Almost 6 months after we began studying St. Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church here on Sunday mornings we reach its conclusion. This letter – or Epistle – was probably written between 52 and 56 AD; about 20 to 25 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus; and whereas together we have been studying it a few sentences at a time, it is very likely that the Church at Colossae – in modern day Turkey – would have listened to it in one sitting. It’s good to read chunks of the Bible in one go; like it makes sense to read a novel or a biography over the course of a few days so we don’t forget where we’ve got to!
I’ve got two books on the go at the moment. One is a novel I started before Christmas and I’ve got rather bogged down with it. The other is an autobiography – the moving story of Gracia Burnham & her husband Martin, kidnapped by Islamic terrorists in the Philippines in 2001. In one week I’ve read most of it!
I’ve lost the thread of the novel I’ve had on the go for over 2 months but I’m enthralled by the autobiography I’ve been reading for a few days.
We’ve spent 6 months in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. On my audio Bible of the New Testament it takes 12 minutes to listen to the letter in one sitting; and it takes ten minutes to read quietly to myself. Can I encourage you to take 10 to 12 minutes to read it through this week? If you don’t have a Bible at home please feel free to borrow one from the Church.
Just a few years earlier St. Paul – previously known as Saul – had been an observant religious Jew; and he had persecuted the early Church (Acts 7:58). He had overseen the murder and imprisonment of many believers; but after a dramatic, life changing experience on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3ff where Paul heard the voice of Jesus) he became a believer; he planted Churches, and was imprisoned.
I think the worst I have experienced is a clipboard bashed on my head and a literal kick from behind on one occasion at Glasgow station, and a few swear words on another; but Paul (having imprisoned Christians when he was younger) is now in chains himself (Col 4:18). We don’t know exactly what conditions he was being held under, but in his closing remarks we get a feel for St. Paul’s appreciation of particular people, his concern for individual people, and his instructions concerning certain people.
Last Sunday here was session 1 of ‘Friends Rediscovered’ (a DVD resource by Jeff Lucas). Session 2 is this evening at 6.30 pm. Please feel free to come to as many or as few sessions as you can. Sessions 3 and 4 take place on 21st and 28th March and we are looking at the gift of friendship through the eyes of St. Paul. Tonight’s session is called ‘Hopes and disappointments’. There may be some overlap between tonight and this morning, but only a little.
St. Paul was in chains – under arrest – as a direct result of his proclamation concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. If Paul were alive today in the UK he would not have been very politically correct! He would have preached faith in Jesus to people who aren’t sure what they believe. He would have preached faith in Jesus to people of other faiths; and he would have preached faith in Jesus to Churches. Quite possibly he would have infringed the law because he would have offended some people. He would have upset some, and others may have complained to the authorities about him. Quite possibly Paul would have been imprisoned for being clear about his beliefs in Jesus; just as there are men and women in chains right now, as we speak, in China, Burma and other lands where there is persecution against Christians.
Paul’s letter was imploring the people of the Church to ‘keep the faith’ – but the bearers of the letter (Tychicus & Onesimus) also brought news about him.
Paul wrote: ‘Tychicus will tell you all the news about me’ (4:7), so ‘that you may know about our circumstances’ (4:8); and ‘[Tychicus and Onesimus] will tell you everything that is happening here’ (4:9).
Although Paul had an important job to do in writing this letter to the Church, he also wanted to share with the Church personal details about his circumstances, his imprisonment, his faith, and his ups and downs. He was not remote from the people he was writing to. Neither must we be remote from each other. Neither must we be remote from people we work with, or people who need us. Sharing our lives with others is essential; and I need to say it is something I’ve found hard to do since becoming ill in 2007. I need to share my life with you more than you probably realise. From prison St. Paul sent personal news about himself with two of his friends. There is news available of imprisoned Christian brothers and sisters via Open Doors and The Barnabas Fund.
St. Paul especially appreciated particular people. He calls Tychicus ‘a dear brother …and fellow-servant in the Lord’ (4:7), Onesimus a ‘faithful and dear brother’ (4:9), Luke ‘our dear friend’ (4:14); and speaking of Aristarchus, Mark and Justus (the only Jews among his fellow-workers) Paul says, ‘they have proved a comfort to me’ (4:10-12). Paul had very close friends.
Jesus selected 12 disciples for special attention and training, but he also had a particularly deep friendship with 3 of them – Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1, Matthew 26:37 and Mark 5:37. Viewed negatively they were an inner circle, a clique perhaps, but the reality was that when Jesus prayed prayers of desperate anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, he took his 3 closest friends to be with him. They were his human support group. How about you? Who are the people you can reply upon and lean upon? Is there a group of people who can lean upon you? Jesus needed them, St. Paul needed them; so do we!
Paul especially appreciated particular people, and he had a concern for individual people. His letters are not simply addressed, “Dear Church”; and when he sends greetings he doesn’t say, “My colleagues also say Hi”! Paul uses peoples’ names – reminding us perhaps of God’s personal knowledge of us – the God who calls us by name, the God who knit us together in our mothers’ wombs; the God who cares deeply for us.
Paul cared about people. Onesimus (4:9) was a runaway servant - we learn about his story in the New Testament letter to Philemon. The potential for scandal and upset was huge because effectively he had run away from his job. However, he has been very helpful towards St. Paul and Paul refers to Onesimus as a ‘faithful and dear brother, who is one of you’ (4:9). Paul wants the Church to accept Onesimus, and not to hold his past against him – just as St. Paul’s past as a murderer and persecutor was not being held against him!
Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (4:10) had badly let Paul down previously, and we can read the story in the Book of Acts (Acts 12:25, 13:13, 15:36-40). Paul, Mark and Barnabas had been a team of three, working closely together, but for some reason Mark decided to leave them; and when Barnabas later wanted to include Mark once again on a new missionary trip Paul refused. In fact, we read that Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that Paul headed off with someone called Silas, and Barnabas headed off elsewhere with Mark. However, that was sometime earlier and we find from this and from other references to Mark …that Paul and Mark were reconciled, and Paul does not want the Church to view Mark in a negative light. Paul writes, “You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him” (4:10). Paul is concerned for Mark. Are there people who have let us down that we need to be reconciled with? How can you help them to retake their place, fully forgiven?
If it is someone in your family who let you down, or let the family down, how can you help them retake their place within the family? If it is someone within the church who let you down, how can you help them to rebuild what has been lost? Or if it is someone you work with what can you do to rebuild their confidence?
Or have you let someone down? Have your words or actions been the primary cause of a disagreement or a falling out? Do you need to be encouraged and restored, to know that your past is forgiven – like Philemon the runaway servant, or like Mark the man who ducked out from his commitments. Mark who later wrote the New Testament Gospel of Mark!
Paul cared for people. When Jesus had a conversation with a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11) and was about to face death by stoning, Jesus cared for her.
To the men who were about to stone her he said, “Whoever is without sin let him be the first to cast a stone at her” (John 8:7) and one by one the men carrying stones went home. Jesus then cared for the woman’s future by saying, “I do not condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11).
Jesus prayed, “Lord, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Forgiveness from God flows alongside our forgiveness of others!
So this part of our study of Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church ends – but our opportunities to live out the challenges and encouragements contained within it have barely just begun. Reading the letter through in one sitting is great.
Paul really appreciated particular people – his friends; and Paul had a special concern for others – especially those whom God was restoring. Let’s pray.
