Missions Paul

We are steadily inching nearer to the verses that reveal why the letter from Paul to Philemon was written. It shocks us in 2020. Especially during this year when slavery has rightly been at the forefront of our conversations and actions. Here it is in the Bible.

Philemon was a good man and he was a slave-owner!

We will get to this but for today let’s read some more things Paul says.

“Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 8-11)

The purpose of this letter is to convince Philemon to forgive one of his slaves and to reconcile with him.

Love above the Law

• As an Apostle he had the authority to command Philemon to set Onesimus free. But he chooses the path of love. The law will get the result but love will go above and beyond, it will go the extra mile. The law doesn’t involve the motivation and the attitude, the heart and the spirit. Love involves all those.

• Paul uses the power of persuasion rather than the push of power. He uses emotion, he is pulling on Philemon’s heart strings. “I’m an old man, a prisoner.” He is asking Philemon to look on an old friend. It is a ‘do this for me even if you really should do it anyway.” It is a masterclass.

• More than that, Paul models to Philemon what he wants him to do. He is coming to him, appealing to him with love, on the basis of love and for love. Isn’t that so refreshingly challenging? Don’t we need more of that? It is like the Son of God washing feet. If you want to see change then model change. Let it start now, today, with you. Demonstrate it.

Trapped yet involved in freedom

Your circumstance do not have to be perfect for you to be used of God to help someone else even in similar circumstances.

Paul is in chains. Onesimus is chained to Philemon figuratively so.

We don’t know how Onesimus became his son whilst Paul was in chains. There are many theories which can be summarised into either Onesimus ran away or Philemon sent him to look after Paul in prison. Let your imagination run wild! But Paul calls him “my son” which is a clear indicator in line with his other writings that he led Onesimus to Christ. Onesimus, the slave, found freedom in Christ because of an old man trapped in chains. Isn’t that a beautiful picture? That tells us that no matter what is going on behind the scenes of your life, to model something doesn’t mean it has to come from a place of perfection, you can be a huge help to those who have their own ‘chains’ for freedom is not circumstantial it is all of the heart. You may be stuck and be free and you can be free and stuck.  Chains don’t define you. In fact chains can be your servant. You can use them for the glory of God. The whole word may judge you and think God has left you to rot in a prison and yet your chains can help an ordinary soul who needs to find his own freedom. It may look like you are trapped and yet you have never been so free and daily you are involved in the work of freedom.

This leads us to the final thought ….

Your destiny is in who you are

The meaning of the name Onesimus means ‘useful’ or ‘beneficial’.

How amazing then is this? “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me”

Prior to Paul knowing him he was a useless slave to Philemon. Can you imagine being called something which no one believes you are?

My best story to illustrate this point is this:

In October, 2011, a deeply moving story was circulating in the press about a name-changing ceremony for girls in Mumbai, India. At birth the 285 girls had been named Nakusa or Nakushi, which means Unwanted in the primary Indian language of Hindi. The name Unwanted is widely given to girls across India where families often value sons much more than daughters. As a result, female babies have been aborted or neglected at an alarming rate.
But the renaming ceremony was an attempt to give the girls a new identity. The article reported, “The 285 girls—wearing their best outfits with barrettes, braids and bows in their hair—lined up to receive certificates with their new names along with small flower bouquets.” Some of the girls chose new names that mean prosperous, beautiful, good, or even “very tough.” One girl who had been named Nakusa by her grandfather who was disappointed in her birth said, “Now in school, my classmates and friends will be calling me by this new name, and that makes me very happy.”

Useful you have not lived up to that name or been recognised for many years but today I call that name into being and declare that you are indeed useful!

Again the theories roll out based on the question on how Onesimus became useful to Paul. But we don’t need to know though the imagination is fun.

This powerful and delightful Indian story pales into insignificance with the identity change that Jesus Christ brings to people who put their trust in Him. We have a new beginning! Today, you are more than what others may not even recognise. You are useful! He is using you in more ways than perhaps you appreciate!

The challenge to the Church all over the world has always been that we have wanted a Christian nation with a Christian culture with Christian values but not enough for that to be seen in how I personally live my life. So we pick up our protest banners against injustice and unrighteousness and we vehemently shout, stamp our feet and point the finger at those who are obviously to blame. We may have every reason to be greatly concerned but when Jesus said we would have trouble in this world was he wanting us to be filled with hope or hatred? There are many who believe what Gandhi said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Meanwhile the true persecuted Church pursue their perpetrators with the gospel and the love of Christ. The irony.

