The Supremacy of Christ is Demonstrated in Our
Church Life
Colossians 4:7-18
November 25, 2001
Intro:
A. [The Wrong Virgin]
A minister had run out of time to prepare for a sudden funeral.
Using the latest technology, he went to his computer and found the funeral service he had used last, and doing a global "search and replace," had the computer put in the name of the newly deceased, "Edna," as a replacement for the woman in the previous funeral, "Mary."
Everything went find until they came to the Apostles’ Creed, wherein the minister confessed that Jesus was born of the Virgin Edna.
B. I know that I’m not the only one who has trouble with names.
1. It seems that a lot of people have a hard time remembering names.
2. But as we know, we do need to get to know people’s names in order to get to know them better.
3. The good news is that we are having a lot of new names to learn here at Somerset.
C. But when it comes to names of people that we don’t know, we often tune out what is being said about them.
1. I think we often skip over the lists of "begats" that are listed in the Bible because they don’t seem to affect our lives in any way.
2. Whenever we come across the lists of names either at the beginning or the end of the books of the NT, we often skip over them.
3. Today we come to the end of our study of the book of Colossians.
4. Today I will share my 11th message from these three pages in my Bible.
5. We wind up our study of this letter with the list of names that are recorded right at the end in verses 7-18 of chapter 4.
6. From this list of names, I believe we can learn how to demonstrate the superiority of Christ in our church life.
I. Encouragement is given to the discouraged (Tychicus)
Colossians 4:7-8, Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
Ephesians 6:21-22, Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
A. I find it interesting that Paul wrote virtually the same words about Tychicus to people in two different cities.
1. Paul clearly had some strong feelings about him.
2. Paul probably used Tychicus as his FedEx.
3. Tychicus probably delivered many of the letters that Paul wrote.
4. Tychicus probably delivered these two letters from Paul to the people of the church in Colossae and to the people of the church at Ephesus.
5. And what does Paul say was the express purpose that Paul chose Tychicus?
6. In addition to being a dependable person to deliver the letters, in addition to being a faithful minister and faithful servant, in addition to being able to relate Paul’s circumstances to the believers, above all else, Tychicus was an encourager.
7. Paul said to the Colossians that he was sending Tychicus for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
8. Paul told the Ephesians that he was sending Tychicus for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
B. Is Tychicus just another companion of Paul who has no significant Biblical purpose or is there something we can learn from Tychicus?
1. I believe that one of the reasons Tychicus is here to teach us to encourage one another.
2. I believe that God has everything in the Bible for a reason and I believe there are things we can learn from all of it.
3. 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
4. And clearly this is part of what would be included in the phrase "all Scripture is God-breathed."
5. All Scripture is inspired from God.
6. All Scripture is the Word of God—including these verses about Tychicus.
7. So Tychicus should teach us to be encouragers.
C. Could those things be said of us?
1. Could those things be said of our church?
2. Could it be said that you can count on the people of Somerset to encourage you.
3. When people are facing difficult times, do we beat them up and knock them down and tell them that they got themselves into their own circumstances or do we tell them that God will take care of you?
4. Do we judge and criticize or do we build up and encourage?
5. Do people look at you as an encourager?
6. Can they turn to you for encouragement when they are discouraged?
7. Does the hope of Jesus Christ so permeate you that you can’t help but tell them about how good God is to you and that you just know that God is going to be good to them?
8. Hebrews 10:25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
9. Somerset is a place where encouragement is given to the discouraged.
II. Forgiveness is granted to the repentant (Onesimus & Mark)
Colossians 4:9-10, He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here. 10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
Philemon 1:10, I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.
Philemon 1:15-16, Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good-- 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
Acts 15:37-40, Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
A. Onesimus was apparently a run-away slave.
1. Apparently Onesimus had been a slave to Philemon, had runaway, had met up with Paul (who was a friend of Philemon and had previously led Philemon to Christ), upon meeting Paul, Onesimus got saved, and Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon with the letter that we call "Philemon."
2. As Paul writes to the Colossians, it is apparent that upon Onesimus’ repentant return to Philemon, Philemon had released him just as Paul had encouraged him to do.
3. Paul is sending the letter to the Colossians with Tychicus and Onesimus.
B. Paul (as Acts 15 tells us) had gotten pretty upset with Mark for deserting him on a previous missionary journey.
1. Paul was so upset about it that when Barnabas suggested that they take Mark along on another missionary journey, there arose such a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that they parted company and went on separate missionary journeys.
2. Clearly there was quite a rift between Paul and Mark.
3. But as Paul writes this letter to the Colossians, Mark is now with Paul.
4. Before, Paul was so upset with Mark that he was willing to go without Barnabas in order to not have to travel with Mark.
