Year 2, Day 219: Colossians 4

Closing Reminders

As Paul brings his letter to the Colossians to a close, he sets up his list of last reminders.  As we look at this list, we can learn some spiritual guidelines.  Often it is when a person says goodbye that they end up saying the most important things.

• Paul tells the Colossians to continue to pray.  But they are not just to pray, they are to pray watchfully and steadfastly and with thanksgiving.  How many times do we approach our prayer with dissatisfaction, non-anticipation, and as though it is a chore?  We should be thankful that we can be in a meaningful relationship with God.  We should be thankful that we can come into His presence and touch the Spirit of God in prayer.  I don’t know too many people who have a meaningful prayer life except through daily repetition, practice, and the right attitude.
• Then, Paul asks for a prayer request for himself and his companions.  Notice for what Paul asks.  He asks that he and his companions might be used by God to open a door to the world.  This is really cool.  Remember that Paul is in prison when he writes this.  He could ask them to pray for his release.  He could have asked that they pray for his health, nourishment, or sanity.  But Paul’s focus is not on himself.  When Paul asks people to pray for him, he asks that they pray for God’s use of him in an evangelical nature.  The fact that Paul asks for prayer for God’s agenda to be done and not for his own personal health or status should be telling to us.
• Paul then reminds the Colossians to demonstrate wisdom to the world.  This makes a lot of sense as well.  From an evangelistic perspective, we need to do things that legitimately draws people to our testimony.  Making foolish or rash decisions will not accomplish that outcome.  Demonstrating wisdom – especially lifelong wisdom – will absolutely bring people who are searching.

The Fellowship

Then we march through a list of Paul’s associates. 

• The first is Tychicus.  Notice that Paul says that Tychicus will tell them everything.  Yes, it could be that Tychicus is going to give an oration of the letter – that was customary.  But it is likely that Tychicus is doing more than orating Paul’s words.  Tychicus is going to tell about the journey.  He is going to fill in all the details that Paul trusted him to be able to do.  This is a great statement of trust that Paul gives to Tychicus.  He knows the heart of Tychicus and knows it can be trusted.
• Then we have Onesimus.  Onesimus is a runaway slave that Paul meets in Rome – or whatever prison Paul is in when he writes this – and convinces him to go back to his owner.  This is actually the subject of the book of our Bible named Philemon (Onesimus’ master).  But look at how Paul speaks of Onesimus.  Paul doesn’t call him a slave.  Paul doesn’t warn the Colossians that a person of “that class of people” is coming into their community of believers.  Rather, Paul calls Onesimus a faithful and beloved believer.  Onesimus may be a slave, but in Paul’s eyes Onesimus is a brother.
• Aristarchus is a Macedonian man who voluntarily journeyed with Paul even after his arrest in Jerusalem. 
• Mark – who on a prior missionary journey had abandoned Paul – has found his way back to Paul’s side and trusted company.  That demonstrates forgiveness. 
• We’ve already spoken about Epaphras in a prior blog post. 
• Finally we meet Luke – Paul’s faithful companion and documentation expert for the New Testament.  He wrote Luke and Acts.  

All told, this is a group of faithful witnesses called to Paul’s side to do the work of the Lord.

Share The Word

Finally, Paul greets them and asks that this letter also be read in Laodicea.  Good theology is just that: good theology.  Yes, some advice is context specific.  But some theology is absolutely universal.  Anywhere that there are sinners there is a message that the Word of God can speak into their hearts.

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