Unsung Heroes - What are You doing for Christ?
Colossians - The Preeminence of Christ • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 34:26
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In Colossians 4:7-18, Paul highlights several individuals who played crucial roles in the ministry, showcasing the importance of support workers who often go unnoticed but are fundamental to the mission of the church. Remember, the church is an assembly of believers commissioned to carry out the orders of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hopefully, today is not my typical type of message but will be an encouragement to you, as a Christian, to recognize and appreciate the contributions of those who serve in less visible roles within the church. I want the message today to remind you to uplift and support one another in our respective callings, reinforcing the idea that every role in ministry, no matter how small, is vital.
Paul, as we look at Colossians 4, is a prisoner in the city of Rome.
This is the first of two imprisonments.
The second one will usher in his death.
During this imprisonment he has some friends with him. And he gives us a portrait of each one of them in a composite photograph. These are the friends who helped.
Sometime during this two year imprisonment he wrote the letter to the Colossians, around 60 AD or so. And during that time these are the people who were very special people in his life.
They are heroes of a sort because there was a price to pay to be associated with a prisoner.
There was a certain social association that maybe didn’t put you in the classiest group when you were attendant upon a prisoner.
There was a certain element of looking down the nose of somebody like that and there was always the possibility that you could find yourself in the same fate as that prisoner, should the tide turn against him.
So they were kind of heroes. They paid a price to associate themselves with Paul who was a prisoner in Rome. But they counted the cost, they made the commitment, they hung in there and Paul tells us about them in this tremendous passage.
As Christians, we are called not only to serve but also to honor and value the contributions of others in the body of Christ.
Everyone has a part to play in the ministry, and those who serve behind the scenes are just as valuable as those in the spotlight.
As we wrap up our study of Colossians, I want to group these heroes into 4 groups. Couriers, Companions, Consecrator, and Contributors.
Let’s notice first of all the
Faithful Couriers
Faithful Couriers
We find Paul mentions 2 in this category.
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
Tychicus - A Servants Compassion
Tychicus - A Servants Compassion
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Paul describes him with three words.
Beloved brother -
Beloved brother -
Number one, verse 7,
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Tychicus was a brother, one of the family. He was a child of God and loved.
He had earned that designation. And I suppose it’s the fulfillment of a man’s life to know he’s loved and how much fulfillment there must have been in knowing that he was loved by the most beloved of all human beings at that time, the beloved Apostle himself.
Faithful Minister -
Faithful Minister -
Obedient to the Call of God
Second thing he says, and this gets us into the thought that he is a servant’s heart, he is a faithful minister,
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
The word is diakonos, or servant. He is a faithful servant. He never attained prominence, he just served. He was an invaluable liaison between Paul and the churches. And he was faithful. He stuck with Paul thereby sticking with Jesus Christ.
He just did it, whatever it was. And you know something? There’s no other way to get the work done, and Paul knew it. You’ve got to have people who have a servant’s heart.
Fellow-servant -
Fellow-servant -
And further, look what it says, he not only was a faithful servant of Paul but he was a fellow slave in the Lord.
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
The first phrase has to do with Paul. He is a faithful servant of mine and a fellow slave in the Lord. And Paul uses two different words.
The first one is diakonos which just means servant.
The second is sundoulos which means bond slave.
He is not a bond slave to Paul, don’t confuse it. He’s a bond slave to Jesus; he’s just a willing servant to Paul. The New Testament words are important.
So, what else do we know about Tychicus?
Tychicus: Tychicus was a native of Asia. He was a companion of Paul who spent around 4 years traveling with Paul.
Tychicus is only mentioned 5 times in the New Testament.
The first time we meet him is in the 20th chapter of Acts and the fourth verse.
4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
In Acts 20, The Apostle Paul is at Ephesus. He’s kind of winding down his third missionary journey. And he has a plan.
His plan is to go to Macedonia to collect some money, as a love gift, to the saints in Jerusalem from the Thessalonian church, the Philippian church and the Corinthian church which were the major churches of the area of Macedonia.
Paul wants to return to Jerusalem because he wants to get there to satisfy with them the Gentile church. He realizes the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians have their own thing going and he’s fearful that they will never be in unity. After all he was the Apostle of the mystery of the unity of the Jew and the Gentile. So his great burden was to collect some money from the saints in the Gentile lands and to take that money to Jerusalem and give it to the saints there as a show of love from the Gentile to the Jew in hopes that it would kind of unite them together.
And not only did he want to take money, but he had in mind taking certain Gentile Christians. Some from each of those congregations. And if you were to read the 20th chapter of Acts and the fourth verse you would simply be reading the names of the people who accompanied him back to Jerusalem. The names of the Gentiles from the churches in Galatia, from the churches in Asia Minor and from the churches in Macedonia, there were certain Gentiles who went along with him on the journey to confirm their love to the Jerusalem Christians. One of those was Tychicus. And so he appears, first of all, as he joins the Apostle to go to Jerusalem. Now this gives something of the indication of his spirit.
