Today, Thursday June 24
“Fulfill the Ministry”
Colossians 4:16-18
“And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”
These three verses are Paul’s final words to the church at Colossae and today we will conclude our study through this wonderful book. As we read this last section of Chapter 4, we can’t help but notice, that Paul names person after person. Remember the theme of the entire book is about the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
The first two chapters of Colossians describes and exalts Jesus as the head of His body the Church. Jesus is before all things, He created all things and by Him all things consist. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily and only in Him are we complete. In Jesus are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. That’s why we should set our affections on things above rather than here below, because one day, Christ who is our life, will appear! It could be today!
In these concluding verses Paul focuses on specific people by name. It appears that somewhere, along the way, they made the decision to surrender their lives to the Lord and make Him preeminent in their personal lives as well! John Mark is mentioned as being with Paul and ministering to him there in the prison in Rome. Mark was with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey and got cold feet and went back home. But now he is “profitable” to Paul in the ministry (2 Tim. 4:11). Christ is now preeminent in his life.
Paul gave two last instructions to this church. The first is for them to read his letter, then share it with another church in another city, and to also read the letter that he had written to that church. The importance of us reading the Word of God today can never be underestimated! And the last word of instruction was for Archippus to “fulfill the ministry” he had received. He was to be encouraged to be faithful and diligent to complete God’s purposes for his life and we should do the same!
Paul’s final word was “Grace be with you.” This was his usual salutation for all his letters, marking it as authentic. For us to fulfill God’s plan, purpose and will for our lives, we must make Christ preeminent every day and depend on God’s grace for everything!
God bless!