Becoming Ready To Share The Gospel Series

" Mark (also known as John Mark) was with Paul and Barnabas in their early journeys but ran into some trouble with Paul (Acts 13) after he left the first journey unexpectedly. The issue was so divisive that Paul and Barnabas ended up splitting up. Here Paul wants to show that Mark is okay - and has grown beyond whatever problem there was. Good thing too - Mark would later write the gospel of Mark.

" Sometimes differences in ministry become so great that its more trouble to stay together - so we go our separate ways. But the Lord has a way of re-connecting down the road and we should always be open to reconciliation and growth on both sides.

" We don’t know what the instructions were.

11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

" Verse 11 could mean that Jesus Justus, Aristarchus and Mark were the only Jews among his group - or it could mean that they were once part of the Circumcision Party (Acts 10:45) - a special group of Jews. Paul had harsh words for this group - perhaps these men came out of the Circumcision party.

" Whatever the case - notice they gave "comfort" to Paul. Paul took a lot of flack from the Jews - so to have men from the "enemy camp" on his side must have been comforting.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

" Epaphras founded the church in Colosse.

" Notice how he prayed: "wrestled" - struggled. If only we’d pray with that same kind of fervency and consistency for others!

" He wanted three things:

1. Stand firm in all the will of God - no waffling on the important stuff

2. Mature - "complete"

3. Fully assured - being completely convinced in your faith

"Firm in your faith, mature in your conviction"

This is exactly what Paul is trying to get across in this book. The problem in Colosse and with us is that we don’t 1-get a firm foundation on the important doctrines of the Christian faith (that’s why attending a Bible study or two every week is really important). Then 2- we don’t mature- we remain babies in our faith. We need to let the Lord stretch us and grow us so that we have "shoe leather" faith - not just theoretical but practical - tested. Its only then that we will be "fully assured" and not subject to the latest "fad faith" out there.

" Laodicea and Hierapolis where nearby Colosse - all in the same valley, so they would be like sister churches.

14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

" Luke - of course, is the author of Luke and Acts. Demas later abandoned Paul because "loved this world" (2 Timothy 4:10)

" Believers met in homes until the 2nd or 3rd century.

16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.