The Apostle Paul, around 58-60AD, is in a prison and he is writing to a dear friend who has a church meeting not in a fancy Temple or Church building but a home and says these words to him, “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” (Philemon 4-7)

Philemon wasn’t perfect. The reason why Paul writes to him (Onesimus, his slave) gives us lots of problems in our mind as to what kind of man owns slaves. We need to deal with this somehow. However, whether or not owning slaves in the first century made him imperfect we obviously know he lived in times that were difficult, a nation that wasn’t Christian amongst people who worshipped other gods and yet he was being commended for his discipleship. In every generation the world cares less in what you think or believe but are greatly influenced by how you live your life.

What can we learn from these verses?

• Faith is not a private affair. There is only one faith and it demands to get out and known and demonstrated. If 4,000 miles away from the UK ordinary Christians in northern Nigeria, just like you and me, with desires and dreams are being hacked down, captured, tortured and killed for their faith then the injustice of this world lies within our own hearts if we do not demonstrate our faith publicly. Paul had heard of Philemon’s faith. Can your world hear of yours?
• Prayer for one another is essential for us to become better people. We don’t need more things we just need to become better people. We don’t need open doors, blessings, provisions, answers, but we do need to become better people. Maybe we do need all those things but we need to become better people more than them. Seek first the kingdom …. Paul prays for Philemon to be effective. Pray for someone you know today that God will grant them to be a better follower of Christ.
• Partnership means our decisions affect others. We are not an island. Biblical individualism doesn’t exist. We are not entitled to our own opinions and decisions regardless of how much it may hurt someone else. Paul prays for their partnership to be seen in the good things they do together (he is laying the ground for the big ask that will come next). Philemon would need to answer the responsibility of partnership. Belonging to the Church means you need to think more of others in the decisions you take.
• How you made others feel will be your legacy. Philemon refreshed the Lord’s people. Was that through hospitality? Through gifts? Words? Paul doesn’t actually say. But Philemon was the opposite of being a person who drained others. We need to look for many ways we can refresh, lighten the load, to make someone smile, care and encourage. We need to be good to be around.

Over the next several days we are going to read the Apostle Paul’s shortest letter that we have: Philemon. In fact in the Greek text it only has 335 words (the NIV translation makes it 504 words) so within a few minutes we can read the whole letter easily and maybe that would be a good thing for us to do right now.

It is a letter which teaches us the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

But it is also a letter which we are reading that was not addressed to us. There are so many theories and dramatic stories that have been added on top of this letter. It is obviously impossible to say how accurate they are when they begin with ‘probably ….’

But to those who read it and hear it being read they know the background story and they know the people mentioned in the letter.

“Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philemon 1-3)

Paul is just Paul. This is one of those few occasions when writing that he introduces himself without a title. There are many times when we have to stop flexing the muscles and realise that we are not as important as the one who has the greatest title, “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus.” If we need people to see HIM then there are times we need to get out of the way. But neither do we want people to focus on how tough life is for us. Paul doesn’t say he is a prisoner of Rome, but a prisoner of Jesus. There’s a lesson right here: We don’t serve our circumstances, we serve Jesus Christ, in a set of circumstances whatever they may be. “Don’t look at my prison but look at the person I am following.” A victim mentality is reserved for those who are not disciples of Jesus.

Paul has a friend and worker. But first who is Apphia our sister? Was that simply because she was a believer or was she indeed a ‘sister’ of the household (some say Philemon’s wife)? And who is Archippus, our fellow soldier? The NIV has a hyphen which make it look like the church are meeting in Philemon’s house but maybe with no hyphen it was the house of Archippus and Philemon was the leader of the Church? Whoever these 2 people were it was important for Paul to mention them and to set them apart from the rest of the Church. (Some say she was Philemon’s wife and he was his son … another probably)

Important that those two are, our attention is drawn immediately to “Our dear friend and fellow worker”, Philemon. Some have friends who are not sharing the work. Some have workers who are not friends. Paul had both. If you have both then you know how blessed you are.

