Verse 1. "Masters, grant to your slaves justice and
fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.”
Are you a supervisor? A manager? Do you have
children? Are you a teacher? The owner of a business? Do you
have a spouse? Do you do ANYTHING that touches the lives of other people?
If you said "yes" to any of those questions, then you are one of the "masters"
addressed in this verse. This verse, along with other similar verses in
Scripture, is personally sent to you.
You have a impact on SOMEONE! Probably a lot more
than you know. In your relationships with them, you are to act with "justice
and fairness" at all times. And the reason to do so is very important.
Not only does Scripture teach you to act toward others with love, but also God is YOUR "Boss."
You report to Him. If you are not just and fair, you have to explain it to
HIM; and He is not pleased when you mistreat His little ones.
Verse 2. "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in
it with an attitude of thanksgiving;”
Do you pray? How much do you pray? Do you
pray every day? How many times? Here's the standard to get
a good grade in God's classroom of faith: "Pray without
ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Your whole life is to be a prayer -
about everything, doing it in an "attitude of
thanksgiving." Thank Him for your food, your clothing, the place you live,
humble though it may be. Is your physical body what you want it to be?
We all have deficiencies - it's time to be grateful for what
you have.
Paul, who responded to the Holy Spirit of God like we should, said
this: "In EVERYTHING give
thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians
5:18). Does this include even the so-called "bad" things that happen
in life? Paul was innocent of any crime, and yet he was
a federal prisoner of the Roman Empire. He was subject to a death sentence, but he had
an "attitude of thanksgiving." You can
have the same "attitude." Ask God, and He will
bring it to pass.
Verse 3. "praying at the same time for us as well, that
God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the
mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;”
As previously stated, Paul was a federal prisoner of the
Roman Empire when this letter to the Colossian believers was written.
He had a sentence of death over him at all times. Armed guards monitored his
every move. If he valued privacy (and we all do), he didn't have
any. And it seemed, from a human perspective, that he might be PREVENTED
from sharing the very Word of God, the "mystery" he
was called to "speak" about.
Sometimes it's like that for us - we think we can do
NOTHING of any importance for our Lord. When it seems that way, it is even more important to not only pray, but also, as Paul did, to ask others
to pray for us. That's what he was doing in this verse - asking for
prayer. God DELIGHTS in allowing us to be in situations that
seem hopeless, for then we reach out and ask for help. And when God incredibly and wonderfully answers
those prayers,
we will KNOW it was Him who has opened the "door."
Verse 4. "that I may make it clear in the way I ought
to speak.”
Paul was capable of communicating clearly as
we see in his letters, and a lot of people were brought to Christ by his words,
which actually came through him from God.
It's been the same for the past 2000 years. He was a prolific writer
and even today, many come to Christ because of the words of the Apostle Paul.
It would be easy to erroneously conclude that it was the man himself who brought it to pass.
But the key to his apparent success is not found in
human abilities. He prayed constantly and sought the Lord in all that he
did. The Holy Spirit led him and Paul was more than willing to follow the
Holy Spirit of God. And he was never ashamed, as we see in these verses, to ASK
others for prayer about what he needed to do. God ANSWERS
prayer, and because of that, Paul would speak the way he "ought to," in the
power of God.
Verse 5. "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward
outsiders, making the most of the opportunity."
Others are watching. You may not think they care, but
others watch us far more than we know. And
people all over the world are deciding whether or not to trust in Christ, based
upon the attitudes, actions and words of Christians. Jesus, in a great
prayer to God the Father, asked that we in the Church may "all may be
ONE," as the
Father and Son are one... "THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU SENT ME" (John
17:21). Instead of bickering about doctrines, we are to be "one"
in love for one another.
Jesus continued, "I in them and You in Me; that they may be
made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have
loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:23). How many have turned AWAY
from Christ because of coldness in the Church? Quarreling exists in religions everywhere, but we do not look to religion, we
look to the Son of God. We are to: "conduct
(our) selves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity."
True wisdom is based in love, and love brings others to the Lord.