5. Now, Mark is with Paul.
6. Clearly there was some repenting that took place on one or both parts.
C. And that is clearly what is needed in the church as well.
1. I have told you before about the church I was at in Oklahoma that had people in it that were still holding grudges from 20 years prior.
2. That kind of stuff has no place in the church.
3. When we realize that we are wrong, we need to swallow our pride and admit it.
4. And when we have the courage to swallow our pride and admit that we are wrong, we must forgive one another.
5. Paul had already told the Colossians to do this in Colossians 3:13, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
6. You see Paul did not just talk about repentance and forgiveness, he demonstrated it in how own life.
7. And that is what we want at Somerset as well.
8. Do people say that the people of Somerset bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another?
9. Do we forgive as the Lord forgave us?
10. Somerset is a place where forgiveness is granted to the repentant.
III. Comfort is offered to the suffering (Justus)
Colossians 4:11, 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.
A. Now there were a lot of people in those days who went by the name Jesus.
1. There was a very significant one who this entire book is about that is quite different from every other Jesus in that day.
2. Paul made sure to distinguish between the Lord Jesus and this Jesus.
3. Paul said that he called him Justus.
B. And Paul says that Jesus-Justus had been a comforter to him.
1. Why did Paul need to be comforted?
2. Why did a man who devoted his life to Christ need comfort?
3. Why did a man who was so filled with the Holy Spirit that he wrote over half of the New Testament need comfort?
4. Well he gives us some insight down in verse 18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
5. Paul asked the Colossian to remember his chains—what chains?
6. The chains of prison.
7. Why was Paul chained up in prison? For preaching the gospel.
8. How do you spread the Good News of Jesus while your imprisoned? Write letters!
9. Would Paul be spiritually or physically or emotionally suffering?
10. I can imagine all three.
11. Listen to how Paul describes his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, Are they servants of Christ? I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
12. Paul did suffer. He was suffering when he wrote to the Colossians and he was thankful for the comfort that he received from Jesus-Justus.
C. And that is how it should be at Somerset as well!
1. When folks are physically suffering, we comfort.
2. When folks are spiritually suffering, we comfort.
3. When folks are emotionally suffering, we comfort.
4. Listen to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5. Somerset is a place where comfort is granted to the suffering.
IV. Sacrifice is made for the family (Epaphras)
Colossians 4:12-13, 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.
Colossians 1:7-8, You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
A. Paul told the Colossians both at the beginning and the end of this letter that they knew Epaphras and how hard a worker he was for them.
1. Paul said that he was one of them (unlike Paul) and he was a servant.
2. Paul said Epaphras WRESTELED in prayer for them.
3. Epaphras wrestled in prayer for them so that they would stand firm in all the will of God.
4. Epaphras wrestled in prayer for them so that they would mature in their faith.
5. Epaphras wrestled in prayer for them so that they would be fully assured in their faith.
6. Epaphras worked hard for the believers in Colossae.
7. Epaphras worked hard for the believers in Laodicea.
8. Epaphras worked hard for the believers in Hierapolis.
9. Epaphras was a faithful minister.
10. He didn’t do it when it was convenient.
11. He didn’t do it when there was nothing else to do.
12. He didn’t do it when it was easy.
13. He was faithful.
14. He was hardworking.
15. He wrestled.
16. He sacrificed.
17. He obviously couldn’t do this in an hour on Sunday morning.
B. That is how it should be at Somerset as well.
1. We need to be making sacrifices for one another.
2. We need to be working hard for one another.
3. We need to be wrestling in prayer for one another.
4. We don’t just smile at each other and talk about the weather when we see each other on Sunday’s.
5. That is not the extent of our relationship with one another.
6. Somerset is a place where sacrifices are made for family.
V. Friendships are cultivated with others (Luke, Demas, & Nympha)
Colossians 4:14-15, 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.
2 Timothy 4:10, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
A. Paul is saying that all kinds of people met together and established friendships.
1. Let me tell you a little about the four people in these two verses…
a. Luke was a well-educated doctor.
b. Demas, Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy, was a worldly-man who later deserted the faith.
c. Nympha was of that lower class known as "women."
d. Then there is also Paul who was a well-educated theologian.
2. Paul had a dear friendship with a doctor.
3. Paul had a friendship with a man who claimed to be a believer, yet loved this world.
4. Paul had a friendship with a lower-classed person.
5. They were all believers and they all were of very diverse backgrounds.
6. They formed friendships with people who were different than themselves.
B. That is what Somerset should be as well.
1. We need to cultivate friendships between former Baptists and former Pentecostals.
2. We need to cultivate friendships between former Catholics and Protestants.
3. We need to cultivate friendships between rich and poor.
4. We need to cultivate friendships between blacks and whites.
5. We need to cultivate friendships between well-educated and less educated.
6. We need to cultivate friendships between theologians and worldly people.
7. Paul told the Colossians back in Colossians 3:11, Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
8. Paul told them that they should look beyond their differences with other kinds of people and he not only told them this, but he also demonstrated it in his own life.
