Colossians 4:7-18

(Colossians 4:7-18)

All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. 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.  For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.  And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

“Tychicus will tell you all about my circumstances”, Tychicus is a very important partner in Paul's evangelical work, and is the one who was primarily responsible for spreading Paul's message to each church. He also delivered Paul's letters directly to several churches, including Ephesians, Philemon, and Colossians. To deliver the Colossians, it was a journey from Rome in Italy to Colossae in Turkey. But Tychicus wasn't just going to deliver letters.『Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts』Tychicus knew the meaning of the entire work of the apostle Paul, and was able to become a messenger of Paul by knowing the situation and heart of the apostle. Paul thought he would give all his circumstances and give comfort to the Colossians.

 『 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. 』 One person who went with Tychicus is Onesimus. Onesimus, accompanied by Tychicus, was in a special situation. Onesimo is a servant who has fled from Philemon's house, an important figure of the Colossians Church, who needs to convey a letter now. Escaped Onesimus, who fled to Rome, a metropolis, somehow became acquainted with the apostle Paul, who was house arrested in Rome. Then he heard the gospel and became a faithful worker of the Lord. Paul sent a letter to Tychicus in Colossians and wrote another letter. That is Philemon. It was sent to Philemon in the hand of Onesimus. It is to forgive Onesimus and accept him as a brother, not a servant. Paul knows how difficult it is for Onesimus to return, but he is returning it to their owner. Onesimus would have been in Paul's ministry with the feelings of the debtor for the rest of his life.

 『 They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas 』 When Paul preached in Macedonia, Arithago heard the gospel preached by Paul. Then, after believing in Jesus, he immediately accompanied Paul, although Paul's missionary journey was a series of hard and intense hardships, but Arisgo became a loyal partner without ever leaving Paul after following him.

When Paul preached the gospel in Ephesus, there was a great history that many people believe and are saved. Then, the merchants who made and sold female idols sued Paul. At this time, Paul avoids the crisis in some way, but Arithago, who was with him, is caught and beaten. However, after being beaten, Arithago continued to follow Paul to Jerusalem. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. When Paul was taken to Rome as a prisoner, Arithago still went with Paul. He himself would have been a prisoner. The ship that was seizing Paul met the rage of Yuragulla. The Acts says that there was an Arithago on the ship amidst the terrible typhoon where people died. And when he arrived in Rome and Paul was under house arrest, Arithago was still locked up with Paul. Arithago could have been free as much as possible, but was trapped with Paul and helped him.

Paul said that he and Ephabra were greeting the Colossians. Evabra was a pioneer of the Colossae Church and a pastor who led the church. According to Philemon, it was said that this Evabra was locked up with Paul. After visiting Paul, he was locked up for some reason. So, Colossae Church was worried. "Luke, the doctor who is loved, and Dema greet you." Dema also appears in Philemon 1:24.『Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.』
Among those whom Paul was proud and regarded as God's faithful worker was Dema. Paul was under house arrest in Rome. And after two years of freedom, he went on the fourth evangelism tour. In the days of Emperor Nero, where Christians were severely persecuted, the Apostle Paul was arrested again and put in prison. Stuck in a damp, dark dungeon, Paul sent his last letter to his beloved Timothy. In 2 Timothy 4:10-12『 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 』

This dema left Paul in the most difficult time and left for Thessalonica. The reason was that he loved the world. Dema did not follow Jesus, but followed Paul. Then things got worse, and Dema left Paul. At the time of Paul's writing of the Colossians, the apostle Paul had no prediction of Dema's apostasy. Paul did not doubt that Dema would follow the Lord faithfully like other co-workers. But Dema left. In 1 John 2:15 『 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 』