Father, we confess that our love for others has been
insufficient. Give us a heart of prayer, an attitude of thankfulness and
true love for one another. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 4:6-10
Verse 6. "Let your speech always be with grace, as
though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each
person.”
The word "grace" in Scripture, often refers to the
unmerited favor of God. We deserved nothing, but He gave us - everything!
In this verse, the word "grace" is without the article and does not carry the
meaning of the direct grace of God, except in this manner: we are to extend the
grace of God that was given us to the people who are around us.
They may have treated us badly in the past, but we are now to give to them the
grace that was and is given to us by the Lord.
To season with "salt" as in this passage, is to add the
flavor of the words that come from God to our "speech," so that we deepen and
enrich the lives of others by the graceful words that He brings out of ordinary
people like you and me.
Jesus is like "bread" to a starving world (John
6:48), and as He gave Himself for us, we are to prayerfully extend His grace to
others, listening to them, and responding to their need.
Verse 7. "As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved
brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you
information.”
In Verses 7-9, Paul, the writer of Colossians, mentions
two men who will deliver this letter and also the letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians
6:21-22), to the believers at Colossae and Ephesus. "Tychicus,"
named in this verse, was directly sent by Paul to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:12). Tychicus was first mentioned in Acts 20:4, where he was
described by Dr. Luke (the writer of the Book of Acts) as an "Asian," which
meant he was from the Roman Province of Asia, across the Aegean Sea from Greece.
If Paul was OUR contemporary and he was writing about you
and me, how would we be described? Tychicus was called "our beloved
brother," and also a "faithful servant" along
with "fellow bond-servant in
the Lord." Paul had good words to say about the man. Paul is
not our contemporary in this world and is not writing about us, but the Holy
Spirit of God is observing our thoughts, words and actions. We should seek
to be the kind of person that Tychicus was, and the way to do it is to
give ourselves unreservedly to the Lord and seek to help others as the Lord
leads us.
Verse 8. "For I have sent him to you for this very
purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage
your hearts;”
Why has God sent you to your nation, your community,
family, church and the group of people you may be acquainted with? You may
not think so, but you are being sent to those around you. Note that Tychicus, who was named in Verse 7,
along with a description of him and his actions that continues into this verse, was
not only a "faithful" person (Verse 7), but he was also a man with a
specific "purpose" as we
see here.
He was sent to the believers in the Cities of Colossae
and Ephesus, in
the Roman Province of Asia, with the mission to "encourage" them
with details about the
circumstances of the Apostle Paul and the others who were with him. He was
entrusted with the manuscript of this letter, and if he failed in his mission,
we would not have the Epistle (letter) to the Colossians that we are reading today.
He was to "encourage" the "hearts" of those he met, which should be
OUR goal
as well.
Verse 9. "and with him Onesimus, our faithful and
beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole
situation here.”
"Onesimus" was the former slave of a man named Philemon.
At some point, Onesimus had run away from his servitude, and subsequently, Onesimus and Philemon
each received and trusted in Christ. We saw in Colossians 3:11, that
"there is neither... slave nor free" in Christ, and we see
from this verse in
Colossians 4, that Onesimus was a Colossian. Tychicus and Onesimus were
going to carry this letter to Colossae, and in doing so, Onesimus would be going
"home;" back to possible slavery once more.
Other letters were to be sent at this time and one of
them was to Philemon, the former "owner" of Onesimus. While Paul was a
prisoner of the authorities in Rome, he had led Onesimus to Christ (Philemon
10). He said about the man: "I wished to keep (him)
with me," continuing,
"but without your consent I wanted to do nothing," urging Philemon to receive
the man "no longer as a slave, but...
as a beloved brother" (Philemon 13-16).
Slavery was legal in the Roman Empire. Paul did not go against the law of
the land, but instead urges us to look to something much higher than mere human
law.
Verse 10. "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you
his greetings; and also Barnabas' cousin Mark (about whom you received
instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);”
Paul certainly did not hide anything "negative" about
his situation in life. He boldly sent, not only his own greetings as a
"prisoner" to the Colossians, but
mentioned "Aristarchus" as his "fellow
prisoner;" a man who was essentially his Christian cell-mate. Aristarchus was a Thessalonian, and was one of
several who accompanied Paul to
Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He also went along on at least part of Paul's
voyage to Rome (Acts 27:2).
