Colossians 4

4:7-18 IV. : PLANS AND OF THE APOSTLE OF CHRIST Duty - Demonstrating Christ Pre-eminence

A) Information. 4:7-9

B) Inspiration. 4:10-15

C) Instruction. 4:16-18

As we minister with other people we can’ t help to be thankful for their gifts and ministry, we can’ t help noticing their prayers, we can’ t help talking about them to others.

Colossians 4:1-6

D) THE . 4:2-6

After having exhorted about the Christian home, Paul now exhorts about the spiritual priesthood. v.2-6 These verses are about Witnessing to a Watching World.

V.2 a) Earnest - Devoted prayer.

I. The spiritual priest 1.Pet.2:5, 9 1st duty is to minister to God in prayer.

II. The 2nd duty is thanksgiving, and prayer can’ t be effective without sincere thanksgiving.

III. Vigilant (Gr. gregoreuo) means to keep awake, thanksgiving causes our prayer life to be fresh and awakened.

IV. 6 aspects of thanksgiving in Colossians:

1. For the saints. 1:3

2. For having qualified us. 1:12

3. For spiritual growth. 2:7

4. For having called us. 3:15

5. Through Christ. 3:17

6. Through watchfulness. 4:2

V.3 b) Evangelism - Door opened to speak.

I. One important prayer is the salvation of souls and for the workers of harvest. Matt.9:38 II. Praying for an open door for the Word of God. Acts 14:27; 2.Cor.2:12 III. Paul was still witnessing in spite of being in chains.

V.4 c) Exactness - Declaring with precision. Ought to speak. (Picture - door) Praying for direction and exactness of speech.

The Walk. v.5 The Talk. v.6

V.5 d) Examining - Demonstrative Walk and Detective Watch.

I. The 3rd duty of a spiritual priest is to walk in wisdom. Eph.4:15 II. Wisdom is the application of Truth (knowledge).

III. The 4th duty of a spiritual priest is to spend our 24 hours ministry time in the best way. Eph.4:16 V.6 e) Explanative - Defensive and Definable speech. Ought to answer. (Picture - salt)

I. Speaking Truth in love.

II. Salt preserves, makes food tasty and create thirst and so does Truth spoken graciously.

III. The 5th duty of a spiritual priest is to explain and teach people about Scripture and God, to be a good and faithful witness.

IV. Seasoned: Our speech should meet the needs of people’ s lives. Luke 12:42; 1.Pet.3:15 V. Answer: A spiritual priest has to be grounded and build up in Scripture. Heb.5:12-14; 1.Cor.3:1-2; Col.2:7; 1:23 Compare this verse (6) with the preparation of a meal.

1. Always - If we do not keep stirring it might burn and smell bad and become distasteful. (Stay in God’ s gracious Word and presence)

2. Grace - Do not stir too hard or force the spoon into their mouth, make sure the food is not too hot. (Allow God’ s grace and gentleness come through you)

3. Salt - Make the food tasty, make sure it will not quickly corrupt, give enough salt to make people thirsty for a drink of the River of Life. If it is too salty they will spit out the food, make sure it meet the tasteful need of the person. 3 ways to be an effective Christian. Right Praying

4. Faithful in prayer. v.2

5. Watchful in thanksgiving. v.2

6. Specific in prayer. v.3-4 Right Walking

7. Walking in Wisdom. v.5

8. Time managers. v.5 Right Talking

9. Possessing graciousness, meeting the need, understandable speech. v.6

Colossians 4:7-9

A) . 4:7-9

Paul was not only a great soul winner but also a great friend maker. Paul mentions more than 100 names in his epistles.

V.7-8 a) Servant - Paul’ s 2 Primary Purposes of sending Tychicus.

I. Tychicus was a brother, minister and servant.

II. Gathering Information - A beloved brother can comfort the hearts of the saints.

III. Giving Inspiration -

A faithful minister and a servant knows the circumstances of things, they see the need and meet it.

IV. Tychicus joined Paul in his 3rd missionary journey. Acts 20:4 V. 6-8 years later Tychicus is still with Paul during his Roman imprisonment. Eph.6:21

VI. 9-11 years later Tychicus is still with Paul. Tit.3:12 VII. 13 years later just before Paul died he was still Paul’ s companion in ministry. 2.Tim.4:12 V.9 b) Brother - The Prosecuted.

I. Onesimus was a run away slave and the cause of why Paul wrote Philemon.

II. Onesimus received Christ by Paul’ s leading.

III. Onesimus was about to come back to his master in the flesh.

Tychicus and Onesimus travelled from Rome to Colosse, with the epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 6:21-22. They probably also carried one to the Laodiceans Col.4:16, the epistle to Philemon and this epistle.

Colossians 4:10-15

B) . 4:10-15

V.10 c) Prisoner - The Prisoner.

Aristarchus

I. Aristarchus was with Paul during his 3rd missionary journey, and even when he was captured and sailed to Rome Aristarchus was still with him. Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2 II. Aristarchus was now a fellow prisoner with Paul.

