Sermon given at All Saints Wellington on 5 March 2007:
This is the last in a series of on St. Paul
’s letter to the Colossians, written from prison in Ephesus
to a small and very young church 100 miles inland from Ephesus
in the town of Colossae
.
Paul has been expounding great themes about who esus is as the image of the invisible God, and of the freedom we have in Christ from human regulations and the power of sin…and now he finishes with some very clear application and a number of personal messages. Gill was saying to me this week how much she likes these little messages, as they make Paul’s letters so much more real and personal…
Devote yourselves to prayer – v2
Well, Paul would say that, wouldn’t he? But what is interesting here is how Paul the great apostle and Christian leader knows he is utterly dependent on the prayers of a small group of very new and fairly immature Christians at Colossae
-
‘Pray for us as well, that God will open to us a door for the word…’
I am afraid that when I was a young Christian I wasn’t very good at praying for clergy and church leaders – quite good at criticising them sometimes, but not very good at praying for them! – but now I realise that ministers desperately need faithful and committed prayer partners, and that congregations often get the quality of leadership that they pray for. That’s why I am so encouraged that members of the congregation are beginning to come in good numbers to pray with members of the ministry team each morning. If you are able, do join us, perhaps for just one morning a week.
Alternatively, why don’t you adopt one member of the ministry team and ask them for prayer requests on a regular basis. If you are a Tyndaler you might like to adopt our music minister Richard Clarkson, or our trainee youth minister Lucie Meardon, and ask one of them regularly what they would like prayer for – it must be a stressful time travelling back and forth from Shrewsbury, living in separate homes and getting a house in Wellington ready for that wonderful day in August when they will commit themselves to one another as husband and wife. I am also looking for individuals who have a burden to pray for me personally, and I would love to give you regular dates and things from my diary to pray for. If you want to know more, please ask…
Notice also what Paul asks prayer for ‘that God will open to us a door for the word…’ If I was languishing in a Roman prison in Ephesus
, I think I would have asked for God to open the door of the prison, but no, Paul isn’t asking for his own freedom, but that God will open a door for the word, so that God’s word would be able to enter places that were closed to it.
Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders…let your speech always be gracious – vv5-6
These verses are very relevant to me after a week at General Synod, when I have been quoted in the Guardian questioning a decision by the House of Bishops about the funding of new mission initiatives, and have been interviewed by reporters from the Times, the Telegraph and the BBC…
These verses remind me that when we passionately believe we are right, it is easy sometimes not to be gracious, and it is very easy when we are talking to those outside the church to say things that are critical of the church, and which therefore make it harder for people who might actually be searching for faith. I am very aware of this trap, and am praying that I haven’t fallen into it this week.
I also spoke out this week about the need to free up the outdated rules that make it hard for couples to get married in the church of their choice
Please pray for me this week, as I write an article about this for the Church Times…
Every member ministry – vv7-18
Paul rounds off his letter by mentioning ten different individuals by name.
Each of them has a different ministry…which beautifully illustrates Paul’s point in 1 Cor 12 when he says, ‘The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all’
Who are they, and what do we know about their ministries?
Tychicus – what a reference! - beloved brother, faithful minister, fellow servant, an encourager (v8) who keeps people in touch with what’s going on in the wider church, and with missionaries. Can you think of a Tychicus in this church – or is God calling you to be a Tychicus?
Onesimus – we know more about him from Paul’s letter to Philemon. In Philemon we learn that Onesimus is a runaway slave from Colossae
, who has become a Christian, become a valued assistant to Paul, but now Paul is sending him back to his master in Colossae
.
Mark – cousin of Barnabas. Paul takes care to ask the Colossians to make him welcome if he comes to Colossae
. Why? Well we know from Acts that Mark has let Paul down badly in Pamphylia, and had caused a deep rift between Paul and Barnabas. Paul perhaps knows that news of this may have got around, but clearly Paul has forgiven Mark and wants to make sure that Mark is fully forgiven and accepted by everyone else.
Who are the Onesimuses and Marks in this congregation? Who are the people who may have let others down and done something wrong, but who have repented, been forgiven, and been restored to ministry? I ask out of ignorance – I’m new here – but if the gospel is all about redemption and forgiveness through the cross of Jesus, then we as a church have to model that redemption and forgiveness, and to be the kind of fellowship where people have a second chance, and a third chance, where people who have let others down can not only find acceptance, but can also know that they will, in time, be given positions of trust again.
Aristarchus – a fellow prisoner, someone who stood by Paul when he was in trouble for the gospel, to the point of sharing a prison cell with him
Jesus, called Justus – a Jew with a heart for the Gentiles. Who are the Jesus Justuses in this church, the people who worshipped at All Saints since childhood, and yet have a passion for those who are outsiders, and are ready to go beyond their comfort zone to reach those who don’t yet know Christ?
Luke – the beloved physician – I think we have got quite a lot of Lukes in this church – doctors, dentists, nurses, chiropractors, pharmacists and others – let’s pray for them as they care for us and for this community…
Demas – the only one who is mentioned without a commendation by Paul. Although Demas was with him in his first imprisonment, we know from a rather sad note in 2 Tim 4 that Demas abandoned Paul in his second imprisonment ‘because he loved this world’. We don’t know any more about Demas than this, but it prompts me to ask myself an uncomfortable question – how far do I need to be noticed, and to be affirmed? And a question to all of us how far are we willing to get on with the Lord’s work and stick at it in the hard times, even if no one notices, and no one mentions our name in the church annual report?
Three others, all members of the church at Colossae
:
Epaphras – always wrestling in prayer for other members of the church. I wonder, who are the Epaphrases, the prayer warriors of this church? Let’s really value and support them.
Nympha – notice the female name – this is probably a lady who is a leader and has a house church or cell group meeting in her home. As we think of Nympha, let’s give thanks for the women in positions of leadership in our church, and for all those who have cell groups meeting in their homes.
Archippus –we know from Philemon 2 that he was a member of Philemon’s household, possibly his son. Here Paul tells him to be sure and finish the work God has given him – v17. Perhaps like many young people Archippus had started a particular ministry or calling from God with bags of energy and enthusiasm, but had become rather discouraged, and was tempted to give up. Young people sometimes need encouragement to persevere – and not just young people! Are there any Archippuses here?? Perhaps you felt God calling you to take on a role in the church, but it seems to have just got all too much, or you have become discouraged by criticism and things other people have said, and you are tempted to jack it in. I don’t know, but I just wonder if there is someone here who needs to hear Paul’s word to Archippus this morning. Don’t give up - ‘See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.’
Pause for prayer
Look back through the passage – which of these individuals do you identify with? If Paul was writing to you this morning, what might he be saying?
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