"Barnabas' cousin Mark" was also called "John," and
this was
the young man who suddenly left Paul and Barnabas while the missionary group was
in Perga in Pamphylia (Acts 13:13). Because of that incident,
Barnabas and Paul argued and then separated from one another (Acts 15:37-40).
Paul had been angry at John Mark for leaving and it is wonderful that they so
completely reconciled, as seen in this verse in Colossians and in other places.
Many have thought, as does this author, that John Mark became the human author of the
Gospel of Mark, which blesses us to this very day.
Father, give us true reconciliation with one another.
We tend to have hurt feelings, often to a greater degree than is necessary.
Give us peace, love and forgiveness toward all, including those who have done us
harm. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Colossians 4:11-15
Verse 11. "and also Jesus who is called Justus; these
are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the
circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.”
Paul continued in these verses to send greetings to
the Colossian believers, from himself and those who were with him in his Roman
imprisonment. "Jesus" (Joshua) was actually a common Jewish name. It was
also normal for people of that time to have two or even three names, much like today. "Justus"
(which means "righteous") was a Latin name often adopted by individual Jews.
As to "Jesus...
Justus" and some in the preceding
verses who sent greetings to the Colossians, Paul now clearly reveals that these
people were Jewish Christians, which is what
he meant by "from the circumcision." It seems
from this verse that some of those who worked with him were Jews; and he was also
surrounded by Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians as well. And he was encouraged by them, much like we should encourage
one another today.
Verse 12. "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a
bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly
for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the
will of God.”
Paul mentioned Epaphras in Colossians 1:7-8, describing
him as "our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your
behalf." And we find that he "is one of your number"
- in other words, he was a Colossian, from the city that Paul the Apostle was writing to at the moment.
As such, he was probably a Gentile. In Colossians 1:8, it is recorded that Epaphras had told Paul about the
Colossian Christians, that they exhibited "love in the Spirit" of God.
In these verses, Paul tells the Colossians news
about Epaphras, including the fact that he was "always laboring earnestly
for (them) in his prayers." Your family, neighbors, friends and co-workers in
the Lord need your help. Yes, they need your outward assistance in matters
of this world. For instance, if they need money, you can share.
But they need your prayers even more, for our abilities are limited. But God does
not have any limitations. He can reach the real concerns of those who
are in need.
Verse 13. "For I testify for him that he has a deep
concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.”
Epaphras (Verse 12) had been praying fervently and on a
regular basis for his fellow-Christians in the City of Colossae. He
really cared. As it
said in the preceding verse, he was especially praying that they might "stand
perfect and (be)
fully assured in all the will of God." We
need to notice that all in this world are not "perfect." Only God is perfect
and we need Him in everything. Ephphras longed for his people, that they
might continually look to and find the Lord.
He truly cared for them, pouring out his heart in love
before God. Epaphras was also concerned for those in "Laodicea and
Hierapolis," cities that were near in distance to the Colossians
directly addressed by this letter; indicating it was intended to also be read to
Christians there. We need to really CARE like he did. Write
a note of encouragement to someone,
and also keep them in prayer. God will touch their hearts and He will answer
their need.
Verse 14. "Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his
greetings, and also Demas.”
This is the "Luke" that had been Paul's personal
companion for many years. The man, a Gentile (non-Jew), was also the author
of the Gospel of Luke, created through interviewing those who had
directly met the Lord. He also wrote the Book of Acts, which not only came
from interviews, but it was also his personal journal.
This verse in Colossians and other references in the New Testament, reveal to us
that Luke was a trained medical doctor. He was not only Paul's companion, but also his
"physician."
"Demas" was mentioned in Philemon 24 as a "fellow
laborer" with Paul. Unfortunately, the man was to leave under circumstances
that caused Paul to feel "forsaken" (2 Timothy 4:10). All of us, including
those in ministry, have times when we feel "alone." It is hoped that Demas
and Paul later reconciled their differences. Then, as now, never forget
that we are human, and as such, we truly need
one another.
