DEC 22

Colossians 4:10
Memorise 2 Timothy 1:8
“…my fellowprisoner…”

Paul continues with Colossians 4:10a “Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you…”. So often in reading the last chapter of any epistle we are invariably tempted to gloss over all these salutations from and to individuals. However we must realise that it was the Holy Spirit that moved the prophets and apostles to write every jot and tittle of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21). Paul could so easily have asked messengers like Tychicus and Onesimus to convey such salutations by word of mouth instead. So why did the Holy Spirit include this salutation as Holy writ? Aristarchus was a “Macedonian of Thessalonica” (Acts 27:2). He is first mentioned as one of “Paul’s companions in travels” (Acts 19:29) who were being seized by the mad crowd rioting in Ephesus. He then accompanied Paul on the same return leg of Paul’s third missionary journey from Macedonia back to Jerusalem that Tychicus was on (Acts 20:4), and continued with them on the fateful journey to Rome (Acts 27:2), suffering the same shipwreck. He is now called Paul’s “fellowprisoner”, evidently under house arrest together with Paul. Aristarchus was clearly a person that stood by Paul through thick and thin, never afraid of being labelled a fellow captive together with Paul, or of sharing the same bonds with Paul for the sake of Christ. He lived up to 2 Timothy 1:8 “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God”.

Are you afraid of being associated with your church? Even now when I tell my Christian colleagues which church I belong to, they would raise their eyebrows and exclaim “oh, that church”, in a rather disdainful manner. This because the church is known for taking the God-honouring stance of biblical separation, and is unafraid to point out errors of other denominations. Thus churches from these denominations often have choice words to describe my church pastors and those who worship there. Some teens from my church are therefore ashamed of being associated with our church, and would rather not tell their friends about it for fear of being labelled. Dear teen, I commend to you the example of Aristarchus: be not ashamed of the name of your church or her leaders. Rather, stand with those who stand for the faith once delivered unto the saints, and be proud to invite them to your church to learn the truth of God’s Word.

Thought: What happens when I am ashamed of my church?
Prayer: May I never gloss quickly over any portion of scripture.