Colossians pt10

The Nine. That’s what I called them in my head this week as I worked back through this passage to prepare for this sermon. Nine people, by name, in these last few verses of this letter that Paul addressed to a congregation he had never met, but knew of and wanted to protect and encourage. Nine names in the Bible for 1000s of years. People who otherwise wold have been nameless, faceless servants of the church but for being named by Paul.

They meant something to him.

We don’t do a good job in our day and time of saying thank you. Once upon a time it was a matter of etiquette to write thank you notes. Not doing one for every little thing was “bad manners” and it bred a lot of resentment and derision towards the practice. To the point, that it now in large part out of practice. Yet, the practice of thanksgiving and encouragement is a biblical one- maybe just not on proper stationary, but in the heart of being thankful for people and telling them of their importance. And in the heart of encouraging people, and reminding them of their value and that they should stay the course- even when it gets hard.

So this morning, as we look at this passage, will you reflect? Who has built you up? who needs you to build them up? How can we be further knit together as the family of God that gathers at West Metro?

(Read Colossians 4:7-18)

Paul starts with people who he has sent with the letter. Sometimes the people who have built us up get called away. They go to serve the Lord in other places, but that does not lessen their importance or their impact on our lives. Sometimes we even have to let them go or risk being unfaithful to the Lord.

Look at the description Paul gives of Tychius and Onesimus:

beloved

faithful minister

fellow servant

witness bearers

These two men are representing Jesus, but they also represent the man who discipled them: Paul. By knowing them, they know him. That is how well they know him. We need people like that in our lives- who can tell our stories as if they were us.

The next three people named have two things in common- they are all Jewish Christians (v11) and they are Paul’s comforters in prison. At his lowest, most helpless point, they are his rock to lean on.

We all need these kinds of people who stand by us when the world is falling apart. Who carry us when we cannot carry ourselves.

The next person mentioned is Epaphras. He is a prayer warrior. Someone who has labored hard in prayer for this church.

(Mavis Koonce story here)

We all need someone who is going to go to their knees for us. And we need to be thankful for them and lift them up as well.

Luke is identified as “the beloved physician.” That is his only identifier. Sometimes you have a person whose work is so obvious that you fail to even acknowledge them. They are just faithful to their jobs and do them without fanfare and with no glory. But they are there…and if they were not the world would fall apart.

Nympha is the only woman on the list. But she is listed because she leads a church and is willing to host them in her home. She practices hospitality and opens up her place for others. The gift of hospitality is not one that is easily gained, but it is one we need. People who are willing to sacrifice their personal space for the comfort and use of others.

Finally, we come to Archippus. He is someone Paul has been given to encourage. See we have people who we are encouraged by, but we are also called to encourage others. We are on both sides of the continuum.

Where does Paul’s love and thankfulness for all of these people come from? His relationship with Jesus. Without Jesus, Paul doesn’t know almost any of these people. He doesn’t even like most of these people. Jesus brings us the people we need, when we trust Him with our lives.

So this morning, first have you trusted Him?

And second, when was the last time you told the people He has sent you that you are thankful for them?