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Col 4:7-11 - Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;…
9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. 10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. Col 4:12 - Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers,… Col 4:14 - Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings… NASU
Tychicus was described as a beloved brother, faithful servant and fellow bond-servant. When you dig into the words a little we find "beloved" comes from "agapao" and this is the love that God has for His Son Jesus: John 3:35 - "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand." Tychicus was loved by Paul and the Colossian Christians with the same type of love God had for Jesus. As Christians, we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ with this same type of love. This basically means we are to help them in any way that we can. It was also said the he was a faithful servant. We find this can also be translated "faithful minister". The Greek word for minister is "diakonos" and this is where our English word "deacon" comes from and it means "to be a waiter or one who runs errands". You get the picture that Tychicus was interested in one thing and that was helping or serving in anyway possible. He ministered to the needs of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is writing this letter while in Rome under house arrest. Tychicus is going to deliver this letter to them from Paul. Tychicus would be able to encourage them by letting them know about Paul's situation and life condition. I have listed below some of the other names mentioned in Colossians. Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother: he was the run away slave we read about in the book of Philemon. He is here called "faithful" and "beloved brother". In some way Onesimus lived his faith and the apostle lets us know he is seen as "faithful" to the Word of God and because of how he lived he was "loved" with the same type of love God had for Jesus. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner: was a traveling companion of Paul. In Acts 19 the angry mob drag him out of the theater with Gaius. In Acts 20 we see him traveling with Paul to Macedonia. In Acts 27 we see him board the ship with Paul that is headed to Rome where Paul will stand trial before Caesar. This ship will encounter a catastrophic storm and be destroyed. This will leave Paul and his traveling companions, Aristarchus being one of them, stranded on an island. When Paul arrives in Rome Aristarchus will be with him. One can see it was dangerous being an associate of the apostle Paul's. Jesus who is called Justus; fellow worker: he would have helped Paul in spreading the gospel. Epaphras, a bondslave of Jesus Christ: he saw himself as one who was owned by Jesus Christ and he lived according to this belief. He saw himself alive to serve Jesus. Luke, the beloved physician: it would be my opinion that Luke used his medical skill's to help many people as he traveled with Paul. In Philemon Luke is also called a fellow-worker, but most importantly in 2 Timothy Paul says everyone has departed to other areas of the world with the exception of Luke who is still with him while he is being held as a prisoner (house arrest) in Rome.
Would we be called a faithful servant, fellow worker, bond servant of Jesus Christ, fellow prisoner, beloved physician, nurse, accountant, mechanic, or whatever your occupation is or was? There is a saying in the sporting arena and it goes like this: It doesn't matter how you start. It matters how you finish. Let me encourage you to finish strong. If you started strong and have slacked off put that behind you and finish strong. Think About These: The man who really wants to do something finds a way; the other man finds an excuse. If you have an excuse, don't use it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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1 Corinthians 15:53-57 - For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written,
"DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NASU
After He died He was resurrected by God the Father because He never sinned and it wasn't right that death should conquer Him. Paul is informing us that two things are going to happen to us as a Christian person when we physically die. First, we are going to physically go through a change. As of right now we have a body that is "perishable." The Greek word for "perishable" means capable of decaying. I am sure you won't get any argument from anyone 35 years old or older about the effects of aging. We are decaying, or in other words, we are not able to do what we did when we were 18 or 21 years of age and that is a fact. But we have a body that is coming that will allow us to never decay, age or lose our vitality. Second, we are going to become immortal. This means we will never die again. The Greek word for immortal is "athanasia" which means "no death or deathlessness." You may recognize the word "euthanasia" which means "a good death." The word "eu" in Greek means "good or well" and is used as a prefix in many English words. Another word is "eulogy" or good words spoken about a person at a funeral. Paul is able to mock death because he views death as a defeated enemy. You and I can mock death if we will have faith in Jesus Christ.
We can receive this "victory" by being "in Christ." The Greek word for "victory" is a very popular word and one I am sure you'll recognize. It is the word "Nike." The shoe manufacturer's name means "victory or victorious." When Nike started their company they saw themselves as being "victorious" in business. My question for you is this, "How do you see yourself when you will meet death face to face?" Do you see yourself getting the "Nike" or "Victory"? If you have faith in Jesus Christ you can be as assured as the Apostle Paul that when you meet death "face to face" the "Nike" will be yours.
