Greetings-To and From

Colossians 4
Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord's work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose-to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that's happening here.    Colossians 4:7-9  NLT


LET IT GLOW

I enjoy receiving a nice card or letter from a family member or friend. Birthday cards are usually all that I send out anymore. Now that there is email, facebook, and cell phones, I rarely write a letter. A letter that's signed by the author instead of typed is so much more personal. Don't you think? Why don't I write more, since I enjoy receiving them so much? Paul wrote many letters that we have as part of our New Testament. I'm glad he liked writing them and wasn't sloughful like me.

We are coming to the closing part of this letter to the Colossian church. Paul has decided who he wants to carry the letter to the church. He chose Tychicus and Onesimus. Letters were often carried by personal messengers in the first century. This made the communication more meaningful.
Apparently the Colossian Christians didn't know who Tychicus was. Actually, I don't remember either. Shall we find out?

Tychicus:
-his name means "fortuitous" or "fortunate",
-a beloved brother in the faith,
-a faithful minister,
-a fellow servant in the Lord,
-a Gentile convert Paul took to Jerusalem as a representative of Gentile churches (Acts 20:4),
-a reliable companion of Paul and capable leader, since he was considered as a replacement for Titus and
  Timothy (2 Tim. 4:12, Titus 3:12),
-had the responsibility to deliver Paul's letters to the Ephesians (6:21) and Philemon (verse 9) and the
  Colossians.

Onesimus:
-a faithful and dear brother in the faith,
-a runaway slave whose return to his master, a believer in Colossae, was the basis for Paul' letter to
  Philemon
-he came in contact with Paul in Rome, became a Christian while there, and was a dedicated helper to Paul.
  His story is continued in Paul's letter to Philemon.

Am I considered a faithful, dear friend in the Lord to others? Am I a reliable fellow servant of the Lord Jesus?


LET IT GLOW

Paul sends greetings to the Colossians from five men who were with Paul in Rome. I wondered who some of these men were. Here's what I found out:
Aristarchus:
-fellow prisioner, fone of three Jewish believers with Paul at the time,
-a native of Thessalonica,
-one of Paul's companions who was seized aby a rioting mob in Ephesus (Acts 19:29),
-accompanied Paul on his trip to Jerusalem and his voyage to Rome (Acts 27:2).

Mark:
-after having a fallen out of favor with Paul for some time, he's seen here as one of Paul's key helpers
  (2 Tim. 4:11),

Jesus called Justus:
-comforted Paul in his trial
-one of three with Paul at the time of writing,
-could have been one of Romans Jews who believed Paul's message (Acts 28:24).

Epaphras:
-was so concerned about the heresy at Colossae that he made the long journey to Rome (verse 12, 13),
-remained behind in Rome, mayabe to receive further instruction from Paul (Philemon 23),
-prays earnestly for this church asking God to make them strong and perfect, fully confident that they're
  following the whole will of God (verse 12 NLT),
-prays for believers at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Luke:
-Paul's personal physician and close friend who traveled frequently with him on missionary journeys,
-wrote the Gospel of Luke  and the Book of Acts,
-had a significant role in the early church.

Demas:
-accompanied Paul to Rome, but later deported because he "loved this world." (2 Tim. 4:9-10)

Paul instructs the readers to send his greetings to the Laodicean church, to encourage believers there,
(Book of Ephesians may have been delivered to them first); to Nympha (church at Laodicea met at her house in Acts 12:12); to Archippus (maybe son of Philemon), to encourage him.

"The Epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, one copy going to Laodiceas and to be passed on to Colossae as the Colossian letter was to be sent to Laodicea," by A.T. Robertson in Word Pictures of the New Testament.

Are my writings an encouragement to others through my emails, Facebook conversations, and cards, and blogs? How about you? Like Paul said to the Philippian church, "whasoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, think on these things."
[Resources: The MacArthur Bible Commentary, Shepherd's Notes, David Guzik's Commentary on the Bible]


LET IT GO

Mail out more letters and cards of encouragement.

Share the love of Christ with someone today.

Be a beloved sister in the faith and a faithful helper to a believer today.