 So, we can continue now. We'll begin by addressing Brother Kennedy's questions. So, the first question is, when is a believer's security wholly and completely in Christ's hands? Now, if you're thinking in terms of eternal security, then we will see the entire complete realization of that. Only, of course, when we get to heaven, because while we are on this earth, there will still be trials and difficulties the way Jesus said. He said, on this earth, you will have trouble, he said, but take heart, I have overcome the world. So, we will be exposed to trials. There will be persecution. So, in that sense, in fact, we may get hit by infections. We may get sick. So, there is still exposure to so many things which are negative while we are still living in this fallen world. So, if you are thinking about security in human terms, regarding human things like disease and financial difficulties and things like that, yes, God does allow us to be hit by those things during certain seasons of life. But we are secure in Christ in the sense that he says, take heart, I have overcome the world. So, we know that he will help us. He will bring us through all of those trials and difficulties as long as we hold on to him. So, when it comes to spiritual security, yes, we are secure in Christ in the sense our eternal future has already been guaranteed. But at the earthly level, we don't enjoy total security in that sense because we are still exposed to the trials and difficulties that are there on this earth. So, when is a believer's security wholly in Christ's hands? When we get to heaven, then we will experience security in every sense in the sense that nothing can even come and touch us. There can be no pain, no sorrow, no difficulties, no nothing, total security. But here on earth, we are still entirely most definitely secure in Christ. It's just that we will go through difficulties. But even in the middle of those difficulties, he will still be there because that's the promise that he made in John. So, he says, you know, while you're on this earth, there will be trouble, but take heart because I have overcome the world. And in fact, he says, you know, I'm telling you these things that you may have peace in me. So even though we go through hardships and difficulties, we know that we are secure in him because he will work things out for us. And like you know, it says in Romans 8, 28. So even though we are going through difficulties and hardships, we know that in all things, the Lord works together for our good. So even in the midst of all of those things, he takes all of those circumstances and works them out for our good. And then coming to another aspect of security, when we take a stand and we say, no, I will not lie, I will not deceive. Then there are some times when God immediately miraculously comes through for us. And you know, even though we spoke the truth, you know, nothing bad happens. In fact, things work out most beautifully. On the other hand, there are many instances where you take a stand for the truth. And because you have done that, you really get it. You know, people really, you know, get you into all kinds of trouble. And then, you know, the devil may say, oh, see, if you had told a lie, you could have escaped from all of this trouble. But you continue to stay secure in Christ and say, no, I took a stand for righteousness. I chose to please and honor my God and I chose not to be deceptive. So yes, it's true that many, many extra troubles have come upon my head because I chose righteousness. But I am secure in Christ because, you know, he will ultimately work things out for my good. Yes, the immediate results have been rather negative because I took a stand for what is true. Now I'm in greater trouble. So in that sense, you know, you didn't get you didn't get immediate results. But down the line, your future is indeed secure. And we have this amazing, you know, passage in Jeremiah chapter 17. If we were to start looking from verse five onwards, so Jeremiah chapter 17 verse five onwards. And, you know, this line of thought goes on goes on right up to verse eight. So Jeremiah 17 five to eight in the first portion, you know, versus five and six. It talks about a person who does not place their trust in God. And so it says over there in Jeremiah 17 verse five, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. Because they think that by turning away from the Lord and by living this earth life, you know, living the way the rest of the people are living, they think that by living in that way, they can secure their future and have security in their life. But actually what happens, they end up like one shrub in the desert. Okay, with almost no, no, no future, no sustenance, nothing. On the other hand, it goes on to say in verses seven and eight. A person on the other hand who chooses to trust in the Lord, you know, they take a stand for what is right. Even even even if it's going to mean negative circumstances, even if it's going to mean, you know, negative results. Why? Because it says when the heat comes, it shall not fear. And then it says in the year of drought, it is not anxious because even though, you know, now the entire, everyone is now against them because they have taken a stand for the truth. And now people are working against them and and painful things are being done to them. No problem. The heat is coming. The drought is there. But in the midst of it all, it says they will flourish. They will bear fruit. Their leaves will continue to stay green because the God