Paul has a prayer. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

How often we read right past this sentence which appears in all his letters so much so that it becomes known as just the way he opens or signs off his letters. And yet we miss important truths if we do.

1. This prayer of blessing comes from God. Grace and Peace will not come from anything Paul brings but from God Himself. It is important to realise that if we are going to be blessed it will not be man blessing us but God. We need to remind ourselves of that whether we are the giver or the receiver.
2. This prayer of blessing points to that wonderful blessing of Numbers 6, “May the Lord be gracious to you and give you peace.” Paul uses the Greek greeting of GRACE (Charis) and the Hebrew PEACE (Shalom) purposely because the blessing is to fall on all peoples whatever cultural ethnicity and background.
3. This prayer of blessing comes from God and is found in Christ Jesus. There is no relationship with God without Jesus. This favour is because of Jesus.

May we discover important truths over these next several days.

The Apostle closes his letter to the Colossians and we are richer for reading it.

In this unstable world there is one constant. Jesus Christ. He is not first among equals He is supreme above and beyond all. He is not one of the ways to the Father He is the only way. That’s what Paul shows us and that is why these 51 blogs have all been titled with Christ ….

Do you remember the last personal letter you received? Like me, your inbox readily gets full of emails but there isn’t anything quite like the personal touch. Sometimes I get junk-mail but I am fooled because it starts with ‘Dear Paul’ for they have used a programme that makes it look like this is personal when it isn’t. Just because it starts with your name and even if it is signed in hand-writing it doesn’t make it personal. I remember attending a team meeting many years ago with some ministers. One minister turned up with a box of Christmas cards and during the meeting signed his name in each card and then stuffed them in an envelope and handed them out. We all felt very special!

Let’s see how Paul closes down his letter, ““I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (Colossians 4 v 18)

Paul takes over from the scribe, he takes the pen and in doing so he gives this letter authenticity. “This is really me, the Apostle, in prison, contained, but alive in Christ.” And in doing so he lets us all know that we have nothing to hide. With Christ there is nothing to be ashamed about. It is okay to have an imperfect life. The sin of being found out to be not what people thought you were is not greater than the sin of covering up so that they don’t. The song that has won an Academy and Grammy award for best song in 2014/15 reminds us that we should not hide who we are because eventually we will die inside. We have to be true to who we are. Queen Elsa retreats to the snowy mountains in Frozen:

Snow glows white on the mountain tonight/ Not a footprint to be seen/ A kingdom of isolation
And it looks like I’m the queen

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside/ Couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I’ve tried
Don’t let them in, don’t let them see/ Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know/ Well, now they know

Let it go, let it go/ Can’t hold it back anymore/ Let it go, let it go/ Turn away and slam the door
I don’t care what they’re going to say/ Let the storm rage on/ The cold never bothered me anyway.

“This is me” Paul says and it encourages us in our lives and who we are and who we have become. How often are we tempted to think God is coming in revival to fix our problems or if we just get out of this situation then we will be free to do His work? The Apostle shows us a different spirituality which we all need to adhere to. Here and now. God is here. Don’t wait any longer. The Spirit is now amongst us. In this prison? I think we have missed so many moments of God because the packaging wasn’t sparkly enough.

Secondly, he goes further. “Remember my chains.” This request is no doubt for prayer. But it is also to help me be stronger in my own faith, that’s the beauty and power of journeying with the Persecuted Church. When we read of the present stories of what is happening to Christians in northern Nigeria we cannot fail to be bolder for Christ in our own free nation. (Please read this article: https://releaseinternational.org/nigeria-killings-genocide-warning-as-militants-employ-new-weapons-to-drive-out-christians/)

This request also helps us in our ‘chains’. Whatever those chains are I should never think my life is over or not valuable enough to be used by God. Your life will not be perfect. It just isn’t. Health, finance, family, heartache, we all find ourselves restricted, we all have chains.

Thirdly, after starting the letter praying for grace for them, he closes with the same request. “Grace be with you.” Isn’t that what this life is about, starting and ending with grace? Forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, life, grace. All we have been given is from God.

The Apostle isn’t speaking only about what has been given to us but what is to come. “May you have grace now and may you go on receiving and living in grace.” And who is grace? Surely it is Christ who will be with us by His Spirit. Thank you Paul.

