Archippus
Having named seven worthy companions, plus Demas, Paul has a greeting and a word for two people in the churches of Colosse and Laodicea. One is Nymphas, about whom we know nothing, apart from the fact that a congregation somewhere met in his house.
The other is Archippus (called a fellow soldier in Philemon). The message for him borders on the blunt: ‘And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
What has he done, or what is he not doing that he should be doing? It is likely that Archippus served as pastor in the church meeting in the house of Philemon (Philemon 2). Some say he was Philemon’s son, set aside for the ministry of the Word.
What is the matter with him? Is he lacklustre? I believe it is something like this. He is an earnest young man who loves the Lord, and truly wants to serve him, but Paul seems to say, ‘Why don’t you get on with it?’ Perhaps he is not preaching the Gospel as he should be, tirelessly bringing in the lost and teaching the people. Something is distracting him, so we will call him Archippus, the distracted.
You see it today, even in the ministry. I know of a most able pastor who wrote a number of edifying books, and very long ones, while his church fell to pieces. He became distracted, and stopped evangelising. His writing totally engaged his emotional energies. His chosen field may have been good, but it took his time and attention from his primary ministry.
I can think of one or two ministers who have been chairmen of numerous missionary societies and other boards, but as they travelled here and there to chair this and that important meeting, their churches lay at death’s door, with no increase.
These brethren have been sound, but sound asleep. Perhaps they needed the apostle to say to them, ‘Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
Our motto should be – First things first. There is much to do; there are souls to win; there are people to build up, and we should be doing those things. I am not speaking about pastors who are distracted by sinful things, and worldly things, but some who have been distracted by secondary activities. Something else, however worthwhile, has interested them and taken their attention from their most important calling.
Only recently a missionary was telling me that there is a tendency in some lands for new missionaries to be planting Bible colleges before they have developed a single credible church, before they have opened a Sunday School. Paul says to Archippus – First things first, and get on with it.
It is not only ministers who may be distracted. Years ago I knew a young man who was conspicuously poor at being involved in any Christian service, but he was busy writing a 500-page book telling other Christians how they should live. The apostle’s word to him would certainly have been – ‘Take heed to your share of the labour commitment to your local church.’
Are we distracted by other things? We hear that some professing Christians spend weeks and weeks planning their holiday travel, rather than serving the Lord, while others devote all their spare time to home or hobby or sport. Perhaps some reader who sincerely loves the Lord errs in the wavering of his direction, and needs this same word – ‘Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
We think that this word transformed Archippus the distracted, and galvanised him for years to come.
Most of the companions of Paul were marvellously committed people and we can learn so much from them. Think of Tychicus with his true servant spirit. O, to be like him – all for Christ and entirely at his disposal. Then think of Onesimus, a trophy of grace; a completely changed young man. May our own transformation at conversion last, and our graces grow and flourish.
Think of Aristarchus – so sacrificial. Today we are not called upon to become voluntary prisoners. All our sacrifices are so much easier to make, and we should make them gladly. Think of Mark, the conqueror, who overcame his weaknesses by the power of the Lord. There is hope for us, for we can all make progress for Christ.
Think of Justus the evangelist who so encouraged Paul. What do we do, by way of individual or corporate witness, for Christ? Think of Epaphras the interceder. Would British churches be declining if we were more like him?
And what of Luke, Paul’s armour bearer, who, for all his outstanding education and abilities, willingly took a supportive role, and received the privilege of human authorship of Luke and Acts? How we need his humility and vision for teamwork!
Only Demas the unstable disappoints, his experience calling us to self-examination. And lastly Archippus the distracted, who needed firm direction to order his priorities aright.
Paul’s epistles are all so pastoral that even the greetings are a blessing to us, if we heed them.
Having named seven worthy companions, plus Demas, Paul has a greeting and a word for two people in the churches of Colosse and Laodicea. One is Nymphas, about whom we know nothing, apart from the fact that a congregation somewhere met in his house.
The other is Archippus (called a fellow soldier in Philemon). The message for him borders on the blunt: ‘And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
What has he done, or what is he not doing that he should be doing? It is likely that Archippus served as pastor in the church meeting in the house of Philemon (Philemon 2). Some say he was Philemon’s son, set aside for the ministry of the Word.
What is the matter with him? Is he lacklustre? I believe it is something like this. He is an earnest young man who loves the Lord, and truly wants to serve him, but Paul seems to say, ‘Why don’t you get on with it?’ Perhaps he is not preaching the Gospel as he should be, tirelessly bringing in the lost and teaching the people. Something is distracting him, so we will call him Archippus, the distracted.
You see it today, even in the ministry. I know of a most able pastor who wrote a number of edifying books, and very long ones, while his church fell to pieces. He became distracted, and stopped evangelising. His writing totally engaged his emotional energies. His chosen field may have been good, but it took his time and attention from his primary ministry.
I can think of one or two ministers who have been chairmen of numerous missionary societies and other boards, but as they travelled here and there to chair this and that important meeting, their churches lay at death’s door, with no increase.
These brethren have been sound, but sound asleep. Perhaps they needed the apostle to say to them, ‘Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
Our motto should be – First things first. There is much to do; there are souls to win; there are people to build up, and we should be doing those things. I am not speaking about pastors who are distracted by sinful things, and worldly things, but some who have been distracted by secondary activities. Something else, however worthwhile, has interested them and taken their attention from their most important calling.
Only recently a missionary was telling me that there is a tendency in some lands for new missionaries to be planting Bible colleges before they have developed a single credible church, before they have opened a Sunday School. Paul says to Archippus – First things first, and get on with it.
It is not only ministers who may be distracted. Years ago I knew a young man who was conspicuously poor at being involved in any Christian service, but he was busy writing a 500-page book telling other Christians how they should live. The apostle’s word to him would certainly have been – ‘Take heed to your share of the labour commitment to your local church.’
Are we distracted by other things? We hear that some professing Christians spend weeks and weeks planning their holiday travel, rather than serving the Lord, while others devote all their spare time to home or hobby or sport. Perhaps some reader who sincerely loves the Lord errs in the wavering of his direction, and needs this same word – ‘Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.’
We think that this word transformed Archippus the distracted, and galvanised him for years to come.
Most of the companions of Paul were marvellously committed people and we can learn so much from them. Think of Tychicus with his true servant spirit. O, to be like him – all for Christ and entirely at his disposal. Then think of Onesimus, a trophy of grace; a completely changed young man. May our own transformation at conversion last, and our graces grow and flourish.
Think of Aristarchus – so sacrificial. Today we are not called upon to become voluntary prisoners. All our sacrifices are so much easier to make, and we should make them gladly. Think of Mark, the conqueror, who overcame his weaknesses by the power of the Lord. There is hope for us, for we can all make progress for Christ.
Think of Justus the evangelist who so encouraged Paul. What do we do, by way of individual or corporate witness, for Christ? Think of Epaphras the interceder. Would British churches be declining if we were more like him?
And what of Luke, Paul’s armour bearer, who, for all his outstanding education and abilities, willingly took a supportive role, and received the privilege of human authorship of Luke and Acts? How we need his humility and vision for teamwork!
Only Demas the unstable disappoints, his experience calling us to self-examination. And lastly Archippus the distracted, who needed firm direction to order his priorities aright.
Paul’s epistles are all so pastoral that even the greetings are a blessing to us, if we heed them.
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