who is upholding them, he will never let them down. So in that sense, even though they have taken a stand for what is good and because of that they have suffered, they will stay secure in God. God will secure their future. So actually when this question was asked, I don't know in what sense, you know, you were thinking when you when you talked about a believer's security being wholly in Christ's hands, but yeah, at different levels in different ways we are secure in Christ's hands. Eternally, yes, once we go to heaven, that will be there. In all its completion, we will experience and enjoy that security. But here on this earth there will be negative things. There are times when God will work out things for us immediately and we will enjoy the fruit of having followed him. There are other times when the fruit will be delayed in the sense he will allow us to go through the persecution. We will go through hardships because we took a stand for the right. But ultimately, even though there is heat, even though there is drought like it says over here in Jeremiah 17, 7 and 8 that tree will continue to have green leaves. That tree will continue to bear fruit. Why? Because it is secure in its in Christ. God will take care of the life of that particular person. So that's regarding security. Coming to the other question about clarification for Colossians 3 verse 4. I'm not particularly sure what you are looking for in this particular verse. It says when Christ who is in your life is revealed then you also will be revealed with him in glory. It's talking about the end time, the second coming of Christ. Because when he comes, we will be revealed with him in glory. I'm not exactly sure what the question is. Because right now in the eyes of the world, we look the way they look. I mean, we all look the same. And we all go through the almost the same trials and all of that. But that day we will be revealed. It will be revealed to everyone that oh my, this person's life was hidden in Christ. Because on that day, we will become like Christ. In the sense we will receive resurrected bodies like him and will be made into his image. So that revelation of who we are will be revealed to everyone on that day. But right now it's a hidden thing. It's something that we live out in faith with Christ on a day to day basis. So it's kind of connected to the previous verse versus three and four go together. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ who is in your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. So right now it's more a hidden thing. People can't see that. People can't really see the advantages of the life that you're living out. They think why is this person being so foolish? Why are they sacrificing themselves each day? Why are they crucifying their desires? What's wrong with them? They don't understand that we are hidden with Christ, that we are waiting for eternal rewards, that we are thinking long term and not just adjusting with temporary things. So they don't understand our lifestyle now. Sometimes they see us being blessed by God and then they sit up and they pay attention and say, wow, this person is getting really blessed. So what's going on in their life? Who is their God? Why are they so different? But there are times when you will not get visibly blessed. You just keep going through a lot of persecution and difficulty and at that time people will not be able to see and understand that there's something amazing happening on the inside. But everything gets revealed when he comes back because he will reveal himself in all his glory as the Lord of Lords and he will show the world that he was always the conqueror, that he was always the victor. They might have been thinking that Christ is somebody who died on the cross but he will reveal himself as the conqueror and victor that he is and we will be revealed in him as conquerors and victors who actually held on up to the end and now we are going to reap the rich reward of having held on to him in faith. So that's maybe one way of looking at Colossians 3, 3 to 4. But then if you had something else in mind when you ask the question you can go ahead and express those things. Okay, fine. Thank you. So we kind of came up to verse 10 and moving into verse 11. Again verse 11 has got something really good. Yeah, if someone can read out verse 11. Verse 11, here there is not grief and true sacrifice, pen and circumstances. Barbarians, psychiatry and slavery, but Christ is all and in all of its glory. Yeah. Kind of, you know, a little slow we are behind schedule but it's okay. I mean, we'll catch up because I mean, this is a good point that can be made over here in verse 11 about this new life that we have in Christ. So it's a new way of looking at ourselves and I think it is important. So here it says, there is no Jew or Gentile anymore. There's no longer any barbarian or skythian or a slave or a free person but Christ is all and is in all. So if you're restricted to the earth life and if that's all the life that you have, just like all the other people, then you will label people the way everyone else goes around labelling people and you will also accept the labels which they are sticking on you because that's all, that's the way life operates. You know, you're either the top dog or the underdog and you just got to accept it. But now something has happened. Now you have a new identity. Your life is hidden in Christ, right? So now you have an entirely new identity. So there are new labels. The way you label people also changes