Verse 15. "Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and
also Nympha and the church that is in her house.”
There was another city near Colossae and "Laodicea," called Hierapolis
(see Verse 13). It is interesting that Paul wanted this letter
to the Colossians to also be read by the Laodiceans, but he does not mention
Hierapolis. "Laodicea" was an active, wealthy church (Revelation 3:17 &
context) - it may be that few Christians at Hierapolis were personally known to Paul at the time of this letter.
"Nympha," a Roman
name, could
have been either masculine or feminine. The verse mentions "her" house, and the
person in question likely was a woman. Some translations say "his" house, but that is not correct. It's always
interesting to note that the early church would meet "IN" someone's house, rather
than viewing it that the house WAS the church. The church always was a
people and it was never meant to be merely a building.
Father, let us be quick to greet and comfort one
another, and slow to find fault. Give us hearts that pray continually for
all who are in need. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Verse 16. "When this letter is read among you, have it
also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter
that is coming from Laodicea.”
Because of such verses as this one, there has been a theory that in
addition to the letters of Paul we have preserved in the Bible, there are also
other letters he wrote which did not survive. In this verse, Paul told the
Colossians to share this letter with the Christians at Laodicea, a city very
near Colossae, and he also spoke of a letter that was apparently sent to the
Christians at Laodicea; and he wanted to have the Colossians read that one, too.
It's interesting that the Letter of Paul to Laodicea is
not known to us. If so, it was for the good. It was ultimately the Holy
Spirit of God who made the decision about which letters and other writings would
be in our Bible and which would be omitted. Human efforts (and failures)
were involved, but it is God who made the final decision in each case. The
Lord has a precise outcome in all of our lives and the books we have are those
that will best
serve His purposes for this world.
Verse 17. "Say to Archippus, 'Take heed to the ministry
which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’”
Because of the connection of this verse to the preceding
two verses that address Laodicea, it has been thought that "Archippus" was an
elder in the Laodicean Church. "Archippus" was also addressed by Paul in
Philemon 2, as a "fellow soldier" of Paul,
with mention of a "church in (his)
house." He may also have been at Colossae,
but which city was his home is less important when
you consider that the three cities, Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis, were
very near to one another.
The advice and encouragement Paul gives to the man in
this verse is given to us all. God has a "call" to "ministry" for every Christian man or woman
who has ever lived. When we look at the chaotic state of church history
and the present condition of the church, we must note that those in the church
have seldom fulfilled the ministry God had for them. Many think "God
called the pastor; not me!" But the truth is - He has a purpose for us
all.
Verse 18. "I, Paul, write this greeting with my own
hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.”
Paul the Apostle wrote his own letters, but in many
cases he dictated to an "amanuensis" or secretary who actually wrote them down. In
1st Corinthians it was "Sosthenes" (1 Corinthians 1:1). In 2 Corinthians,
Philippians and in this letter to the Colossians it was "Timothy;" and so on.
That's what Paul meant by the words in this verse when he said, "I...
write this
greeting with my OWN hand." Timothy put the words on paper as Paul
dictated them, and then Paul signed the letter with his "own hand."
"Remember my imprisonment:" Enough can't be said about God's concern for the
prisoners, the
unfortunates of this world. Humanity has tended to reject the
downtrodden, but God loves them. The homeless, widows, orphans, prisoners, the sick, those in your midst who are from other cultures
and religious backgrounds, and so on.
The Bible is full of concern for all of us and it may be that if you have
relative affluence, it is not because you are nice, but instead, God gave you
what you have so you will help others in their need. "Remember"
them. Just as Paul needed to be remembered, so it is for us all.
Father, let us "remember" this Book of Colossians and
what is written in it. Let us also "remember" those who are in need, and
as You lead, enable us to reach out and help them. Also enable us to wake
up to the ministries You have called us to, and let us take the risk and perform
them. Help us to greet and care for one another, even when they seem to
differ from our expectations. In Jesus Name. Amen.
