Monthly Archive for December, 1996

Colossians 4:17

Published on December 31, 1996 in Colossians. 1 Comment
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”And say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’”
 
"And say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry"
Archippus was a minister at Colosse.  Paul challenges the church to admonish him to be diligent about doing his work.  Evidently he was sidetracked with things of less moment. 
Archippus may be the son of Philemon (Phile 2).  He may have ministered in Colosse at Epahras’ absence.  In Philemon, Paul asks Philemon to fee his slave Onesimus.  Now he chastises his son for not staying sharp in the ministry.  Philemon still remained his friend, however!
“Take heed” means to watch out. The ministry is not the ability to balance a cup of tea or make proper clucking noises at any kind of party.  “Take heed” in this context means to concentrate on ministry.  Some ministers do everything but teach the Word.  Here Paul says “Get with it.”  (Cf. I Tim. 4:16; Ac 20:28; II Tim. 4:5; I Tim. 1:12; Acts 20:24).
“Ministry” is used 3 ways in the New Testament:  1) leader of the national entity (Rom 13:1,2) 2) universal priesthood of the believer (II Cor 3:6-4:1) and 3) pastor of the local church (Eph 3:7; 6:21).  Here the idea is the pastor of local church.
PRINCIPLE:  It is important for the ministry’s sake to stay sharp in ministry.
APPLICATION:  We need to “take heed” to our ministry. Heaven and hell is at stake. We try to be as sharp as we can so that we honor the privilege of the ministry given to us.
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Colossians 4:16

Published on December 30, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”
 
"Now when this epistle is read among you"
 
Paul expects that Colossians will be read publicly in the assembly both in Colossians and Laodicea. This stipulation for reading the Word publicly gives some indication of how the early church practiced worship.
 
“Read” means to exegete Colossians. Few churches expound the Bible verse by verse. God wants us to study the Word.
"see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans"
Paul also expected that Colossians would be read publicly in the church of the Laodiceans as well. New Testament churches shared the books of the Bible. Colossians was obviously intended for other churches as well. It was intended for the church of today.
"and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea"
The Epistle from Laodicea is now lost. It did not belong to the authorized books of the Bible known as the “canon.” The canon is those books which the church as deemed inspired.
Not all epistles that Paul wrote were inspired. However, the Laodicean letter may be the book of Ephesians. The first and seventh of the churches of Revelation are Ephesus and Laodicea. The letter was sent first to Ephesus then to the other churches on that circuit ending up at Laodicea. Therefore, this epistle may be Ephesians.
Circular letters written by Paul were to be read by all the churches in that area.
Principle:
God has designed the local church as the place for growth in the Word of God.
Application:
Local churches are geographically pinpointed. Born again people make up the local church. These people support the missionary enterprise around the world. That is where they should study the Bible from a gifted pastor.
Do you attend a church where you are taught the Word of God?
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Colossians 4:15

Published on December 29, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.”
 
Now we come to the salutation of the epistle to the Colossians (4:15-18).
 
"Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea"
Laodicea was located near Colosse. Paul sends salutations to them as well.
"and Nymphas"
Paul names Nymphas as an outstanding Christian. He/she was outstanding because he/she held an upstanding reputation. It is possible to translate this sentence “Nympha, and the church which is in her house.” If so, she is the only woman mentioned in this chapter. She opened her home to hold a church there. No church can operate very long without women.
"and the church that is in his house"
Christians were forced to worship in houses since public worship was dangerous (Jn 20:19; cf. Acts 28:23,30). It may be that the church at Laodicea met in Nymphas’ house. Meeting in houses was the common practice (Acts 12:12; 16:40; Rom 16:5; I Cor. 16:19; Philemon 2). Church buildings came later.
The church met in homes while the heathens met in temples. There were no church edifices before the third century. Christians met in homes for the first 250 years of the church’s existence. Some churches met in gravel pits, caves, fields or forests.
Principle:
All God expects of us is to do what we can with what we have.
Application:
Nympha may not have been able to preach, sing or play, but she could open her house to be used of God. She did what she could with what she had. This is all God expects of us.
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Colossians 4:14b

Published on December 28, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
 
"and Demas greet you"
 
This is the Demas who two years later forsook Paul because he loved this present world (II Tim. 4:10). Demas probably did not forsake Christ (cf. Philemon 24). Luke, however, remained with Paul in his hour of danger.
 
Paul gives no commendation of Demas. There may be a suggestion that even at this time he was not sure of his stability.
Demas’ supreme passion was the world (II Tim. 4:10). Diotrephes’ supreme passion was to have the pre-eminence (III Jn. 9). Demetrius’ supreme passion was the truth (III Jn 12). These three men were characterized by their supreme passions. The difference lay in their commitment.
Principle:
Many make a grand entrance and later fade from dynamic Christian living.
Application:
It is sad to see a person fail toward the end of their career. In this verse we see contrasting examples of faithfulness and unfaithfulness. Luke the faithful physician remained with Paul during his difficulty – “Only Luke is with me,” (II Tim. 4:11). Everybody else left Paul in his dire moment of danger. Demas unfaithfully preferred his skin to his conscience.
May not God allow us to finish our lives infamous fashion.
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Colossians 4:14

Published on December 27, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
 
"Luke the beloved physician"
 
This is the Luke that wrote Luke and Acts. He was Paul’s associate on two missionary expeditions. He joined Paul on the second missionary journey at the city of Troy (Acts 16:10).
 