Tychicus was willing to give himself. A Servant’s Heart.
When many gave money, Tychicus gave himself.
And so now as Paul writes Colossians, Tychicus is still with Paul.
He went to Jerusalem with him. It may be that he returned with him.
He for sure is with him now in the imprisonment in Rome.
And what is even more exciting is that later on Paul has another imprisonment, a second imprisonment in which his life was finally taken.
And at the end of Titus 3:12, he says;
12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
In the second imprisonment of Paul, Tychicus is still there. Here’s a loyal man.
And you know what? He says—I’m going to send him, Titus, to take your place, either he or Artemas. We don’t know which one he sent but it may well have been Tychicus.
Now what Paul wanted was—Paul loved Titus. Titus was the pastor of the congregations in the island of Crete. And Paul wanted Titus to come and spend the winter with him. Paul knew it wasn’t only the winter of the year but it was the winter of his life. And Paul wanted the fellowship and the love of Titus. And so he said to Titus—Look, if you’ll come and meet me in Nicopolis and spend the winter with me, I will send this man Artemas -or this man Tychicus, to take care of your church.
Now it’s kind of an interesting thing. Here is a man who started out as a courier and wound up substituting for a very great man, the man by the name of Titus. The man with a servant’s heart made himself available and God used him in ways, I’m sure, he never dreamed possible.
Now later on, I want you to notice something, Paul wrote the last letter that we believe he wrote 2 Timothy 4:12. And he says this, writing to Timothy;
12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
Now you see what he’s saying here is Timothy, I want you to come and be with me. I need you.
And in order that you can come and be with me I know you’ll have to leave your congregation in Ephesus so I’m going to send somebody to take your place. And who is it? Tychicus again. He’s making a career out of being an interim pastor. And he’s filling in for some pretty … pretty high class men; Titus and Timothy.
He would reflect to both of those congregations the character of Paul, the life of Paul, the ministry of Paul. And they would love him because he would bring Paul to them.
Now that’s the kind of man he was. He was a courier, messenger. He was a clergy, pastor. In fact, he was anything Paul wanted him to be. We never find any bit of argument. We never find any bit of anxiety. We only find Tychicus doing what Paul told him to do.
Now let’s back track a little bit and find him in Rome, in Colossians 4. This is during the first imprisonment. We aren’t as far as the Titus event or the Timothy event. That’s yet in his future. And by the time Colossians is written, four years have passed since Tychicus joined Paul in the trip to Jerusalem. He’s proven his loyalty. He’s still available. He’s still open to Paul. And this is a great thing, folks. You know, it isn’t everybody who can keep somebody for four years. You know that. It isn’t every great man who can keep people for four years, five years, six years, ten years like Paul did. But this is a faithful servant. He loves Paul. He’s loyal. He’ll be a messenger. He’ll be a pastor. He’ll be anything. And Paul here has in mind sending him with the letter to the Colossians. He isn’t going to pastor; he’s just going to be a courier.
The trip Tychicus was about to embark is from Rome to Laodicea and Colossae. It’s a long trip. A perilous trip. He had to cross Italy on foot. And then he had to sail the Adriatic Sea. And then he had to cross Greece. And then he had to sail the Aegean Sea. Then he had to walk, after he had landed at Miletus, up the steep Lycas River Valley to Laodicea and Colossae, and it wasn’t easy. It was a very difficult journey. But Paul says—He’s going to come and he’s going to bring the letter. And you know something? He didn’t just have the letter of Colossians, he had another letter too. You say—Well, what other letter did he have? Well, I believe, if you look at Ephesians 6:21 it says;
21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
You see, that’s almost an exact quote out of Colossians. So, now we know he doesn’t have one letter, he’s got two letters tucked somewhere in his robe is Colossians and Ephesians.
And just incidentally, that isn’t all he had—he had another letter, Philemon. He had the letter to Philemon. And—look at verse 9 of Colossians 4.
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
See? And Onesimus was the slave that was returning about whom the book of Philemon is written.
So off goes Tychicus delivering Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians.
Do you think Paul trusted him? I think Paul trusted him. That’s a big assignment. For him it was a joyous mission.
And he says—When he gets there, he’s not just a courier, verse 7 says
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
He’s going to tell you all about me, and ease any anxiety.
Verse 8 says;
8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
He’s going to tell you about me. He’s going to find out about you. And he’s going to add a personal word of comfort to this letter. He’s an encourager.