and the labels which you accept for yourself also changes. So over here, how would these believers in Colosse, how would they have understood this? It says here there is no Gentile or Jew. So they all go to their church service. They all gather in the house church for their church service and you have the Jewish believer. He looks at the Gentile believer sitting over there on the opposite side of the room and he thinks in his mind. If he still has the old way of thinking, he would say to himself, I am circumcised. I am more holy. That poor chap, what to do? He came from a heathen background. He's not circumcised. He's not as good as me, not as holy as me. It's probably how the Jewish believer would look at the Gentile believer. The Gentile believer on the other hand, let us say he's a slave owner. So he looks at his slave and he thinks, ah, this slave, I spent a lot of money to buy this guy. Now, how can I extract some more work out of him? After making such a heavy investment, I should get my money's worth, right? So how much more can I extract from this guy? And then the believer, the slave who's sitting over there, he's also a believer now. And in his mind is thinking, I'm not like the Jewish believers. They are circumcised. I'm not like the slave owner, my Gentile owner. He's a rich man. He's self-sufficient. I don't have any status. I am not circumcised. I'm not even a free person. I'm just a slave. Oh, my status is so low. I'm nothing. I'm nobody. That would be the way these three people are sitting and thinking over there in that church service, in that house church. On the other hand, if they start understanding that Christ is all and is in all, when they start grasping this truth, the way they look at each other completely changes and the way they look at themselves completely changes. So when a person realises that Christ is all and is in all, this Jewish believer looks at the Gentile believer sitting across from him and he thinks, my goodness, when I was a baby, I was just circumcised by human hands. This Gentile person sitting there next to me, he has not been circumcised with human hands. He's been divinely circumcised by Christ himself and the entire old self was put off, circumcised and cut off and he is now a new creation. I better treat this man with respect and give him the dignity that he deserves because he is a new creation circumcised by Christ himself divinely, not by human hands. So the way he looks at his fellow Gentile brother completely changes. The Gentile who is sitting over there, he does not look at his slave and think, oh my, what can I extract out of this guy? Rather he thinks, now I have a heavenly master, I better treat my slave in a way that will please my heavenly master because I am now responsible and accountable to him and this man, the slave who is sitting over there, he's now my brother in Christ. I can't just treat him like a property. He is a living person and he now is a son of God. So I can't just go around treating him the way any which way I would like to. So the way he looks at his slave changes and the way the slave believer, the believer who is a slave is sitting over there, the way he looks at himself is now completely different. He thinks, yes it's true, these Jewish people have a rich heritage. I don't have that. My Gentile owner who is rich, he's really wealthy in earthly terms. But you know what? I have Christ in me now. My life is hidden in Christ. So I'm actually as rich as them. My Christ will provide for me all that I require and so he no longer sees himself as this helpless person who can be crushed by anyone and everyone and exploited. He understands his new identity in Christ and he starts relying more and more upon Jesus and Jesus starts releasing into him all the benefits and blessings that I know that a believer is meant to have in Christ. So everything about their identity changes because Christ is all and is in all now and that completely changes our identity and who we are and what we can have in God. So then verse 12 onwards, he goes on to talk about the way we should live as believers. So maybe we can just read at one go versus 12 to 16 because these are all things that we have talked about earlier versus 12 to 16 if someone can just quickly read out. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, load yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and give one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord gave you and overall these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you are called to peace and be thankful. Verse 16, let the message of Christ dwell among you especially as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Yes, so it talks about now because we have understood our new status. Now that we have understood that we are no longer tied to the old earthly practices, we can now operate in freedom because of the perfect law that has been given to us in Christ. We can operate at a higher level. Because we understand these things, now we choose to live in this new way, in this more difficult way because it's not easy. All the things that are being talked about over here are things that we can only do through Christ if we stay hidden in Christ, if we draw our strength and if we draw our anointing from Him, He enables us, He equips us to clothe ourselves with compassion. He is the one who helps us to forgive if a grievance has been done against us. He is the one who helps us to live in gratitude. The three times it's mentioned in verse 15 it says, and be