WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
Colossians 4:7-18
This part of the Colossian letter would be so easy to skip. It’s like reading a foreign tax roll. Each name represents an indispensable person to Paul. They were a few of the people who made his ministry possible.
Jesus always placed great value on relationships. He spent much of His time deepening His connections with a few significant persons. He taught by practice and precept the importance of befriending people and building relationships. He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
Paul always enjoyed a team ministry. At Antioch “the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). From that time, apart from a brief period in Athens waiting for Silas and Timothy to join him from Thessalonica, Paul never ministered alone. He had a great heart for friends. He loved and responded to friendships. In concluding the letter to the Colossians, Paul offers a group photograph of his supporters during his Roman imprisonment. The list of names shows that the support of others is important in living out our faith. Deep and lasting friendships are often pivotal in our spiritual progress.
I. FRIENDS IN ROME vv. 7-14:
1. Tychicus-The Man with a Servant Heart vv. 7-8: Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
The name means “fortunate.” Surely, he was fortunate to be associated with the Apostle, but Paul considered himself fortunate also to have Tychicus as a friend. We know little of him. In five New Testament references, he is always linked with Paul as a faithful servant.
Tychicus, a native of Asia Minor, joined the Apostle as he traveled through Greece on the third missionary journey (see brief note in Acts 20:4). Many in Macedonia gave generous love gifts for the saints in Jerusalem. Tychicus was one of those who “gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
Now, four years later, Tychicus is still traveling with Paul. Years later, during the final imprisonment Tychicus would carry those notes of final instruction known as 2 Timothy and Titus to two other younger associates of the great apostle to where they served in Ephesus and Crete (See 2 Timothy 4:12 and Titus 3:12).
Paul commends Tychicus to the Colossians by three descriptive phrases: “Dear Brother”-He had stuck with Paul like a brother. They labored together for four years. Paul now related him to other Christians in all ages as a “brother-brother.” He was also a “Faithful minister”-He could be relied upon. He was always ready to do a job, or run an errand. He never attained great prominence, but always did whatever needed to be done. Only heaven knows what great things could be done if God’s people served with no concern over whom gets the credit. Paul at last describes Tychicus as a “Fellow Servant in the Lord”-Paul received invaluable service from this man, but he never forgot that he was ulti¬mately the Lord’s servant. Together they were both totally subjected to the will of Christ. Paul didn’t hesitate to put his servant on a par with himself. Paul entrusted this epistle to Tychicus along with the letters to Ephesus and Philemon. Ephesians 6:21-22, 21 – “So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.“ His responsibility was to deliver a part of the very word of God. We need people like Tychicus to make any ministry successful— people who take seriously their gift of helps.
2. Onesimus-The Man with a Sinful Past v. 9: and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
Onesimus had belonged to a wealthy slave owner in Colossae, from whom he had escaped. He was now a part of Paul’s ministry team. The Colossian church, or at least a home group of the church, once met at the home of Onesimus’ master, Philemon. The congregation had been deeply offended by Onesimus’ running away. They considered it disobedience and disloyalty. He aggravated the offense by stealing Philemon’s property.
Back in Colossae, some of Philemon’s peers would surely urge severe punishment, if not execution, as an example to other slaves. But Onesimus had to take the risk of returning because he had been transformed.
Onesimus had escaped to Rome, expecting to lose himself in the huge Imperial City. Instead, God brought him into direct contact with the very man who had led his master to Christ. Paul led the runaway to a new Master, and he also submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Paul loved Onesimus dearly, but knew that he should be restored to his old master. The slave returned to Colossae as a brother in Christ. Paul introduces him, not as a runaway slave, but as a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. This doesn’t just inform the Colossians that Onesimus is from their city, but shows that Paul expects the congregation to be generous and forgiving and to welcome the former fugitive as a member of their fellowship.
How great to know that you can have a sinful past and still be used by God and participate in the fellowship of God’s people. Christ makes the past to be really past. It is now forgiven.
Paul wrote a personal note to Philemon, the offended slave owner. Listen to the carefully crafted note as Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message:
While here in jail, I’ve fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter—Onesimus! He was useless to you before; now he’s useful to both of us. I’m sending him back to you, but it feels like I’m cutting off my right arm in doing so. I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I’m in jail for the Message. But I didn’t want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn’t willingly agreed to.
Maybe it’s all for the best that you lost him for a while. You’re getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you. So if you still consider me a comrade in arms, welcome him back as you would me (vv. 10-17).
Paul played on Onesimus’ name. It means “useful” but he had become useless to Philemon. Now, as a Christian he is useful to Paul and God’s kingdom. To send his partner away was like ridding himself of a piece of his own heart, but Paul knew that he could still be useful to Philemon.