Now here’s a man who did whatever Paul told him to do. He saw himself as a servant. You know something? We don’t find that he had any credentials. We don’t find that he had any doctor’s degrees. That he had any seminary. He had no particular heritage. He had no great sermons that he preached. We don’t know anything he ever said. I’m sure he wasn’t mute, but we don’t have a word that he ever said. He didn’t have any particular unique talent like Luke did or ability. But he was the personal envoy of the Apostle Paul.
And Paul has three things to say about him.
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Do you have a servants heart?
Are you willing to do whatever is asked for the sake of the ministry and the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Then Paul mentions
Onesimus - A Sinful Chronicle
Onesimus - A Sinful Chronicle
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
Listen, you can have a sinful past and still be useful for Jesus Christ. Isn’t that great? This ties us to Philemon because Philemon is the book about Onesimus.
Now let me give you a little picture here.
Colossians was written to the church at Colossae.
Philemon was written to one family in that church.
The family of a man named Philemon.
Now Philemon was one of the pillars of the Colossian church. He loved the Lord. His family was very involved. It’s most likely if you were to look at Philemon and read it that the church met in Philemon’s house.
It says in verse 2 of Philemon; “The church in your house.”
2 and to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
Now Philemon was a convert of the Apostle Paul.
Verse 19 of Philemon he says that a …
19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
“You owe to me your own self.”
So he was a convert of Paul and he’s a very wealthy man. He owns some slaves. One of the slaves Philemon owned was a man named Onesimus, this man.
But Onesimus didn’t like living in Philemon’s house and he didn’t like being a slave so he ran away. And you know what a slave was to do when he ran away if he was caught? He was to give his life. He was executed. Runaway slaves were executed.
But this one was willing to make the gamble and he ran away and he ran all the way to Rome. And you know what happened? Amazing thing … he ran right into the Apostle Paul. And you know something? Just as the Apostle Paul had led Philemon to Christ, the Apostle Paul led Philemon’s runaway slave to Christ.
Isn’t that amazing when you think there were two million people in Rome?
Not so amazing when you see what God had in mind.
And so Philemon also owed Paul his life. Now Paul writes a letter, the letter of Philemon. And sends Onesimus back and the letter says—Say, Philemon, I know he ran away but don’t kill him, he may have gone away a slave, he’s coming back a brother and he’s willing to serve you as a slave and a brother in Christ. So open your arms of love and take him, will you?
And so here’s Tychicus with Philemon, the letter in his pocket, and Onesimus the slave walking beside him.
Paul writes the letter to establish in Philemon’s heart acceptance for a returning slave whose now a brother. Think of it. When he left Colossae he must have been shrinking from his master with stolen property in his clothes and that vice burning in his heart, sensualities, the carnality that was driving him to the excitement of Rome and he gets there and he meets Paul and when he comes back all he desires is holiness, all he desires is to be a servant to his master that he left. All he wants is the light of the knowledge of the pure God in his soul. And so the two go off with the message.
And what does Paul say about Onesimus? Look at it. “Onesimus, a runaway slave.” No.
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
You want to hear something great? Christ makes sure a man with a past has a past that’s passed.
He says to the Corinthians;
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
“And such were,” what? “Some of you.”
He says to the Ephesians,
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
“And you were once dead in trespasses and sins but Christ has made you alive.”
Man, I’m telling you it’s exciting to know that in Christ people with a past have a past that’s passed.
Onesimus is a brother now. Philemon, Take him in.
He calls him a brother then notice he calls him beloved, he calls him faithful.
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
And in the letter to Philemon he says; “Onesimus is,”
10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
12 whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
and I love this, “mine own bowels” - “my very heart.”
“Onesimus is my very heart.” I love this man, this once slave now brother.
You know I think one reason whyPaul loved this man was because he was just another illustration of the principle that moved Paul.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
“If any man be in Christ he is,” what? “A new creature. Old things are passed away behold all things are become new.”
I just think having Onesimus around was just another great testimony to what God’s transforming power can do in a life. And Paul loved to see the past in the past.
When we look at Onesimus, we see a man with a servant’s heart and a man with a sinful past.
Both of these men exhibited the character of Christ by being willing to do whatever it takes for the ministry of Jesus Christ. God has entrusted you with message, you are either giving the message or sharing the message.
Not only does the church need couriers, but the church needs companions.
Supportive Companions
Supportive Companions
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;)
11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
These next three men are also valued by Paul as workers for the kingdom of God. They provide comfort and solidarity, reflecting Christ’s own ministry of presence and support.
The church needs those that are simply a supportive presence.
Let’s look at the third man, Aristarchus, verse 10.
Aristarchus - A Sympathetic Concern
Aristarchus - A Sympathetic Concern
Aristarchus is the man with a sympathetic heart.
