Colossians 4:12 (ESV)
[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.
Yesterday I wrote that the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. We need other believers. Reading through the last twelve verses of Colossians we discover at least four benefits... of having other believers in our life.
1. Paul calls Tychicus a "fellow servant." There is always more ministry to do than one person is capable of doing. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 talks about the value of having a companion:
[9] Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. [10] For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
2. Paul challenges the Colossians to help Mark if he comes to visit them, and talks about the encouragement his companions have been to him. It is easy to get discouraged when you are all alone. It is difficult to ask for help when you do not have close friends. The value of a close connection with others believers is that we have a source of encouragement when we are down and a source of help in need.
3. Prayer is an important part of the Christian life, but we all need to know that we are not alone even in our prayers. Jesus, the night he was betrayed and arrested, asked his disciples to keep watch with him in prayer but they fell asleep. There is value in knowing that when we do not know how to pray the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (see Romans 8), but there is also value in knowing that other brothers and sisters in Christ are struggling on our behalf in prayer (Col 4:12).
4. When we are in close fellowship with other believers we have someone in our life who can challenge us, instruct us and hold us accountable. Paul wraps up his letter to the Colossians by challenging them not only to pay attention to this letter, but to read the letter he sent to the Laodiceans as well. He then challenges them to encourage Archippus to "fulfill the ministry" to which he had been called. Too often when believers begin to make poor choices in their lives they also begin to withdraw from those who care most. That is sad because the truth is that those are the times when we most need someone to be speaking into our lives. Withdrawing often leads to destructive behavior.
These are four benefits to have close fellowship and friendship within the church. Unfortunately our church services are not usually designed to provide this kind of closeness. We need to be very intentional about seeking out and pursuing godly friendships.
Father, I acknowledge that when I am struggling my first inclination is to withdraw. By your grace may I seek out those friendships I need in my life and may I never withdraw from a brother in need.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
[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.
Yesterday I wrote that the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. We need other believers. Reading through the last twelve verses of Colossians we discover at least four benefits... of having other believers in our life.
1. Paul calls Tychicus a "fellow servant." There is always more ministry to do than one person is capable of doing. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 talks about the value of having a companion:
[9] Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. [10] For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
2. Paul challenges the Colossians to help Mark if he comes to visit them, and talks about the encouragement his companions have been to him. It is easy to get discouraged when you are all alone. It is difficult to ask for help when you do not have close friends. The value of a close connection with others believers is that we have a source of encouragement when we are down and a source of help in need.
3. Prayer is an important part of the Christian life, but we all need to know that we are not alone even in our prayers. Jesus, the night he was betrayed and arrested, asked his disciples to keep watch with him in prayer but they fell asleep. There is value in knowing that when we do not know how to pray the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (see Romans 8), but there is also value in knowing that other brothers and sisters in Christ are struggling on our behalf in prayer (Col 4:12).
4. When we are in close fellowship with other believers we have someone in our life who can challenge us, instruct us and hold us accountable. Paul wraps up his letter to the Colossians by challenging them not only to pay attention to this letter, but to read the letter he sent to the Laodiceans as well. He then challenges them to encourage Archippus to "fulfill the ministry" to which he had been called. Too often when believers begin to make poor choices in their lives they also begin to withdraw from those who care most. That is sad because the truth is that those are the times when we most need someone to be speaking into our lives. Withdrawing often leads to destructive behavior.
These are four benefits to have close fellowship and friendship within the church. Unfortunately our church services are not usually designed to provide this kind of closeness. We need to be very intentional about seeking out and pursuing godly friendships.
Father, I acknowledge that when I am struggling my first inclination is to withdraw. By your grace may I seek out those friendships I need in my life and may I never withdraw from a brother in need.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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