So thankful to see everybody who made it out tonight and I pray
that the things that we have to study tonight will be beneficial
to the congregation here and edifying and we will be
finishing up our study in the book of Colossians tonight. and,
I'm assuming we will probably just move right into
Thessalonians after this. So looking forward to that.
We're going to be considering verses 14 through 18 of chapter
for tonight and Colossians and I want to go ahead and read
beginning in verse 12 of chapter 4 and we'll read to the end of
the chapter there. It says beginning in verse 12,
epaphras epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ
greets. You always laboring fervently
for you in prayers that you You that you may stand perfect and
complete and all the will of God for.
I bear him witness that he has a great Zeal for you and those who
are in laodicea and those in hieropolis Luke beloved Luke,
the Beloved Physician and Demas greet.
You greet the Brethren who are in laodicea and Memphis and the
church that is in his house. Now when this epistle is read
among you see that it is read also in the Church of the
laodiceans. And that you likewise read the
epistle from laodicea and SATA, archippus take heed to the
ministry, which you have received in the Lord that you
may fulfill it this salutation by my own hand, Paul.
Remember my chains Grace be with you.
Amen. That barring any mistakes.
That reads the verses that we're going to have under
consideration tonight. That brings us to the first
question which deals with verse 14.
And that question is at the time of this writing Dimas was no
doubt of faithful servant what happened to him later and why
And verse 14. It said there it says Luke the
Beloved Physician and Demas greet you.
So Dimas is actually mentioned three times in the New Testament
He's mentioned here in the 14th verse of chapter 4 of
Colossians. He's also mentioned in Philemon
124 where he was referred to as a fellow worker and also in
second Timothy 4 verse 10, where it says for Demas has forsaken
me, having loved this present world and has departed to
thessalonica. the word forsaken, their in 2nd Timothy 4:10 is a
very strong word and it actually also means desertion And you
know, Dimas from what, from what we know in second, Timothy had
turned his back on the work of Christ, he had abandoned his the
ministry, and the responsibilities and his
friends. So Dimas actually deserted those
who were fellow workers of Christ with him.
And there's no reason given why he loved the present world or or
why he left other than loving the present world.
There's no reason given to us other than opposed to, you know,
either he loved the present world and the direct opposition
to that is that he opposes future eternal life in heaven.
You know, the love of the world. Overtook him.
That's all. We know.
That's all we can assume. And and honestly that is reason
enough for anyone to leave the ministry of Jesus and that is if
we have a love of the world and there's not have to be, there
doesn't have to be specific details.
There doesn't have to be specific moments that lead,
someone away from loving and following Jesus.
You know, we kind of break that down into the Simplicity of the
Gospel gospel whether to choose Christ or to choose a love of
the world. You know, that that conscious
thought that we have in our Our mind makes decisions a lot
easier to make sometimes. We just break it down into those
two categories. We can make a simple decision
whether we're going to follow Christ or going to follow what
the world is Desiring is to do. But we must also be careful, you
know, because we can sometimes see from Dimas is life.
We can you know we could be a devoted follower or something.
Could be a devoted follower working for Christ working for
the spread of the gospel and going through all the Motions
checking the boxes of what a Christian should look like.
But in the heart at the heart is not right, which it seems like
Dimas is wasn't You know the love of the world is greater
than the love of Christ. You know we could turn away from
Christ pretty quickly. There's not there's been some
assumptions on why Dimas left other than what we can read.
Some believe it was a fear persecution that he was going to
face from being a disciple of Christ.
And if we're not fully giving our entire life to God and
loving Jesus, more than things of this world, we can eventually
be pulled away with the desires of the world.
I also want to mention Luke here.
Luke is mentioned as the Beloved Physician, and this is of
course, as the same Loop that we know that wrote the book of Acts
and the Gospel of Luke, so it's the same person here.
So, Demas was once faithful servant of Christ.