So we complete the list of friends that Paul mentions at the end of this letter to the Colossians. Not exhaustive at all but an insight into Paul’s thoughts that life isn’t all about theology and the work of God but it is set in the context of relationships. We are not called to be hermits but we are called to be rooted into the Church.

“Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.” (Colossians 4: 15-17)

Friend number 1 – Nympha who gave.

If you check all the translations then you will find some give the name Nymphas (male) and here I am using the NIV it is Nympha (female). It matters not, they gave their home.

We know that homes were used a lot for the ministry in Paul’s day and it still is today. Elim have a partner in northern India who are not only facing the restrictions of the pandemic but also severe persecution. At the start of the pandemic they changed their vision and closed all their church buildings and began to work under the mission statement of ‘every home a church’. That was in April of this year. We have just had the half-yearly report in from the 15 zones where their churches are (April to September) and the numbers are amazing:

Number of baptisms 1139.

Number of people ready for baptism 1618

Number of new villages reached 881

How amazing! Look what can be achieved outside of a church building when mission is the most important thing!

Paul singles out Nympha. We don’t know anything more about her. This is the only time she is mentioned in the Bible. If the one thing people say when they talk about you is that you gave, isn’t that a great achievement? Doesn’t that make you sound like someone living in the shadow of the cross?

No doubt it wasn’t easy. Giving isn’t. What you give gets worn, breaks down, gets returned damaged etc. When you give it is sacrificial. When you give you die a little. Something changes in you. Just ask a parent who has given their child to God. Just ask a lover who has let go of the most important person in their life. Giving impacts you but what emerges from your changed life is someone who looks more like Christ than ever before.

Friend number 2 – Archippus who got the job done.

We will see this man again as he appears in Philemon verse 2 and known as a fellow soldier.

Paul encourages this man to get the job done, to finish the task, to fulfil the ministry. We don’t know what that was, whether he was a church leader or a missionary. The Apostle tells him to do the job, bring it to an end and complete it. That’s what Christ-followers do. Our Saviour got the job done. He said the words, ‘It is finished’. He didn’t die with the ministry unfulfilled. He didn’t do half-job and leave us disappointed. He completed it. Whatever you can do for Him then do it with all your might till the end.

That’s the end of the list of friends. Nympha and Archippus, friends that look like Christ.

It’s not the end of the letter, we have one verse left ….

Here’s our next 3 friends the Apostle mentions and how very interesting they are! Here is what Paul says, “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.” (Colossians 4 v 12-14)

Friend number 1 – Epaphras, focused on spiritual things.

Epaphras is a Colossian and whether or not he planted the Church there, he was certainly influential in its beginning (1:7).

He was person who put others first. How thankful we are for self-less friends?!

But it is prayer that he is remembered for. A wrestler, he works hard and Paul can recommend him because he has seen him in prayer. He is not just praying for the Colossians but 2 other places also. It is hard enough in the UK to get people to pray for their own Church never mind someone else’s! Epaphras is a kingdom man.

Friend number 2 – Luke, focused on physical things

Luke, the doctor, that’s how Paul introduces him. The contribution that Luke made to the spread of the gospel is not fully known but it is substantial. He was a travelling companion of Paul and wrote the book of Acts with amazing detail the Apostle’s missionary journeys.

But here he is, the doctor.

Paul, in prison, would have had medical needs for sure and he had his friend, his own personal doctor with him.

How we need friends who will come alongside and ask not about the work of God, whether we are reading the Bible and praying, but just ask whether we are sleeping okay? Are we eating the right foods? Are we taking exercise? The physical is really important. Sometimes your friend will have to ask awkward questions. But we are better people for allowing friends to speak into our lives in such a way.

Friend number 3 – Demas, focused on his dream

This is where we become sad.

Look at what happens to this man.

Philemon v24 (we will come to this soon, written at the same time) Demas is a fellow worker.

Here in Colossians 4 v 14 Paul just mentions his name, Demas.

Then in 2 Timothy 4:10 “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica”

In this letter, what is going on in Paul’s mind when he mentions Demas? Say something more Paul. Was Paul already doubting his friend?

We know that Paul said because he loved this present world he deserted him. It was probably in his heart to do so at the time of Paul sending the Colossian letter.