You know what pastor’s and leaders who are in the Lord’s work need?
We need some people who are just around to feel our burdens with us.
We need some burden-bearers.
These people aren’t whirlwinds at anything, they just care.
They don’t put on great programs and do great things and astounding prominent out-front things, they just care.
I need people like this, and Aristarchus was one of those people with a sympathetic heart.
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;)
Verse 10; “Aristarchus my,” now here it comes, “my fellow prisoner greets you.” Those are deep words.
Aristarchus is a Jew with a Greek name which was common in the dispersion. When the Jews were scattered they often took Greek names.
So he says Aristarchus sends his love and his blessing, he greets you.
Now Aristarchus’ name appears elsewhere in the New Testament in association with the town of Thessalonica, It’s very likely that he came from that town.
And at Ephesus, you remember Paul ministered at Ephesus for three years, and during those three years Aristarchus was with him.
And you remember when finally in Ephesus the riot broke out? When the riot broke out Aristarchus and Gaius were seized by the mob and Aristarchus found out what it was to be a prisoner. They recognized him as one of Paul’s companions. And so they seized him. Now that’s in chapter 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.
Now Paul decides to go to Jerusalem. You know what happens? He takes Aristarchus along. So he goes on that trip. Paul gets on the boat. You remember he was captured as a prisoner in Jerusalem and then he was moved to Caesarea on the coast? Where he stayed as a prisoner? And then finally in Acts 27 he gets on a boat to go to Rome to be tried in Rome and he’s a prisoner on the ship and Acts 27:2 says when he got on the boat Aristarchus was with him.
2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
Had Aristarchus been with him through all the imprisonment? Very possible. Very possible since the time he identified with Paul in the city of Ephesus and escaped from the riot and went to Jerusalem from that time till now he has stayed with Paul as a prisoner in Jerusalem he hung around.
Caesarea—he may have hung around.
On the ship, and you remember what a ride that was -read Acts 27 again. I mean, that was something exciting and he was there. Now here he is back in Rome and guess who is there? Aristarchus and Paul calls him my fellow prisoner. The guy hasn’t committed a crime he just hangs aroundwith criminals. So he spends his time in jail.
Now the word fellow prisoner is a beautiful word; aikmalotos.
You know what it means? It means one caught with a spear. Literally it means a war captive or a prisoner.
Aristarchus is a captive like me. You say—well why did they capture him?
They never did.
Well, why did they put him in prison? They never did. But why does he call him that? Because he just spent his time with a prisoner, he might as well have been a prisoner. He is chosen to be beside Paul. If Paul’s in prison, he’s in prison. That’s his choice. It’s unlikely that he actually became a prisoner in Rome. More likely that he chose to make Paul’s lifestyle his lifestyle.
Because he was sympathetic, because he cared, because he loved, because he knew Paul needed him. He was a man with a sympathetic heart.
Listen, as I said, there are people who can’t lead a meeting and they can’t speak and they can’t be prominent in the church and maybe they’re the most beloved of all because they’re the burden-bearers. And you know, we don’t know what Aristarchus did, it doesn’t tell us. It doesn’t tell us he delivered anything or did anything but you know something? We know that whatever he did he gave up his freedom to do it … to be a prisoner with Paul. And I’ll tell you something.
The Lord’s work would never be done if it weren’t for people like this who are willing to give up their liberty to be a prisoner to accomplish what God wants to be accomplished. Here’s a sympathetic man. I call him the man for all seasons, the bad weather friend.
Thank God for men and women who stick with you when it’s hard because all of them won’t. When it gets rough and really rough and Paul says—Who will volunteer? Aristarchus—the first one with his hand up. Me, Paul.
Where we going? To what prison? Yeah, true greatness for those who help, believe me.
So Paul’s special friends; a man with a servant’s heart, a man with a sinful past, a man with a sympathetic heart.
Fourth, Mark, verse 10, the man with a surprising future, the man with a surprising future.
Marus - A Second Chance
Marus - A Second Chance
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;)
Verse 10, in the middle; “And Mark, sister’s son to Barnabas.”
He’s a cousin of Barnabas. “Concerning whom you received commandments, if he come unto you, receive him.”
Mark sends his greeting along. Now maybe we shouldn’t call him Mark—the man with a surprising future, maybe we ought to call him Mark—the man with a second chance.
You remember about Mark? Early on in the story of the book of Acts as the Apostle Paul is moving into the excitement of the ministry as God has called him to the ministry, he decides to take this marvelous young man along.
Saul and Barnabas are separated to the work of the Holy Spirit calls them in Acts 13 and verse 5 says;
5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
“And when they were at Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and they also had John as their helper.”