Here we learn that Luke is a physician. Luke was not only a physician but a “beloved” physician. Paul loved his personal physician. Luke ministered both with the hand and the heart.
Paul specifically does not name Luke among the Jewish Christians just listed. He was a Gentile convert (cf. II Tim. 4:11; Phile. 24) and probably a Greek. He may have been a student at the University of Tarsus. Luke wrote both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.
It is interesting that two of the writers of the gospels are with Paul during this prison confinement. They both have already written their gospels. No doubt Paul would have read them by now.
Principle:
Faithfulness under duress is true friendship.
Application:
Demas had the same advantages as Luke. Both were companions of the apostle. They had the same teaching and example. Two children brought up in the same family can turn to different directions. One will follow Christ, the other will deny him. One will rebel, the other will yield to the teaching of the Word.
We can attribute the fall of Demas to love of the world (II Tim. 4:10). Luke remained true to Paul in his difficulties. This is an issue of character. Would your character stand under pressure?
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Colossians 4:13

Published on December 26, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.”
 
"For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you"
 
Paul went on record to testify that Epaphras possessed a great zeal for the Colossians, the Laodiceans and those in Hierapolis.
 
“Zeal” here means “labor.” Epaphras underwent intense pain and suffering for his church back in Colosse. “Zeal” is hard work with accompanying pain and distress. He wanted them to become spiritually self-sustaining. His goal was that they would depend on the Word rather than upon their pastor (4:12).
"and those who are in Laodicea"
Laodicea was located in what we call Turkey today. This city was ten miles from Colosse. It lay on the same road but was larger and richer than Colosse. Today it lies in a heap of ruins.
"and those in Hierapolis"
Hierapolis was the city of the mythical Amazon queen Hiera. This city was situated near Colosse and Laodicea in the Lycus River valley of Phrygia. It was a wealthy dyeing center. This city was five miles north of Laodicea and it also lies in ruins.
Epaphras was interested in the local churches at Laodicea and Hierapolis as well. Although God has given us a local church, he expects us to be interested in other local churches as well.
Principle:
The child of God should have a great commitment to the local church.
Application:
We hear little of our responsibility to have zeal for the local church. Along with our zeal for God and those without Christ, God wants us to have a great zeal for the local church.
We invest thousands of dollars in the local church. Others send their children to the mission field from the local church. This is the commitment God expects toward the local church.
God has raised up para-church organizations in addition to the local church. These organizations are no substitute for the local church but they are an arm of the church. Often these organizations are on the cutting edge of advancing the gospel. Without aggressive evangelistic organizations that take the gospel across national lines, the gospel will remain within the confines of the local church. The gospel will not get beyond the city limits. However, it is the local church that supports these enterprises of the gospel. May we, like Epaphras, care about other churches.
Some churches never miss a month in financially supporting their missionaries. That is because responsible people band together to further the gospel. These are people who have a sense of welfare for both the home church and the cause of Christ throughout the world (Gal. 6:10; Heb. 6:10). Every Christian needs other Christians to rally around them in time of need.
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Colossians 4:12d

Published on December 25, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
 
Now we come to the content of Paul’s prayers for them.
 
"that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God"
Paul prayed with purpose – “that.” He prayed that the Colossians might have stability (“stand”) in the will of God with two characteristics:
1) perfect
2) complete.
“May stand” – The Greek indicates that we receive the power to stand. We do not stand in our own ability or strength. We do not stand in our natural strength but in God’s ability.
Standing “perfect and complete in all the will of God” means that we understand and apply the principles of the Word to our experience. The prayer is that the Colossians might stand instead of being swept away by false doctrine.
“Perfect” means mature. This word means the ability to carry a full measure. This person is mature and equipped for service. He wanted them to stand firm in maturity of the Christian life. Maturity is essential to stability in the Christian life.
“Complete” means fully assured (Rom. 4:21; 14:5) or fulfilled. The word “complete” may mean “convinced.” Paul’s concern was that the Colossians might develop conviction concerning the truth in the face of doctrinal aberration expressed in the earlier part of the book.
Paul wanted Epaphras to stand “in all the will of God” instead of speculative doubt. Epaphras prays that they will grow into maturity North, South, East and West – in “all” the will of God. He did not want the Devil to shortchange them. He prayed that God will give them all that he has designed for them. He coveted all the will of God for them (Colossians 1:9; 4:12). He was willing to do “all” the will of God, not half of it. The Lord demands 100% obedience.
“And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’” (Acts 13:22).“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom.12:2).
Principle:
We should seek the highest good of all believers.
Application:
God wants us to pray for fellow believers so that they will grow out of their spiritual infancy and pass through adolescence into spiritual adulthood. God’s burden is that we might stop playing with spiritual dolls. We play church today making religious daisy chains while the world goes to hell. We occupy ourselves with the incidental, the petty and trivial.
After we have known Christ for a number of years, we realize that doing “all” the will of God is the very best thing we can do. There is nothing better for our well-being than to do all the will of God. There is nothing better for us than doing all the will of God. The will of God may hurt; it may be an uphill battle.
Heartache is part and parcel of the will of God. None of us gets through life without tears, scars, reverses and difficulties. The Spirit of God will use every problem to sharpen our testimony, enlarge our vision and expand our character. It makes no difference whether we face physical, financial or domestic difficulty.
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Colossians 4:12c

