Colossians 4 - Are You Watching What God is Doing?

Colossians 4

4 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

We often mistakenly equate our 20th century view of slavery with slavery in biblical times. Whenever Paul talks about the relationships between a master and slave, he instructs the master to treat their slaves kindly and provide for them. He reminds them that their true Master, Jesus, is in heaven watching them. It is the Lord Jesus Christ they and we serve. 

“More than half the people seen on the streets of the great cities of the Roman world were slaves. And this was the status of the majority of ‘professional’ people such as teachers and doctors as well as that of menials and craftsmen.” (Vaughan)

Paul again focuses on the power of prayer. He tells them to be watchful and thankful. We often don't equate being watchful with prayer. Being watchful means being aware of what God is already doing or what you think he might be doing based on your experiences. Being thankful in prayer is acknowledging what God has already done in your life with an expectancy that he will meet your needs in the future. Being thankful gives one the proper attitude for asking God for what you need rather than what you want. 

Paul also covets their prayers. He realizes that the openness for unbelievers to hear the gospel is a spiritual matter. Paul is writing in prison and even sees his time in jail as an opportunity to preach the gospel. I.e. the Philippian Jailer in Acts 16. 

In the same way, we need to realize that every interaction we have others is a chance to plant a seed for the gospel. If we are behaving in a ungodly manner and somebody finds out we are a Christian it is not a good reflection on what it means to be a Christ follower. A lot of our example is how we use our words. I.e. Do we gossip about others? Do we tell inappropriate jokes? Use foul language? 

Are we graceful toward others and build them up in love? There is a lot of power in how we use our words. As the Proverbs says, 

"A word aptly spoken is like golden apples in settings of silver." - Proverbs 25:11

Final Greetings

7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

Paul had many partners in ministry that we don't know a lot about like Tychius. 

Tychicus is mentioned in Acts 20:4 as one of the men who came with Paul from the Roman province of Asia to Jerusalem, to carry the offering of those believers to the needy Christians of Jerusalem and Judea. - Guzik

Onesimus was a slave that was freed and became friends with Paul.

Onesimus was a slave owned by a believer in Colosse, but he ran away and came into contact with Paul in Rome. There, Onesimus became a Christian and a dedicated helper to Paul. His story is continued in Paul’s letter to Philemon. - Guzik 

The bottom line is that Paul never did ministry alone and was always equipping and discipling others knowing that unless he did so, his ministry would end and not continue beyond his own lifetime. 

Are you watchful and thankful in your prayer life? What is God showing you recently, as you come to him in an attitude of gratitude? Who are like Tychius and Onesimus in your life?