Zambia Hunt

Guest Contributor: Hector Garcia – Colossians 4:7-18

“Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts. And with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, ‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.’ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

While I was on holiday in December with my family in Mexico, we took the kids to watch a movie at the theater—Sonic 3. You know how it is when you have kids: you don’t watch movies you like anymore. You end up always watching children’s content—Cocomelon and whatever else those little kid videos and movies are. So we watched Sonic, and it was fun and funny.

At the end, as you know, there are credits. Everybody knows the director, right? But we stayed because nowadays, movies often put a scene at the end of all the credits. As we were sitting there, I realized it’s rather boring to see all those names—it’s like 10 minutes of scrolling credits listing who did what. No one really pays attention to those names. If you watch Avatar, everybody knows James Cameron, but no one knows all the photographers, the costume designers, and everyone else who makes the movie great. Everybody knows the director, but behind the scenes, there’s so much happening.

This made me think about how Paul didn’t do the work of ministry alone. He actually had many companions. Most of them we don’t know much about—some are only mentioned once. But they were all instrumental in the work of the Lord. No one can do the work of ministry alone, not even Paul. Although most people are only briefly noted and aren’t well known, they were instrumental. Paul was not a lone ranger; he was the ultimate team player. He constantly gave credit and praised all those who worked with him. The ministry of Paul was successful because he enlisted others to work with him as a team.

Let me share with you several key principles about working together for Christ’s kingdom. These principles emerge from both the overall context of this passage and the specific examples of Paul’s companions.

The Work of Ministry Accomplished by a Team

The Bible mentions approximately 100 people who contributed to Paul’s ministry—both men and women. In the book of Romans alone, 26 people are mentioned as Paul’s co-workers. As we sit here today, we sometimes forget that the work of ministry isn’t done by one person. Paul never thought the work would be done by him alone.

Consider what happens at Kitwe Church weekly: cleaning, setup, opening the church, operating the generator, preparing fuel, creating bulletins and announcements, planning the order of service, music practice and performance, deacon oversight, security, ushering, media and audio-visual support, children’s classes, nursery care, choosing and preparing Sunday school teachers and materials, sermon preparation, and of course, much prayer. This is just a glimpse of what’s involved.

The church needs everyone’s participation. It’s often said that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. This shouldn’t be the case. We have ministries that need help—ushering, deacons, security, nursery care, Sunday school. The work of Christ cannot be done alone.

God Uses Ordinary People

Look at the names mentioned in this passage: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Jesus (also called Justus), Epaphras, Nympha, Demas, and Archippus. Most of these people are unknown to us. We know nothing about Nympha except that a church met in her house. Who was Jesus (called Justus)? Who was Archippus? Yet the Lord knew them all, and they were instrumental behind the scenes in spreading the gospel.

This shows us that if you’re a believer and surrender everything to Christ, He can use you for His glory. You may not be a pastor or a famous evangelist, but God can use anyone. He can use someone who opens their home for church meetings, prepares meals for those in need, or creates opportunities for fellowship.

Ministry Requires Overcoming Cultural Barriers

Notice something remarkable in verses 10-14. Six names are mentioned: three are Jewish (Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus called Justus), and three are Greek (Epaphras, Luke, and Demas). In those days, this kind of cooperation would never happen except through the gospel. Jews and Gentiles typically didn’t associate with each other due to cultural and religious barriers.

Think about our church today. We have members from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Congo, South Africa, Angola, South Sudan, India, Canada, Mexico, America, Peru, Norway, Britain, Mauritius, Ukraine, and China. How is it possible that we’re together? Only because of the gospel of Christ.

Learning from Paul’s Companions

Let’s look at four specific examples of working together for Christ:

Aristarchus: Be Willing to Sacrifice

Aristarchus was Paul’s fellow prisoner who consistently sacrificed for the gospel. In Ephesus, when a mob wanted to seize Paul, Aristarchus stood in his place. He faced angry crowds, survived a shipwreck, and endured imprisonment—all for Christ. His life challenges us to consider what we’re willing to sacrifice for the gospel.

Mark: Forgiveness and Restoration

Mark’s story teaches us about forgiveness and second chances. He initially abandoned Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary journey, causing a rift. Yet later, Paul would write, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). Through forgiveness and restoration, Mark became a great servant of God who even wrote one of the Gospels.

Demas: Stay Faithful to the End

Demas serves as a warning. He started well but later deserted Paul, “in love with this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10). His story reminds us that past faithfulness doesn’t guarantee future perseverance. We must continually guard our hearts against worldly attractions and remain faithful to Christ.

Epaphras: The Power of Prayer

Epaphras shows us the importance of prayer in ministry. He was “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers” (Colossians 4:12). His prayer was constant, passionate, and specific. He didn’t merely offer general blessings but prayed for spiritual maturity and steadfastness in God’s will.

Conclusion

If we are to extend Christ’s kingdom on earth, we must work together according to God’s design. This means embracing teamwork, recognizing that God uses ordinary people, overcoming cultural barriers, and learning from both the successes and failures of those who have gone before us.

Let me conclude by emphasizing these key principles from the lives of Paul’s companions. If we are to work together effectively for Christ’s kingdom, we must be willing to sacrifice, stay faithful in our service, forgive one another’s mistakes, and pray fervently for each other. May these truths shape our hearts and minds as we seek to serve the Lord together.