And it’s John Mark … hey, we’ve got this young helper along. Paul always took somebody, he was always discipling somebody. He took this young man along. You say—Boy, it’s great for him. Ohhhhh, fantastic, just fantastic.
But in verse 13 of Acts 13 it says;
13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
“Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia.”
Now that was going to be the dangerous part of the trip. They had to cross those dangerous mountains to get up into Galatia. They were full of robbers and brigands and you were taking your life in your hands.
And it says; “And John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.” When the going got rough, Mark bailed out. He can’t hack it. If it was easy, smooth sailing, he was gung-ho. They hit the tough part and he caught the quickest ship back to Mother. And Mother’s house was the center of the Jerusalem church, remember?
And later on he caused a problem because of this.
In Acts 15:37, they’re going to go on their second missionary journey.
37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
And Barnabas says to Paul—Let’s take Mark.
And Paul goes—You’ve got to be kidding—no deal.
38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
I don’t want a guy like that along, Paul says. And the fight was so sharp between them … and the reason Barnabas was championing his cause, now we find out in Colossians, is because he was his cousin, he was a blood tie, see.
So they started the big fight and they split and Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus and Paul chose Silas and departed.”
39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And there was the split between Paul and Barnabas. And Mark was the point of contention.
Something changed. This is why Mark’s surprising future included a second chance.
He began as a wash-out. I’m glad the Lord can use people with a sinful past and I’m glad the Lord can use people who failed at it once, who blew it.
And he says in verse 10;
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;)
“Concerning whom you receive commandments, if he come to you, receive him.”
You know why they normally wouldn’t receive him? He had the reputation of being a failure. He had the reputation of being a wash-out. And so they were commanded … now we don’t know whether Peter wrote that, Barnabas wrote that, Paul wrote that or whoever wrote that … but he told them, somebody had spread the word around the Asian churches if Mark shows up he’s reformed, you can receive him. He’s all right guy. He’s come around.
So Mark sends his greeting, you know Mark, the one you’re supposed to receive if he comes. Mark is changed. Oh, it’s good to know.
Eleven-twelve years later, Mark has been restored to a place of usefulness. I mean this guy was really useful.
Philemon 24;
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
He names Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. Hey, he was a fellow-worker. This guy was in it with Paul.
And Mark had a part.
Hey, you want to know something exciting? Mark got the wonderful privilege that belonged only to four men in the whole history of humanity, to write one of the gospels—the gospel of Mark.
And listen to this; I love it, 2 Timothy 4:11.
11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Paul’s writing, closing out his life, he says to Timothy—
“Take … only Luke is with me, only Luke is left, take Mark and bring him with you for he’s profitable to me for the ministry.” Isn’t that good?
Hey, Timothy, when you come I just want you to bring one guy, I want you to bring Mark. You know, the former wash-out.
Bring him along because he’s profitable to me in the ministry. Paul never ever thought he was going to quit ministering, I don’t think. He said—Listen, in effect, you, Timothy, and me and Mark, I mean, we can get it rolling again. Bring him along. You see, something had happened in Mark’s life from the time that Paul said I don’t want him with me till the time that Paul is dying at the end of his life and says if there is anybody I want here to minister with me in my last days it’s Mark. And so you look at the picture of Mark and you say—Hey, there’s a man with a surprising future, a second chance.
A few years after this, maybe six at the most, he sat down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and wrote the gospel of Mark.
Beloved, there’s a second chance. There’s a future for failures. Paul had one and he had a great future. Great future. Praise God for restoration.
It is not always how we start but rather how we finish. It is never to late to become an minister of a second chance.
And so Paul’s friends; a man with a servant’s heart, a man with a sinful past, a man with a sympathetic heart, a man with a second chance. What a team!
I’m going to introduce you to another one here, are you ready for this? The man with a strong commitment—
Justus - A Strong Commitment
Justus - A Strong Commitment
Jesus Justus. You say—I never heard of him. You’re about to. Jesus Justus—you say, That’s a great name. Yeah, but it’s tough to live up to.
You say, Well, what was his name? Well, look at it in verse 11;
11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
“And Jesus, who is called Justus.”
You know why they called him Justus? To distinguish him. Jesus Justus … to start with his name Jesus was special. Jesua—Joshua in Hebrew, Savior.
That’s a tough name to live up to.
You want to know another tough name to live up to? Christian, that’s a tough one. It means little Christ. How are you doing? How would you like to be named Jesus?
You say—Well, did he live up to it? Listen to this; “Jesus who is called Justus.” You know what that meant? The righteous. Apparently he was doing all right. Because they called him Jesus the righteous. Boy, that’s some name. And we don’t know anything more about him. Jesus the righteous.
And it says in verse 11;
11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
“Aristarchus, Mark and Jesus Justus are of the circumcision.” They’re Jews.
