Colossians 4:7-18
Tychicus is a dear brother, faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. He may encourage your hearts.
Aristarchus, Mark, the cousin of Barnabas and Justus are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Tell Archippus: "See to it that you compete the work you have received in the Lord."
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.
The reference to Tychicus and Onesimus links this letter with Ephesians and Philemon.
All three letters would seem to have been sent at the same time by the same messenger. It is good to find Mark reinstated after the trouble he once caused between Paul and Barnabas.
Aristarchus, who though a Jew came from Greece, was another longstanding companion of Paul's and had been involved in the riot at Ephesus.
Luke stayed with Paul to the end, but Demas defected. Epaphras the Colossian, has been mentioned already. Nympha in Loadicea, is only one of those who opened their homes to the local Christian group long before there were church buildings.
Aquila and Priscilla at Ephesus and later at Rome, Philemon at Colossae and Gaius at Corinth all did the same. The whole church is deeply in their debt.
Why?
All the church need to united in the faith and encourage each other. Every christian is attending their church in different place but all are the brother and sister in the Lord, so we should work together in one heart, one mind and one God.
Paul was in prison but he still work for the Lord by letter to encourage God's servants and followers, be faithful and compete the work you have received in the Lord.
How?
Pray to the Lord let me be faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
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