Masters, give unto your servants that which is
just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Continue in
prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of
Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought
to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let
your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye
ought to answer every man. All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is
a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom
I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and
comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one
of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to
Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive
him;) And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These
only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort
unto me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always
labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete
in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for
you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved
physician, and Demas, greet you. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and
Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read
among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that
ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed to
the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. The
salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus. Colossians 4:1-18 KJV
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry
which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17
The ministry was received from The Lord. Pay
attention to it. Fulfil it. Work to complete it. Do not be satisfied with
mediocrity for God does all things well! Paul also reminded young Timothy: But watch thou in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5
Take heed...be aware, pay attention, be careful.
The same word is used elsewhere by the Lord and others.
Paul knew Archippus personally and referred to
him as a fellow soldier:
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy
our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, And to our
beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy
house: Philemon 1:1-2 KJV
He directed an individual, particular message to
him. What prompted that message? We can speculate and theorize but regardless
of what we conclude, there are some essential pieces of information
encapsulated here that may very well apply to our lives as well.
It's a special word to an individual, for God always
has special individual words to each of His children! God said not to cast
pearls before swine and He performs His own Words! So since we know we are not swine,
but His children, therefore we have received something precious from Him… a
ministry specifically made and particularly tailored to fit our special persons
before Him!
Therefore
1. Take heed to the Ministry
3. You have received it in the Lord
4. Fulfill that ministry!
The church at Colosse was directed to encourage Archippus in the ministry so that he could fulfill it.
You've probably heard it before but I say it
again...preachers and pastors can get discouraged in a big way. Discouragement
may result in various reactions in addition to the drastic decision to drop
out! Some preachers and pastors not liking the idea of "dropping out"
may approach discouragement by adopting various innocuous seeming divergent
activities. Many have given up the message they have been called to deliver,
being instead, content with people pleasing addresses that often leaves a
congregation feeling good about itself, but deprived of the actual living,
life giving message from God. Many have fallen into the habit of preaching
people empowering messages to a congregation, that knows not the conviction of
sin produced by the Holy Ghost, working in lives to effect eternal
transformation.
1.
Pay attention to what you are doing for the Lord.
We can easily become sidetracked in a very good
way, by seeking to enhance our ministry until it becomes so different from what
we originally received from the Lord.
We can also become sidetracked or be distracted
by the wear, tear and toils of life that results in a minimizing of the call of
God.
We can interpret what this call really means in
light of the world's definitions and descriptions, then try to emulate others
because of the success they appear to be enjoying. By all worldly
standards and measurement the Laodicean church was successful…enormously
successful. It is sobering to hear what the LORD had to say about such success!
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment,
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the
door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:14-20 KJV
Why do we mention Laodicea here? Because this
was probably the church where Archippus was ministering! Salute the brethren which are in
Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this
epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the
Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to
Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that
thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:15-17 KJV What an tragic testimony of a church that was
no longer Spirit led, just driven by worldly purpose, thinking it had its best
life now!
We should bear in mind at all times that God's
way of measuring success is vastly different from the ways of the world as far
as the heaven is from the earth. In fact the paradoxes of God astounds
us!
"Richard B. Hansenis said, “Paradox is the wild territory within which most ministers live and work. We see unseen things. We conquer by yielding. We find rest under a yoke. We reign by serving. We are made great by becoming small. We are exalted when we are humble. We become wise by being fools for Christ's sake. We are made free by becoming bondservants. We gain strength when we are weak. We triumph through defeat. We find victory by glorying in our infirmities. We live by dying.” Tony Cooke
"Notice the many paradoxes of the kingdom contained in Jesus' beatitudes. In the beatitudes, Jesus speaks of "wealthy paupers, happy mourners, unaggressive conquerors, lusting saints, self-enriching benefactors, realistic visionaries, militant pacifists, and winning losers." Vic Grounds
Paul said:
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 KJV
"Richard B. Hansenis said, “Paradox is the wild territory within which most ministers live and work. We see unseen things. We conquer by yielding. We find rest under a yoke. We reign by serving. We are made great by becoming small. We are exalted when we are humble. We become wise by being fools for Christ's sake. We are made free by becoming bondservants. We gain strength when we are weak. We triumph through defeat. We find victory by glorying in our infirmities. We live by dying.” Tony Cooke
"Notice the many paradoxes of the kingdom contained in Jesus' beatitudes. In the beatitudes, Jesus speaks of "wealthy paupers, happy mourners, unaggressive conquerors, lusting saints, self-enriching benefactors, realistic visionaries, militant pacifists, and winning losers." Vic Grounds
Paul said:
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 KJV
2.
