Colossians 1:7-8 "For the Common Good"

Read Colossians 1:7-8.

"You learned it from Epaphras...." NIV

Yesterday, I accidentally included vs. 7 in the reading. I really must stop and cover 7-8. It may at first read appear to be not much, but there are some very important leadership principles to be learned here.

First of all, who is Epaphras? It is assumed that he was a former pagan. His name is short for Epaphroditus which comes from "Aphrodite" the Greek goddess of love. He obviously heard about Jesus, maybe from Paul's missionary journeys, and became a church planter and evangelist himself. I love when the passion of Christ so grabs a heart that they can do nothing else but work for the kingdom. Now that doesn't negate the work the rest of us non-career ministers are doing. We are all ministers of the Gospel. But there is a special anointing on God's pastors. He has placed a heavy burden on their shoulders, and they are faithful to carry it. Epaphras chose to not only leave his former life and follow Christ, but he became a burden-bearer as well.

Paul calls Epaphras a "fellow prisoner."(Phm 23) Whether he means that literally or figuratively, Paul is placing Epaphras on equal grounds as a minister of the Gospel. Look at the cooperative spirit happening with Paul's writing. Epaphras was probably the founder of this church in Colosse. He tells Paul about the heresy problem the church was happening. Paul, as a fellow servant and minister, writes to Epaphras' church to encourage and admonish them. I love the working-together attitude here. We have all seen that sometimes outside voices can say the very same thing you are saying, but your people suddenly hear the newcomer. My husband loves when someone else comes into our church and speaks on tithing. They just affirm everything he has been saying, and some people will receive it better from an outsider. It's the body of Christ being the body. Everyone doing what they do best so we are all doing our best for the Kingdom of God. Jealousies, pettiness, competition, and pride is set aside for the greater good.

And it's because of Epaphras' faithfulness that the church in Colosse is loving "in the Spirit" of the living God. Because he stepped out in faith, we will be worshipping with Colossians in heaven. Isn't that amazing? The steadfast work of a leader draws others to the throne of the Almighty.

Further Thoughts:

1. Are you a leader? Are there principles here that you need to work on?
2. Find Scripture that supports the body working together for the common good of the Gospel. (i.e. Ephesians 4:16)
3. Is there someone you need to help become a better leader? Paul not only was there for his fellow servants like Epaphras, but he also reproduced himself through mentoring. Who will be your replacement when you are gone?

Joseph: Genesis 47:1-31 "Joseph's Calling"

Read Genesis 47:1-31.

"So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property...." NIV

You can't read this and not be amazed at where Joseph has come to date. He began as a lowly shepherd boy -- granted, spoiled by his father -- but of lowly birth in Canaan. Now he has risen to a powerful position in another country and is saving the people from starvation. Oh, to have a Joseph in the United States right now. Someone to clearly see the need and meet the needs of the people. Is the plight of the Canaanites and the Egyptians where we are heading? Will we come to drastic measures to survive? It's possible. But as God had made sure Joseph was in the right place at the right time to do His work, so God will have His people taken care of in His timing and His way. Many of us already feel that God is allowing the difficulties of today stir in the hearts of the people of the church to actually be the people again. Maybe we are the Joseph they are looking for....

Although the Canaanites, I'm sure, felt terribly abandoned by their God, He'd never stopped working on their behalf. Here they were in a foreign land, starving, forced to sell the land they had been given and their service to Egypt for food. The promised land must have seemed very far away, and it was in human eyes. But in the eyes of the Almighty and His power. the promised land was merely a step away. God had some lessons to teach His people that required they begin in slavery.

How often do we feel like God is far away? Maybe we don't think He hears us or even cares about what's happening to us. But He never leaves us alone. His actions are always in step with His plan. If we have to endure hardship, it's because there are lessons to be learned and good will prevail in the end if we are faithful. His greatest desire is for us to love and trust Him in obedience. That's it. All the good and bad in life is secondary to loving and trusting our Father.

Joseph knew that. He had seen good times and bad ones. He wasn't living where he belonged, so God brought his family to him. He wasn't living the life he was supposed to be living, so God raised him up to second in all of Egypt. Sometimes, what doesn't make any sense to us is exactly what is needed to fulfill the Father's plan.

Trust and obey

For there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you feel very far from your promised land? Either God has some lessons for you to learn, or maybe He's redefining your promised land.
   
2. Has the church become lazy? How can we be the Joseph our nation so desperately needs?
   

Joseph: Genesis 40:1-41:1 "Serving in the Dungeon"

Read Genesis 40:1-41:1.

