7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 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. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” Colossians 4:7-18
As we end our time in Colossians this summer, I wanted to touch on one passage that was not covered: Colossians 4:7-18. Often times in Paul’s letters, he ends by giving greetings or instructions to people that he knew and to ones that we know little or nothing about!
In Philippians 4, Paul mentions Euodia, Syntyche, and Epaphroditus. In Romans, he mentions 36 people! In a book like Colossians, he mentions 10 people whom he sends greetings on their behalf, or gives instructions to. And honestly, we don’t know much about these people at all! No wonder it isn’t chosen to be read and preached on in services.
What do we make about passages like this? How do we resist the urge to treat them like “fly-over country,” or what we may deem to be more “skippable parts” of Scripture, like a genealogy, or Old Testament Laws found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy?
First, while we don’t know much about them, it doesn’t discount their significance or importance to Paul and the work of the Church. Without these people, the work wouldn’t be able to continue on, or be what it could. It is the same today. When people look at any congregation, Emmaus included, it is the Holy Spirit’s work through all of her members that continues the mission and work of the congregation. The sobering truth is that we might not be remembered. Our hours of service may be forgotten when we depart from this world. The behind-the-scenes tasks that we do might not be noticed. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. It doesn’t mean that it wasn’t significant or valuable. It doesn’t mean that it wasn’t noticed or was in vain. Our Lord sees our labors in Him, and it is not in vain! The work that we do is used by Him to further His kingdom and to bring Him praise. What could be better than that?
We might not be an Onesimus, Mark, or Luke. We might be a Nympha (scholars aren’t sure if this person is a boy or girl – the name can be a boy’s name or a girl’s name), or one of those people who aren’t mentioned. And that is okay. Our Lord knows the work we do in Him, and by Him. He also knows us.
As His baptized people, we have been given His name, Spirit, and gifts of life, salvation, and forgiveness. Our names are written in the book of life, like Nympha in Colossians, and Euodia, Syntyche, and Epaphroditus in Philippians, and the people in Romans. We might be forgotten, or go unnoticed, but before our Lord, we never will be! Our names are written in the book of Life with the blood of Christ, and our work in Him is never in vain, or unnoticed!
Pastor Nick Kooi
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XXIV, Number 1, August 2022)