Here are mentioned six persons who sent greetings through Paul to the church in Colossae: Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas. In their examples, we learn the characteristics of genuine Christian fellowship. Genuine Christian fellowship . . .
1. Reaches across social barriers.
The first three person mentioned by Paul were Jews. The last three were Gentiles. Like our world today, language, race, economics and culture threatened to divide people. But by the power of life change brought about by the gospel of Christ, here were six companions united in community, commitment, and cause.
Because they were united in Christ! At the most basic level, there are two realities revealed by the message of the gospel that out-weigh anything that might threaten to divide us, whether it be economics, race, language, or culture:
A. The problem of sin.
As we reflect on the message of the gospel, we are remined afresh of how sinful we are. That’s something we all have in common, regardless of our race, economic standing, language or culture.
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” - Romans 3:23 (NLT)
Sinners is what we are. Whether male or female, rich or poor, we are all sinners. We have all been born with a sin nature and we all sin. To sin is to violate God’s law and therefore to dishonor Him. We sin when we do what God prohibits (sins of commission) and when we fail to do what God commands (sins of omission).
Sin is not merely external but extends even to our innermost soul, our hearts (Matthew 15:19). By breaking the law at even one point, we are guilty of breaking it all (James 2:10). By sinning in our hearts we have fallen short of the glory and righteousness of God (Romans 3:23). The just desert or wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Therefore, we are born condemned and increase our guilt with every sin. The only way to rectify this deplorable condition is to be perfect, which we are both unable and unwilling to do.
The problem of sin is something that the message of the gospel reminds us we have in common; and as we each look to Christ, we are reminded of the problem of sin that we share. Why? Because who is the
personification of God’s glorious standard? The only One who has lived a perfect, sinless life? Jesus!
B. The promise of salvation.
As we reflect on the message of the gospel, we are also remined afresh of how great a salvation is ours in Christ. That’s something else every believer has in common, regardless of our race, economic standing, language or culture.
Amazingly, graciously, God sent His sinless Son to fulfill the righteous demands of the law which we have failed to fulfill and He suffered the penalty for our sins in our place (Romans 5:6–9).
Through faith in Jesus, we who are sinners are declared righteous before God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Not a righteousness of our own but the righteousness of Christ that we receive through believing in Him (Romans 3:21–22). So, yes, we have all sinned, but because the sinless One suffered the punishment for our sins and offers us His righteousness as a free gift, we who are sinners can be called saints. Indeed, our common calling to look to Christ, live for Christ, and tell others about Christ binds us together regardless of our race, economic standing, language or culture.
These are some of the most basic truths that we’re reminded of in the gospel message; and as we maintain our focus on Jesus, we will be helped to live each day in the reality of these truths, which will enable us to be like these six companions of Paul, who were able to cross all social barriers and be united in community, commitment, and cause.
Just like Vince Lombardi began each season by calling his players together, showing them a football, as he says, “We’re going to start out this season by returning to the fundamentals. Gentlemen, this is a football,” Christians need to daily return to the fundamentals of our faith as reflected in the message of the gospel. As we do, rather than focusing on what may divide us, we’ll be reminded of what he have in common because of Christ.
Like these Paul’s companions, we can experience quality Christian fellowship and reach across social barriers by looking to Christ and committing to live by the truth of the gospel and to share the truth of the gospel.
2. Resolves relational barriers - v. 10
Kent Hughes tells a story of two congregations, located only a few blocks from one another in a small community, who thought it better if they would become one united body, and thus larger and more effective, rather than two struggling churches. A noble idea. But they weren’t able to pull it off. Why? They could not agree on how to recite the Lord’s Prayer. One group wanted to say, “forgive us our trespasses,” while the other demanded that what was correct was to say, “forgive us our debts.” So one church went back to its trespasses, while the other returned to its debts!
Believers can be stubborn, unchanging and unforgiving. But others, like Paul and Mark, learn how to forgive and forget.
John Mark had accompanied Paul and Barnabas on his first missionary journey when they set out from Antioch. After ministering in Cypress, Mark abandoned Paul when they came to Pamphylia, and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). We don’t know why.
Later, when Paul was planed another journey, Barnabas insisted that Mark join them, but Paul refused. The result was the a separation as Barnabas took Mark with him and Paul recruited Silas. Paul didn’t want anyone who was fainthearted on his team. But now, twelve years later, Mark was with Paul in Rome, helping him in his imprisonment.
As Paul sent Mark’s greeting to Colossae, he commended him and in the accompanying letter to Philemon, Paul numbered him among his “fellow workers” (Philemon 24). Later, at the end of his ministry Paul said to Timothy, “Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
There was no way that two men who both loved God and were walking in fellowship with him would not have fellowship with one another. This is what quality Christian fellowship brings! If two believers cannot get right with one another, then either both or one is not right with God. I do not know if Mark and Paul were best friends, but I do know they were traveling companions and partners in ministry.
Now, you’ll not be best friends with every Christian. With some, you will be closer than a brother or sister, with others, your relationship will not be as close, but every Christian should be a traveling companion and partner in ministry with others. But this cannot happen without a commitment to forgiveness, forbearance, change and working through things. No church will ever achieve perfection in this regard, but every church can be headed in the right direction, which moving toward becoming more like Jesus in how we relate to one another and work together.
3. Responds to spiritual barriers - vs. 12-14
A. Responding to an unbelieving world - vs. 12-13
Epaphras was from Colossae. He had come all the way to Rome because he was concerned about the Gnostic heresy that threatened to rob the Colossians of their witness.
Paul said he was “always wrestling in prayer for you” (v. 12). From the Greek word used here we get our English word agonize. Paul had watched Epaphras pray for Colossae, and this was the one word that best described his prayer. Epaphras was burdened for the witness of his church! He prayed that they would not compromise in their declaration of the truth, but “stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (v. 12). Why? So that the Good News might be presented by the church in Colossae as well as in Laodicea and Hierapolis in an
uncompromising manner.
Epaphras knew if theological discussion becomes a distraction, then the Great Commission will become the great omission.
Epaphras understood that the main thing was to keep the main thing the main thing.
B. Responding to an uncommitted Christian - v. 14
Paul concluded the greetings with, “Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas, send greetings” (v. 14). Luke was the only Gentile writer of any book in the New Testament. He was a much-loved Christian, physician, devoted friend, and careful historian.
But Demas is another story. Later Paul would write of him, “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me . . .” (2 Timothy 4:10). Perhaps Paul was already aware of Demas’s spiritual slide because he was the only one of the six about whom there was no extra comment in the greeting. We don’t know. We do know, however, that Paul and the others still welcomed Demas to accompany them in their work.
“Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low spirited to be encouraged, the infirm to be supported, objectors confronted, the treacherous guarded against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained, the haughty repressed, the poor relieved, the oppressed liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be loved!” - Augustine
Conclusion: There are three notions about church today.
1. Church is somewhere we go. This means that church is something we merely attend once a week or on other special occasions.
2. Church is something we do. As in, “Let’s have church!” It relegates church to a set of activities or roles we play, like kids “playing church.”
3. Church is something to be. This is the correct notion regarding church. Paul and his companions were “being the church.”
“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.” - Joni Eareckson Tada
