Epaphras: How to Become a Faithful Servant of Christ (Colossians 1:3-8).

Class Outline:

Thursday July 16, 2026

 

Main idea: Faithful slaves / servants of Christ are formed by faith and used by the Lord to plant His gospel seeds where He wills.  

 

Intro:

 

The gospel hope lies completely on the shoulders of Christ who bore the penalty of sin for us all.

 

The gospel produced a vigorous and increasing fruit of Christian life at Colossae just as it had throughout the world.

 

Paul is thankful that he and all his fellow workers can teach what is vital to the Christian life and do so with confidence because they possess it themselves by faith.

 

COL 1:3-8

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

 

1. Epaphras: teacher; fellow-slave; fellow-prisoner; faithful servant of Christ.

 

a. Teacher:

 

Usually Paul describes the acceptance of the gospel as “believing” or “obeying” rather than learning (manthano) an infrequent verb.

 

Epaphras had given them systematic instruction in the gospel rather than an outline or surface instruction and that the Colossians had submitted to his teaching as disciples (mathates).

 

EPH 4:20

But you did not learn Christ in this way

 

b. Fellow slave:

 

COL 4:12-13

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

 

Paul uses slave language to connote the Christian’s total dependence upon and dedication to the Lord Jesus.

 

Epaphras discharged his duties faithfully (pistos) referring to his enduring character and work to three towns in the Lycus Valley.

 

Where does a believer get character like this?

 

Before we answer let’s ponder a similar phrase used of some in the OT.

 

In the OT “servant of God” was a title of honor to refer to those chosen by God and predestined for His service.

 

Abraham: PSA 105:29

For He remembered His holy word

With Abraham His servant;

 

Moses: PSA 105:24

He sent Moses His servant,

And Aaron, whom He had chosen.

 

David: PSA 89:3

"I have made a covenant with My chosen;

I have sworn to David My servant,

 

Prophets:AMO 3:7

Surely the Lord God does nothing

Unless He reveals His secret counsel

To His servants the prophets.

 

The prophets were servants of the Word of the Lord who were to proclaim the message entrusted to them. In the NT an apostle was also a “servant of Christ Jesus” (GAL 1:10; ROM 1:1).

 

The torch is passed to Epaphras and now to you.

 

Where does a believer get character like this?

 

Faith in the Lord and His Word; so powerful is the gospel and Word.

 

These are ordinary people who have faith in the Lord.

 

1CO 1:23-24

but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

 

That would also nicely describe Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets … and Christ [carpenter from Nazareth].

 

c. Fellow-captive:

 

Phl 23

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you

 

The point to be made is that discomfort did not stop him. This man evangelized three major towns in the Lycus valley.

 

d. Faithful servant of Christ on our behalf (COL 1:7):

 

Servant (diakonos) is a term originally denoted one who rendered service of a lowly kind. It is used in a variety of ways in the NT. Christ was a servant to the circumcision (ROM 15:8). Paul is a minister of Christ (2CO 11:23; EPH 3:7).

 

1CO 3:5

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.

 

So Timothy:

1TH 3:2

we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith

 

1TI 4:6

In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

 

Tychicus:

COL 4:7

As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.

 

EPH 6:21

But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.

 

Other designations that Paul uses for his associates in missionary activity: fellow worker, brother, partner, and apostle [sent envoy].

 

Paul, Philemon, Onesimus:

Phm 17

If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.

 

Titus:

2CO 8:23

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you;

 

Not coincidentally, when we are introduced to the future apostles in the Gospel of Luke:

LUK 5:7

 so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

 

ROM 16:7

Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

[Timothy and Silvanus, Barnabas, James also]

 

God’s plan was to build a family under one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Each is told to go and work in the field.

 

The world would not submit to allow the seeds to grow within them and so they would try to stamp out seedlings growing around them. The tares grow with the wheat. Leave them, said the Lord, until the harvest - You follow Me.

 

Conclusion:

 

We read that Epaphras was a slave, prisoner, and a servant. But it would not be only the pastors or elders or leaders or apostles who would be so designated.

 

The NT uses the words slave and servant to describe every believer:

 

Slaves:

 

ROM 6:13

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life

 

Servants:

 

1PE 4:10-11

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.