Colossians 4

 Good morning!!  I have dentist appointment at 8AM and then some quick grocery shopping before Morgan and Bobbi-Jo come for the weekend. I will respond to your chapter 3 comments later today, along with posting introduction to Acts! He are my comments for Colossians 4 though:

This was a quick letter! And I think it was one of the easier ones for us to understand too!

Paul begins this chapter with a statement that reflects back to the end of the last chapter. Paul was talking about family dynamics and slaves honoring their masters and masters treating the slaves well. Paul reminds us that we have God who is our Master! The master/slave comparison is often made in the Bible- that was the culture of the time.

Paul is big on prayer- conversations with God (vv 2). He tells the Colossians o maintain their prayer life. Some translations say "earnestly" and "be vigilant"...be string and take the time and spend the energy that you need for prayer.  Prayer shouldn't be treated with an "end of the day, I'm tired" attitude; we need to be string and give it the energy that it requires. Do you? I know we have talked about prayer before; it is important to Paul. He goes on to say (vv 3-4), essentially, as long as your'r praying, would you mind adding in some prayers for me so I can go teach! He didn't ask for personal prayers (for his health and well being) instead, he asks that the message of the Gospel gets out. Sometimes I think we are too concerned about us that we forget our mission- not Paul!

I have said a few times in my messages, "Live your life so that people stop and ask why you do what you do." I think this is what Paul is telling the Colossians (vv 5-6). People should think about what you do and why you are doing it. The Christian life isn’t only lived in the prayer closet. There also must be practical, lived-out Christianity. Be willing to show your belief and be willing to sit and talk with people that may have questions! Do you live your life that way?

Paul ends this short letter with some personal notes. Apparently, the Colossians didn’t know who Tychicus was (vv 7-8). He would carry this letter to them and tell them about Paul in prison. Epaphras, who brought the news from Colosse to Paul in Rome (Colossians 1:7) must not have been returning to Colosse any time soon, so Paul needed another messenger. Onesimus was a slave owned by a believer in Colosse, but he ran away and came into contact with Paul in Rome. There, Onesimus became a Christian and a dedicated helper to Paul. We will read more about him in Paul’s letter to Philemon. Aristarchus was a Macedonian from Thessalonica and always seems to be in trouble with Paul. Paul and Mark had a falling out (Acts 13:5-13 and Acts 15:36- 40) but they seem to be getting along now (the grace of God is active). We really don't know anything about "Jesus who is also called Justus" At this point (v 11b), Paul had just these people helping him spread the Gospel...and look at their accomplishments! What does that mean for us?

Paul continues list people that are around him. Interesting that Luke is there (v 14); it is here that we find out Luke is a physician! We don't know why Luke is in Rome, but maybe it was to deliver a document he recently finished – the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts! Also note that Nympha (v 15) had a church in her home! The beginnings of the church were often in houses since there were no other buildings available. There were no real' "church" building until maybe the 3rd Century. Up until that time, the congregation met in homes. What does this listing of names say to you?

Paul closes with the comment- when you're done with this- make sure you share it it with the Laodicean church (Laodicea was about 11 miles away from Colossa). The epistles that Paul wrote were commonly circulated between neighboring churches. Paul references the letter in Loadicea, however there is no epistle in our Bible to the Laodicean church. Either the letter currently there was from another church being circulated around, or the epistles to the Laodicean church is lost. There is a Latin letter of Paul to the Laodiceans and it was mentioned as early as the fifth century by Jerome. But Jerome himself called it a forgery and that most people in his day agreed that it was not authentic.

In conclusion, Paul writes that he alone wrote this letter. Often times Paul would dictate the letter and a scribe would write it. Paul would then sign his name to it- but not this epistle to the church of Colossa. Then the closing words. "Remember me in prison" Some translations say, "Remember me in my chains" There is much emotion, sorrow, and strength in this simple phrase. Paul not only knew the confinement and loneliness of the prisoner; he also had the uncertainty of not knowing if his case before Caesar’s court would end with his execution.Our life is so easy compared to Paul's (and many others!)

Great letter! On to Acts for tomorrow. I will post an introduction to Acts by the afternoon (I hope!)

Shalom+
Pastor Pal