But at some point fell to the love and the desires of the
world. Brings us to our next question
here. Question number two who was
Nimbus and what is meant by the phrase the church that is in his
house and verse 15, says greet the Brethren who are in laodicea
and Memphis and the church that is in his house.
From what we read here, Memphis was a fellow Christian in Lyon
in laodicea as Paul mentioned, this is the only place in the
scriptures were an emphasis is mentioned and and he is
mentioned for something very, very simple.
The Simplicity we can we can serve Christ and so simple ways
sometimes. And Memphis do that here by just
allowing the church to assemble in his house.
The congregation the assembled body, there's always more that
we can be doing but Memphis was mentioned specifically by the
Apostle Paul for that simple reason.
And that was credit enough. That was enough for Paul, to
make sure that he was mentioned in the word of God.
That's pretty great. Memphis was helping the spread
of the Gospel by Simply Having the Assembly of Christ, the body
of Christ, or the general assembly in his house.
Just like we are doing here tonight and we do on Sundays,
the general assembly of the Church, of course, is a place
that is The specific place is a place that is that is designated
by the members of the church or the male Brethren of the church
where the assembly is going to meet.
Now that of course we've talked about it before, that is the
church is not the building. The church is the assembly, the
people, the congregation that is what it is, and some older
translations. This was very interesting to me.
Some older translations of this verse here.
Give Memphis a feminine identity.
Whether Nimbus was a man or woman, we don't know, but I
honestly think it really didn't matter if Memphis was a man or a
woman. The assembly met where they had
a building or where they had a place to meet, whether it be in
a woman's house or man's house, it doesn't matter.
So the fact that people want to hang their hat on, Memphis was a
woman doesn't hold a lot of weight, it doesn't really
matter. So it just matters.
All that matters is that the Assembly of the body of Christ
was weaving together in a designated place?
That brings us to our next verse which is verse 16.
And the question is, what was the epistle from laodicea?
In verse 16 says there. Now when this epistle is read
among you see that it is read also in the Church of the
laodiceans and that you likewise read the epistle from laodicea.
So what is the epistle from laodicea?
I'm going to read this. So I don't mess it up and
there's a couple names in here that I made mispronounced.
So I just bear with me here says here.
Several ancient texts purporting.
To be the missing quote-unquote Epistle of the decisions have
been known to have existed most of which are now lost.
These were generally considered both at the time and by the
modern scholarship to be attempts to supply a forge copy
of a lost document. The exception is a Latin quote
unquote Epistle of the laodiceans which is Only a short
compilation of verses from other Pauline Epistles.
Principally, Philippians and on which scholarly opinion is
divided as to whether it is not, it is the Lost Marconi a'ight
forgery or alternatively, an orthodox replacement of the
Marconi 8 text. In either case, it is generally
considered a clumsy forgery and an attempt to seek to fill the
gaps suggested by Colossians 4:16.
Some ancient sources sources such as hepatitis and some
Modern Scholars. Consider that the epistle from
laodicea was never a lost epistle but simply Paul reusing
one of his other letters. The most common candidate in
this contemporary epistle to the Ephesians.
Just as he asks for the copying and forwarding of letter to the
Colossians to laodicea and Marconi here is was a gnostic.
Asian believe in that. God the father was different
deity than God the Creator. So these are people who tried to
find something more that was written word of God that we have
already and doing some research. I actually found what is
believed to be quote unquote. The epistle laodicea and
actually want to read that. And as we read it, I want to, I
want you to I want you to think and we're going to be reminded
really of some other scripture that we already know.
And when he says this person that I got this from basically a
clumsy for jury, will see why. So I'm going to read this to
you. It's only I think 18 verses are
so or 19 so let's go ahead and read this quote unquote epistle
from laodicea. It says they're Paul an apostle
not for men. Neither by man, but by Jesus
Christ to Brethren which are at laodicea Grace be to you and
peace from God, the father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I think in every prayer, mine that you may continue and
Preserve in Good Works looking for that, which is Promised in
the day of judgment, do not be troubled by the vein.
