Bible ReadingColossians 4:7-18Verse 7: “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:”
[12:45]Verse 8: “Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;”
[12:45]Verse 9: “With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.”
[12:59]Verse 10: “Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)”
[13:07]Verse 11: “And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.”
[13:17]Verse 12: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
[13:31]Verse 13: “For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.”
[13:46]Verse 14: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”
[13:51]Verse 15: “Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.”
[13:55]Verse 16: “And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”
[14:03]Verse 17: “And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.”
[14:12]Verse 18: “The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.”
[14:14]2 Timothy 4:11Verse 11: “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”
[45:53]Philemon 1:10-12Verse 10: “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:”
[40:05]Verse 11: “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:”
[40:05]Verse 12: “Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:”
[40:20]1 Kings 19:4-8Verse 4: “But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
[30:02]Verse 5: “And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.”
[30:17]Verse 6: “And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.”
[30:17]Verse 7: “And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.”
[30:17]Verse 8: “And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”
[30:24]Observation questions- What three descriptions does Paul give Tychicus in Colossians 4:7, and what two purposes does Paul give for sending him to the Colossians?
- What does Paul call Onesimus in Colossians 4:9, and how does that description compare with Onesimus’s past in Philemon 1:10-12? [40:05]
- What does Epaphras labor fervently for in prayer, according to Colossians 4:12? What words describe the goal of his prayers? [46:31]
- In Colossians 4:17-18, what is Archippus told to do, and what two final matters does Paul ask the church to remember?
Interpretation questions- Tychicus was known as a faithful minister and fellowservant, not as a prominent leader. What does this show about how Christ measures valuable service in His church? [22:49]
- Paul sent Tychicus to learn the condition of the Colossians and comfort their hearts. Why does encouragement require more than a quick, general greeting? What does it look like to genuinely know someone’s “estate,” or circumstances? [31:41]
- Onesimus had wronged Philemon, yet Paul later calls him a faithful and beloved brother. How does grace change both the sinner who has failed and the way fellow believers should receive that person? [40:51]
- Epaphras prayed that believers would stand “perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Why is prayer for someone’s spiritual maturity often a deeper need than simply praying for their circumstances to improve? [49:34]
Application questions- What is one responsibility, opportunity, or ordinary task God has placed in your hands right now? Is there any part of it you have treated as too small to matter, and what would faithfulness look like this week? [24:17]
- Who around you may be weary, lonely, discouraged, or carrying a burden that others cannot see? What is one specific way you could move toward that person with a word, a call, a visit, or practical help? [31:24]
- When someone shares a difficult circumstance, is your first response usually to add more worries, offer quick solutions, or bring comfort? What would it sound like to give a “word fitly spoken” to someone this week? [26:23]
- Is there someone you have mainly defined by their past failure, their worst decision, or a time when they quit? How might you show confidence that God’s grace can still restore and use them? [41:32]
- Is there a failure from your own past that still makes you believe you are no longer useful to God? How do Onesimus and Mark give hope for restored usefulness without pretending that sin did not matter? [45:57]
- Who are two or three people for whom you can begin praying fervently and consistently? Beyond asking God to fix their circumstances, what could you ask God to do in their walk with Him? [49:25]
- What ministry or stewardship do you need to “take heed” to in this season of life? Where are you tempted to become careless, discouraged, or tempted to quit, and how can you depend on God’s grace to continue and finish well? [52:44]