thankful. Singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And then in verse 17 it says, whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. So whatever we may be going through, positive situations, negative situations, in all of those situations, in our words and in our deeds, we live with an attitude of thankfulness and gratitude. Why? Because we realize that we are that safe and secure in Him. Yes, there are going to be trials. Yes, when we stand up for righteousness, rather than being appreciated, probably we know we will end up with a whole lot of new hardships. But we endure all of that because we know that we are safe in Christ. The heat will come, the drought will come, but our leaves will continue to be green. We will continue to bear fruit because we have, you know, we are trusting in Christ. So all of that, you know, it... So if I am not living in a very thankful manner, if I am not singing with gratitude in my heart to God, if I am not giving thanks to God the Father, you know, in all that I am doing, it means that I have still not yet grasped who I am because once I realize who I am and once I realize the security that I have in Him, I will be grateful. I will be able to rest and just thank Him and say, yes, Lord, I don't have to be anxious about anything because that's basically what Philippians 6... Philippians 4, I know, talks about, right? He talks about how we don't need to be anxious about anything, but in everything we can just bring our petitions to Him with thanksgiving because we know He will take care of it all. So we can, you know, live in a new way once we are secure and understand what our new identity is. Okay, then verse 18 onwards, we come to a whole bunch of instructions which are almost very, very similar to our Ephesians 5. So if you were to look at Ephesians 5, I think it was like verses 20 onwards or something and then if you look at the verses over here, it's like almost, you know, repetition. It's almost the same thing. So if we can, if someone can just read out for us, verses 18 to maybe 21, yeah, 18 to 21? Wives, submit to your husband as it is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents and everything for this place is the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children as they become discouraged. Bound servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters. Not by way of your high service as people's pleasers but with sincere hearts hearing the Lord finally. Yeah. So these are all things that we have already talked about when we were doing Ephesians 5. Just to touch up on just some, you know, some, some, some basic things. So we are not going to detail, but at least to look at some things. You know, so this is almost a parallel of what we have already seen in Ephesians 5. So it says over here in verse 18, wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Okay, that's the term that is used over there. The Greek phrase that is so used over there actually is, you know, it is your, it is fitting for you to do this. It's your obligation to the Lord to do this. So even if the husband is a harsh person, why does this wife continue to submit to that harsh husband because this is her divine obligation to the Lord. She is obliged to do this because she has now chosen to, you know, come under Christ's Lordship and she has now, and because now she is hidden, her life is now hidden with Christ. This is something that she must do on a daily basis. It is fitting. It is an obligation that she has towards her Lord and Master and she must continue to submit to this husband and, but she can have the assurance that God will take care of her and her needs and her future because, you know, if we were to very quickly go to 1 Peter chapter 5 verses 5 to 9, over there it's talking about submission to authority in a different context. If 1 Peter 5, 5 to 9, over there it's not talking about the marriage relationship. It's not talking about husbands and wives. It's talking about leadership and authority in the church context and over there, you know, the people are asked to submit to the elders and over there, you know, in 1 Peter 5 verse 5 it says, God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble and then it says over there in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 6 if someone could read out verse 6 and 7. Yeah. 1 Peter 5, 6 and 7. How do we ourselves stay proud? Under the mighty hand of God so that at the perfect time He exhausts us casting our anxieties on Him because He cares for you. You're so reminded. Now go ahead, go ahead. 8 and 9, yeah. Why did she stop? We suffer from this. We watch folks. The adversary that dwells around like a growing lion seeking someone to do our work resist him from new fate knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. Yeah. Now you see this entire passage is talking about leadership in the church submission in the church but the same divine principles that are mentioned over here the same divine principles of submission and authority can actually be applied even in the marriage context. So over here, these people are being told submit to your elders. Why? Because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. And so this lady who is living in this marriage where this husband is very, very harsh she continues to fulfill her divine obligation towards the Lord in submitting to her husband. Why? Because God opposes the proud but he shows favor to the humble. And so what does she do? She humbles herself under God's mighty hand. She's not