John says, in 1 John 5:4-5 -For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NASU Have you been "born of God" or been "born again"? John 3:3-7 - Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' NASU I was born again March 2, 1975 when I went down into a watery grave (aka- baptism) and was resurrected to walk in newness of life. Baptism is a transliterated word from the Greek. The translation of this Greek word is "immerse". I hope you will be "victorious" in this life by being able to defeat death when you meet it face to face. You can be "Nike". Think About This: The only thing worse than growing old is to be denied the privilege. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word I Kings 18:43-45 - He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s
hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ ” In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. NASU
Having people not believe in your dreams is a commonplace experience. In our text above Elijah had a vision or a dream where the Word of the Lord came to him. In this vision God had told him that it was going to rain: 1 Kings 18:1- Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth." NASU Now, no one else knew it was going to rain. Everyone had been programmed to believe it wasn't going to rain because it hadn't rained in over three years. In verse 41, Elijah could hear and see a storm coming. While Elijah was on Mt. Carmel he knows a storm is coming but only he is able to see and hear it. He says to his servant (vs.43) “go…look towards the sea.” The servant does as Elijah said, but when he returns he informs him he saw nothing. They go through this ritual six times and each time his answer is the same, “There is nothing.” Imagine going through this same routine six times and coming back with the same answer, “There is nothing.” Elijah’s servant was not able to see what Elijah saw. God said (vs.1) that He was sending rain and Elijah believed him and he could see the rain coming. He didn’t see it physically but he saw it spiritually.
So what are you to do when you can see what no one else can see? You keep on displaying your faith in what you believe. At least that is what Elijah did and on the seventh time, his servant came back with a different answer, a "don’t get your hopes up too high" answer. He says, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand…” The servant doesn’t have much faith in this little cloud. In fact, he says it is a “small” cloud. It is only the size of a man’s hand. Now if you think about that for a moment, physically speaking, that size of a cloud isn’t going to do much. That is what makes this story all the more fascinating.
You might have a vision or a dream and you have shared it with your family or friends and they all think you are “crazy” or worse yet: they even call you a “dreamer”. All I can say is keep believing or having faith in your dreams. This is how to keep your dreams alive. Elijah did and in the end, he was right and they were wrong. You may be the small cloud and God is going to do great things with you. Don't stop believing you are partnering with God. Think About These: Small minds are the first to criticize large ideas. If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Luke 2:15 -16 - When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." NASU
I send this Pump Up out every year at this time for all my new subscribers. I have made some updates to it this year. May you have a very Merry Christmas.
What some may not know is the meaning of Bethlehem. It means "house of bread." Jesus was the Bread of Life or the Bread of God that came from the "house of bread" to give spiritual life to the world. John 6:33 - "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:41 - So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” John 6:48 - "I am the bread of life." John 6:51 - "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus was and is the Bread of Life. If you are spiritually hungry Jesus is the One who can take away all of your hunger pains. If you have been wondering "What is my purpose?" Then look to Jesus for your answers.
The sheep were offered on the altar were special as they were sheep without a blemish. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said this about Him. John 1:29 - The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John saw Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and this Lamb was born in Bethlehem where a lot of other lambs were born and would sacrifice their blood. But only the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, could totally atone for the sins of mankind. I hope and pray you have allowed the blood of Jesus to wash away your sins.
Please don't forget many years ago the Bread of Life, Jesus, and the Lamb of God, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem. This all happened so that we could be fed spiritually and our sins could be atoned for by the Blood of the Lamb, which is Jesus. What greater gift could anyone receive? Truly, Jesus is the Gift that keeps on giving. Think About These: Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and receive without forgetting. The Christmas season is only as meaningful as we make it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Heb.2:17 - For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
You will read it on signs in people’s front lawns, you can read it in store windows, and on Christmas cards. But is Jesus the reason for the season? I think not. Now I am sure I have some people’s attention now. I did a communion meditation using this topic. I laid out my premise this way. I asked, “How good is your imagination?” If we go all the way back to Adam and Eve and come forward in time and imagine if you can that every person who had ever lived did exactly what God wanted them to do. In other words, no one ever sinned. We all lived according to God’s laws. Would there be the need of a sacrifice? The answer is “No”.
The Greek word “logos” when translated means “word”. Would the “word” have to come to earth if man had never sinned? The answer again is no. The Heb. 2:17 passage informs us the “word” became flesh so that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Paul said it this way in 1 Timothy 1:15 - "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,..." Jesus' purpose for coming was to save sinners. Like I said "If there were not any sinners He wouldn't have had to come."
If man had never sinned there would be no reason for a Savior. BUT since mankind has sinned there is a need for a Savior so the reason for the season is “the sins of man”.
Would the “logos” have come to earth and put on flesh and become a sacrifice for you? The answer is “Yes” He would do that for you. Why would He do that for you? The answer is because the “logos” loves you and He wants the best for you. You are the reason for the season. I hope you will go and be a blessing in someone’s life today. Think About This: The real reason for the season is so God could save sinful man (John 3:16). The dreams of your future should motivate you more than the history of your past. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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