Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Paul was a great apostle - he fought the good fight
• Paul is here speaking about many of his friends
• It is encouraging what Paul writes about these people
• Not independence but inter-dependence
• Our church is not an island
• Danger of becoming suspicious of others
• Danger of lacking balance
• Danger of missing out on the wider fellowship of the Church
• The churches in the New Testament were often dependant on each other
• Tychicus was a man who would often stand in at different churches
• Epaphras probably founded the church in Colossiae (v12)
• He probably didn't pastor all three churches but visited them (v13)
• The letter for Laodicea was likely a circular letter (v16), which was also for the Ephesians
• A letter for Philemon

What does it mean

• We are part of the Association of Evangelical Churches of Wales (AECW) and part of a local cluster of churches
• Fellowship can only exist when people have embraced the gospel
• There may be difficulties and heresies that may come in
• Others can help and intervene in such situations
• You cannot have fellowship with churches that deny the authority of the word of God
• You cannot have fellowship where the person of Jesus Christ is denied
• There may be disagreement over lesser issues
• It is about prayer (v12), support and strengthening others
• It is about not holding onto things just for us
• Do we value the benefits of the wider church?
• Spiritual fellowship between Christians

How is it fostered?

• Primarily through Christian character, love for God, love for one another - living for God
• Paul generally worked in teams with others
• Tychicus
• A faithful minister or fellow servant/slave
• Acts 20:4 - Brought a love offering from the gentiles to Jerusalem
• Tit 3:12 - Often travelling
• 2 Tim 4:12 - Replaces Timothy in Ephesus
• These sought of people really help foster fellowship between churches
• Onesimus
• A beloved brother
• Not described as a minister or brother - hasn't been proved in gospel ministry
• Paul does not mention anything about his past
• He had fallen but God has restored him - we should not mention peoples failings
• Is not mentioned as being a slave - we are one [unified] in the church
• Mark
• Paul does not mention his failure to come on an earlier journey with him (v10)
• No distinction between Christians
• Aristarchus, Mark, Justus - Jews
• Epaphras, Luke and Demas - Gentiles
• The gathering of different Christians from different nationalities promotes inter-dependence
• Aristarchus
• He is a fellow prisoner
• Seems to follow Paul around - is a constant companion
• We need people with us who always support us
• Mark
• Welcome him - Paul remembers how the early church was afraid of himself
• Paul had been reconciled to him - 2 Tim 4:11
• Mark needed time to mature
• God does not write off people as we are prone to do
•  God's grace to
  Aaron, Jonah, Simon-Peter
• Jesus (called Justus)
• Humility of heart to change his name
• Epaphras
• Joined together with Paul in prayer
• Think of Jacob wrestling all night in prayer
• Has a great zeal for the people of God

What are the benefits of inter-dependence?

• Mutual encouragement
• Greetings (v14-15)
• Demas and Luke - perhaps Demas was starting to drift (cf 2 Tim 4:10)
• We must maintain our fellowship
• Comfort (v8, v11)
• Stirring each other up (v17 - Archippus)

Closing comments