United for the Mission
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction/Recap
We’re down to the last little section in our study on Colossians this week. A lot of people would probably have just skipped this part, because at first glance, it’s just a list of names and obscure references that don’t seem very relevant to us as modern readers. But, I think if you read carefully, this passage is really instructive for us today.
Last week, we talked about the importance of being a part of God’s mission. This week, we’re going to look at how we work together on mission as a church.
Turn with me in your Bibles to...
7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Main Idea: The mission of God is too big for any one of us individually, even Paul. It takes the whole Church, working together in harmony to accomplish God’s mission. In order to do that, we must recognize one another’s gifts, overcome our differences, and be united in our purpose.
Main Idea: The mission of God is too big for any one of us individually, even Paul. It takes the whole Church, working together in harmony to accomplish God’s mission. In order to do that, we must recognize one another’s gifts, overcome our differences, and be united in our purpose.
Scripture Introduction: In this passage we see...
Prayer for Illumination
Transition:
Each of us has a unique role to fill in God’s mission.
Each of us has a unique role to fill in God’s mission.
Paul doesn’t pretend that he labors alone for God’s Kingdom. He readily recognizes all the various people that have served alongside him.
Some of Paul’s Co-laborers: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Luke, Nympha, Archippus, Demas
Some of Paul’s Co-laborers: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Luke, Nympha, Archippus, Demas
Tychicus
Messenger--carries Paul’s message to the church.
Encourager
Onesimus
A new convert
A second messenger on Paul’s behalf
More about Onesimus in a minute...
Aristarchus
fellow prisoner
Mark, cousin of Barnabas
fellow missionary/evangelist
Epaphras
Messenger--informs Paul of what’s going on in the church, and carries Paul’s message to the church.
Prayer warrior
Luke
Physician
Gospel historian
Nympha
Hostess for a house church
Gentile (pagan name referring to lesser, female nature deities)
Archippus
Minister of some sort, probably preaching/pastoring
The nature of his ministry has also been widely discussed without firm conclusions. Paul’s use of “fellow soldier” to describe him seems to indicate a strong participation in church leadership. Evidently, he preached in the church at Colossae.11 Chad Brand et al., eds., “Archippus,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 107.
Demas
Later deserted Paul for worldly concerns
10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Sadly, Demas serves as a warning to us. Don’t loose focus on the mission!
You are a necessary part of the body of Christ.
You are a necessary part of the body of Christ.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
A church on mission settles its conflicts.
A church on mission settles its conflicts.
If you read carefully and know your Bible, you can pick up on some of the subtext in this passage.
A variety of gifts means a variety of perspectives, which often leads to conflict.
A variety of gifts means a variety of perspectives, which often leads to conflict.
As a church, we will inevitably have conflict. How we manage that conflict and reconcile is a picture of how we view the gospel.
Philemon and Onesimus
Philemon and Onesimus
Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians at the same time he wrote another letter to Philemon.
English Standard Version Introduction
Philemon is about reconciliation and relationships between Christians. Onesimus (which means “useful”) was a slave of a believer named Philemon in Colossae. Apparently Onesimus had stolen from Philemon and fled. At some time while Paul was under arrest, Onesimus met him and became a Christian. Paul apparently wrote this letter at the same time as Colossians and gave it to Onesimus to carry back to Philemon (see Col. 4:9). Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his household, but as a brother in the Lord rather than a slave. In Paul’s estimation, Onesimus was far more “useful” (v. 11) now that he was a Christian. Paul even promised to pay whatever debt Onesimus might owe Philemon.
13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
Paul points out that the gospel ought to so radically transform the relationship between slave and master that the new relationship is more of a relationship between brothers.
Mark (cousin of Barnabas) and Paul
Mark (cousin of Barnabas) and Paul
Mark (aka, “John Mark”) had accompanied Paul and Barnabas during his missionary journey
Mark had apparently left the missionary company prematurely and returned to Jerusalem
13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, 14 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Later, when Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark with them on another journey, Paul and Barnabas had a “sharp disagreement” and parted ways over the issue.
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Mark (v. 10)--Mark the cousin of Barnabas. This is the same person as “John Mark,” who accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and suddenly departed (Acts 13:13) and over whom Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement (Acts 15:39). Paul’s perspective on Mark has decidedly changed (probably corresponding to a change in Mark himself). Now Mark has been reconciled to Paul and is ministering to him and on his behalf. 11 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2300.
Jewish believers (potential conflict with Gentiles Christians)
Jewish believers (potential conflict with Gentiles Christians)
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
Jews and Gentiles came from totally different worlds. They often lived in the same areas and shared cities, but they lived totally different lifestyles and had totally different worldviews. This led to a lot of debates, disagreements, and open conflict within churches that were mixed between Jews and Gentiles.
In Romans 14, Paul addresses the issue of dietary laws and holy days, a point of heated debate between Jewish and Gentile believers. The church faced conflict as some Jews thought that adherence to the OT dietary laws were essential while others advocated for freedom in Christ.
And this leads us to our final point: How do you maintain unity in the midst of such diversity?
We maintain unity by maintaining our focus on the mission.
We maintain unity by maintaining our focus on the mission.
Look at what Paul says of these “men of the circumcision”:
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
He describes them as “fellow workers for the kingdom of God” and “a comfort to me.”
When we keep our focus on the mission—advancing the Kingdom of God—a lot of these disagreements over politics, personality differences, and preferences take a back seat.
Look at what Paul has to say to the church in Rome, which was really struggling with conflict between Jews and Gentiles:
1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Paul doesn’t say, “You can’t have an opinion,” nor does he go in bashing others’ opinions and trying to set the record straight. He concludes,
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
When we served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea, we worked in a missionary community (like a missions HQ) of several hundred people. We had a weekly Bible study with other missionaries, but since Wycliffe is interdenominational, we had a lot of different types of people in our Bible study. We had Americans from the North, South, East, West, and Midwest; Czechoslovakians; Canadians; Married couples with kids; single men and women; Democrats; Republicans; and people who didn’t know which was which.
Was it without conflict? No, we had moments of tension—almost always about politics, but sometimes about differences in interpretation of the Bible as well. But, it never ripped apart our Bible Study or our community because, at the end of the day, we were all there to see God’s Word in the hands of people who didn’t have it. Those PNGans didn’t need our political opinions. They didn’t need to know the precise timeline of the endtime events. Those things weren’t primary. And so, when we did things right, we kept our focus on the mission and didn’t waste time trying to browbeat or guilt people into seeing things our way on every little detail.
I’ll never forget walking up one day and seeing a Ukrainian family sitting down eating dinner with a Russian family. Their nations were tearing each other apart in war, and yet, these believers set aside their differences and came together in Christ. What a beautiful picture of the gospel.
When we’re able to put aside our differences and unite in the mission of God, we send a very clear message to the world: The Kingdom of God is more important than these other things.
The opposite of this is true—if we can’t set aside our differences and unite in the mission of God, it shows that other things are more important to us than the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Unity doesn’t mean universal agreement or conformity. Unity in the body of Christ means embracing a common purpose despite our differences, and working together as one body for a common goal: glorifying God and reaching the nations for Christ.
Benediction
Benediction
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