“And these,” watch this, “These only are my fellow-workers for the kingdom of God who have been a comfort unto me.”
You say—Wait a minute—what happened to Tychicus and Onesimus? No-no, you misunderstood. These are the only Jewish fellow-workers who were a comfort to Paul.
Isn’t that sad?
Do you know that the Jews for the most part in Jerusalem had rejected him?
Except for Aristarchus and he had been around for a long time. And Mark, and he had been around for a long time too. And then this new one, Jesus Justus. He was a man with a strong commitment; I know that, because he had to step out from his people.
You know, in Acts 28 when the Apostle Paul arrived in Jerusalem the first thing he did was begin with Jewish evangelism. And he started to preach to the Jews. And some believed … that’s true, verse 24 of Acts 28 …
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
some believed that things were spoken but some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
And even the ones that believed, apparently, never got behind Paul. They just got into an argument with their own people … and Paul says—
“Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah saying,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Even the ones that believed apparently never made a commitment to Paul, only three, only three Jewish fellow-workers stuck by him.
Two of them have been around a long time but this one, Jesus Justus, just may have been won right out of that Roman group. And so I call him the man with the strong commitment because he paid a big price, didn’t he?
He walked right out of his own people. It’s hard to believe the pettiness that occurred in the life of Paul. But it did. He calls him a fellow-worker, a fellow-worker for the kingdom, sunergos, co-laborer.
And notice this beautiful statement about Jesus Justus, it says;
11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
These are the ones who have soothed me.
These are the ones who have comforted me.
So here was a man who was a source of comfort, a source of soothing because he had a strong commitment, he was willing to pay a price, he was willing to walk away from the opinions of people and take a stand with Jesus Christ no matter what it costs. That’s the kind of man it takes.
So we meet Paul’s friends; Supportive Companions; Justus, a man with a strong commitment, Mark, a man with a second chance, Aristarchus, a man with a sympathetic heart, Faithful Couriers; Onesimus, a man with a sinful past and Tychicus, a man with a servant’s heart.
The next group is
Prayerful Confirmers
Prayerful Confirmers
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
We need those in ministry that are in the intercessory role for us. People that pray which are the spiritual support, the lifelines of any church.
Probably the least noticed of all these ministers but definitely the most important are the unseen efforts in prayer that sustain the church's work.
So, lets look at
Epaphras - A Single Craving
Epaphras - A Single Craving
Here’s one you might remember. We call him Epaphras the man with the single passion.
Look at verse 12,
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Verse 12; “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ.”
And incidentally, he was the founder of the Colossian church and most likely its pastor.
“Greet you.” And you say—What was he doing there if he was the pastor of the Colossian church, why was he in Rome? Because he had come to Rome to tell Paul the trouble that the errorists and the false teachers had brought to the Colossians. And Paul is writing this letter to the Colossians in answer to what Epaphras has told him. And he wants to stay a while, spend more time with Paul. So Paul says he sends his greeting.
Now listen to this, “He is always laboring fervently for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Those are the two cities within a ten mile radius of Colossae. He’s one of you. He’s your pastor, your founder. What a man. It says he’s a servant of Christ, doulos again, a slave.
But verse 13 says; “I bear him witness, he has a zeal.”
The word zeal incidentally should be translated pain p-a-i-n; he has great pain for you.
In fact in Revelation 16:10 and 11 and Revelation 21:4 the word is used to speak of intense pain. The man is in intense pain over you. He hurts for you. I’ll tell you, people, that’s a pastor’s heart. He hurts.
You say—Well, what can he do so far away if he hurts so much? I’ll tell you what he can do. He’s always laboring fervently for you—how? In prayer.
The word laboring fervently, I want to hit this because it reiterates what I told you about 4:2—about perseverance.
Listen, laboring fervently is the word to agonize. He was on his knees agonizing in a prolonged, intense, effectual, fervent prayer. It says always laboring … working at it, agonizing in prayer. This is what we’ve been talking about.
Prayer is not simply flipping up little thoughts to God, it is agonizing, it is struggling, it is wrestling with God like Jacob and saying—I’m not going to let go until You bless me, God. It is the word used in 1 Corinthians 9 of an athlete who runs a long race and beats his body to make it go—drives it, agonizes it.
You want to hear something interesting? This same word in John 18:36 is translated—fight. He fights for you in his prayers. He wrestles with God for you. He persistently struggles with God for your blessing.
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
In Romans 15:30 Paul says—
30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
“I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake for the love of the Spirit that you fight together with me in your prayers to God for me.” Again he uses the same word.
In Luke 22 the same word appears in verse 44, I think it is. You can see the meaning of it there comparatively.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was (as it were) great drops of blood falling to the ground.” Jesus prayed with such agony and such strain and such persistence that He began to ooze blood.