Thank God, we have no slaves in this group, but we do have a room full of people who are faithful and beloved, and all of us rejoice that we’ve been delivered from sin!
3. Aristarchus-The man with a Sympathetic Heart v. 10: Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you
The New Testament offers only fleeting glimpses of Aristarchus, but we learn from these accounts that he was with Paul in times of crises. He was there when the people of Ephesus rioted in the Temple of Artemis or Diana. He was seized by the mob when Paul was the target (See Acts 19:29). When Paul was released from the Caesarian prison to sail to Rome for his appeal to Caesar, Aristarchus got on the boat and sailed with him, probably enlisting himself as Paul’s slave in order to travel with him (Acts 27:2). Now he is in Rome—Paul’s fellow prisoner. He committed no crime; he just hung around with a prisoner.
Some can’t lead a meeting or sing or preach, but they are beloved, because they are burden bearers. They care and just keep on loving and giving themselves. They are effective in Christ’s work because they are always there when needed most.
4. Mark-The Man with a Second Chance v. 10: and Mark the cousin (anepsios) of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions— if he comes to you, welcome him)
Mark disgraced himself twelve years earlier by deserting Paul and Barnabas. He started off enthusiastically, but blew it and washed out. Paul was so upset with him that he broke of his partnership with Barnabas rather than restore Mark to the team.
God still used Mark. A great change took place in his commitment. Some people loved to harp on his earlier failure, but Paul recognized the change and welcomed Mark’s ministry. He instructs the Colossians to welcome him, not holding his past against him. He redeemed his reputation. From his final imprisonment Paul wrote 2 Timothy 4:11: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
Mark wrote the earliest account of Jesus’ life—Mark’s Gospel. (It’s possible that Mark had already written the gospel before Paul wrote Colossians. Most scholars date Colossians around A.D. 62 and the Gospel of Mark in the mid- to late-50s A.D.
Mark never forgot his failure, but he knew the forgiving grace of God. He discovered that with God there is a future for failures. You and I will never write a gospel, but we are one.
You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day
By all that you do, and all that you say.
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
Can you imagine what conversations Paul, Mark and Luke had when they gathered in that Roman cell—two gospel writers and the apostle to the Gentiles. Over half the New Testament, sixteen books and letters, were written by those three men.
5. Jesus Justus-The Man with a Strong Commitment v. 11: and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
He was called Justus to distinguish him. It would be hard to live up to the special name, Jesus. I remember my first encounter with the name outside of the Bible. I believe it was Jesus Alou joined the San Francisco Giants in 1963. When his name flashed across my television screen I couldn’t believe it. You should hear Nelda on having am little Jesus in her Kindergarten the first time and her difficulty in saying, “You sit down and be good, Jesus!”
Justus means “the righteous.” Aristarchus, Mark and Jesus Justus were the only Jews among Paul’s inner circle. Aristarchus was a Macedonian from Thessalonica. Mark was from Jerusalem. Justus was probably a Roman Jew. He had to step out from among his people to associate with Paul. What a commitment! He is only mentioned here, but this one verse witnesses eternally to the fact that God uses faithful persons, whether they achieve star status or not.
6. Epaphras-The Man with a Single Passion vv. 12-13: Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
Epaphras was the founder and pastor of the Colossian church. He came to Rome to learn from Paul and to inform the apostle about the church in Colossae. He was in Rome for some time, but remained a faithful pastor keeping his people on his heart. Far away from them, he still wrestled in prayer for them. He had a pastor’s heart. He agonized in prayer. His single passion was that his people might be matured. A diabolical heresy was sprouting in Colossae, and Epaphras was seeking God for his people through Paul and more importantly through prayer.
It is fine to pray for physical things, but we need most to pray for maturity and assurance. Epaphras, the faithful pastor, prayed for the Colossians to be thoroughly convinced of God’s will, and to boldly give themselves to it. A true pastor yearns for his people to stand firm against the pressures of false teaching and spiritual indifference.
7. Luke-The Man with the Specialized Talent v. 14: Luke the beloved physician greets you
Luke was the beloved physician. Paul became very ill on his first missionary journey. He was no dummy. He added a doctor to his team. Luke used his specialized training, but he also added a new dimension of ministry. He wrote two major books of the New Testament—the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Luke was with Paul in those parts of the Book of Acts described as the "we" sections. He was a terrific researcher. Not discounting the supreme importance of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke may have done some personal research form the Gospel that bears his name,while Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea. Perhaps he even spoke with Mary, the mother of Jesus, as he learned what he shares of Jesus’ birth and early life in the first few chapters of the Gospel of Luke.