Published on December 24, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
 
"always laboring fervently for you in prayers"
 
Here is a person who prayed for fellow believers in his church. While in captivity in Rome, he “agonized” in prayer for his church back in Colosse.
 
Note the two ways in which he prayed for them: 1) laboring and 2) fervently.
“Laboring” means wrestling (cf. Jacob in Gen. 32). He wrestled in prayer for the Colossians. “Laboring” is from the Greek word to agonize. It is an athletic term involving personal struggle. We can translate “laboring” by “wrestling.” It means to exert the last ounce of strength to win the match. Agony comes at the end of the match where strength is spent.
Paul uses this term of himself in 1:29 and 2:1. Jesus also was in “agony” in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). Great struggle in prayer is a great need of the church today. We need to agonize in prayer more than to organize programs.
Epaphras is still keeping up with his congregation in prayer. He could not hop on Alexander Gram Bell to find out how they were doing. He did have a direct line to God, however. His direct line was prayer. He prayed with a headache; he prayed when he was tired; he prayed when he was sick; he prayed chained to the guards. No matter how tired, sick, or exhausted he might be, he prayed.
“Fervently” — It is the effectual, fervent prayer that avails with God (James 5:16,17).
Epaphras was the pastor of the church at Colosse. Now he is in jail. He has a new ministry, the ministry of intercessory prayer. He served God in prison by praying for the Colossian church.
Principle:
Every Christian has recourse to fervent prayer.
Application:
Epaphras labored in prayer that people in his congregation might stand firm and not fall victims to false teaching.
When we are separated from our loved ones who need spiritual help, the one thing we can do for them is pray. We can pray that God will introduce friends, circumstances, blessing, bane into their lives. God can create a positive volition toward himself by sovereignly managing the events of their lives.
Most of us do not know anything about agonizing in prayer. We know how to pray or say prayers except when we face the death of a child. We learn how to agonize in prayer very quickly then.
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Colossians 4:12b

Published on December 23, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
 
"a bondservant of Christ"
 
Evidently when Epaphras came to Rome to visit Paul, the Romans arrested him as well. He was a “bondservant of Christ.” The word “bondservant” means a slave. He was not a slave of Rome but a slave of Christ (Rom.1:1; Gal. 1:10; Eph. 6:6).There were more slaves in the Roman empire than free men. A slave had no rights. Epaphras waved all his rights for Christ. He totally dedicated himself to the person of Christ. He was consumed with the cause of Christ.
 
Epaphras was a slave of Christ. Christ came first, not his church. Christ came first, not his denomination. Christ came first, not even his family. These things came in their proper order.
 
"greets you"
The Colossian church was his congregation (Colossians 1:7).
Principle:
God expects us to serve him unreservedly.
Application:
Most of us are Christians of convenience. Christianity is a value to us but there is some question if we would be willing to give our life for it.
When we are willing to give our life for Christ, that is when Christianity means something. Christianity is more than ethics, civil rights, political rights, better housing or sanitation. These things do not constitute Christianity; they are the by-products of Christianity. We confuse by-product with the real thing. We cannot tell the real thing from imitation.
Christianity is a vital relationship with a person.
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Colossians 4:12

Published on December 22, 1996 in Colossians. 0 Comments
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“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
 
"Epaphras"
 
Epaphras is an eminent Bible teacher from Colosse (1:7,8; 4:12). He was with Paul when he wrote Colossians in Rome. Paul mentions him in Philemon 23 where he calls him “my fellow-prisoner.” Epaphras was Paul’s cell-mate.
 
Epaphras’ made a long, hazardous journey to Rome. His report concerning the conditions in the churches of the Lycus Valley caused Paul to write Colossians (1:7-9).
Paul’s esteem for Epaphras is seen in the terms he applies to him: “Our beloved fellow servant,” “A faithful minister of Christ on our behalf” (1:7), “A servant of Christ Jesus” (4:12), “My fellow prisoner” (Philemon 23).
Epaphras’ unique distinction is Paul’s praise for his fervent intercession for the churches of the Lycus Valley (4:12,13).
"who is one of you"
Along with Onesimus (v.9), Epaphras was a Colosse Christian. He belonged to the church at Colosse. He was probably their pastor.
Principle:
God expects us to appreciate our colleagues in ministry.
Application:
How would you describe those with whom you serve? Do you have the capacity of soul to affirm their strengths?
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