Epaphras prayed like that. He prayed in an intense, spiritual wrestling with God. And when it says in Acts 6:4 that the Apostles gave themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word, that’s what it was.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
They were like Epaphras they prayed and they wrestled with God for the lives of people. I think we give up too easy. I don’t think we know the meaning of that. We say Ahh, I’ve worked on so-and-so, they don’t come around. Maybe we’ve never known what it is to pray the way they prayed.
And you say—Well, what is he praying for?
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
“That you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
He wants you perfect, mature. He wants you telios, complete, mature, filled-out, fully developed, fully convinced.
Incidentally, the second word, the word complete is an interesting verb that means fully assured. He wants you mature and confident that the truth is the truth and not having your minds messed up by false teachers. He wants your doctrine to be mature and he wants your behavior to be mature.
Now this guy’s got the view of the ministry.
Every pastor in the world should have this same desire that his people be mature and convinced in their mind and assured that this is the truth. And only when they’re mature will they be assured because Paul says in Ephesians 4—
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
And so Epaphras had one desire—I want to make them mature so that when they’re mature they’ll be fully assured of the truth and these false teachers won’t have an affect.
How do you make them mature?
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
It is the Word that brings maturity. Epaphras, believed in teaching God’s truth. He wanted his people mature. He wasn’t satisfied that they were there, he wanted them grown-up. He wasn’t satisfied that they gave their money; he wanted them assured that the truth was the truth so they wouldn’t fall into error because he cared, because he loved them. What a man. I call him Epaphras—the man with a single passion.
Epaphras—the man with a single passion … that his people be mature. He was a prayer warrior and he had a single passion—that the people be mature.
You can imagine what a blessing he was to Paul.
Can you imagine what an encouragement he was to all the other guys working with Paul to see this guy praying like that, day after day after day and to see Paul praying day after day after day night after night after night—can you imagine the impact that the lives of those two men had on everybody else? And he knew what he was praying for … for the maturity of the saints.
You know something? Somewhere along the line we’ve got to get past-their broken legs and their bodily diseases and get praying for what really matters—you know that? It’s fine to pray for physical things but sometimes that’s an excuse, I think, almost a cop-out for not really laboring about people’s spiritual welfare.
We have seen the couriers, the companions, the confirmers, and lastly
Cherished Contributors
Cherished Contributors
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
Every individual contributor is remembered and valued within the body of Christ. In Christ, every person counts, and every small action contributes to the greater mission.
Let’s meet another one. Luke—Luke,
Luke - A Specialized Capacity
Luke - A Specialized Capacity
I call him the man with a specialized talent, the man with the specialized talent. You know what it was. Verse 14;
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
“Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
What was Luke? He was a doctor. I don’t think he was a phony, I think he was the best kind you could have in that day. He was a physician. You can see that in the New Testament many places. For example, Mark will say about someone, about the lady with an issue of blood, she suffered many things at the hands of many physicians. But you won’t find that in the book of Luke. Luke talks about the same incident, leaves that part out. We know he’s a physician. And you know what he was? He was Paul’s personal physician. I love this. This just thrills me. Here was a man who had a specialized talent. He was a doctor. That’s what he did. But it’s interesting to note that on Paul’s first missionary journey he was sick all the time. And it’s interesting to note that when he went on his second journey he took Luke. He felt the need of a personal doctor. So he took him along.
God’s work needs specialists, folks. Everybody doesn’t have to go to seminary. There are some people who can do something else and fit in. And you say—Yeah, but you might get stuck doing that all the time. Listen, I don’t know what he gave up. He may have given up a lucrative practice if practices were lucrative in that day. I don’t know. But he must have been kind of fun for Paul to have along because he was an educated man, a cultured man, so was Paul and they must have had some great inner-action. I’ll bet they were just bosom-buddies because when Paul was dying in 2 Timothy, he says—And only Luke is with me. I mean, they were close. He knew every pain and every sear on the body of Paul. He was his pal, and his doctor. And he calls him beloved physician. I like that.
Luke is a great illustration of a man who had a specialty to offer.
Now watch … and he gave his specialty to God and God took his specialty and gave him back a privilege he never dreamed would even happen.
Do you realize that Luke wrote the majority of the New Testament? 52 chapters of the New Testament? The whole book of Acts and the gospel of Luke.
You say—How did he get to do that? How did he get such a glorious task? Because he had a specialty and he gave it to God and God took him where he was and used him where he never dreamed he could be used. He is living proof of Ephesians 3:20 ;
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
God takes people with special talent and gives them the ability to do things they never dreamed they could do and that’s the way He works.