Speeches of anyone who perverts the truth that they may draw you
aside from the truth of the Gospel, which I have preached.
And now may God grant that my comments May attain to a perfect
knowledge of the truth of the Gospel.
Will be bent, be beneficent and doing good works, which
accompany salvation. And now my bonds, which I suffer
in Christ are manifest in which I rejoice and I'm glad for I
know that this shall turn my salvation forever, which shall
be through your prayer and the supply of the Holy Spirit,
whether I live or die to me, I shall to me to me to live, shall
be a Life of Christ to die will be joy, and our God, and our
Lord will grant His Mercy that you may have the same love and
be like-minded. Wherefore my beloved, as you
have heard the coming of the Lord.
So think and act reverently and it shall be to you life eternal
for it is God who is working in to you and do all things without
sin and what is best? My beloved rejoice in the Lord
Jesus Christ and avoid all Filthy lucre.
Let all your requests be made known to God and Be steady in
the doctrine of Christ, and whatever things are sound, and
true, and good report and chase ends.
Just and lovely these things. Do those things which you have
heard and received think on these things and peace shall be
with you all the saints. Salute, you let the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, amen.
Cause us epistle to be read to the Colossians and the epistle,
the Colossians, to be read among you. so sometimes, you know,
Things are just fake sometimes, just by reading it, you can
understand a things are fake. And the way we know that is by
understanding the truth first, Knowing what the word of God
says first. And when I read this first time,
I read this, I'm going man that does not sound like any kind
kind of thing that Paul would just spit out in those simple
short phrases that he did. There's usually a story or a
particular group of people that specifics that Paul deals with.
And when I read this, there was just no there was no depth to
what I was reading. and this is not of course we want to make
sure that we understand that this is not the word of God that
is quote unquote, the Epistle of the laodiceans This is some
false doctrines and false attempt to produce.
What is mentioned here in Colossians 4?
So, we need to understand, we need to just know, and they're
saying, we've been given all that we need in the word of God.
We've been told that and that's all we need.
The verse here that were considering in Colossians is
evidence and direction to that inspired word of God.
The letter that Paul to the Colossians was not solely for
the Colossians alone. It is intended to be read and
followed by all congregations of all time throughout the entire
world. And once it had been rented, the
Colossians, then they were to send it on to other
congregations in the area. Just as the letter was in
laodicea that was believed to be passed to the Colossians.
So, whatever letter that is, that Paul is talking about that,
that that Paul told him to get from the laodiceans.
It could be the same thing. He is doing here, he's telling
the Colossians. Once you read this, go ahead and
send it over to the laodicean so they can read the same thing
too. So that's kind of believed and
it makes complete sense that if even if it was the Epistle of
the Ephesians, that was sent to laodicea.
Latest hands could have the same directions to send that letter
onto the colossian congregation. So it just proves the fact that
all scripture and all letters, all Epistles are for every
congregation through all time. For all of us to read and
understand applies to everybody throughout the entire life that
we are given here. So, I hope I made that clear.
I was pretty difficult for me to go through and, and understand
and to try to explain exactly what it was.
So I hope I did some justice and I want to show this map here,
it's pretty small on here, but one of the show kind of where
the three cities that are mentioned here.
Colossi hieropolis and laodicea they're all very close together
when you consider it I'm not sure what the mileage or or it
may be my guess is maybe 30 to 40 Maybe.
Maybe 75 miles radius within each other.
So it's been very easy for them to take one letter an epistle
from Paul and transfer it over. Once they got done reading it,
take it over to the next Cara. Gatien another town.
Question number four, which deals with verse 17, who is our
cheapest? And what is meant by the phrase?
Take heed to the ministry that deals with Verse 18, I'm sorry.
