Colossians 4:12-13 - Epaphras
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[ILLUS] A friend of mine is always on the road for some ministry reason or another.
He might be preaching in this church.
He might be training ministers in that state.
He might visiting with pastors over there.
Like I said, he’s always on the road.
Once, when he was leaving his apartment building, headed to his car to get back out on the road, he passed between two of the other tenants in his building.
After exchanging pleasantries, one of the tenants said to other, “There goes the hardest working minister I know!”
It was a big encouragement to my friend, and its the kind of thing that people must’ve said about Paul all the time.
Paul was a hard working minister.
In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said that God’s grace wasn’t wasted on him because it caused him to work hard in his service to Christ.
And because Paul was hardworking, he surrounded himself with hard working ministers.
In Colossians 4:11, Paul said that he had fellow workers with him.
He could’ve called them anything, but he called them workers because he saw them working hard in service to Christ just as he worked hard in service to Christ.
But working hard in the ministry is rarely backbreaking work.
Sometimes the work is back-straining—a minister sometimes has to move all his books!
The work of the ministry is sometimes brain-busting as a minister tries to discern just the right word of counsel to give to a troubled soul.
It can be eye-straining as a minister closely studies to rightly divide the Word of God.
But hard work in the ministry should most often be knee-bending work.
Paul was a minister who did the knee-bending work of prayer, and his friend, Epaphras, did too.
[READING - Colossians 4:12-13]
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] Epaphras may have met Paul while Paul lived and preached in Ephesus, but we can’t be sure. We do know that Epaphras became a follower of Jesus and then took the message of Jesus back to his people in the area of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis.
In Colossians 1:7, Paul said to the Colossians that he thanked God for the work of the Gospel in their lives—this was the Gospel as they learned it from Epaphras, Paul’s fellow bond-servant, and one who in Paul’s description was a faithful servant of Christ on behalf of the Colossians.
Epaphras was a hard worker, but…
[CIT] …in Colossians 4:12-13 Paul tells us that Epaphras worked hard in prayer.
[PROP] Every minister of the Gospel—every Christian—should work hard in prayer.
Henry Blackaby said, “Prayer is not a substitute for hard work—prayer is the work!”
[INTER] Are you ready to go to work and work hard? Are you ready to engage in the knee-bending work of prayer?
[TS] Well, then let’s look to Epaphras and learn how. I have four TRUTHS for you to takeaway this morning…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
TRUTH #1: Epaphras prayed.
TRUTH #1: Epaphras prayed.
Paul said in Colossians 1:12 that Epaphras was “always laboring earnestly for (the Colossians) in his prayers.”
[EXP] Epaphras seems to have been a busy man.
He was a disciple-maker, maybe even a preacher, and maybe even the pastor of the churches in Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis.
But what impressed Paul most was Epaphras’s hard work in prayer.
At least that’s the impression we get from Paul’s words Colossians 4:12.
When Paul thought about what stood out to him about Epaphras, it was his praying.
[ILLUS] An obituary is very interesting to read when it is written by the family. It’s interesting because the family is telling us how their loved one will be remembered by them.
Families might wright something like, “John Smith was a devoted husband, a loving grandfather, and rabid Atlanta Braves fan.”
That’s how he’ll be remembered.
How will you be remembered?
Because it impressed the Apostle Paul and because its recorded for us in the NT, Epaphras is remembered for his hard work in praying.
[APP] Let’s examine ourselves…
Are we doing the hard work of prayer?
James 4:2 says we do not have from God because we do not ask God for it.
But when we climb the ladder of “Who’s Who” in Christianity, we see that they all asked God; they all did the hard work of prayer.
Epaphras did.
Paul did.
And most significantly, Jesus did.
Luke 5:16 says…
16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
If Jesus did the hard work of prayer, then we should be committed to the hard work of prayer.
What will it take for you to do the hard work of prayer?
It will take belief.
People say, “I believe in the power of prayer,” but I believe in the power of the God I pray too.
His power raised Jesus from the dead after Jesus gave His life on the cross to pay the price for our sins.
If His power can raise Jesus from the dead, then there’s nothing that His power can’t do.
Prayer requires belief in God and belief in His power.
Do you believe in God?
Do you believe in His power?
Do you pray?
Doing the hard work of prayer will take commitment.
Prayer is like most anything else worthwhile in life—it won’t just happen, you have to make it happen.
Too many of us will hear this message this morning and leave here intending to pray, but that good intention won’t lead anywhere.
When will you pray?
You must set a time.
Where will you pray?
You need to set a location.
And commit to it.
Nothing should come between you and the hard work of prayer.
Hard work in prayer will also require sacrifice.
You will have to cut something out to bring prayer in.
Perhaps it will mean a little less sleep, but a better option would be a little less TV or social media scrolling.
You have time to pray, you’re probably just doing something else with that time, so cut that out and bring prayer in.
Hard work in prayer will require consistency.
When you first start doing the work of prayer, you may not feel effective; you may not feel successful.
But prayer doesn’t need to feel effective to be effective; it doesn’t need to feel successful to be successful.
Whether we feel it or not, prayer works because an all-powerful God hears and answers our prayers.
And hard work in prayer will also demand holiness.
James 5:16 says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
It could be translated, “Prayer that works is the praying of a holy person.”
Sinful indulgences will rob you of your appetite for prayer.
If you’re going to do the hard work of prayer, you must be holy.
[TS] Epaphras prayed. Will you?
TRUTH #2: Epaphras prayed earnestly.
TRUTH #2: Epaphras prayed earnestly.
In Colossians 3:12, Paul said that Epaphras labored earnestly for the Colossians in his prayers.
