| Introduction Life in general, and specially the life of the Christian, is made up of interactions with other people. We go through life picking up things from different people and making them our own. In a sense, we are made up of other people. In the TV series Star Trek, there is a species called the Borg. They propagate and perpetuate their species by assimilating other species and making them part of the collective. We are a little bit like the Borg as we assimilate other people and make them part of our collective. The reason we are like this is that God made us to be this way. We were created to do life together with other people. Ministry, as well as life, is never done well alone. Paul realized that and was always trying to involve more people, to bring more people along. Did you notice all the names in this passage? There are ten names including Barnabas, plus "those who are in Laodicea." There is only one other letter in the NT with more names in its conclusion: Romans with 26. All these names in the end of this little letter help us see at least two things: · God made us to do ministry together with other people. Paul shows us that the work of the Gospel is a community project. All are needed. · The general attitude that we must have toward the brethren is one of genuine interest in each other's lives because of our union with Christ. Phil. 2:1-4 – Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be donethrough selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. For organizational purposes, let's divide the passage into three parts using the different name groupings as our guide. The first part will be verses 7-9 where Paul lists the two guys who are delivering the letter to the Colossian church. The second part will be the greeters in verses 10-14. Lastly, we will see the greeted in verse 15. I. Starting with Last: The Greeted of Laodicea, 15. A. Laodicea was fairly close to Colossae (10 miles NW). B. Together with the church in Hierapolis, they were likely planted by Epaphras. C. Therefore, there was a closeness between these churches, which is a beautiful thing and worthy of cultivation. D. Why Paul chose to send greetings to this one congregation in Laodicea is impossible to figure out. II. Tychicus and Onesimus: Beloved Brothers, 7-9. A. Tychicus likely delivered the letter to the Colossian church and to Philemon, 7-8. 1. We don't know a lot about Tychicus, just that he showed up as part of Paul's traveling companions in Ephesus, Acts 20:4. a. That could mean that he was from that region where Ephesus and Colossae were. b. Perhaps well known to the churches there and thus the right person to deliver Paul's letters to them. c. We do know that Paul relied on him several times to deliver his letters. 2. Although we don't know much about Tychicus's past, we do know how Paul assesses his life when he wrote this letter – three characteristics (7a): a. Beloved brother – because of Christ (we don't need any other reason to love a brother). b. Faithful minister (servant) – faithful is the word used in the Bible to judge a servant, not successful. c. Fellow servant (slave) – not slave of Rome, but of Christ. Rom. 6:22 – But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 3. These three characteristics are not extraordinary, only for those who minister with Paul; they are what should be true of every believer. 4. The purpose for Tychicus's visit to Colossae is to let the Colossians know how Paul is doing (both by delivering the letter and talking with them) and encourage (comfort) their hearts, 7b, 8, 9b. a. The NKJV has it somewhat backwards here. b. The ESV is better on this verse. Col. 4:8 – I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts…. 1) The Colossians were eager to hear from Paul. 2) They were concerned about how he was fairing in jail and were craving news. 3) The Colossians here represent in practice what should be the general Christian attitude: a genuine interest in and concern for each other's lives because of our union with Christ. Rom. 15:2-6 – Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me." For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind andone mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. B. Tychicus was sent with a companion: Onesimus, 9. 1. Onesimus was a runaway slave from Colossae that found himself in Rome and with Paul. 2. The Lord saved him through Paul's ministry, who is now sending him back through his owner, Philemon, who is a member of the church in Colossae. 3. Onesimus's presence in this list of names is very important and insightful. a. Onesimus shows us that social ranking is not a determinant of whom someone is in Christ. b. He was a slave, owned by another man, with no social value. c. As a matter of fact, according to society he was not even a person. d. Yet in Christ he was a faithful and beloved brother. 1) We often let the world inform us of people's worth. 2) Not only that, we allow the world to tell us that we have to dress, talk, act, feel in a certain way in order to be worthy. 3) The only thing that gives us worth is our salvation in Jesus Christ and Onesimus points to that. "By permitting Onesimus to stand at the side of Tychicus as an informant regarding everything pertaining Paul and the church in Rome the apostle is telling the Colossians, including Philemon, that he regards the man who by God's transforming grace is now living up to the meaning of his name – Onesimus: profitable, helpful – to be also wholly reliable." William Hendriksen III. Six Greetings for Six Greeters, 10-14. A. The assumption is that all these guys knew and were known by the Colossian church. B. Fellow workers from the Jewish church, 10-11. 1. Aristarchus from Thessalonica a. He was likely in Rome and in prison with Paul by choice because in Acts 27:2 he is listed as one of Paul's willing companions, not a prisoner. b. Christ had liberated him to give up his freedom in order to serve a brother. c. Have you ever thought of your salvation in these terms? Freedom to go without? a. Along with Onesimus, Mark provides us with another great story of redemption and usefulness. b. This is the Mark that abandoned Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary journey. 1) The same Mark that later on created a rift between the two missionaries. 2) The same Mark that eventually by God's grace became indispensible to the ministries of both Peter and Paul. 2 Tim. 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 3) And the same Mark that, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave us the second gospel. c. God uses the broken and inadequate for his glory. 1) Talked to a woman who had an abortion and said God didn't like her because she had messed up. 2) Matt Chandler's rose story about being passed around as a sermon illustration and the pastor saying that nobody wants the rose. 3) The Lord uses broken people, corrupted by sin, who are transformed by the Holy Spirit into beautiful instruments in his hands. Both Onesimus and Mark are testimonies of that. a. We don't know much about him besides that he was a fellow-worker for the kingdom of God, which is all that we really need to know about him. b. That's what all of us who believe in Jesus Christ and have been saved by him are: fellow-workers in the kingdom of God – what is the work? Mt. 9:35-38 – Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly isplentiful, but the laborers arefew. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." C. Fellow workers from the Gentile church, 12-14. a. Like Aristarchus, he was a voluntary fellow-prisoner likely sent by the Colossians themselves to minister to Paul. b. He was either the founder of the church in Colossae or their current pastor. c. Paul describes him in two ways: 1) A bondservant of Christ "A servant of Christ Jesus is one who has been bought with a price and is therefore owned by his Master, on whom he is completely dependent, to whom he owes undivided allegiance and to whom he ministers with gladness of heart, in newness of spirit, and in the enjoyment of perfect freedom…, receiving from him a glorious reward…." William Hendriksen 2) Paul's main description of Epaphras is as a prayer warrior. a) He worked hard at praying for the Colossians. b) The one prayer he labored over for them was that they would be complete in Christ, 12. c) His prayerfulness is the demonstration of his zeal for the brethren in the Lycus Valley, 13. a. It is from this brief reference that we learn that Luke was a medical doctor. b. He was a faithful friend to Paul who stood with him to the end. 2 Tim. 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. 1) Faithfulness a key Christian virtue. 2) Faithfulness that sticks to each other. Pro. 18:24 – A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend whosticks closer than a brother. a. He was a faithful helper during Paul's first Roman imprisonment. b. Yet, he seems to eventually leave the faith. 2 Tim 4:10 – … for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica…. c. Demas teaches us that we can't take our eyes off of Jesus not even for a moment. 1 Jn. 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Heb. 12:1-3 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of ourfaith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
This is a real letter to real people. People who really lived, really believed in Jesus Christ, and really ministered to each other. This is a real letter to real people, people sitting right here, right now. We do well learning from these brothers.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-real-letter-to-real-people-col-47-15.html
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