just giving in to the harshness of a human to the harshness of the human husband she's actually humbling herself under God's mighty hand because this beautiful mighty hand of God will lift her up one day when the time comes because you see she is so faithful towards him she's honoring her Lord by humbling herself under his mighty hand and being submissive to this harsh husband because she's living in this honorable manner and she's humbling herself under the mighty hand of God the mighty hand of God will lift her up one day when the time comes he will take care of her so what does she do? She casts all her anxiety upon the Lord because the Lord cares for her he knows what she's going through in that marriage and that is why she chooses to trust in God since the devil is roaming around like a hungry lion he wants her to grow bitter he wants her to grow uncooperative he wants her to lash out but she, you know, stands firm in the faith and she resists Satan and she does not allow herself to be deceived and because she is choosing to humble herself under God's mighty hand God will lift her up when the time comes so you know the principles of submission and authority which are discussed over here in the first Peter 5 passage it can even be applied in the marriage context so wives must submit to their husbands because it is an obligation to the Lord and then the husbands are told not to be harsh towards their wives but to be loving towards them and then of course you have the verses about the fathers and children we've already talked about that when we were looking at efficiency and then there are other instructions about the slaves so they're not going to pretend that they are working very hard when the master is watching and then get lazy when the master is not watching rather they'll continue to work in all sincerity because they are serving the heavenly master the Lord Jesus and they know that one day the reward will be they'll receive a reward from Him even if the earthly master does not appreciate their efforts they'll continue to work hard because they know that there is an inheritance which they will receive from their Lord so all that is discussed in verses 22, 23, 24 verse 24 where it says since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward it is the Lord Christ you are serving so even though humanly they may just be slaves and in our present day context we may just be mere employees in the organization and the superiors don't really care about what happens to us but our Lord for whom we are working we are inheritances in Him and He will take care of us and that is why it says in verse 25 and maybe the first verse of the next chapter if someone could read out verse 25 of chapter 3 and also verse 1 of chapter 4 we really don't have much time left if someone could please read out the last verse of chapter 3 and the first verse of chapter 4 go ahead say it go ahead Asha for the wrong doer will be paid back for the wrong he has done and there is no partiality masters treat your blind servants just the infirmity doing that you have also a master in heaven okay so here it's talking about how anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs so the Lord will do justice for us so if the slave is not being treated right the slave is not being treated fairly there is a master in heaven who will take care of these things so we can have this deep assurance and security in Christ okay so then after that in this chapter 4 verse 2 onwards it talks about 4 kinds of prayer so if someone could quickly read out for us verses 2, 3 and 4 verse 2 to 4 it reads continue energetically in prayer be vigilant in it with thanksgiving meanwhile praying also for us that God would open us a door for the world to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in chains that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak walking wisdom towards those who are outside redeeming the time let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt you may know how you ought to answer each one alright verses 2, 3 and 4 are talking about prayer and there are 4 different kinds of prayers that are talked about here the first is devote yourselves to prayer being watchful that brings us to our minds that Matthew 26 verse in Matthew 26 41 it says watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak so over here in your Colossians 4 2 when it says devote yourselves to prayer being watchful that's basically what it's talking about temptations will come hardships will come they will hit at a time when you least expect it so you should have been praying beforehand already preparing yourself and getting yourself ready for what's going to come because when you spend time in prayer the Lord will strengthen you in your mind He will strengthen you in your feelings in your emotions He will build you up in your inner person He will start doing all of these things for you when you pray regarding this and say spare me help me to be more like you enable your realities to become so real to me that I will see that rather than what the world sees when the time of temptation hits because they can only see the immediate situation but you on the other hand have been prepared by God so you will be able to look at the spiritual realities you will be able to respond in a higher superior way so all of these things will happen only if you have been watchful in prayer watching out for what's going to happen in the future and preparing yourself beforehand for it in prayer because in your spirit it's