[EXP] The Greek word behind ‘earnestly’ in Colossians 3:12 has been translated as fervently or struggling or even wrestling—“Epaphras… sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in His prayers...” (CSB).
But the Greek word behind ‘earnestly’ is where we get our English word agonize. It is translated in different ways in the NT.
In 1 Corinthians 9:25 it is translated as competes—“Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.”
Prayer is a competition between you and your flesh, you and the world, and you and the devil.
Earnest prayer is prayer that competes to win.
In 1 Timothy 6:12 the word is translated as fight—“Fight the good fight of faith”, Paul tells Timothy.
Prayer is part of the good fight of faith.
In Ephesians 6, when Paul is talking about spiritual fighting against the spiritual forces of darkness, he ends with “…pray at all times in the Spirit,” (Eph. 6:18).
Earnest prayer is prayer that fights to win the battle.
What does all this mean?
Well, it means that when Paul overheard Epaphras praying, Paul could tell that Epaphras really wanted what he prayed for.
As James 5:16 (NKJV) says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
[ILLUS] James also gives us an example of this earnest, fervent, wresting, fighting prayer. In James 5:17-18 it says…
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
This is the power of earnest prayer.
[APP] When you pray, are you praying earnestly? Are you wrestling in prayer? Is there any intensity in your praying? If someone was to overhear your prayers, could they tell you really wanted things you asked for?
If there is no earnestness, no intensity in your praying, what might the problem be?
It might be that you don’t really believe, but we’ve been over that.
It might be that you’re practicing sin, but we’ve been over that.
But it might be that you know your asking with the wrong desires, and because you know you are, there’s no fire in your praying. James 4:3 says…
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
What does earnest praying look like?
Jesus said it looks like persistence.
Luke 18:1-8 says…
1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
Earnest prayer is prayer that keeps coming.
It’s prayer that doesn’t lose heart.
It’s prayer that, if it were possible, would wear God out.
It’s prayer that cries out to God day and night.
It’s prayer that trusts God will answer.
When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
Will He find you praying earnestly?
[TS] We’ve seen that Epaphras prayed and prayed earnestly, now let’s look at what he prayed for…
Truth #3: Epaphras prayed earnestly for security and certainty.
Truth #3: Epaphras prayed earnestly for security and certainty.
In Colossians 3:12, Paul said that Epaphras was “always laboring earnestly for (the Colossians) in his prayers, that (they) may stand perfect (i.e., secure) and fully assured (i.e., certain) in all the will of God.”
[EXP] The Greek word behind ‘perfect’ in the NASB refers to maturity or being fully developed.
Epaphras wanted the Colossian believers to be fully mature in Christ so they would stand secure against the false teaching that had invaded the church.
The Greek word behind ‘fully assured’ in NASB refers to being ‘completely persuaded.’
False teachers had unsettled the Colossian church by diminishing the preeminent glory of Jesus, but Paul wrote and Epaphras prayed that they would stand secure.
But the false teachers also questioned the way the Colossians had been taught to follow Jesus.
Some of that questioning was nothing more than a temptation to indulge in sins of the flesh, but Paul wrote and Epaphras prayed that the Colossians believers would be certain of all the will of God.
In other words, Epaphras prayed that the Colossians would be secure in Jesus and certain of the way of Jesus so they could fend off anything that didn’t line up with the Gospel.
[ILLUS] C. S. Lewis said, “Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. …like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
Perhaps because we are too easily pleased our prayer requests are far too often weak.
We pray for physical needs, financial needs—and all of those are real needs—but are crying out to God to meet Gospel-needs?
[APP] The Colossians had job concerns, family needs, and physical ailments just like all human beings have, and Epaphras was certainly praying for those things too, but Epaphras was fervently praying that they would stand secure and be certain in all the will of God.
Nothing was more important than these Gospel-needs, so that’s what Epaphras prayed for.
How could you learn to pray for Gospel-needs like this?
You could start with what Epaphras prayed for—security in Jesus and certainty in the will of God—, but you could also looked at what Paul prayed for on behalf of others.
You might look at Ephesians 1:17ff.
You might look at Philippians 1:9ff.
You might look at Colossians 1:9ff.
Yes, brothers and sisters, let us pray for one another’s immediate concerns, but let us pray even more fervently for those ultimate Gospel concerns.
That’s what we see in Paul’s praying.
And that’s what he saw in the praying of Epaphras.
[TS]...
Truth #4: Epaphras was motivated to pray by his deep concern.
Truth #4: Epaphras was motivated to pray by his deep concern.
13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
[EXP] Other English translations refer to Epaphras’ hard work or great zeal in this verse, but the NASB says that he had a deep concern for the Christians in and around Colossae. He had an almost painful desire to see them safe in Jesus Christ.
I think the Apostle Paul recognized this deep concern for others in Epaphras because he felt this deep concern himself.
In 2 Corinthians 11:28, Paul spoke of the daily pressure on him because of his concern for all the churches.
In Romans 9, we really hear Paul’s painful desire to see his kinsmen, the Israelites, saved…
Romans 9:1–4 (NASB95)
1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites…
That’s deep concern for others in Paul, and because he knew that deep concern well, he recognized it in Epaphras.
[APP] It’s not good, but the desire for attention or fame or pats on the back might make us serve public ways, but only one thing makes us go into the prayer closet and pray earnestly for the Gospel-needs of others...
…and that one thing is a deep, painful concern to see people we love secure and certain in Jesus Christ.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
Will you pray?
Will you pray fervently?
Will you pray for that others will be firm in and full of Jesus?
Will your deep concern for others drive you to your prayer closet?
Will you work hard in prayer like Epaphras?
[PRAYER]