8. Demas-The Man with a Sad Future v. 14: as does Demas.
Demas is the only one of Paul’s coworkers who does not receive a special commendation. Paul was already concerned about Demas’ loyalty, but while and so he makes no statement of endorsement, but he does mention Demas by name. Perhaps he did so in an attempt to encourage him and hopefully strengthen and affirm this wavering assistant. Demas may have already started flirting with worldly attractions. Soon he would desert and fail. Paul in his last imprisonment wrote the final sad word on this man, “Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10).
II. FRIENDS IN ASIA vv. 15-17
1. Nympha, the Woman who Opened Her Home v. 15: Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
This greeting is directed to a house church meeting in the home of a Christian woman named Nympha. There were no separate church buildings before the third century. Believers met in private homes. This is a reminder that the physical building is not the essential factor. The church is a living organism composed of people, and its meeting place is a matter of convenience. The house church at Nympha’s place is a model for believers meeting in small groups for fellowship and instruction while retaining connection with a larger congregation. Our small groups in our church extend this important idea.
Let me just say in passing also that the church has been served very well by women believers from the very beginning. Starting with the women who served Jesus and including Nympha and also Priscilla who excelled at teaching Apollos. There is a place for women in ministry.
2. The Laodiceans and the Exchange of Letters v. 16: And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
This shows how local churches obtained copies of the various New Testament writings. Paul insisted from the beginning that his letters be read to all the saints. This was important in the formation of the New Testament.
Of course, we have no letter to the Laodiceans in our NT canon. There is a small epistle from Jesus himself in Revelation 3, but nothing identified as being from the pen of Paul. There is a question about whether this was Ephesians or a lost letter. Ephesians was probably an encyclical or circular letter addressed to the saints who are at _________. The intent was that the local churches read the letter and then pass it on to other churches. Perhaps the letter to come from the Laodiceans was the letter we know as Ephesians. No one can be sure.
God inspired the writing of the New Testament documents and guided their preservation. If it is not included in our Canon we can be sure that though it was useful at the time, God did not intend it to be part of the Bible.
3. Archippus-The Man with a Ministry v. 17: “And say to Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord."
Paul urged the church to encourage Archippus. Criticism or unfair expectations, or failures in loyalty must not discourage him or hinder his calling. The church that makes a man a minister has a large responsibility in the making or unmaking of his ministry.
Archippus is also reminded that his calling is from the Lord. He is ultimately the servant of the Lord, not of man. “See to it that you complete the work you have received from the Lord.” There is a strange phenomenon in these early days of the twenty-first century when too many of God’s people say, “I used to teach, sing, work in the church, but I don’t do that anymore. I’ve done my part. Let the younger ones take over.” That is totally foreign to the New Testament.
Church Swindoll tells a delightful story on the importance of persistence and the help we can expect to receive:
Ignace Paderewski, the famous composer-pianist was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was an evening to remember—black tuxedos and long evening dresses, a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother with her fidgety nine-year old son. Weary of waiting, he squirmed constantly in his seat. His mother was in hopes that her boy would be encouraged to practice the piano if he could just hear the immortal Paderewski at the keyboard. So, against his wishes, he had come.
As she turned to talk with friends, her son could stay seated no longer. He slipped away from her side, strangely drawn to the ebony concert grand Steinway and its leather tufted stool on the huge stage flooded with blinding lights. Without much notice from the sophisticated audience, the boy sat down at the stool, staring wide-eyed at the black and white keys. He placed his small, trembling fingers at the right location and began to play “chopsticks.” The roar of the crowd was hushed as hundreds of frowning faces turned in his direction, irritated and embarrassed, they began to shout:
“Get that boy away from there!”
“Who’d bring a kid that young in here?”
“Where’s his mother?”
“Somebody stop him!”
Backstage the master overheard the sounds out front and quickly put together in his mind what was happening. Hurriedly, he grabbed his coat and rushed toward the stage. Without one word of announcement he stooped over behind the boy, reached around both sides, and began to improvise a counter melody to harmonize with and enhance “chopsticks.” As the two of them played together, Paderewski kept whispering in the boy’s ear:
“Keep going. Don’t quit, son. Keep on playing . . .Don’t stop …don’t quit.”
And so it is with us. We hammer away on our project, which seems about as significant as “chopsticks” in a concert hall. And about the time we are ready to give up, along comes the Master, who leans over and whispers, “Now keep going; don’t quit. Keep on …don’t stop, don’t quit,” as he improvises on our behalf, providing just the right touch at just the right moment.
III. FINAL GREETING v. 18: “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”
Paul took time to include these encouraging notes about his friends. In a former church, I would occasionally include with my outline a note card marked “Encouragement Card.” On one side I would ask people to write the name of a person in the church who had touched their life. On the other side they were to write a note of appreciation. They could hand it to an usher as they left the service and we were responsible to deliver them.
You folks do a great job of such encouragement without pastoral prodding. As a recent recipient of your ministry, let me share a resounding “Thank You!”
