Colossians 4

John Chiarello

6 min readMar 28, 2024

COLOSSIANS 4

Psalm 60:4
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

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Colossians 4 videos-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5-YhOw_wHA&t=39s
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhWQcJPbgXyyy9JF_
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u3urlhqn0uohehn/4-26-18%20Colossians%204.mp4?dl=0

ON VIDEO

.The runaway slave and his master
.The door to speak
.Demonstration of the Kingdom in power
.The Barnabus- Paul and John Mark controversy
.Paul claimed no ‘ownership’ [Copyright] for his letters- therefore the Word of the Lord went forth freely [He urged his letters be distributed and read in the early Christian communities- which functioned as an oral culture at first- then his letters would be re- copied and make up 13 books of the New Testament- almost half of the 27 books- if you count Hebrews- more than half- Pastors- Churches- stop copyrighting and selling the Word of God]
.Finish the work God has called you to
.Final thoughts

Isaiah 48:16
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Amos 5:9
That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

TEACHING-

As we end our study on Colossians- we see some key figures who were helpers of Paul- carrying his letters to the various churches-
Colossians 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord
Colossians 4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
We read about Tychicus in Acts 20:4
Acts 20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/08/20/acts-20/
The was another carrier of this letter-
Colossians 4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
More than likely they were also carrying Paul’s letter to Philemon on this journey.
Philemon was a slaveholder- who had a former slave run away.
That slave was Onesimus- and in the letter to Philemon being carried by the slave himself Paul makes a strong argument for Philemon to forgive him and receive him as a brother-
Philemon 1:8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
Philemon 1:9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
Philemon 1:11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
Philemon 1:12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
It’s important to see the history behind the letters- and the carriers-
Because in the beginning of this chapter Paul himself talks about slaves and their masters-
Colossians 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Some believe Paul was justifying slavery- but the other letter his team was carrying on this journey shows us another view.
Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments if he come unto you, receive him;)
We read of this helper in 3 passages of Acts- 19:29, 20:4 and 27:2-
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/08/09/acts-19/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/08/20/acts-20/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/11/06/acts-27/
Yes- he stuck with the apostle all the way to Rome.
And one more note before we end-
Paul speaks well of someone here-
and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments if he come unto you, receive him;)
In my study on Acts we saw him- and a split that took place because of him [Acts 15] https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/07/03/acts-15/
Acts 15:36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.
Acts 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Acts 15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
Acts 15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
This letter to the Colossians was penned about 12 years after this incident and it seems as if the rift was healed.
Even Paul and his men had times of division- where some went one way- and Paul went another.
Yet in time God would restore those divisions.
Of course Paul does give a few practical teachings too-
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Colossians 4:3 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
Colossians 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
On the video I gave some examples of what the door of ‘utterance’ means-
It is an opportunity to proclaim truth- to speak it- not just to know it.
I gave a few examples of how this works- even when speaking Truth to Power.
I’ll add my various links and past teachings that relate to this post and end this study with the last 2 verses of the letter-
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Colossians 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
As Paul penned this letter sitting in a jail in Rome- he admonishes all of us to finish the ministry we have received from the Lord.
Ministry is not some occupation you feel called to- and than choose to make that a career.
No- it is receiving the purpose that God had pre- planned for you from the start- sitting in a Roman prison and being faithful to the call.
It’s a Prophet by the name of John who had his head taken off because he spoke truth to power.
It’s carrying the message of the Christ of God who was born in a manger- left at the temple at the age of 12-
Went on to call 12 men to follow him- one of whom would betray him and another who would deny him.
It’s the message of a man who struggled in the garden- who the prophet Isaiah said was a man of sorrows- so tormented at times that he would be unrecognizable-
Isaiah 52:14
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
A message of a man who was unjustly tried- whipped severely- and hung on a Cross.
His disciples feeling dejected- that all was lost.
And then- he came back from the grave with the scars of his suffering still on him.
Yes- he himself showed us what it meant to be faithful.
And in the end- that’s what really counts.
Amen.
Zechariah 3:8
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
Daniel 7:18
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.