Paul closes this letter with some final greetings, or "shout-outs," from himself and some of his associates. In these shout-outs we see the close connection between ministry and community. Christian community operates in ways that help further and support true Christian ministry. Here are some of the lessons worth noting in this regard from this final part of Colossians.
1. In Christian community we commit to one another (Col 4:7-18)
Tychicus was a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. But he was absolutely committed to supporting Paul's ministry and thus indispensable to Paul's continued ministry. True commitment, to God and to others, involves seeing yourself primarily in relation to other people (i.e. I am primarily a brother of someone, a faithful minister to others, a fellow servant of others).
2. In Christian community we reconcile with one another (Col 4:9)
Onesimus, a runaway slave, was sent back to Colossae with Tychicus in order to reconcile with his master Philemon. Paul himself also practiced reconciliation as shown by his mention of John Mark in Colossians 4:10, a man whom he did not want to continue doing ministry with because of how Mark had left him during his first missionary trip. Yet at some point Paul was able to reconcile with Mark and now see him as a fellow worker.
True Christian community means always being always to take steps towards reconciliation, as much as we are able. Conflict will come within the church. But the church that is truly Christ's church is one where people are quick to identify conflict, deal with it head on, and encourage one another to take the necessary steps towards healing and unity, so that ministry can continue unhindered.
3. Christian community functions as an encouragement for each member (Col 4:10-11)
Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus called Justus seem to have been the only Jewish Christians working alongside Paul at this point. This had to have been a discouragement to Paul since he desperately yearned to see Jews come to faith in Christ. But having at least these Jewish guys with him was a means by which God encouraged Paul in his ministry. In fact, these verses suggest that Aristarchus willingly gave up his freedom so that he could more personally be with Paul and encourage him. Similarly, in v.8, Paul writes how he expects the arrival of Tychicus in Colossae will be an occassion to encourage the church. True Christian community should be a place where people are quick to encourage one another in our growth inChrist and our ministry on behalf of Christ.
4. In Christian community we pray hard for one another (Col 4:12-13)
Epaphras is noted for how hard he prays for the Colossian Christians. Prayer is hard work. So we must be committed to praying for one another - regularly and consistently.
5. In Christian community we sometimes let each other down (Col 4:14)
Demas is mentioned here, a man whom we later discover, from Paul's last letter, will abandon Paul. This is a reminder that people will disappoint us, let us down, and even desert us within the church. This means we must have a realistic and eternal perspective on Christian community. A realistic perspective means that we don't idealize the church to the point that we put it in the place of God. Christian community is not perfect. At the same time, an eternal perspective means that we live within community always aware of and thanking God for how he is steadily making his imperfect church into his pure and spotless bride. Thus, Christian ministry can still be accomplished even when Christian community falters, for our God's plans are bigger than all our failings and sins.
6. In Christian community we learn with one other (Col 4:15-16)
Paul's letter was to be publicly read among the churches. There was already the understanding that what Paul wrote had authority behind it and was applicable to several churches. Soon the Lord had his letter become part of the Scriptures where it could be read and learned from all the Christian communities to come, such as ours today. Always then, at the core of church community, must be the reading of God's word together in public and learning from what he tells us in this word together as a community. This is the essential foundation for any true ministry.
7. In Christian community we urge one another to do the Lord's work (Col 4:17)
True Christian community doesn't let people sit on their butts. Archippus had been given a commission to fulfill and Paul urges him to fulfill it. A church should be a community where we are diligent to stir one another up to love and good works (Heb 10:24-25).
Paul concludes the letter in Colossians 4:18 with a final request that the Colossian Christians remember where he's at (the implication being that they will regularly pray for him) and a final blessing of grace for them. This repeats how he began the letter in Colossians 1:2. And it's an appropriate bookend to this letter. Christian community needs the grace of God in order to exist and depends on the grace of God in order to be all the things we noted in this chapter, so that it can be an effective minister of the gospel of God's grace in Christ. For it was God's grace to us in Christ that led to us being rescued from the rule of sin and Satan and death and now brings us under the rule of Christ, where we experience life and redemption and have been empowered to represent him in our world.
How have you seen this chapter highlight the importance of community, as opposed to individualism? What "lessons" on community particularly stood out to you in this chapter? And what stood out to you the most in this entire letter? What did God impress upon your heart the most? How can you make the truths you learned part of the regular rhythm of your life?
2 comments:
God taught me recently that "no good comes from man". I knew this already, but still would get dissapointed when my expectations were let down by a friend- especially in the church. However, God was quick to remind me that all good comes from him and I was able to see aaallll of the good he was pouring out to me from different areas, and different friends. We will let eachother down- but we cannot let Satan tempt us into that causing dissunity! I need to remember that "all fall short" before God, including me, and to look for ways that God is using all parts of the church body to accomplish his good- and not to get upset if one "hand" or "eye" fails at some point- there are many other parts of the church body that God is using in that place at that time.
One helpful verse that comes to mind Kirsten is Matt 7:1-5. These verses remind us to look at our sin first (the plank in my eye) before looking at the sin of someone else (the speck in their eye). This is helpful since it forces us to first take ownership for our own failings and then puts us in a much more humble position as we interact with people and their own failings. Such humility goes a long way to fostering reconciliation and maintaining unity in the church.
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