“The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.” NIV

Joseph is still in prison when the king’s cupbearer and baker are put in the same place, and Joseph is given the task to take care of them. After they had been there a while, they each have a dream the same night and want someone to interpret it. Joseph says only God can and listens to their dreams. In three days the cupbearer will be restored to his position, and the baker will be executed. All Joseph asks for his help with the interpretations is that the baker will remember him and help to get his release. But the baker forgot him.

We have several lessons we can glean from this passage. One, God will still give us jobs to do in places we never expected to be used. Joseph did not choose or deserve to be in prison let alone in Egypt. These things had all been unjustly imposed upon him. Joseph even pleads this case to the cupbearer. Yet, even under these conditions, God’s plan was at work, and He needed Joseph’s obedience. Joseph could have really shut down by this point – in despondency, depression, or anger at God. But instead, he remains faithful to his true Master and continues to serve Him no matter where he is or why he is there.

Secondly, Joseph gives God the glory. He doesn’t claim the ability to interpret dreams so he will get the praise. He gives all the credit to God. Joseph knows where the power comes from even if he may feel powerlessly abandoned by the Powerful. True commitment will eventually override feelings of doubt every time. Trials are going to come, but we must stand firm on the foundation of God’s faithfulness.

No matter how much we serve, sometimes we will be forgotten by the people we are serving. Joseph only asked the cupbearer to remember him when he receives back his official position. Maybe he could help out the man who helped him. But the cupbearer forgot him until two years later. Can you just imagine Joseph sitting day after day in that dungeon for two years wondering if today will be the day he is remembered.

No matter what circumstances we face, no matter how much we serve without recognition, no matter how often we are forgotten by those we serve, the Father never forgets us. In what looks like a hopeless situation God truly is still in control. He sees Joseph’s pain and hurts with him. But the greater good that will come out of this – for Joseph and for the Hebrew nation outweighs the temporary discomfort Joseph must endure. And meanwhile, God is building on Joseph’s character in ways that he will need later.

Further Thoughts:

1. Who else saw God's activity in the dark times?
2. Read the story of Baruch. How is he like Joseph here?
3. Do you have trouble ministering to others through your own dark times? Continue to be faithful. He will be.
4. Are you in a character-building time of your life. Hang on with both hands to the fact that God is still in control.

1 Peter 1:6-9 "Thus Far"

Read 1 Peter 1:6-9.

"In this you greatly rejoice...." NIV

How often in the midst of our trials we forget the things we are rejoicing about. The gold in the furnace is not thinking about how shiny and purified it will be when it's pulled out of the fire. It's thinking about how stinking hot it is in that furnace! It burns, hurts, and seems very unfair to have to undergo that kind of treatment.

That's where our time alone with the Lord comes in -- refocusing on what's outside the furnace. Looking toward the hope ahead and being thankful for what has been done for me through Jesus Christ so I even have a hope. I just don't know how people without Christ do it. Their furnace is forever. They don't have a hope for an end. No sooner do they overcome one trial than another is thrown at them. No wonder so many live without hope or joy. What do they have to be hopeful or joyful about?

But if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus...if somehow when the flames are leaping high, we can just have presence of mind long enough to look to the hills and see our Lord high and lifted up...we can hang on through the trials. He has been faithful before; He will be faithful again, and again, and again.

Look at 1 Samuel 7:12. Samuel takes a stone and sets it up as a testimony to God's faithfulness. He names the stone Ebenezer which means, "stone of help" and says, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." In those times of suffocating trials that seem to never stop coming, I pray that I will remember to set up my Ebenezer and declare, "Thus far has the Lord helped me. And tomorrow, He will help me again. And the next day. And the next day."

My life will never be perfect. In fact, Jesus promised us that it would be difficult. But I have a hope and a joy that have proven faithful to today and will continue tomorrow because I serve a big God, who does big things, and still loves me.

Further Thoughts:

1. Three young men were stuck in a furnace and were not alone. Read the story of the three Hebrew boys in Daniel 3.
2. What were the circumstances that caused Samuel to set up a memorial stone? Maybe you need to set up a physical memorial stone to remind you of God's faithfulness.
3. Find ways to refocus your heart away from your troubles and back on God several times a day. (I set my phone alarm.) It's amazing how taking our eyes off of the problem and putting them on God changes everything. See Psalm 121:1-2.
4. Write a faith list -- how has God been faithful to you to date. What has He already brought you through? Spend time praising Him for those blessings.
5. Write a list of how you have been and will be faithful to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remain faithful.