The Man With A Single Passion (Col. 4:12-13)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/17/2017 10:34 PM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  “The Man With A Single Passion”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 4:12-13

            Message of the verses:  “12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.”

            If we go way back to when we began the study of Colossians we may remember that Epaphras was actually the founder of the Colossian church and it is likely that he was the current pastor.  It was Epaphras who came to Rome to talk to Paul about all of the problems that were going on in this church.  We see the word that Paul described for Epaphras and it is “bond-slave,” and we have mentioned that the Greek word is doulos which means slave, and we mentioned that in Philippians 2 that Jesus was considered a “slave of God.”  I also mentioned that every translation of the word doulos should be slave, and in most every English translation of the Bible this is not the case.

            Epaphras ministered to the churches in the Lycus Valley by his consistent prayers for them “always laboring earnestly for them in his prayers.”  MacArthur writes “Laboring earnestly is from agonizomai, from which our English word agonize is derived.  It is used in 1 Corinthians 9:25 to speak of the grueling completion endured by athletes in the games.  In John 18:36 it is translated, ‘fight.’  Related words appear in Romans 15:30, to speak of fighting in prayer, and Luke 22:44, in reference to Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane.  Epaphras was a living example of Paul’s command to the Colossians in 4:2 to ‘devote yourselves to prayer.’”

            We see what the goals of Epaphras’ prayers are as we read “stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.”  The word “perfect” actually means complete or it can been “fully developed.”  MacArthur adds “Fully assured is from plerophoreo and could be translated, ‘persuaded,’ or satisfied fully.’”  It was the goal of both Paul and Epaphras that the Colossians would become mature and satisfied “in all the will of God.”  The ones who live in obedience to God’s will can grow to fullness of Christ thus becoming content. 

            MacArthur concludes “Having observed Epaphras firsthand, Paul could ‘bear witness’ to his ‘deep concern for the Colossians, and those at nearby ‘Laodicea and Hierapolis.’  His fervent, agonizing prayers and his single-minded passion for his people’s maturity must have greatly encouraged Paul and his co-workers.”

6/17/2017 10:53 PM