Some may think it was an abandoning of his salvation. But maybe it wasn’t.

It could be simply this, the choice between looking after an old Apostle trapped in prison, going nowhere, the thrill of missionary journeys having ended, well, it doesn’t sound like fun does it? Demas needed to live his life, he needed to see the world and get what it had to offer him, he had dreams you see.

The Apostle would soon feel deserted. But for now, he is questioning, will his friend stay or leave?

Not everyone stays with you.

Look back and be thankful for all your friends that have come into your life at various stages. Some had to leave and maybe you are glad about that; some walked away from you and some you had to walk away from; some died and you still grieve the loss in your life; and some have stayed with you for the whole of your life.

There is a wonderful sentence in the Message translation of Colossians 4 v 11, “These are the only ones left from the old crowd who have stuck with me in working for God’s kingdom. Don’t think they haven’t been a big help!”

Do you have friends that stick with you?

Let’s look at what the Apostle says, ““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 Jewsamong my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” (Colossians 4 v 10-11)

Friend number 1 – Aristarchus stood with Paul and even took the blame.

One of my favourite U2 songs says, “You don’t have to put up a fight/ You don’t have to always be right/ Let me take some of the punches/ For you tonight”

Aristarchus was one of those friends. He was in the team of responsible disciples who accompanied Paul with the collection for the church in Jerusalem. He had known the experience of being seized in Ephesus when the whole city was in uproar against Paul.

He was willing to take the punches for his leader and friend. Would you? Would you defend them even when they are not there? Would you speak up for them? Would you align yourself with them so that if others could not get to your leader that they accuse you instead? That is the calling of a travelling companion in this life. Loyalty.

It appears that he stays by the side of Paul through the 2 years of his imprisonment and as our verses show then finally ends up being a prisoner himself when they arrive into Rome.

Have you got a friend who has never left you, but was there throughout your journey? Have you got a friend who knows what it is to be attacked like you, who can be trusted, who when you are at your weakest and least empowered stays by your side and who will even be judged with you?

“Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.” Mark 14:50

As Jesus arrived at his destiny the 6 friends who were still there with him were his mother, John, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene (John 19:25) and probably the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56).

Be thankful for the friend/s that remains by your side as you journey to your destiny. Some have been there all the time and some are drafted in and yes some drift away. This is the Easter journey for Christ and it will be your experience too.

Friend number 2 – Mark swallowed his pride and reconciled with Paul

It is in these verses alone that we read that Barnabas was the cousin of John Mark. Sometimes family loyalty can mean it looks the right decision but it may not be the best one.

Mark had deserted Paul’s mission in Pamphylia and it hurt but then Barnabas wanted to bring him back and it seemed too soon for Paul. That was the disagreement between the 2 big men and it led to a parting of the ways.

Even the closest of friends have different opinions at times.

Time heals apparently. Certainly by the time of writing this letter we see 3 things:

Paul was no longer offended.

No relationship is irrevocably beyond healing.

Paul writes in support of Mark.

I love that last detail the most. In fact, I have to say I didn’t know this until I read it this morning. The Colossians had received a letter about Mark and no doubt it was to pave the way, clear away the messy story, to show that things are forgiven, to promote Mark again. Do we need to do this? One more thing, they knew Barnabas, but we don’t know how. Barnabas must have met them, he must have visited them on a missionary journey. This is exciting because it shows that the Book of Acts isn’t the full encyclopaedia of what was going on with the spread of the gospel. There were many more stories that we don’t know! One day in heaven maybe we get the film of those events?! This leads nicely to the third friend.

Friend number 3 – Jesus Justus, a friend who is unknown.

There are many unknowns today, in prison, tortured, deprived of their human rights,. Many unknowns facing shame and lifelong battles with their families for becoming Christian.

This man had 2 names, a Jewish one (Jesus) and a Roman one (Justus). A Jew who came to Christ and was a huge comfort to Paul.  There are many converts today who become heroes to others. They are often unknown but who give themselves to fundraising, helping with food, clothes and all kinds of need. They passionately live to help others. They campaign, raise awareness of things we wouldn’t think about, they find solutions and become the solution to someone. They hold the hands of the dying, they risk their own lives for the rescue, they speak to those who are ignored and speak for the voiceless. They cross the road and nations, leaving comfort for chaos and realise they have been put here in this world to change it for someone. They stand against injustice and will not let evil win. Love is their motivation and fairness their scale. The poor, the widow, the sick and the marginalised become the central focus. It is their face we see not the face of the hero. They have become a gift from God, a friend, unknown but known. May we live our lives this way.

