And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting by my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Into the Text
Paul ends his letter to the Colossian believers with some personal notes and greetings. One of the people he mentions is Archippus, whom Paul cared about enough to tell the whole church to encourage him to complete the ministry he had received.
God has given each of us some special work to do. And we need to be reminded to keep going in that ministry, to get back to it if we have quit, and to complete it if we feel like giving up. Do you know what God is calling you to do? Have you left your work unfinished? Sometimes we get tired or distracted or discouraged, and we leave our God-given ministry in order to find something easier. But God says to us, “Don’t quit. Finish the work.”
As in all of his letters, Paul ends by saying, “Grace be with you.” Grace, or God’s unmerited favor, has come to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul has taught us that being a Christian is about sharing the very life of Jesus, being called to join in the eternal purposes of God, and having all His limitless resources available to us.
As we live to complete the work we have been called to, let’s look to Jesus. He has loved and redeemed us. He has nailed all our sins to the cross, and He has raised us to new life. By our faith in Him, we have been made gloriously rich. He is enough.
Let’s continue to be faithful in our God-given ministry. Let’s join Paul when he says: “I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29).
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to finish the work you have called me to do. I praise you for your gracious gift that is salvation and life in Jesus. Amen.