glimpse of that, we have more joy and humility. But we can also partner and help one another better.

“Everyone plays” applies to individual Christians in each church. Every believer should be encouraged to participate in gospel ministry with others in the church. But “everyone plays” applies to the many congregations of the church of Jesus in a city or a region. Two questions each of us could ask are: Where can I invite someone along to help me in my ministry? Where can I reach out to help another church in their ministry?

Where is God at work around us? Who is someone with whom you can share His story? Is there someone that would be encouraged if you helped them in their ministry? What part will you play in the ministry of the gospel? Who is someone you could invite to join you in ministry? What gifts do you see in them?

When we believe in Christ, we become new creation, and everyone has a part to play in the ministry of the gospel. The gospel includes all of us. God accepts everyone who believes in Christ.

Communion

Questions for Discussion

What is a group in which you play a part? How does it feel to have a role in that group?

What part do you play in God’s story?

How would you summarize the gospel as we have been learning it from Colossians?

What do you see God doing that would be encouraging for others to hear?

Who are some people that bring you comfort?

How can we work toward people in our church “standing mature and being fully assured in all the will of God (Colossians 4:12)”?

How can we engage more people with their gifts in gospel ministry in our church?

What are some valuable relationships with other churches in the area? What are the opportunities for mutual encouragement and partnership for the gospel?

How will you respond to this passage this week?

Who is someone you can share this passage with this week?