There is something peculiarly
touching in the manner in which the name of Epaphras is introduced to our
notice in the New Testament. The allusions to him are very brief, but very full
of meaning. He seems to have been the very stamp of man which is so much needed
at the present moment. His labors, so far as the inspired penman has recorded
them, do not seem to have been very showy or attractive. They were not calculated
to meet the human eye or elicit human praise. But oh, they were most precious
labors—peerless, priceless labors! They were the labors of the closet, labors
within the closed door, labors in the sanctuary, labors without which all
beside must prove barren and worthless. He is not placed before us by the
sacred biographer as a powerful preacher, a laborious writer, a great traveler,
which he may have been, and which are all truly valuable in their place. The
Holy Ghost, however, has not told us that Epaphras was any of the three; but
then, my reader, He has placed this singularly interesting character before us
in a manner calculated to stir the depths of our moral and spiritual being. He
has presented him to us as a man of prayer—earnest, fervent, agonizing
prayer; prayer not for himself, but for others. Let us hearken to the inspired
testimony:

 

"Epaphras, who is one of
you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently (agonizing)
for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of
God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that
are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis" (Col. 4:12, 13). Such was
Epaphras! Would there were hundreds like him in this our day! We are thankful
for preachers, thankful for writers, thankful for travelers in the cause of
Christ; but we want men of prayer, men of the closet, men like Epaphras. We are
happy to see men on their feet preaching Christ; happy to see them able to ply
the pen of a ready writer in the noble cause; happy to see them making their
way, in the true evangelistic spirit, into "the regions beyond";
happy to see them, in the true pastoral spirit, going again and again to visit
their brethren in every city. God forbid that we should undervalue or speak
disparagingly of such honorable services; yea, we prize them more highly than
words could convey. But then at the back of all, we want a spirit of
prayer—fervent, agonizing, persevering prayer. Without this, nothing can
prosper. A prayerless man is a sapless man. A prayerless preacher is a
profitless preacher. A prayerless writer will send forth barren pages. A
prayerless evangelist will do but little good. A prayerless pastor will have
but little food for the flock. We want men of prayer, men like Epaphras, men
whose closet walls witness their agonizing labors. These are, unquestionably,
the men for the present moment.

 

There are immense advantages
attending the labors of the closet, advantages quite peculiar, advantages for
those who engage in them, and advantages for those who are the subjects of
them. They are quiet, unobtrusive labors. They are carried on in retirement, in
the hallowed, soul-subduing solitude of the divine presence, outside the range
of mortal vision. How little would the Colossians have known of the loving,
earnest labors of Epaphras had the Holy Ghost not mentioned them! It is
possible that some of them might have deemed him deficient in zealous care on
their behalf; it is probable that there were persons then, as there are those
now, who would measure a man’s care or sympathy by his visits or letters. This
would be a false standard. They should see him on his knees to know the amount
of his care and sympathy. A love of travel might take me from London to Edinburgh to visit the brethren. A love of scribbling might lead me to write letters by
every mail. Nought save a love for souls, a love for Christ, could ever lead me
to agonize as Epaphras did on behalf of the people of God, "that [they]
may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."

 

Again, the precious labors of
the closet demand no special gift, no peculiar talents, no pre-eminent mental
endowments. Every Christian can engage in them. A man may not have the ability
to preach, teach, write, or travel; but every man can pray. One sometimes hears
of a gift of prayer. It is not a pleasant expression. It falls gratingly on the
ear. It often means a mere fluent utterance of certain known truths which the
memory retains and the lips give forth. This is poor work to be at. This was
not the way with Epaphras. This is not what we want and long for. We want a
real spirit of prayer. We want a spirit that enters into the present need of
the Church and bears that need in persevering, fervent, believing intercession
before the throne of grace. This spirit may be exercised at all times, and
under all circumstances. Morning, noon, eventide or midnight will answer for
the closet laborer. The heart can spring upward to the throne in prayer and
supplication at any time. Our Father’s ear is ever open; His presence-chamber
is ever accessible. Come when or with what we may, He is always ready to hear,
ready to answer. He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and the Lover of importunate
prayer. He Himself has said,

 

"Ask . . . Seek . . .
Knock"; "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint"; "All
things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive";
"If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God." These words are of
universal application. They are intended for all God’s children. The feeblest
child of God can pray, can watch, can get an answer, and return thanks.

 

Furthermore, nothing is so
calculated to give one a deep interest in people as the habit of praying
constantly for them. Epaphras would be intensely interested in the Christians
at Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. His interest made him pray, and his
prayers made him interested. The more we are interested in any one, the more we
shall pray for him; the more we pray, the more interested we become. Whenever
we are drawn out in prayer for people, we are sure to rejoice in their growth
and prosperity. So, also, in reference to the unconverted. When we are led to
wait on God about them, their conversion is looked for with the deepest anxiety
and hailed, when it comes, with unfeigned thankfulness. The thought of this
should stir us up to imitate Epaphras, on whom the Holy Ghost has bestowed the
honorable epithet of "a servant of Christ," in connection with his
fervent prayers for the people of God.

 

Finally, the highest inducement
that can be presented to cultivate the spirit of Epaphras is the fact of its
being so directly in unison with the spirit of Christ. This is the most
elevated motive. Christ is engaged on behalf of His people. He desires that
they should "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God," and
those who are led forth in prayer in reference to this object are privileged to
enjoy high communion with the great Intercessor. How marvelous that poor,
feeble creatures down here should be permitted to pray about that which engages
the thoughts and interests of the Lord of glory! What a powerful link there was
between the heart of Epaphras and the heart of Christ when the former was
laboring for his brethren at Colosse!

 

Christian reader, let us ponder
the example of Epaphras. Let us imitate it. Let us fix our eyes on some Colosse
or other, and labor fervently in prayer for the Christians therein. The present
is a deeply solemn moment. Oh, for men like Epaphras — men who are willing to
labor on their knees for the cause of Christ, or to wear, if it should be so,
the noble bonds of the gospel. Such was Epaphras. We see him as a man of prayer
(Col. 4:12), and as a companion in bonds with the devoted apostle of the
Gentiles (Philemon 23).

 

May the Lord stir up among us a
spirit of earnest prayer and intercession. May He raise up many of those who
shall be cast in the same spiritual mold as Epaphras. These are the men for the
present need.