Scripture

Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nymphas and the church that meets in her house.

Observation

This section consists of Paul’s final instructions and greetings.

Tychicus is a beloved brother and faithful servant. He will give the Colossians a full report about the ministry. Paul is sending Onesimus, the former runaway slave, with him.

He sends greetings from his fellow workers who, are working for the kingdom of God, Epaphrus is a great prayer warrior who prays earnestly for the Colossians.

Paul sends greetings to the believers in Laodicea, and to Nymphas and the church that meets in her house.

Application

After preparing a sermon this morning about cell groups and their importance in the early church, it is interesting to come across this passage in my devotions. Often Paul’s letters end with a pile of personal greetings of this form: give my greetings to So- and- so and to the church that meets in their home.

The early church was essentially a house church movement. They had their large meetings from time to time, but they were generally small groups meeting in homes. These groups networked and had an over-arching leadership structure.

When we see the word “church” in the New Testament, we should think home groups rather than mega church. Over the centuries we’ve become used to the Sunday morning gathering with optional Bible study or fellowship meetings.

It’s very hard to shake off this multi-generational pattern, but if the church is to thrive in the next decade, we must recover the biblical pattern.

Journal.

Lord, what do you want to say to me about this template for the church?

Keith, it is true that my preferred model for the church is some kind of small group together with large group meetings or celebrations. This is the pattern I established in Acts.

This is not always a viable pattern when governments or local authorities oppose my bride, the Church. Wherever christians meet for intentional fellowship in my name, I am with them.