9. Paul said in Romans 15:7 that we are to, Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
10. Somerset is a place where friendships are cultivated with others.
VI. Fellowship is extended to other churches (Laodiceans)
Colossians 4:16, 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.
A. Paul told the believers in the city of Colossae to have a relationship with the believers in the city of Laodicea.
1. Here, he tells them to share their letters with one another.
2. Paul had written a letter to the Laodiceans that Paul wanted the Colossians to read.
3. He also wanted the Laodoceans to read this letter that he had written to the Colossians.
4. Now, if you are looking in your index for the letter to the Laodoceans—its not there.
5. That is one of many letters that the apostles wrote that God chose not to have included in our Scriptures.
6. The Laodiceans (you may recall) are mentioned at the beginning of the book of Revelation as having lost their first love.
7. But none-the-less, this verse is in our Scriptures and it is instructive to us.
8. Paul encouraged the Colossians to have a sharing relationship with the Laodiceans.
9. And then also back in verse 15, he told the Colossians to give his greetings to the brothers in Laodicea.
10. Clearly there was fellowship between the two groups of believers and Paul was expecting them to continue that relationship.
B. That is the way it should be at Somerset as well.
1. We should not just keep to ourselves.
2. We should have fellowship with believers in other churches.
3. And of course that is not just limited to Greencastle Christian Church or Roachdale Christian Church or Whitestone Christian Church or Kingsway Christian Church.
4. We should have fellowship with them, but there are other groups of believers in Jesus Christ that we should have fellowship with as well.
5. That is why we’ve been having Men’s Prayer Breakfasts with Clinton Falls Community Church and why we will be having a joint Praise Service with them as well on December 1.
6. We don’t believe everything exactly the way they do, but we sense that God wants us to have fellowship with them and worship and pray together.
7. Somerset is a place where fellowship is extended to other churches.
VII. Warfare is fought for loved-ones (Archippus)
Colossians 4:17, Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
Philemon 1:2, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:
A. Paul also mentions a man named Archippus.
1. Paul encouraged Archippus to complete the work that he had received in the Lord.
2. I find the reference to him in Philemon interesting.
a. The reason I find it interesting is because there Archippus is not included in this group that is mentioned in Colossians.
b. Many of this group mentioned in Colossians are all listed at the end of the letter to Philemon in verse 23 & 24, Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
c. Clearly those are some of the same people that Paul discussed in Colossians.
d. But Archippus is not mentioned in that group at the end of the letter to Philemon.
e. No, in the letter to Philemon, Archippus is mentioned at the beginning as being Paul’s fellow soldier.
f. Now, Paul is not in any human Army, but Paul is a soldier in God’s Army.
g. In Philemon, Paul singles out Archippus from the rest of them as a soldier.
3. Now in Colossians, Paul encourages Archippus to complete the work of a soldier that God had given Him.
B. In Ephesians 6, Paul describes the kind of warfare the Christian soldier is involved in.
1. Ephesians 6:10-18, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
2. God has given us armor to defend ourselves against the spiritual attacks of Satan.
3. We are to remember that no one with flesh and blood is the real enemy in this war.
4. The real enemy is Satan.
5. People with flesh and blood can be deceived by the enemy, but they are souls that need to be lead to believe the truth of Jesus Christ.
C. In the church, we need to put on our spiritual armor and go to war for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
1. We need to join in the battle for their souls.
2. Don’t be mislead into thinking that those who claim to be saved aren’t subject to spiritual attack.
3. We need to join in the battle for the souls of men and women and boys and girls.
4. We need to join in the battle to get them saved.
5. And we need to join in the battle to keep them saved.
6. There may be those amongst us like Demas who really need to defended against Satan so that they don’t desert the faith like he wound up doing.
7. We need to WRESTLE in prayer for our loved-ones in the family of God like Epaphras.
8. We love one another enough to go to war to save them!
9. Somerset is a place where warfare is fought for loved-ones.
Conclusion:
A. When the qualities that are listed in these people, are present at Somerset the Superiority of Christ will be demonstrated.
1. When encouragement is given to the discouraged, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
2. When forgiveness is granted to the repentant, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
3. When comfort is offered to the suffering, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
4. When sacrifice is made for the family, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
5. When friendships are cultivated with others, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
6. When fellowship is extended to other churches, Christ’s superiority is demonstrated.
7. That’s the kind of church I want to be apart of—don’t you?!
B. [Walking Advertisements, Citation: F. B. Meyer in Our Daily Walk. Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 10.]
We ought to be Christians in large type, so that it would not be necessary (for others) to be long in our society, or to regard us through spectacles, in order to detect our true discipleship.
The message of our lives should resemble the big advertisements which can be read on the street-boardings by all who pass by.