We each have a ministry for God has not left us wanting. He has given to every
man according to his ability and faith. As we apply ourselves diligently to our
ministry and execute our responsibility we remain faithful to the One Who gave
it to us! We are to diligently fulfill our calling before God!
Our prayer should be as the song says
"Please don't let me leave behind an unfinished task!" and our
declaration should be like Paul …I've finished the course!
We do not decide what we want to do and then
proceed to do it. We are given what He knows is best for us. When we can see as
He sees, we are able to appreciate what He did, and are therefore able to work
according to His will. Many times we "duck away" from what we've been
called to do, and really seem to do at excellent job at what we turn our hands
to in the earnest belief that the "ends justifies the means" (sort
of!)
Do not seek another ministry than that which was
given to you by the Lord.
Do not compare what you have been given with
others…for selfish dissatisfaction and professional jealousy brings no glory to
God.
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the
servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide
with God. 1 Corinthians 7:23-24 KJV
We should not seek to please men but the
Lord. You may not be recognized by men but remain faithful to your calling
There are lots of unknown soldiers of the
cross...unknown on earth but known in heaven. They are unnamed here to us, but
their names are known in heaven. Then there are the little known to us, among
whom is Paul's fellow soldier Archippus.
Paul at times referred to coworkers and
companions as fellowprisoners, fellowhelpers, fellowcitizens, fellowheirs,
fellowlaborers, workfellow and twice as fellowsoldiers. One of his
fellowsoldiers was Archippus and he had a special message for him, Pay full attention to, and fulfill the ministry you have received in the Lord.
Perhaps you are saying that you have worked a
lot and done enough, maybe for an ungrateful and unappreciative people, but we
need to remind ourselves who we are really working for! When the
realization of Who we work for settles in, then our desire is to please Him and
not men. We will move from the survival mode, into that for which we were
made, and are destined for...more than a conqueror in Christ!
Being lukewarm
is like having a form of religion but denying the power thereof. The church at Laodicea is defined by Christ
as being neither hot nor cold but lukewarm. They do not want to be accused of
outright coldness to the Lord but at the same time they are not displaying
any sort of enthusiasm towards the Lord
or His Calling.
3. Fulfill that ministry!
Take the saddle
off your back and stop giving the enemy a free ride.
Put on the shoes of the
gospel of peace and put the enemy where he belongs...right under your feet!
Dead fish can
only float along with the tide and you're not dead yet!
Some of us prefer to wait
until we have the perfect sermon, the perfect poem, the perfect song, the
perfect book or essay; and so we waste our whole life, never getting anything
done that will last, simply because we never got anything started. We're stuck right
where we should have started, while we keep telling ourselves that what we are doing we do for God; yet we get pretty upset when someone criticizes us or
condemn us or cautions us. You know why? Because we are not really doing it for
God but for ourselves, because we want the praise. We want someone to give us
the accolades. We keep waiting for that one elusive opportunity to display our
star quality, forgetting that He said "Occupy till I come!"
God is not
looking for self perfection but for your willingness and your effort to be in His will. All our efforts and results outside of God's will, no matter how excellent and praiseworthy they may seem to men, are just a vain exercise in mediocrity and non profitable before Him.
God knows you
will make mistakes! For heaven's sake you were…we all were…huge mistakes,
unable to dig ourselves out from the miry clay that was sucking us in! It took
the Divine Dynamics of the Sovereign Saviour to jack us up out of our miserable
wallowing, into a position of joyful acceptance before Him. We are accepted just as we
are through His Blood! We cannot EVER be unloved by Him. So, like the children
as we really are before our Father, let us do what pleases Him best…in
childlike faith and trust take His hand, and allow ourselves to be led,
wherever He wants to take us! It's a guaranteed happy ending!
Someone said
triumph means you simply TRY, but put a
little UMPH behind it!
Obstacles can be
a stumbling block to us or a stepping stone to greater things! Your Choice!
Stop seeing
yourself as a victim and become a victor instead!
The difference
between David and the quitters in Saul's army was that while they all saw the
giant, the quitters only saw the end of their personal dreams and ran away from
the giant, into their holes and shells. David saw the power and glory of the
LORD beyond it all and ran towards the giant.
Self vs. the Glory of the LORD! We all know how that ended!!!
Finish what you
Started! It's worth it all to hear Him say Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:21 KJV
DON'T QUIT!
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill.
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup.
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
Anon.
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