Category Archives: Servant

Bible, Bondslaves, Prison, Scripture, Servant, Suffering

CELLMATES

COLOSSIANS 1:7

“just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,” 

What would be your first four words to your best friend if you both woke up to find yourselves in jail? Mine would be “What did you do?” Knowing my friends, I am sure they did something to get us there. It certainly could not have been me. Right? We always want to blame someone else for our circumstances. Well, most of the time, we are the guilty party.

In today’s verse, Paul shares about his cellmate, Epaphras. All we know about Epaphras is found in three verses in the New Testament. Here is one. Paul calls him “our beloved fellow bond-servant” and “a faithful servant of Christ.” Not too shabby of a description. I would be happy being known as that kind of person. Wouldn’t you? One day I am sure we will get to talk to Epaphras in heaven and hear the whole story.

APPLICATION

How can you be like Epaphras? Can you emulate his reputation in your own life? We learn from Colossians 4:12 a little more about him. “Epaphras, who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” Epaphras was a praying man. He was interceding for these Colossian believers even while he was in prison with Paul.

In Philemon 1:23 we learn this. “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,” Paul identifies Epaphras as his fellow prisoner. Epaphras has obviously come to visit Paul and got caught up in his arrest. He was willing to suffer alongside Paul. He didn’t run away when things got tough. That speaks a lot about his character, as well.

Maybe Paul’s first four words to Epaphras in jail were “What would Jesus do?” Maybe Paul is responsible for the first WWJD bracelet, made from prison shackles. Epaphras embraced his calling as a servant of Christ. Tradition says he became the Bishop of the Colossian church. I would not be surprised if that was true. We’ll have to ask him about that one day.

Father, give me the boldness and tenacity of Epaphras to do whatever I am required for Your kingdom.

Standard
Bible, Faithfulness, Scripture, Servant

A FAITHFUL SERVANT

EPHESIANS 6:21

“Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you.”

Have you ever had a truly, trustworthy friend? I mean, you could call them day or night knowing they would drop everything and come to your aid. I have had a few friends like that through the years, but because we have moved several times in our ministry, those friends changed. I am new to Knoxville, but I have already made friends with a few men who I believe could be my “Tychicus” if I had a need.

Just who was this Tychicus? Well, let me share Barnes’ notes on him to fill you in. “Tychicus was of the province of Asia, in Asia Minor, of which Ephesus was the capital; see Acts 20:4. It is not improbable that he was of Ephesus, and that he was well known to the church there. He also carried the letter to the Colossians (Col 4:7), and probably the Second Epistle to Timothy; (2 Timothy 4:12). Paul also proposed to send him to Crete to succeed Titus; (Titus 3:12). He was high in the confidence of: Paul, but it is not known when he was converted, or why he was now at Rome. The Greeks speak of him as one of the seventy disciples, and make him bishop of Colophon, in the province of Asia.”

APPLICATION

Now, why did I share all of that? To show you the extent of which Paul cared for him. Paul calls him his “faithful servant” again in Colossians 4:7. “As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.” Paul trusted this man with news about him to the churches. He even called him a “beloved brother” and “fellow bond-servant.”

So, how well did Tychicus serve Paul. Well, he calls him a “faithful servant” for a reason. A.T. Robertson says the word for “servant” here (diakonos) has the idea of someone kicking up dust running an errand. In other words, they were busily carrying out the instructions of their master. Tychicus did whatever Paul asked him to do.

Application time! Why is that important? Because observation + application = transformation. Who can you serve faithfully today? Who can you come alongside? Or maybe you have a faithful servant in your life whom you need to recognize and thank. Can you imagine the reunion in heaven between Paul and Tychicus? I bet they are still catching up!

Father, let me be a Tychicus for someone today. Thank You for giving me friends who have “served” me faithfully.

Standard