Refreshing Stories of the New Testament - Epaphras

Gary Boyd

Refreshing Stories from the Bible • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Colossians 1:7–8 KJV 1900

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Colossians 4:12–13 KJV 1900

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 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Introduction

We talked last week about ministering to others.

Who was Epaphras?

A fellow-servant of Paul.

We don’t much about Epaphras.

We wouldn’t know anything about him if it weren’t for the 4 verses that talk about, or sum up, his life and ministry.

A lack of information does not equal an insignificant contribution, however.

Too often we think that the gospel has moved across the face of the earth through the zeal, passion, and commitment of superstar Christians like Paul.

In reality it is the anonymous, unnoticed servants that God has used to perpetuate His mission.

Paul knew this.

In his letters Paul mentions several people that helped him.

14 fellowworkers

4 fellow prisoners

2 fellow soldiers

2 fellow servants/slaves

1 yokefellow

Epaphras and, I believe, Timothy were those fellow servants.

A slave or servant was not in control of their own lives.

They were subject to the will of their master.

They were motivated by pleasing their master, not in making a name for themselves.

Epaphras exemplified that life, and sought to promote it in the lives of his brothers and sisters.

Most commentators believe that Paul had never even been to Colossae.

That means that Epaphras was the minister but also, likely the founder of the church in Colossae.

Epaphras loved and served Jesus.

But, he didn’t want to do it alone.

No Christian should try to serve God alone.

We all need fellowship.

Epaphras believed that the local church was the means by which saints could work together and find community.

What kind of example did Epaphras set?

He loved the people that he ministered to.

He was passionate about teaching.

Paul writes that the Colossians had “learned” from Epaphras.

Epaphras wasn’t like some in Christendom that abandoned those they lead to Christ.

Epaphras was obedient to the great commission as he sought to teach people to observe all the things Jesus had taught.

The greek word for “learned” in verse 7 is closely related to the greek word for disciple.

When Jesus said “learn of me” he used this same word.

This didn’t have to be through preaching a sermon.

It was more likely accomplished through individual conversations.

One on ones over a meal or while working together.

Epaphras had taught the people of his church.

He was passionate about praying for his people.

Epaphras’ prayers model a pattern for us to follow when we pray for each other.

His prayers were consistent, fervent, personal, and direct.

We can see the fervency of Epaphras’ prayers.

Fervency refers to the act of agonizing over something.

It’s a word that would be used to describe an athlete that is in pain because of exertion.

As they push through that pain to win the competition they agonize.

This is how Paul describes the prayers of Epaphras.

No doubt, Paul and Epaphras had prayed together and Paul had heard, firsthand, the energy in Epaphras’ prayers.

Epaphras was passionate because of the directness of his prayers.

He was so concerned for the people he loved and ministered to.

He wanted them to stay firmly established in the truth.

The gospel is a complete worldview.

It is perfect.

We do not need to supplement or add to it.

If we will live our lives from the standpoint of the gospel, we will be able to stand.

That’s what Epaphras was praying for.

He was concerned for the spiritual protection of his church.

The church at Colossae was facing attacks from performance-based religion.

As was common, in their day, the Judaizers were trying to incorporate the law into the gospel.

Epaphras was so concerned about his church that he travelled to Rome seeking counsel.

Paul understood the dangers facing the Colossians.

It’s why he twice commends their pastor to them.

Instead of following after these people with no investment in them, they needed to remember who was actually there for them.

Epaphras had led them to the Lord.

He had discipled them.

He worked hard to teach them God’s word.

The Colossians would be foolish to turn their backs on that to follow the false teachers that were calling to them.

Paul says “I bear him record.”

This means that Paul had witnessed with his own eyes the ministry of Epaphras.

Epaphras loved the people that God had made him responsible for.

He wanted to protect them like a good shepherd.

Any man that doesn’t love the people of his church and desire to protect them has no business serving as a pastor.

He was burdened for the region where he lived.

This is seen at the end of Paul’s mention of Epaphras.

He says that Epaphras has a great zeal for the Colossians, but also for the people of Laodicea and Hierapolis.

That word zeal carries with it the idea of something that causes great pain.

This leads most commentators to believe that Epaphras not only started the church in Colossae but also these other two cities.

Colossae was 16 miles from Hierapolis and only 6 miles from Laodicea.

This tells men that Epaphras had a local heart.

He wasn’t looking to become a noted, traveling preacher.

His life and energies were expended on the region where he lived.

He wanted to see his community and his neighbors receive the gospel.

Epaphras’ love for his community and for God energized him to serve both through prayer and discipleship.

Application

Last week, I asked you to imagine what would happen if the people of the Baptist Tabernacle bought into a vision of the church that was bigger than themselves?

Tonight, we build on that by asking you to consider, what would happen if we discovered a greater love for God and our community?

What if we didn’t wait for someone with a recognizable name or position to come along and reach our community for us?

What if we adopted our own city…neighborhood…street…department, and sought to reach them the way Epaphras reached his community.

Well, I don’t really know how to do that, or what it looks like.

It’s here in the passage.

Teach them about the gospel.

Not through a sermon or even a Bible study.

How about we start with simply demonstrating the love of a Christian for his neighbor.

Invite someone you’re trying to reach into your life.

Let them learn from you by being around you.

Be intentional with your social life.

Make it a tool to reach your community with the gospel.

Epaphras didn’t have to go on a missions trip to tell people about Jesus.

He simply started focusing on his city…and then the the neighboring cities.

Do we have a fervent zeal to see people come to Jesus?

Are we okay with their current spiritual condition?

Or, do you have a desire to see you lost friends standing complete in Jesus?

Is your spiritual life so fulfilling and the hope you have so empowering that you just have to share it with others?

Is it inconvenient to invest in others? Yes, it can be.

That’s why Paul talks about Epaphras’ zeal for reaching people.

It meant some pain for him.

If we have that desire, we should be praying for them.

Individually, by name.

Consistently until God answers.

Direct and specific for what you want to see happen.

What would happen if we fell more in love with Jesus and our community?

Imagine coming to church some Sunday.

You walk in and you’re greeted by your neighbor who you prayed for and invested in.

You find your seat in the auditorium after greeting the other people in attendance.

Before you know it, your coworker and his wife come and sit down behind you.

You had invited them to church, they’ve been coming, and will probably join soon.

You don’t have to have a position of a name that is known.

You can be like Epaphras and make a difference in God’s mission by loving Jesus and loving your community.