Archippus

Descipleship

17Tell Archippus, “See to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, so that you may fulfill it.”

– Colossians 4:17
(NASB® © 2020)

In chapter four of the epistle to the Colossians, Paul names various people he sends greetings to or who have greetings for the Colossians.  He, also names various characteristics that particularly distinguish these people, such as their faithfulness or dedication to the Lord.  Today we want to think about a brother, Archippus, to whom a brief but very important message is conveyed.  So we’ll read Colossians 4:17: “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it!”

Archippus is also mentioned as one of those addressed in Paul’s letter to Philemon (v.2). Maybe he was a brother or son of Philemon.  In any case, he was a gifted man that God had used there.  He was a servant of the Lord, and Paul in his letter to the whole assembly in Colosse gives this servant a personal message.  The message to him contains 3 important parts that we would like to take a closer look at.

  1. The first message is: “Take heed to the ministry“!  Each of us has a ministry.  No one is exempt, old or young, woman or man — the Lord would like to use everyone in his service.  It is important that we do not lose sight of this service.  What matters to us is not what another’s ministry is — our focus is on our personal service to the Lord.
    There are several things that can prevent us from focusing on the service we have received.  It can be people who demotivate us or even actively work against the ministry.  Or there are circumstances that make the service difficult to carry out.  Maybe for Archippus there was a risk that he no longer took the service assigned to him so seriously, or that he might give it up.
  2. It is especially important to point out that Archippus had received the service from the Lord.  That is the second point in the message addressed to him.  Every ministry is received from the Lord and not appointed by the congregation or by any human ordination!  And whoever exercises a ministry is solely responsible to the one who gave him (or her) the ministry.  When we keep reassuring ourselves that we have received our ministry from the Lord, it gives us strength and joy to carry it out.
  3. The third point in the message is: “that you may fulfill it“!  How important it is that we faithfully perform the service that the Lord has entrusted to us.  It is good to start out diligently, but faithfulness while continuing to serve is especially valuable to the Lord.  As long as the Lord leaves us here on earth, He has tasks for us.  It does not matter how much these ministries are recognised by men, but faithfulness in regards to the Lord is crucial.

May the Lord use these words to bring forth a new zeal and faithfulness to do what he has asked us to do.  The moment will come when the time to work for Him will end. It seems like this moment will be very soon.  But until then, let us encourage ourselves with the words: Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it!

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