Tuesday December 24, 2013
Colossians 4:7-17

Did you send some Christmas cards this year? Maybe you wrote a Christmas letter to bring everyone up to date on the events of your family. Or perhaps you sent an email with photos of the kids. It might be a Facebook post, a Tweet, or a hand written message of love. Whatever your style of communication, this is a great season to be in touch with friends and family.

That is exactly what the Apostle Paul is doing as he closes his letter to the Colossians. He reminds them of previous relationships and brings to memory those who are faithfully serving the Lord. He lists people that are known and some that the people will meet somewhere down the road.

There is Tychicus who brings the news about the life of Paul. And Onesimus will arrive at a later date. He has been faithful to the Lord while serving as a slave. Aristarchus has been incarcerated along with Paul under house arrest. Mark (of gospel fame) will also arrive. Justus and Epaphras send greetings and prayers along with Luke (another gospel writer) the physician. Demas and Nympha also add blessing to the group.

The names on your Christmas card list will be different. You will write to your family, coworkers, friends, and even colleagues in ministry. But the message will be the same…be in relationship with other believers, encourage one another, and stay in touch with the Lord.

And, by the way, “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.”

Week Four / Chapter Four:

Colossians 4:6 NIV
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Missional Prayer Focus For Today:
Please pray for our sisters and brothers who will join us tonight for Christmas Eve Worship. We will know many of them! And, thanks be to God, that we will have the opportunity to be in ministry with many whom we do not yet know. Pray that God will use us to demonstrate hospitality and that we would all know the blessing of the season.