very true you are willing but remember in the flesh you're just a human you have human restrictions so you need to you know build yourself up through prayer the second thing it says you devote yourself to prayer being watchful and thankful so it should be an attitude of thankfulness each time I pray I must pray with an attitude of thankfulness really knowing that God will take care of my need he may not answer in exactly the way I wanted my prayer answered but he will take care of my need he will provide me with what I require for my life so we can have this deep assurance and pray to him with thankfulness knowing that he will do whatever we are asking for verse 3 it says pray for us too that God may open a door so the third kind of prayer is that we pray that doors will be opened up for ministry because there are some places where the people are so hostile to the gospel that it looks like it's impossible for anyone to go and share the gospel over there but we are supposed to pray that God will open the doors the doors which are closed God will open them up so that someone can go over there and minister and share the gospel or it may just be a place where people are so indifferent they're so busy with their everyday life that they could not care less about spiritual matters so in a hard place like that where people are just apathetic to spiritual realities we pray that God will open the door that he will open the door into people's lives where they will be willing to listen to what is being shared about the gospel so it happens only through prayer the closed door the sealed doors which you know it looks like as if nobody can penetrate through prayer those doors get opened so that people can go and share the gospel over there the fourth prayer point that he asks for pray that I may proclaim it clearly so that we should pray for the people who are sharing the gospel that we will be able to do it in a way that we will be able to share the gospel in a way that is very clear and meaningful so that the people who are listening to this word which we are preaching they will be where is the thing in Colossians in Colossians chapter 1 verse 5 it says that Epaphras he preached the true message of the gospel and because he preached the true message of the gospel it led to this eternal hope they became excited about eternal things rather than temporary things and that caused them to live in faith and love so today the people will be able to preach in that kind of manner fully explaining and presenting the gospel in the correct way so these are the four kinds of prayers that we are urged to pray and then verses 5 and 6 which actually I think were already read out are talking about something else how do we what should be our attitude towards people of the world the unbelievers as far as ministry is concerned as far as sharing the gospel is concerned what should be our approach so if you could read it once again chapter 4 verses 5 and 6 please chapter 4 5 and 6 walking wisdom towards those who are outside redeeming the time let your speech always be with grace succinct with salt that you may know how you ought to answer each one yeah we are surrounded by people who do not know Jesus Christ we go to our workplace there are so many people over there who do not know Christ we come back home to our locality there are so many of the families over there do not know Christ they are literally surrounded by people who are called outsiders over here because they have not yet come into the fold of Jesus Christ so they are still outsiders and there are so many opportunities divine opportunities where we can reach out to them it's just that we need to be aware sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit that's why it says be wise in the way you act towards outsiders make the most of every opportunity that's the way NIV puts it it says be wise in the way you act towards outsiders make the most of every opportunity the way you act towards them the the words that you use when you are speaking to them the whole attitude of helpfulness and kindness that you show when you are interacting with them that really makes a great difference they start looking at you and they think oh my this person is not living the earth life the life to which everyone else is chained this person is living differently and yet they are succeeding in life what is so different about them so they sit up and take notice because you are being wise in the way you are acting towards the others you are being very careful in your speech with them you are being very very loving in your whole conduct towards them and they think oh okay this person has got something different and let me find out what it is so you are redeeming the time you are making use of every opportunity that you are getting to show them that you know what my life is hidden in somebody and you also can have the same kind of life so we make you, we are very very wise and careful in our interactions with people let your conversation be always full of grace there are going to be people who will be hostile towards what you are saying they will say very negative things about Jesus Christ and about Christians and about Christianity and your conversation should be full of grace when you are addressing such people so that they realize oh there is something more you know than what I thought they have all this hostile negative thoughts about Christ about Christians but then when you start speaking full of grace they begin to realize oh there is something more to it so