So we come to the end of this amazing book to the Church in Colossae. A place Paul has never been to but a people he is reaching out to. The theologian who has revealed wonderful truths about Christ ends the letter focused on personal relationships. He shows us that we need both. We need to pursue Christ and pursue our love and care for one another. They both go hand in hand.

So let us look at the friends of Christ who are Paul’s friends and do so in 3 sections.

Paul has friends who represent him:-

“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servantin the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about ourcircumstances 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.” (Colossians 4: 7-9)

Friend number 1 – Tychicus.

He would be carrying both letters, Ephesians and Colossians, These prison letters were probably circular ones and Tychicus would arrive in Laodicea and deliver the Ephesian letter (written for all the churches in Asia Minor). Laodicea was a few miles from Colossae and Tychicus would be able to travel there easily. If you read v16 we get the understanding that Paul wants them to swap these 2 letters.

1. A dear brother
2. A faithful minister
3. A Fellow servant
4. In the Lord

Look at b and c first.

What did Tychicus actually do? We obviously do not have many details.

But he didn’t have the ministry of Paul. He wasn’t the Apostle. He was actually the postman. Now who was the greatest? The Apostle or the Postman? Both are needed. Without the postman what good would it be to write anything at all? But this postman was a faithful minister. He demonstrated the life and work of Christ in his own life and was very capable of speaking this to other people also. He was also a fellow servant. He helped Paul in prison with his needs. His tasks were probably not spectacular ones. But there is no sacred/secular work for it is all done ‘in the Lord’.

So look now at a. and d.

The Apostle calls him his dear brother. A loved equal. A shaper and influencer of his life. He is also a worker in the Lord. This faithful minister and fellow servant is doing his work in the context of Christian brotherhood and Christ’s presence. He would not have known that 2,000 years later we would all be speaking of him and wanting to be like him!

Friend number 2 – Onesimus

The runaway slave returning to the man he deserted. We of course read of him in Philemon where he apparently stole from his master and then fled Rome. Paul is probably being gracious to leave out the words ‘fellow servant/slave’ as used for Tychicus but everything else is the same, faithful and a dear brother.

This man who had been incredibly unfaithful is now faithful. There are no more details. Those are reserved for the personal letter to Philemon himself. But it is clear that Paul sees his friend as totally transformed and certainly able to represent him. He is a walking testimony to the message of Christ that Paul has been proclaiming.

Do you have friends like this who can represent you? Paul did.

You may view your life very simply. “I’m just a postman” “I just do this secular job” and you may carry a past which isn’t easy to shake off at times, “I’m just a thief and a runaway” but if these 2 men can become friends of Paul and more importantly friends of Christ, then so can you. You are never “just a …” You are a representative of the gospel of Christ. That’s your job and that’s who you are.

Maybe we should be less concerned about open heavens and more concerned about open doors. Open doors are for people on the move, crossing borders, moving out and into enemy territory.

Open doors come through prayer.

Paul writing from a Roman Jail doesn’t pray to be released from prison but instead asks his Colossian friends to, “Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:3-6)

Open doors can be found behind closed doors.

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he makes it clear that the gospel had spread because others were praying for open doors: “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is for Christ. Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message fearlessly” (Philippians 1.12-14). What appeared on the surface to be a “closed door” for Paul (his imprisonment) had actually turned into an “open door” for him to preach Christ among the authorities and guards who held him. It also gave confidence for his brothers to preach Christ fearlessly on the outside.

Throughout your life you will continue to have seasons of limitations but instead of seeing it as an enemy you could view it as an opportunity for the gospel and to declare a fresh revelation of God.

We need open doors. But often we miss them.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan shows us that our neighbour who we are called to love is anyone who is there. The Samaritan cared for the Jew simply because the Jewish man was there. He wasn’t going looking for a Jew to care for. It was an open door. So the question we are left with is this, ‘Who should we reach?’ And the answer is this: ‘Who is there?’

