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Colossians
BC Weekly DigestMonday, February 23 1998 In this issue: Colossians 4:1-4 Colossians 4:5,6 Colossians 4:7-9 Colossians 4:1-4 Colossians 4:1-4 (OPV) 1 Masters, give your slaves what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving, 3 while you also pray for us, that God may open a door for the word so we may speak the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned, 4 so I may make it known, as I ought to speak. === 4:1 "Masters, give your slaves what is just and fair" Slaves were completely at the mercy of their master. Since slaves were "valuable property" they were often quite well treated by their master in the master's own interest! But evil masters were free to treat their slaves any way they wished. Paul told the Corinthians not to become slaves of men (1 Cor 7:23). Sometimes people incorrectly accuse the New Testament of condoning slavery. Christians are to overcome evil with good, however, and slavery is overcome on a spiritual level. If a master gives his slaves what is just and fair, that is more than many employers do today! So maybe they should think about this verse as well! To see a beautiful example of the persuasive, spiritual force of Christianity with regard to slavery, read Paul's letter to Philemon which was sent along with his run-away slave, Onesimus, who had become a Christian in the meantime. 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer" Or, as Paul had written to the Thessalonians, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17). Because members of Western society have been trained to be 'practical' and feel like they always have to be doing something 'productive' it is sometimes difficult for them to appreciate the value of long periods of prayer. But from the Biblical viewpoint, prayer definitely is productive 'work'! This is true because in reality -- something we too often forget -- our other work is productive only if it is blessed by God. And prayer makes a difference with God. We have the example of Anna: "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day" (Luke 2:36,37 ASV). And Jesus prayed all night before he commissioned His twelve apostles (Luke 6:12,13). 4:2 "Watching therein with thanksgiving" Jesus tells us to "Watch and pray" (Matt 26:41; Mark 13:33; 14:38). This means that a Christian must be alert like a soldier on guard duty. We too have an enemy who tries to sneak up on us to do us harm. As we ask for God's blessings we must always be mindful of what He has already done for us, and be thankful. "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil 4:6 ASV). 4:3 "That God may open a door for the word" Paul asks the Colossians to remember his imprisonment (4:18) but notice that he does not ask specifically for them to pray that he be let out of prison! He wants them to pray that God will open a door for the word! In or out of prison, Paul is going to be preaching the word, and he wants the door to be opened for the word. That might involve his prison door being opened, but then again it might not. Much of Paul's writing was done in prison. (I sometimes think I might be able to get more writing done if I were in prison for a while!) And on more than one occasion God used his imprisonment as a means of spreading the word. 4:4 "So I may make it known, as I ought to speak" Paul wanted them to pray that he might speak God's word properly and courageously. What we pray for often indicates our measure of spirituality. Do we pray for superficial things or do we pray for things that really matter? Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 4:5,6 Colossians 4:5,6 (OPV) 5 Walk in wisdom in the presence of outsiders, making full use of the time. 6 Always let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. === 4:5 "Walk in wisdom" Paul had prayed that the brethren at Colossae might "be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col 1:9). In Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Col 2:3). They were to beware of human forms of worship that may have an appearance of wisdom, but actually are worthless (Col 2:23). And the word of Christ was to dwell in them richly with all wisdom (Col 3:16). All this enables them to "walk in wisdom." "But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5 ASV). 4:5 "In the presence of outsiders" Followers of Christ are conscious of their function as salt and light in the world. They remember the words of Christ: "Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt 5:14-16 ASV). 4:5 "Making full use of the time" The time we have is a gift from God to be spent wisely. Christians should not waste time. In Ephesians we read: "Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5:15,16 ASV). 4:6 "Always let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt" Notice that this is directed to all Christians, not just to church leaders. All Christians should strive to speak as well as they can, so they can communicate the good news about Jesus to others. This does not mean that all Christians must be orators. This refers to how we speak during our normal activities from day to day. When I went off to college as a young man I had three goals: to improve my ability to speak, my ability to write, and my knowledge of the Word of God, so what I spoke and wrote would be right. 4:6 "That you may know how you ought to answer each one" Notice again that this is addressed to all Christians. Many people have questions about the meaning of life, about the things taught by various religions and philosophies, and when they are confronted by the life of a Christian, this can also cause them to ask questions. Properly responding to the questions that are asked is an important part of spreading the word of God among men. This of course requires knowledge first of all, but it also has to do with HOW we answer. Brother Marshal Keeble, an effective black evangelist of the previous generation, once explained it this way to a group of us young preachers. He compared preaching to a butcher selling hamburger. When you go to the butcher shop for a pound of hamburger, you want the hamburger. But you don't want the butcher to stick his hand in the hamburger, spat it on the counter and say: "There's your hamburger!" You want him to wrap it up! Let us pray for wisdom that we might know how to answer each one. Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 4:7-9 Colossians 4:7-9 (OPV) 7 All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-slave in the Lord, 8 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances, and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 together with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything [that has happened] here. === 4:7 "Tychicus" We first read of Tychicus in Acts 20:4. He accompanied Paul as he returned from Greece through Asia, on his way to Troas. It is stated that Tychicus was "of Asia." Paul also sent Tychicus to Ephesus to tell the brethren there how he was doing: "But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things" (Eph 6:21 ASV). In his second letter to Timothy, Paul mentions: "But Tychicus I sent to Ephesus" (2 Tim 4:12 ASV), and in his letter to Titus he states: "When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, give diligence to come unto me to Nicopolis: for there I have determined to winter" (Titus 3:12 ASV). Although few details are given, we notice that Tychicus was someone Paul could depend on over a period of many years. What better commendation could any of us receive than what Paul says of Tychicus: "a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-slave in the Lord." 4:8 "That he may encourage your hearts" Notice Paul's concern for the brethren at Colossae and his confidence that Tychicus would be a blessing to them. 4:9 "Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you" Onesimus, who had been a run-away slave of Philemon, became a Christian through Paul's preaching (Philemon 10). Again we see the power of the gospel. Onesimus had been "unprofitable" to his master (Philemon 11). But now Paul calls him "a faithful and beloved brother." Paul's statement "who is one of you" indicates that Onesimus either came from Colossae or lived there. Just like Tychicus and Onesimus were faithful servants of God in the first century, although we know little about them, in the same way the Lord also has many faithful servants throughout the world today, who are completely unknown to us, but who go about "encouraging the hearts" of their brethren. Roy Davison