maybe I was actually wrong in the impression that I had about this Jesus about this Christian life and you are seasoned with salt in your speech so their life is so meaningless it's so bland they are tied down they do not know a better way of life and you are bringing flavor into their lives by talking to them about Christ and what Christ can do you know it literally adds flavor to their meaningless bland existence so your conversation when you are speaking with the anointing of Christ you are literally bringing flavor into their meaningless lives you are making such a great difference so you will be able to answer to everyone depending on what situation it is and what they are bringing up with you if it's a person in need they will experience Christ's love through you if they are having questions those questions will get answered by Jesus Christ through you it's always Christ who will do it it's just being done through you because you are a willing and cooperative vessel who is open to the Lord's leading so he is able to guide you and help you in giving that person whatever they require in their situation so you are being wise in your interactions with people as usual we are left with just five minutes but it's okay in the sense because verse 7 onwards it's all about Paul talking about the people with whom he works and he he sends greetings from them and all of that so he talks about Taikikus and he says that I am sending Taikikus specifically for one purpose that's in verse 8 he says I am sending him so that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts because these people in Colosse they don't have any phone they don't have any email nothing so they have no idea what's going on with Paul and they are really worried and concerned they only know that he's been arrested he's imprisoned over there they don't know whether the name death sentence has been given or what's going on so he says I am sending back Taikikus just so that you don't have to go on worrying about me he will come to you he will encourage you and tell you that things are going well for me over here that you know things are alright and in fact I may not even get a death sentence so you know in fact he was released right after that after the first imprisonment he was in fact released so things actually worked out well so Paul is so concerned he's sending someone away from him not holding on to Taikikus but sending him back to these people so that Taikikus can come to them and put their minds at rest and encourage them and tell them that things are okay things are going well really beautiful you know this whole attitude this heart which Paul had and then he talks about his fellow prisoner Aristarchus Aristarchus is the person who had gone along with Paul on his third missionary journey and when they were in Ephesus you know Aristarchus gets arrested along with Paul we get to know about that in chapter 19 verses 28 to 29 where this whole crowd comes and they're really angry about how Ephesus is pagan traditions are you know kind of getting after you okay so yeah we just have literally 2 minutes left so Aristarchus is the person who stood with Paul was persecuted along with Paul so he's gone through a lot for the gospel and now we get to know that he's a fellow prisoner so along with Paul he too has been arrested and he too is standing on trial and so we get to know that and we also get to know that now peace has been made with Mark because he's mentioned over here it says you know the greetings are being sent by Mark as well and he says if you are Paul says if Mark comes to you welcome him so we get to know that now Mark is no longer backslidden in the sense that during the first missionary journey he abandons Paul and he leaves and goes away because life is too tough it's too hard and so he goes away but Barnabas kind of goes after him and mentors him and now Mark is now once again strong in the faith so that's why Paul says over here if he comes to you people in Colosse welcome him welcome him and accept him as a leader so we see that Paul gives this person a second chance and because he gave him a second chance in fact we have the Gospel of Mark today you know because he went on to become with this amazing strong believer and he in fact wrote the Gospel of Mark for us so Paul just like Jesus he gives people second chances even though they have made a mistake you know he gives them a second chance to you know to once again establish themselves in God once again grows strong in God so we have all of these greetings and there are a whole bunch of other names mentioned but of course we don't have time to look at them but it's alright so let's just you know close with the word of prayer yeah Lord we just thank you so much for all the things that you spoke to us from your scriptures today we pray O Lord that all of these we will apply to our lives so that they become practical realities we pray O Lord that you would help us to be like the person that James talked about that we will continue to intently look into the mirror of God's word we will continue to see who we are then the new status that we have in you and Lord we will continue to walk in that so that everything that we do will be blessed we will have a blessed life in you through you so we pray O Lord that you would help us to walk in these things and apply them on a daily basis to our lives you enable us and you anoint us for this O Lord thank you Lord in Jesus name amen amen thank you so much and yeah we will meet again next week thank you