The Apostle says, “We need to speak clearly the mystery (truth once hidden)”. Paul is saying we need to speak their language and start from where they are at.

For example, remember Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well? He centred the conversation on the woman’s challenges and needs. He didn’t dominate the conversation with his ABC gospel message, He guided the conversation. 

We need to do this and match our words with wisdom, why offend by our actions if it will prevent those we are reaching from listening.

Do we know what will offend?

If you are involved in children evangelism within an Indian culture and wonder why when the children had been so excited to come to your kids club that the day after they actually don’t then it shows you haven’t used wisdom. Your invitation will offend the Indian culture where it is the father who needs to give the blessing for the activities of his children. The invitation should have been given to him.

That may be obvious and within your culture there are sub-cultures that are maybe a little more hard to discover, but you must find them. We need to know who we are reaching.

Let’s pray for open doors today no matter where we are.

A survey taken during 24-27^th April 2020 and published by TearFund revealed that 1 in 20 adults had started to pray during lockdown that had not prayed before. Just over 26% said they prayed at least once a month. But why?

45% said it was because they believed in God.

33% said they prayed because they believed it would work.

26% said they prayed during crisis.

24% prayed because they felt lonely.

It would appear that in the UK this pandemic has caused people to look beyond themselves for help. May that continue for Jesus is waiting!

In this final section of Paul’s letter to the Colossians which started with him saying he was praying for them and thanking God for them he now goes on to ask for prayer for himself.

The Apostle starts, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4 v 2)

Just a brief reminder:

Paul is telling the Colossians to ignore the infiltrators who are saying Christ in their life isn’t enough and they need other things also. They have died to performance, been hidden and now raised in Christ and are with Him above and beyond the circumstances of their life.

Bluntly now: In that place talk to Him.

One of the top ten hymns of all time is the following:-

What a friend we have in Jesus/ All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry/ Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit/ Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry/ Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations?/ Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged/ Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful/ Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness/ Take it to the Lord in prayer

Joseph Scriven wrote the lyrics of this hymn, but it was actually published anonymously in the 1850s/1860s, mistakenly attributed to someone else. It wasn’t actually until 1886 that Joseph got recognition for his work, the year in which he passed away.

When asked if he was the author Joseph replied, ‘the Lord and I did it between us!’  Joseph went on to tell how he had forgotten about the hymn for many years, having so many troubles and trials on his mind.  It was found by a friend who was visiting Joseph during one of his severe bouts of depressive illness.  When asked about it Joseph beset by severe depression brought upon by tragedy after tragedy, with watery eyes said ‘that’s a very personal poem of testimony that God helped me to write to comfort my mother during a time of great sorrow in our lives.  I never intended it to be used by anyone else.’

He was born in Northern Ireland in 1819. He suffered much heartache during his life.  His fiancée drowned on the eve of their wedding and then his second fiancée died prematurely after becoming ill. Joseph never quite recovered from this second tragedy, and suffered periods of depression for the rest of his life. 

And yet through all this, he knew what it was to have a friend in Jesus. 

Having migrated to Canada he joined the Plymouth Brethren and began to help in the ministry especially amongst the elderly, the physically handicapped and brought comfort to the poor and those with mental health problems. His own suffering made him more aware of the suffering of others.

This broken man in many ways put others first as he walked with Christ his friend.

Your life may be a broken one and there may be far more questions than answers. You may not be swinging from the chandeliers of life and it can be simply a struggle. But friendship is a sharing of experiences, a personal and deep bonding of genuine care. There is a friend, His name is Jesus, talk to Him about everything.

Joseph Scriven died by drowning and no one knows whether it was an accident or suicide. But this broken man of prayer left a legacy that people are still singing about in 2020.

Back to the Apostle:

Be devoted in prayer. He doesn’t encourage them to pray. They obviously did that. He tells them to be devoted to it. Continually, throughout the day, all the time, about everything, talk to Jesus.

Be watchful. In ancient cities, built into the walls were huge watchtowers and watchman were posted day and night. But God spoke about how He had called His people to pray, see how they must do that with perseverance: “I have posted watchman on your walls , O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise in the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7)

Be thankful – which is the language of faith. How can you talk to Jesus without being thankful for all He has done and who He is?!

Let’s pray. Christ is waiting to be asked.