God’s Word for You
Colossians 4:12-14 Always wrestling in prayer
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, November 30, 2019
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, sends greetings. This servant of Christ Jesus is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand and those who are made perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Epaphras was the preacher who first proclaimed the gospel to the Colossians (Colossians 1:7). He was concerned about them (see also Philemon 23) and was “always wrestling in prayer” for them. Outside of Revelation, the city of Laodicea is mentioned four times in the Bible, all in Colossians (Colossians 2:1, 4:13, 15 and 16). The congregation there had close ties with Colosse which was on the same side of the Lycus river about a day’s walk away. Hierapolis was also nearby, but across the river and to the north.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
This is the only passage in which Luke is called a “doctor.” The word was more precise than ours. An iatros (ὁ ἰατρὸς) was a physician, as in the proverb quoted by Jesus: “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23). Perhaps Luke and Paul first came into contact because of an illness Paul had, although Luke was so eager to preach the gospel with Paul that this might not have been so, although we sometimes refer to Luke as “Paul’s physician.” The two met in Troas: Compare Acts 16:8 where Luke says: “They passed by Mysia and went down to Troas” with Acts 16:11, where Luke says: “From Troas we put out to sea.”
Paul mentions Demas here as he does in Philemon 24. Later, Demas would desert Paul “because he loved this world” (2 Timothy 4:10). Did Demas abandon the call to serve, or his faith? Paul’s statement in the last Pastoral Epistle cannot be dismissed lightly. Demas left it all behind: His friend Paul, his divine call, and his faith in Christ as well. Professor Habeck writes: “In him the tragedy of Judas was repeated. There are some, indeed, who have a kindlier view because it is not expressly stated that Demas had lost his faith. But Paul does not breathe a prayer for pardon for him as he does for those who lacked the courage to stand by him [2 Timothy 4:16]…. Demas, however, had become guilty of loving what is characteristic of this age. No man can serve two masters” (2 Timothy p. 97-98). The divine call in particular should not be taken lightly. James said, “You know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).
Yet for all who are living, for all who feel pulverized to dust and crumbs because of the burden of their sins, there is still hope, because the love of God and his mercy endure forever. Grace is the mercy of God promised to sinful mankind because of his Son, Jesus our Savior. This mercy for us sent the Son of God as a sacrifice to the cross, a punishment Jesus understood full well: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me,” he prayed (Mark 14:36a). But it was also a punishment that Jesus took on himself willingly: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36b). He did not do this lightly, but with a heavy heart. Yet he did it, for our sakes, and in doing so his spilled blood sprinkled us with his righteousness and holiness, and God’s forgiveness covers us. Knowing this, we have the confidence of eternal life and everlasting forgiveness. Our worthiness was useless for this; Christ’s worthiness was everything that was needed and more.
Keep wrestling in prayer on behalf of those whose faith is weak or damaged, whose faith seems to be spluttering like a dying candle. Be confident that “a smoking wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3). He invites us to put our hope in him, and thanks to Jesus our hope will not be in vain.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.