Colossians 4:7-14

Colossians 4:7-14  Tychicus will tell you all the news about me.  He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.  He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.  They will tell you everything that is happening here.  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.)  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.  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.  I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.  Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 

Nearing the end of his letter, Paul mentions some of his fellow workers.  While we might typically skip through this section, we wondered what the Word says about these men.  We could not help thinking none of them realized their names and Paul's comments would echo through history.  Christians through the ages have read Paul's remarks concerning their service to the Lord.  Usually Paul speaks the names of fellow laborers in passing with expressions of thanks or words of encouragement to others to follow their examples.   On this list, Onesimus has the most written about him.  Paul's letter to Philemon pleads for him to receive this wayward slave, Onesimus, as Paul now sends him back as a believer.  Yet Paul mentioned Onesimus by name only once in the letter, and his name is seen a second time in the Bible in today's passage.  Paul tells Philemon, I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.  I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.  But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced.  Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good—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.  (Philemon 12-16)  Earlier in the letter, Paul reminds his friend he could order him to do the right thing by Onesimus, who is now a Christian brother, but he asks him to act in faith, saying, I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.  (Philemon 10)  Paul remains so committed to this fellow servant, he lectures Philemon throughout the writing.  Then Paul, truly interceding for a brother, says, So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.  Paul is so concerned for his friend, he says, I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.  I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self.  (Philemon 17-19)  Paul is not above saying, "You owe me, and I am calling in a debt."  Paul loved Onesimus in word and deed.

As we look at some of the other men on the list, Paul says, Tychicus will tell you all the news about me.  Then Paul describes him so lovingly by listing his attributes so clearly: 1.  Beloved brother  2.  Faithful minister  3.  Fellow servant  4.  Observant worker  5.  Encourager.  When we look up Tychicus elsewhere in the Bible, his name appears in four other places, and each time he is serving Paul by going somewhere for him.  While in chains, Paul writes, 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.  I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.  (Ephesians 6:21-22)  When character comes from within, from the indwelling Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ, our actions remain constant: we show forth the glory of the Lord, the light and the love of the Christ.  Paul could send Tychicus wherever he was needed, assured he would do the work God had prepared for him to do.  He knew Tychicus was a beloved brother and fellow servant of the Lord who ministered faithfully.  He knew Tychicus paid attention to the work of the Lord by carrying news to the church and encouraging them with accounts of the miracles of God's goodness in Paul's ministry.  He would also pray with the people, telling them the needs of those who were spreading the Good News and facing persecution, trials of every kind.  We do not know as much about some of the other men listed, but the Word offers us glimpses of their lives.  A few words often tell a huge story.  Aristarchus for example often accompanies Paul in his journeys, and being near Paul is not always such a safe place.  A silversmith in Ephesus called the tradesmen together, saying there was a danger they would lose all their trade because Paul was converting so many people and turning them away from buying statues of the goddess Artemis.  When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.  (Acts 19:28-29)  Later Aristarchus accompanied Paul when they set sail for Italy as prisoners.  What we know is this fellow prisoner remained faithful to his brother Paul along with Mark, the cousin of Barnabas; Jesus, who is called Justus; Epaphras, who was also a fellow prisoner who wrestled in prayer for the church; Luke, the doctor; and Demas.  These co-laborers in the harvest stood with Paul and proved a comfort in the midst of an often chaotic existence.

These men remind us to take heart in serving the Lord.  Mom saw an ad for a book recently.  The author contented we have taken Christ out of Christianity by packaging the gospel in many different boxes to attract people.  We have tried to make it user friendly or more like we think it should be, hoping to sneak up on people with the "Good News" that Christ died to save sinners.  The problem is the Good News is all we have to offer: everything else is fluff and stuff and does not satisfy.  When we offer substitutes or slant the gospel, we lose sight of our purpose for being.  When we are not authentic, we play roles, get caught up with a certain mold or posture as we try to fit everything into that box.  We stop depending upon the Holy Spirit.  We look to people for inspiration: books, seminars, and models dominate our plans and goals.  These things are not inherently wrong, but Christ often gets lost or obscured. This author pointed out it does not matter what side we choose.  We can be ultra liberal or very conservative in our pre-packaged formula; if we are selling a method and think we know the WAY, we have lost our way.  Now these words are our interpretation of what the author was sharing, but he made us think.  Jesus said if we lift him up, He draws all people to him.  The men Paul traveled with were trustworthy, committed, fellow-servants of the Lord.  They kept showing up.  They were single-minded lovers of God and one another.  They did not find fault, turn away in times of trouble, or shrink from hard tasks.  Accepting their calling, they did the work their hands found to do with gladness while encouraging and helping others.  They knew their purpose for living: serving and working for the Lord.  They did not stir up trouble, find fault with others, or complain about the government or the church.  We must ask ourselves: What would Paul say of us if we traveled with him?  Would we be a dear brother or sister, a faithful servant, a comfort to him?  Would he plead our case and offer to cover our debts?  Would he list our attributes as an encouragement in Christ?  Help us Lord!  May this be our heartfelt prayer: I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. . .Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:8 & 13-14)