Today was my first day back to school. And it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be! We went to school, I did my school stuff and worked on a little bit of picture editing stuff. Did more school, ate lunch, had my classes, then went to the grocery store and got milk (got milk? hah.), came home tried and failed to finish geometry, and went to babysit. Finished my geometry and played basketball in the basement with Nathan. Came home, ate dinner, read Katie's blog posts, and watched the end of an episode of Make It or Break It. Now I'm going to do NIPTO and either watch another episode of Make It or Break It or listen/watch a sermon from the OneThing conference.
So... NIPTO? Yeah.
Colossians 4:7-18
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Paul was sending one of his friends, Tychicus, to them to tell them what was going on wit him. Paul sent him for the exact reason of telling them his circumstances so they could be encouraged.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
Paul's fellow prisoner sent his greetings to the church. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, sent his greetings as well. The church had instructions to welcome him if he ever came their way. Jesus, aka Justus, sent his greetings to the church too. Those were the only Jews in all of his "co-workers" for God. Those people were a comfort to Paul.
12Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
Epahras was a Jew and a servant who sent his greetings as well. He was constantly in prayer for them. That's so powerful! But he was praying constantly that they would stand firm int he will of God and that they would be mature and assured. Paul would say that he was working hard for those in that church and at the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke, a doctor, and also the guy who wrote the book of Luke, and Demas sent their greetings to the church as well.
I wonder how many people knew these people? I wonder how big of news it was to get a letter like this and then at the end of it basically get a whole bunch of "HI!"'s from people they hadn't seen/heard from in a while... Exciting, I bet!
Paul sent his greetings as well.
16 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.
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”
Paul didn't want them to keep this to themselves. He wasnted them to pass it on to the Laodiceans and get the letter that he sent to Laodicea so that more knowledge could be shared.
There's ONE personal message in this letter. To Archippus. That's a fun name. ha! Paul told him to make sure that he completed the ministry that he had received in the Lord. We need to make sure we complete the ministry that is given to us from and in God.
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Paul wrote all of that in his own handwriting. He sent a reminder of his chains that he wore and sent grace to the people there.
Grace and peace. Peace and grace?
Wow. Colossians is done! What should I read next? I'm thinking Chapters 40-66 of Isaiah... Or more. But I haven't decided yet.
Any input would be appreciated! :)
Grace&Peace
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