Demas - A Sad Collapse
Demas - A Sad Collapse
Let’s look at the last in the portrait. This is the fly in the ointment.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
“And Demas greet you.”
Demas is the man with a sad future. This is the last man in the photograph and he’s a sad man. Oh here it isn’t sad, he says—Demas’ greets you.
And at the end of the book of Philemon it talks about Demas.
Man it sounds good, good old Demas, hanging in there. He’s been around. I think he was around at least two years. I do know that he was with Paul in both imprisonments. That’s … that’s substantial commitment. But there’s a sad thing about him.
Because it says in 2 Timothy 4:9, Paul says to Timothy, listen to this;
9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
“Do your diligence to come shortly to me,” now listen,
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Isn’t that sad?
Yeah, he says—Demas was around the first imprisonment, Demas was around the second imprisonment, my fellow worker. But he left me because he loved the present system. So he went to Thessalonica.
He abandoned Paul because he fell in love with the world. You know something? There are some of those kind in everybody’s ministry. That’s right.
Jesus had His Judas and Paul had his Demas and all of us have the same kind. They’re all there … somewhere. And they show up and it’s sad. And what’s so sad about it is the privilege and the opportunity and the learning, the exposure that they had somehow never caught. And those are the people I know in my own life, those Demas’ that have been in my life, those are the people that haunt me because I don’t understand it.
But it’s comforting to know that you can’t be a winner all the time. That even the best are going to have those that fail. And like Paul’s heart, they’ll break our hearts. And we’ll never forget and the scars will be deep and the questions will always be there.
Well, that’s the picture, Demas, A man with a sad future, Luke, a man with specialized ministry, Epaphras, a man with a strong commitment, Mark, a man with second chance, Aristarchus, a man with a sympathetic heart, Onesimus, a man with a sinful past, and Tychicus, a man with a servant’s heart. Quite a team, isn’t it? That’s the Pauline Evangelistic Association, headquarters—jail, Rome. A great bunch.
Nymphas - A Sensible Contributor
Nymphas - A Sensible Contributor
15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Let me help you draw this together by closing with the book in verse 15.
Listen to what he says, this his final words—“Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea,” incidentally the letter was going to Colossae to he just says—say hi to everybody at Laodicea.
“And Nymphas, and the church which is in his house,”
“Greet the brethren in Laodicea” and the church in Laodicea met in the house of Nymphas.
It’s interesting that the churches in those days met in houses. It wasn’t until sometime later, third century, the church buildings developed. So he says—Say hi to everybody.
16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
“And when this epistle is read among you,” and that’s the way they did it, it’s good insight into how these epistles were dealt with, they were read publicly. “Cause also that it be read in the church of the Laodiceans,” and watch this, “And you also read the epistle from Laodicea.” So after you’ve read it, pass it to Laodicea. And here’s another indication that when these letters were written they weren’t ever intended for one congregation, they became circular letters. They went all through the church.
And you know what they would do when they got a letter? They would copy it so they would have an abiding copy and then they would send it on.
Suggested Challenge
Suggested Challenge
Archippus - A Substantial Challenge
Archippus - A Substantial Challenge
And then I want to sum it up with verse 17.
17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
“And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfillit.” Well, when I read that, it just knocked me over. You know why it knocked me over? Because I had just heard about a whole bunch of people who were so faithful to fill out their ministry.
And I think Paul has just put a whole pile of illustrations right on the back of the neck of Archippus. And said—Say, by the way, Archippus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord and fulfill it. Tychicus has. Onesimus has. Aristarchus has. Mark has. Jesus Justus has. Epaphras has. Luke has. I’d like you to.
That’s the exhortation to you tonight. I’ve showed you these different unsung heroes of ministry. All but one have been faithful and I guess finished faithful.
And it all comes down to this. You’ve been given a ministry. I don’t know what it is or in some cases I do know what it is. God knows what it is. You received it, notice, in the Lord, it’s a divine thing—fulfill it.
Listen, the Word can’t be accomplished in the world. The kingdom can’t be advanced without a little help from our friends. Without you. Whatever your area of ministry—got to have it. Got to be done. Got to be faithful. Got to fulfill it.
And then he closes.
18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
“The salutation by my hand, Paul.”
I’m writing my own name now, folks. He dictated the letters and somebody else wrote them but he signed them so they would be known to be authentic.
“Remember my bonds.”
Don’t forget me, I’m in jail still. Just because things are successful it doesn’t mean it isn’t hard. You pray.
“Grace with you. Amen.”
What does the closing of this letter say to you tonight? It says to me this—Donny, you’ve just seen a group of unsung ministry who made the ministry of Jesus Christ possible.
Are you doing your part? You’re Archippus.
You’ve just seen all the examples. Now fulfill your part that the kingdom may be advanced. I hope it says that to you.
