I wrote back in August 2020 about Colossians 4.17:
And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
I wrote a couple of days ago about Paul’s letter to Philemon, verses 1 and 2:
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house…
I argued two years ago that each of us has received a ministry from the Lord, and we need to fulfill it. It needn’t be considered a “spiritual ministry.” I just now put two and two together: one of the ministries of Archippus was hosting the church. We don’t know that he was even an elder. He just had a big-enough house to host the people when they met. Why would you need encouragement for a ministry like that?
Have you ever hosted a small group in your home? It’s fun at first, but then it gets tiresome. There is work involved! You can’t even opt-out of a meeting!
What about the brother I wrote about yesterday? I’m sure it’s fun to get written up in your alumni magazine, but what Rick Hagans did was hard work! Running a home for men on the street and another home for homeless women and children is no mean feat.
The lesson remains: God gives us something to do. It’s our job to do it, day in, day out. One of my ministries is the daily Ewellogy. Thanks for reading! It’s fun to write, but it’s also daily. So Paul’s word to Archippus encourages me, also.
And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” (Colossians 4.17, ESV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…(Colossians 3.23, ESV)
Good reminder, Bob. I will forward this to a brother who is ‘growing weary in well-doing.’
At times I am the one in need of the reminder. For over four years I have met almost weekly with a Muslim friend. Since he was raised in a non-Christian culture, his truth-seeking journey is different and longer than I expected. My love for him has grown, but occasionally I wonder why I continue to meet with him. Then, invariably, the next time we meet our conversation reminds me of his deep desire to know what is real. If we can see any evidence at all of God at work in a soul, our weariness should vanish. That happened to me the day he said, “The source behind the universe has a purpose… I am looking for the source. I must relate my life story to that source.”
Today when I quoted the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13), my friend recalled a similar phrase in the Koran, and we acknowledged our common quest.
Some may wonder why I, an apprentice of Jesus for several decades, call myself a seeker. A.W. Tozer answers that: “To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily satisfied religionist.” (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God)
Good, thoughtful comment and encouragement to me. Thank you, David.