Mark

I. John Mark (John -The Jewish name) (Mark - The Greek name). Acts 12:25 II. Barnabas was his cousin.

III. He was separated from Paul during his 1st missionary journey. 46-47 A.D Acts 13:13 IV. Contentions arouse between Mark and Paul. Acts 15:36-40 V. Mark later accompanied Paul again. Col.4:10; Phile.24 VI. He also accompanied Peter. 1.Pet.5:13 VII. Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark.

VIII. According to early church tradition Mark founded the church in Alexandria, Egypt.

IX. About 10 years after the contentions we see Mark and Paul is ministering together. (Probably they had been ministering together for a long time). They reconciled. Col.4:10; Phile.24 X. About 16 years after their contention they are still together in the ministry. 2.Tim.4:11 XI. Perhaps Mark was the young man in Mark 10:17-22; 14:51-52 In Mark 10:21 because of the words “ Jesus… loved him” In Mark14: 51-52 because of the knowledge of the young man that the other Gospel writers does not mentions.

V.11 d) Worker - The 2 Pals (Mark & Jesus).

I. Justus was also a fellow worker of Paul.

II. Barnabas, Mark and Justus were Jewish Christians because of their names.

III. The following 3 fellow-workers had Gentile backgrounds. v.12-15

V.12-13 e) Intercessor - The Pastor.

I. Connection - Epaphras was their Pastor

II. Character - Of his prayer

His diploma of success in this ministry was prayer. A. Intensity - Of his prayer

1. Constantly - Always in prayer.

2. Fervently - Labouring in prayer.

3. Personal - For you.

B. Intention - Of his prayer

4. Determined - Stand perfect, complete in all.

III. Concern - For the Church

5. Lovingly - Great zeal. V.14 f) Doctor - The Physician.

Luke

I. Luke was a Gentile and a physician.

II. Luke stayed with Paul to the end. 2.Tim. 4:11 III. Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts.

Demas

Demas forsook Paul because he loved the world. 2.Tim.4:10 V.15 g) Brethren - Greetings to brethren in another neighbour city.

Colossians 4:16-18

C) . 4:16-18

V.16 a) Reading - Sharing of epistles.

They should exchange letters.

V.17 b) Receiving - Heeding the Service.

I. Archippus was perhaps Philemon’ s son. Phile.2 II. 3 things about his ministry:

1. It was Given to Him. (Received)

2. He was to Guard it. (Take heed)

3. He was to Grow in it. (Fulfil it)

V.18 c) Remembering - Final Salutation.

Paul had others to write his epistles and would then place his signature at the end. Paul began with grace 1:2 and ends with grace, all things that comes from God is by grace, no believer deserves anything from God and God owes no believer anything yet He gives him everything. 1.Cor.3:21-23 Jesus -Jehovah saves Justus - Just Epaphras - Covered with foam Luke - Luminous Demas - Popular Nymphas - Bridegroom Archippus - Horse-ruler Paul - little

If we put their names together it would say:

Jehovah saves:

The Just The crazy (Covered with foam) The enlighten (Luminous) The popular The bridegroom The horse rulers The little

“ For this reason we …do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Col.1:9

“I understand more than the ancients Because I keep Your precepts.” Psalms 119:100

Reference material used in making the Bibleschool manual:

Bible Commentaries: Thomas L. Constable’ s - Notes on Colossians. Chuck Missler’ s - Written and audio commentary on the epistle of Colossians. Jon Courson’ s - Thru-the-Bible audio commentary on the epistle of Colossians. Chuck Smith’ s - Audio commentary on the epistle of Colossians. Edward Hindson/Michael Woodrow’ s - King Jame’s Bible Commentary on the epistle of Colossians. John Miller - Commentary on the epistle of Colossians. Zondervan’ s Niv’ s - Expositor’s Bible Commentary of the epistle of Colossians. J. Vernon McGee’ s - Commentary on the epistle of Colossians. David Hocking’ s - Commentary on the epistle of Colossians. H. L. Willmington’ s - Guide to the Bible. Old commentaries were used as well with minor help.

Bible Surveys and outlines: Valleys Bible Church’ s - Bible survey on the epistle of Colossians. J. Hampton Keathley’ s - Survey on the epistle of Colossians. Nelson’ s - Complete book of Bible maps and charts. H. L. Willmington’ s - The Outline Bible. Harvestime International Institute’ s - Basic Bible survey. Bob Bolender’ s - Survey on the epistle of Colossians. Gerald Duckett - Bible’ s survey on the epistle of Colossians. Mark A. Copeland’ s - Executable Outlines. Ray C Stedman’ s - Panorama of the Scriptures.

Old Testament types and figures: Kevin T. Connor’ s - The feasts of Israel. Kevin T. Connor’ s - The tabernacle of Moses. Kevin T. Connor’ s - The temple of Solomon.

Encyclopaedia/ Dictionaries: International standard Bible Encyclopaedia. Nelson’ s - Illustrated Bible dictionary. Dictionary of Biblical imagery.

Greek reference material: Strong’ s - Exhaustive concordance. Thayer’ s - The new Thayer’ s Greek-English lexicon. Englishman’ s - The Englishman’ s Greek concordance and lexicon. Vine’ s - Complete expository dictionary.

Bible versions: King James Version 1984 - Is the Bible translation used in this manual. Hendrickson’ s - The interlinear Bible.