A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Tuesday, February
5, 2019
The Country Log
House Bed and Breakfast on Forry Road near our home.
(Click
to enlarge)
"Epaphras"
(Part 1)
Message
summary: Today
let us consider a little
referenced man in the
Colossian church named
Epaphras.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit" (Colossians 1:3-8).
Yesterday we wrote about a little-known, but absolutely crucial position on a football team known as the "long snapper"; the player who snaps the ball for punts and field goals. This player is rarely mentioned but his position is important. Just as every position on a football team is important, so it is in the Body of Christ.
This week let us consider a little referenced man in the Colossian church named Epaphras. Today's portion of Scripture is a bit longer than usual but we want you to have some of the background as Epaphras is introduced. He is mentioned twice in this book (also in 4:12) where Paul writes "who is one of you".
Colossae was a city in modern day Turkey (known as Asia Minor in Biblical geography). It can be located here on a Google map and is one of the churches that Paul wrote to in his prison epistles.
In today's text we can learn at least four points about Epaphras:
1) "Just as you learned it from Epaphras" Paul acknowledges Epaphras' role in the formative teaching to the Colossian church. He was the one who taught them the Gospel and foundations of their faith.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit" (Colossians 1:3-8).
Yesterday we wrote about a little-known, but absolutely crucial position on a football team known as the "long snapper"; the player who snaps the ball for punts and field goals. This player is rarely mentioned but his position is important. Just as every position on a football team is important, so it is in the Body of Christ.
This week let us consider a little referenced man in the Colossian church named Epaphras. Today's portion of Scripture is a bit longer than usual but we want you to have some of the background as Epaphras is introduced. He is mentioned twice in this book (also in 4:12) where Paul writes "who is one of you".
Colossae was a city in modern day Turkey (known as Asia Minor in Biblical geography). It can be located here on a Google map and is one of the churches that Paul wrote to in his prison epistles.
In today's text we can learn at least four points about Epaphras:
1) "Just as you learned it from Epaphras" Paul acknowledges Epaphras' role in the formative teaching to the Colossian church. He was the one who taught them the Gospel and foundations of their faith.
- We all have people like Epaphras in our own lives. We're especially blessed if we have parents who raised us in a Christ-filled home. Most all our readers will likely identify believers who were like Epaphras such as a faithful pastor, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, a fellow worker who shared his faith with us, etc.
- We should all in some way be like an Epaphras in teaching others about the Gospel and ways of the Lord.
2) "Our
beloved fellow
bond-servant"
Epaphras was with Paul
when he wrote this
letter as a fellow
prisoner (see
4:12). Although the
"why" is not provided,
very likely it was
related to their stand
for the Gospel. At this
time we still have
freedom in America and
many countries where our
messages are read, but
there are places today
where taking a stand for
truth can be costly and
lead to imprisonment or
worse. May the Lord
fortify us to remain
faithful should that
happen where we live and
may He give strength and
assurance to our
brothers and sisters
where it is presently
happening.
3) "Who
is a faithful
servant of Christ on
our behalf"
Let the gravity of these
four words sink in, "faithful
servant of Christ"
Faithfulness is not a
flashy virtue. So many
start the race but over
time teeter out, but as
you get older you
appreciate the simple
character trait of one's
being a faithful servant
of Christ. This Saturday
I have the opportunity
to preach at a funeral
for a 95 year old man
that passed away who
demonstrated his
faithfulness right up to
his final breath. In
fact I visited him in
the hospital two days
before he died and he
was still witnessing for
the Lord in the hospital
setting.
4) "He
also informed us of
your love in the
Spirit" Of
course this is primarily
a commendation to the
church but it also
speaks of Epaphras'
character. The church
had some problems which
Paul addressed in his
letter in chapter 2 but
Epaphras also knew the
importance of a good
report. There's a lot of
bad news in our world
which is to be expected
when people choose not
to walk with God. But
it's especially
troubling when there is
scandal, dissension, or
backbiting in the church
where people choose to
walk with God. May those
who attend or visit our
House of Worship see our
congregation's love in
the Spirit of God and
for their fellow
believers.
Tomorrow we will examine an interesting characteristic of Epaphras found in the second reference to him in this letter.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, just as
Paul is giving
thanks to You
for the
Colossian
believers
regarding their
faithful walk
with Jesus and
their love for
all Your people,
we give thanks
for our brothers
and sisters in
our local
congregation,
our community
and throughout
the world. We
give thanks to
You for the
gospel that is
bearing fruit in
their lives and
growing
throughout the
whole world. How
good it is to
know that there
will always be a
remnant who do
not bow to Baal,
but remain
faithful,
fruitful, and
fervent in their
walk with You.
May I always be
counted among
them. Amen.
Tomorrow we will examine an interesting characteristic of Epaphras found in the second reference to him in this letter.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, just as
Paul is giving
thanks to You
for the
Colossian
believers
regarding their
faithful walk
with Jesus and
their love for
all Your people,
we give thanks
for our brothers
and sisters in
our local
congregation,
our community
and throughout
the world. We
give thanks to
You for the
gospel that is
bearing fruit in
their lives and
growing
throughout the
whole world. How
good it is to
know that there
will always be a
remnant who do
not bow to Baal,
but remain
faithful,
fruitful, and
fervent in their
walk with You.
May I always be
counted among
them. Amen.Brooksyne
took a walk
with our
neighbor,
Jane,
yesterday and
passed this
creative
loghouse
mailbox.
Perhaps it was
a handmade
Christmas
present since
it wasn't
there when
they walked on
Kelly Avenue
in the fall.
They could
even use the
silo for a
weekday
newspaper
drop, although
most newspaper
deliveries are
thrown from a
moving
vehicle.
Saturday
afternoon we
passed this
brick/stone
farmhouse
along Kraybill
Church Road.
This is where
Jesse and Anna
Ruth Lapp, our
longtime Amish
friends, lived
right after
they married
when we met
them in early
2003. It is
presently
owned by Cramers
Farm.
Another
photo Ester
took last week
of a male
cardinal at
one of our
birdfeeders.
Ester
worked hard to
get this close
up of a
squirrel
peering in our
front window.
Kind of makes
you want to
pet it doesn't
it!
Just
when you think
you might
extend your
hand and pet
the squirrel
it heads in
another
direction. Of
course, in
reality, rare
is the
squirrel that
can or should
be petted!
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
The Country
Log House Bed and Breakfast
(lead photo)
A
reminder of a webinar
mentioned yesterday:
"Unimaginable: What Our World Would Be Like Without Christianity!" Free Webinar on February 5 (today) at 12:00 noon.
"Unimaginable: What Our World Would Be Like Without Christianity!" Free Webinar on February 5 (today) at 12:00 noon.
Cynical atheists ask
this question to imply that a
world without Jesus’ teachings
would be a man-made utopia.
But could this be true?
In this age when you and I can be attacked for our beliefs, it’s important that you know how believers like you have created a more peaceful, loving and just world – and the important role you have today in promoting Jesus’ world-changing teachings.
Join Jeremiah Johnston and Warren Cole Smith for a free Colson Center webinar designed to equip and encourage believers to share how Jesus' teachings continue to be the most powerful force for good today.
In this age when you and I can be attacked for our beliefs, it’s important that you know how believers like you have created a more peaceful, loving and just world – and the important role you have today in promoting Jesus’ world-changing teachings.
Join Jeremiah Johnston and Warren Cole Smith for a free Colson Center webinar designed to equip and encourage believers to share how Jesus' teachings continue to be the most powerful force for good today.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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