We're 17 and say to our cheapest, take you to the
ministry, which you have received in the Lord that you
may fulfill it. So, Arch piss is mentioned here.
And he is also mentioned in Philemon.
Verse 2, right alongside of Philemon, he is mentioned as a
fellow Soldier one who is working for the spread of the
gospel and we can deduce from just those mentions that he was
a disciple of Jesus working as a member of the church in
colossae. Now.
Catholicism believes that archippus was actually put in
charge of these three congregations within this area.
Colossi hieropolis and laodicea. And this is a place in
scripture. Also, work, Catholicism is taken
assumptions. And put them into religious
practices. And they have actually made
archippus a saint singing archippus and they actually have
a day of the year where it's a day of feasting for saying
archippus and that is all based on assumptions that they have
made and there is nothing in there in the scriptures that we
can read that archippus was put over charge of three.
Three different congregations within it in a, in a closed
area. we know that that is a stretch because the Bible simply
does not state or support such an idea, is that So when it says
take you to the ministry, which you have received the Lord that
you may fulfill it. Paul was telling the members
that colossi to specifically tell our cheapest that exact
phrase and the word ministry. Here means service our service
to Jesus or service to spreading the gospel.
And if archippus was a Phyllis Soldier as mentioned in
Philemon, why would Paul direct this kind of phrase to a fellow
Soldier? So there are multiple thoughts
as to why Paul would have said this.
There's four reasons why that I found Number one, Archer pissed.
New, the ministry. He was faithful, but maybe
needed some encouragement to keep going Arch.
Number two, Archbishop new. The ministry was once faithful,
but slacking, or stopped his ministry.
Number three, archippus new the ministry, but did nothing about
it. And a number for our cheapest,
did not know his ministry and it had to be prompted by Paul to
keep going. In Philemon, and the book of
Colossians are mostly thought to be written about the same time
during Paul's, imprisonment, in Rome, most even think that it
was even the same year. He wrote those two Epistles and
sent them out. So I can't imagine that Paul
would write one letter to Philemon praising archippus.
And then immediately writing another letter to the Church of
colossi telling Our cheapest to get his act together, if they're
both written the same time. I don't understand why pie would
probably do that. So I think it would be safe for
us to say that this this statement by Paul was to be an
encouragement to our cheapest, and all of us need that
encouragement as well. But if Paul wasn't trying to
encourage our participants to continue in the faith or to get
his act together or take care of some of these other assumptions
that were made. I think any of those lumps
assumptions would be appropriate as well.
So, for example, if our cheapest was or or knew the ministry was
faithful, but needed encouragement, that phrase is
appropriate If Archbishop knew the ministry and was once
faithful, but it's lacked or stopped.
That phrase is appropriate. If archippus knew the ministry,
but nothing about it that phrase that Paul said is appropriate.
Also, if Arch, pissed did not know the ministry and had to be
prompted by Paul that statement is appropriate as well.
But I think we can all figure out.
The fact is that Paul was giving inspired direction to our
purpose to take heed to the service, which he had received
in the Lord. Paul was I think encouraging
archippus during this time, Hope I got that right to.
There's a lot just in these few verses that I was not expecting
and it's just, it's amazing sometimes So it takes us the
verse 18. What is meant by the phrase?
The salutation by my hand, built Verse 18, says this salutation
by my own hand. Paul, remember my change Grace
be with you, amen. This is basically Paul putting a
stamp of approval on his letter to the to the church at
colossae. See some think that Paul
actually had a scribe that would write out the letter and then
Paul would review it. And basically this is Paul
signature at the end of this epistle, colossi or Colossians,
it would affirm or approve the writings and saying that this is
his own writing. This.
Is the inspired word of God that I am approving to be sent to
Colossians. You could think of it as a
signature that Paul would place on a document.
Authenticating it to the church in colossae.
He not only did that here but he also did it in Corinthians First
Corinthians, 16 and 21 and Galatians 6 and 11.
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